Professor Sir Peter D. Gluckman

KNZM, MBChB, MMedSc, DSc, FRACP, FRCPCH, FRSNZ, FMedSci, FRS

• NRCGD Project Leader

• NRCGD Science Advisory Board member

• Distinguished Professor of Paediatric and Perinatal Biology, The University of Auckland

• Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor

Research interests

Evolutionary medicine

Evolutionary developmental biology

Developmental origins of health and disease

Developmental plasticity

Epigenetic mechanisms

Perinatal physiology and biology

Paediatric and experimental endocrinology

Public understanding & engagement of science

NRCGD Project: Click here for details

Biography

Professor Sir Peter Gluckman is one of New Zealand's most distinguished scientists. He was honoured by the Queen in 1997 with the Award of Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2008 for services to medicine. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (London) in 2001, a foreign member of the Institute of Medicine of the US National Academy of Sciences in 2004, and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK) in 2006. He received New Zealand's highest science award, the Rutherford Medal, in 2001. He is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the 2008 Nuffield medal from the Royal Society of Medicine (UK).

Peter's research encompasses paediatric endocrinology, the developmental origins of health and disease, the evolutionary-developmental biology interface, and evolutionary medicine. He has published over 500 scientific papers, reviews and book chapters, and is an inventor on over 25 families of patents. He is editor of eight books, and has co-authored three textbooks, including the first on evolutionary medicine (see below). He is a national and international advocate for science, and promotes the translation of discoveries in biomedical research into improvements in long term health outcomes. His work with organisations such as the World Health Organization has brought growing recognition of the importance of a healthy start to life. He is passionate about communicating a better understanding of science in schools and the wider community.

In 2009 Peter was appointed as the inaugural Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister, and is responsible for providing independent advice to the Prime Minister on scientific matters. Prior to taking on this role, he was founding Director of the NRCGD and founding Director of the Liggins Institute. He is now a member of the NRCGD Science Advisory Board.

Contact details

The Liggins Institute

The University of Auckland

Private Bag 92019

Auckland 1142, New Zealand

Phone +64 9 9236634; Fax +64 9 3737497

Email