Chris Maher

Chris Maher is a Professor at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, and Director of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. He holds a BAppSc (Phty), PhD, DMedSc, and numerous fellowships, including FAHMS and FRSN. His career spans clinical practice, academia, and leadership roles, such as founding Director of the Musculoskeletal Division at the George Institute for Global Health (2008–2017) and current Director of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health.

Education:

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy), Cumberland College of Health Sciences
• PhD and DMedSc (University of Sydney)

Research Interests: Global leader in low back pain research, advocating evidence-based physiotherapy. He transformed pain management through demonstrating ineffective traditional approaches and establishing newer evidence-based guidelines. Co-founded the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Leads NHMRC-funded networks: Wiser Healthcare, Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network, and Low Back Pain Clinical Research Network.

Awards & Honours:

• AM (2024) for services to physiotherapy
• Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW (2024)
• NHMRC Investigator Fellow (since 2006)
• Fellowships from Australian College of Physiotherapists (2013) and Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2016)

Global Collaborations: Active partnerships with institutions in Brazil (Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, Federal University of Ceará), Canada (McMaster, Dalhousie), China (HK Polytechnic), Denmark (University of Southern Denmark), the Netherlands (Erasmus, Vrije University), and the UK (Oxford, Warwick).