Associate Professor Kirkwood is group leader of the Enteric Virus group, and co-leader of the Rotavirus group at Murdoch Childrens. A/Prof Kirkwood received his bachelor of Biological Science with honours degree from La Trobe University, Bundoora, then completed his PhD at Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne in 1997. He then took a post-doctoral position at the Centers of Disease Control, USA, with Dr Roger Glass (1997-2000). In 2000 he was awarded the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute's Post-doctoral Fellowship, and returned to Australia to continue studies on viral agents of acute gastroenteritis in the Enteric Virus Group. In 2011, he was appointed Associate Professor in Department of Microbiology, La Trobe University, Victoria, and was also admitted as a Fellow of the Australian Society for Microbiology. He has conducted research in enteric infections for 20 years, and the research is recognised nationally and internationally in the area of infectious causes of gastrointestinal disease. He is author of over 110 publications, book chapters and reports on rotavirus research and other infectious disease related topics. He is recognised as a key national and international opinion leader, as evidenced by invitations to speak at the leading national and international rotavirus, inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's meetings. He been an NHMRC CDA Level one and two Fellow, and is currently an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow. He has successfully attracted substantial and continuous competitive research funding from NHMRC, and from many national and international NGO and philanthropic organisations including the GATES Foundation. A/Prof Kirkwood has successfully supervised five PhD and 11 Honours graduates to completion, and currently supervises PhD and Honours students. He also mentors on an international level by conducting an international rotavirus training program.

Child health and Microbiology