Mark Duncan Willcox

Professor Mark Duncan Willcox is a distinguished researcher and academic at the University of New South Wales, serving as Director of Research at the School of Optometry and Vision Science. With a career spanning over three decades, he has established himself as a leading expert in ocular microbiology, antimicrobial development, and contact lens research. His work bridges the gap between fundamental microbiological research and clinical applications, with significant contributions to understanding ocular surface health and disease.

Willcox earned his BSc Hons in Applied Biology from the University of the West of England (1983), followed by a PhD in Medical Microbiology/Dentistry from the University of Manchester (1987), and later a DSc in ocular surface research from UNSW (2015). His educational background laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to ocular research.

His research interests focus on the development of novel antimicrobials for use as antibiotics and disinfectants, particularly for medical devices like contact lenses. He has pioneered research on antimicrobial surfaces for medical devices, ocular microbiome studies, biomarker discovery from tears, and understanding tear film changes during contact lens wear. His laboratory has established robust protocols for examining the low biomass microbiome of the ocular surface, which can be translated for analysis of other low biomass microbiomes.

An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on antimicrobial resistance, novel antimicrobial compounds (particularly peptide mimics and peptoids), contact lens-related infections, and ocular surface disease. His work spans from fundamental microbiological studies to clinical applications, with particular emphasis on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acanthamoeba keratitis. The TFOS DEWS III publications demonstrate his leadership in establishing international consensus on dry eye disease diagnosis and management.

• Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Dental Research (1993)
• British Contact Lens Association Medal recipient (2011)
• Max Schapero Award recipient, American Academy of Optometry (2011)
• Elected ARVO Silver Fellow (2015) and Gold Fellow (2020)
• NHMRC Marshall and Warren Ideas Grant Award (2020)
• Korb Award for Excellence (2020)

Willcox supervises a substantial research group consisting of seven post-doctoral researchers and ten graduate students, working on diverse projects from antimicrobial surface development to ocular microbiome studies. His research is supported by significant government grants including NHMRC and ARC funding, and he maintains strong industry collaborations for translating research into clinical applications. His laboratory has taken several antimicrobial technologies through to pre-clinical testing and antimicrobial contact lenses through to Phase III clinical trials.