Michelle Leech

Professor Michelle Leech is a Professor at Monash University's Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, serving as Head of the Medical Course and Deputy Dean. She oversees Monash's medical program across Clayton, Gippsland, and Malaysia campuses. As President of Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand and a Board member of the Australian Medical Council (2024), she holds significant academic leadership roles. She maintains a clinical position as a Rheumatology consultant and Head of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic at Monash Health.

Education: MBBS (Hons) from Monash University, advanced physician training at Monash Health, and a PhD investigating cytokine MIF's role in neuroendocrine inflammation regulation. Her research spans cytokine biology, glucocorticoid action, and medical education innovation. She has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and led projects like 'Compassion Training in Medical Curricula' and 'Profiling Immune Responses to SARS-CoV-2'.

Research interests include autoimmune disease mechanisms and interprofessional education. Awards include the 2023 Order of Australia Medal and 2014 AMSA National Teaching Award. Current projects focus on medical graduate preparedness and clinical trial advancements in rheumatology.

Awards: Recipient of prestigious honors and grants including Health Workforce Australia funding for interprofessional learning initiatives. Active in advancing compassionate healthcare education and translational research.