New Head of the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health

Professor Karlheinz Peter has been appointed as Head of the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health.

Professor Peter, who is already an honorary within the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, is Deputy Director (Basic and Translational Science) and Head of the Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology laboratory at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. In addition to his research program, Professor Peter also works as an interventional cardiologist at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

He undertook medical training at the University of Freiburg, Germany, followed by further research and clinical training at the Johns Hopkins Medical School, Scripps Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the Universities of Heidelberg and Freiburg. Prior to moving to the Baker Institute, Professor Peter was Director of the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory at the University of Freiburg.

Professor Peter’s research is focused on the role of platelets, coagulation and inflammation in the development of thrombosis, atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction and aims to develop novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. This work has led to the development and numerous patents of novel biomarker and molecular imaging strategies for thrombosis and unstable plaques using MRI, PET, CT, ultrasound and fluorescence imaging as well as innovative biotechnological anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory approaches. Professor Peter holds an Investigator Level 3 NHMRC fellowship.

As Head of the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health – a new collaboration between the Melbourne Medical School and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute – Professor Peter will further strengthen the partnership by fostering new and innovative teaching and research programs across the two organisations to enhance the profile of cardiometabolic health.

Professor Peter assumes the role of Head of Department from Professor Tom Marwick who has acted in this role since the new Department was announced in early 2020.