Mark Plummer

Mark Plummer

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Plummer has recently been appointed as the Head of Research and Innovation, Intensive Care Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital. His research interests include stress hyperglycaemia, sepsis and neurocritical care. He is a current The Hospital Research Foundation Group Early Career Fellow and has received competitive grant funding from the NHMRC, Diabetes Australia and Intensive Care Foundation

Dr Plummer graduated from The University of Adelaide Medical School in 2008 as dux of his year (Keith Sheridan Prize). During his specialist training he was the recipient of prestigious national awards, for both the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists primary exam (Renton Medal, 2012) and the College of Intensive Care Medicine fellowship exam (Don Harrison Medal, 2019). In 2016 he completed a clinical research-based PhD through the Discipline of Acute Care Medicine at the University of Adelaide and was awarded a Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence. During his PhD candidacy he won numerous highly competitive national research awards including the Australian Diabetes Society President’s Award, the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Matt Spence Medal and the College of Intensive Care Medicine Felicity Hawker Medal. He then undertook post-doctoral research and advanced training in neurointensive care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge (UK), renowned as the international centre of excellence in neurointensive care training and research. He returned to Australia in 2018 to complete training in intensive care medicine and take up an honorary title as Senior Lecturer with the Department of Critical Care at the University of Melbourne. In 2020 he commenced employment as a consultant intensivist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he sat on the executive of the Royal Melbourne Intensive Care Research Unit.

Dr Plummer has established himself as an emerging international leader in critical care research. He is among the top 30 researchers in the world in the field of hyperglycaemia (expertscape.com) and is ranked in the top 1% for both diabetes and critical care. His high-impact research to date includes (i) defining the prevalence of stress hyperglycaemia in critical illness, (ii) identifying stress hyperglycaemia as a precursor for subsequent diabetes and (iii) characterising severe COVID-19 and its impact on the Australian healthcare system. He holds leadership positions on the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) ASM Committee, the ANZICS SPRINT-SARI COVID-19 management committee and the ANZICS/College of Intensive Care Medicine Global Health Special Interest Group. He has supervised two University of Melbourne MD Research Projects and two Honours students.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Honorary Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2021 - ongoing Head of Research and Innovation Royal Adelaide Hospital
    2020 - 2021 Intensive Care Specialist Royal Melbourne Hospital
    2019 - ongoing Honorary Senior Lecturer University of Melbourne
    2018 - 2019 Senior Registrar Royal Melbourne Hospital
    2017 - 2017 Senior Fellow Royal Free Hospital
    2016 - 2016 Senior Fellow Addenbrooke's Hospital
    2010 - 2012 Registrar Royal Adelaide Hospital

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2022 Research Award Florey Medical Research Foundation Prize University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Award CICM Professor G.A. (Don) Harrison Medal College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia -
    2018 Research Award CICM Felicity Hawker Medal College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia -
    2016 Research Award Harold Youngman Medal East Anglia Association of Anaesthetists United Kingdom -
    2016 Research Award Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence University of Adelaide Australia -
    2014 Research Award ANZICS Tub Worthley Travelling Scholarship Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Australia -
    2014 Award Matt Spence Medal College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia -
    2014 Scholarship NHMRC Post-graduate scholarship NHMRC Australia -
    2013 Research Award Australian Diabetes Society President's Award Australian Diabetes Society Australia -
    2013 Scholarship University of Adelaide Dawes Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -
    2013 Research Award Royal Adelaide Hospital NIMMO prize Royal Adelaide Hospital Australia -
    2012 Award Renton Medal Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Australia -
    2008 Award Keith Sheridan Prize University of Adelaide Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2013 - 2016 University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    2003 - 2008 University of Adelaide Australia MBBS

  • Postgraduate Training
    Date Title Institution Country
    2019 Fellow College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia

  • Research Interests
    Emergency & Critical Care Medicine Innovative Therapeutics Neuroscience, Behaviour and Brain Health
2021 
  • The Hospital Research Foundation Group Early Career Fellowship:

Plummer MP. Mega-dose vitamin C for the management of septic shock, Value $390,000

                                

  • Intensive Care Foundation Project Grant

Reeve J, Plummer MP, Deane AM, Ankravs M, Cavric A. Cannabis in paroxysmal sympaethetic hyperactivity. Value $5000

 

  • Intensive Care Foundation Project Grant

Surace S, Plummer MP, Deane AM, Macisaac C, Ankravs M, Adamson N. Prospective observational study of biochemically verified nicotine use in a critically ill population compared with self-reporting and collateral history. Value $5000

 

  • Diabetes Australia Research Trust General Grant 

Horowitz M, Chapman MJ, Plummer MP,  Jones KL, Deane AM, Rayner C. Management of critical illness-indiuced (‘stress’) hyperglyacemia with native glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Value $60,000

 

2016                    
  • Diabetes Australia Research Trust General Grant 

Philips LK, Horowitz M, Shaw JE, Deane AM, Plummer MP. Glycaemia in the critically ill – dysglyaemia as a predictor for incident type 2 diabetes and the effect of pre-existing type 2 diabetes on outcomes in survivors of critical illness. Value $59, 915

 

  • South Australia Intensive Care Association Research Assistance Program

Plummer MP, Finnis ME, Phillips LK, Kar P, Bihari S, Biradar V, Moodie S, Horowitz M, Shaw JE, Deane AM. Stress induced hyperglycaemia and the subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in survivors of critical illness.Value $2,000

 

2015                   
  • Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Foundation, Clinical Project Grant

Plummer MP, Deane AM, Chapman MJ, Jones KL, Hausken T. The effect of critical illness on gallbladder motility, lipid absorption and plasma cholecystokinin concentrations. Value $49,565

 

  • Maurice Sando Foundation Grant

Plummer MP, Deane AM, Finnis ME, Shaw JE, Moodie S, Biradar V. A state-wide study to determine whether hyperglycaemia during critical illness identifies survivors at risk of subsequently developing diabetes. Value $10,000

 

2014          
  • National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship

Plummer MP. Patient safety and therapeutic implications of a new glucose lowering agent for type 2 diabetes and high blood glucose states in the critically ill. GNT1075657. Value $84,905

  • Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Foundation, Clinical Project Grant

Plummer MP, Deane AM, Chapman MJ, Rayner C. The effect of routine pantoprazole administration when compared to placebo on gastrointestinal bleeding, ventilator-associated pneumonia and Clostridium difficile infection in enterally-fed mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: A prospective randomised study. Value: $49,139

  • Inaugural Intensive Care Foundation Trainee Grant

Plummer MP, Deane AM, Chapman MJ, Horowitz M, Jones K. Gallbladder motility in critical illness. Value $5,000

Editor e-Medici: 2019 - present

Examiner: University of Adelaide Medical School OSCE's: 2021 - present

Australian Medical Council Examination writing committee: 2015 - present

CICM primary examination course lecturer: 2013 - present

Convener: University of Melbourne Department of Critical Care Postgraduate Research Seminar 2020-21

Professor Derek Frewin AO Citation for clinical teaching 2011, 2013

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Novel pathophysiology and therapeutics in acute brain injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Tim Paul Webber
    2023 Co-Supervisor Mitigating the short and long-term complications of stress hyperglycaemia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Aniket Nadkarni
    2022 Co-Supervisor Enteral protein delivery in the critically ill Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Matthew Summers

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2022 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Neuroprotection post subarachnoid haemorrhage University of Melbourne - Honours - Ms Lauren Kassinger
    2021 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity University of Melbourne University of Melbourne MD Research Project Other - Mr Justin Tu
    2021 - ongoing Principal Supervisor CSF anti-oxidants post subarachnoid haemorrhage University of Melbourne - Honours - Ms Natasha Turner
    2019 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Vasospasm prevention post subarachnoid haemorrhage University of Melbourne University of Melbourne MD Research Project Other - Ms Lauren Sperring

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2022 - ongoing Co-Chair Asia-Pacific Intensive Care Society ASM Management committee Asia-Pacific Intensive Care Society Australia
    2021 - ongoing Member PRECISION-TBI steering committee PRECISION TBI Australia
    2021 - ongoing Member ANZICS-CTG protocol review panel ANZICS-Clinical Trials Group Australia
    2020 - ongoing Member ANZICS Global Health Special Interest Group Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Australia
    2020 - ongoing Member ANZICS COVID-19 SPRINT-SARI Australia Management Committee Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Australia

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2012 - ongoing Member Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Australia
    2012 - ongoing Member College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia
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