Congratulations to Associate Professor Anneke van der Walt on MSNI appointment

Associate Professor Anneke van der Walt

Prof Terry O'Brien, Head of School,  writes:

 Dear CCS Staff, Adjuncts and Students,

It is with great pleasure and pride that I can inform you that A/Prof Anneke Van Der Walt has been appointed to the joint Alfred/Monash appointment as Director Multiple Sclerosis Neuroimmunology Unit (MSNI), Alfred Brain, Alfred Health, and Associate Professor of Neuroscience, The Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University. 

This is a key academic clinical leadership position for clinical neurosciences at Monash and The Alfred. A/Prof van der Walt will be responsible for clinical and research leadership, and ongoing strategic development, of the MSNI Unit at Alfred Health and Monash University. She is an outstanding clinical neurologist and researcher, with a national and emerging international reputation for her research in the fields of multiple sclerosis, neuroimmunology and neuro-ophthalmology. 

She completed her basic medical degree in South Africa (University of Pretoria) before moving to Australia to undertake FRACP Physician and Neurology Training at The Alfred, RMH, Eastern, RVEEH and Austin hospitals. She then completed a PhD in the Centre for Neuroscience at The University of Melbourne, before being appointed as a consultant neurologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. 

In November 2017 Anneke was recruited to Alfred Health as a Consultant Neurologist and Head of the MS and Neuroopthalmology Services, in the MSNI Unit under Prof. Helmut Butzkueven’s leadership, and Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Monash University. In this role she has worked hard, strategically and collaboratively to play a major leadership role in the development and growth of both services into world class multidisciplinary services. 

Alongside the development of these clinical services she has developed an international significant clinical research program, which include investigations into cerebellar dysfunction in MS, and MS cognition, and women's health. She leads several large national and international studies on digital biomarkers in MS. 

Anneke is also the Chief Operating Officer of the MSBase foundation, and international database for MS patients containing records of >73,000 patients from 37 countries. Her research achievements and leadership were recognised earlier this year by being awarded a highly competitive NHMRC Investigator Grant (EL2) – awarded to only the leading medical researchers for their career stage in the country.

Please join with me in congratulating Anneke on her appointment.

Regards,

Terry
Professor Terence O’Brien, MB BS, MD, FRACP, FRCPE, FAHMS, FAES,
Chair of Medicine and Head, The Central Clinical School, Monash University
Program Director – Alfred Brain & Deputy Director of Research, Alfred Health