Professor Mark Cook AO
Currently Chair of Medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Professor Cook AO specialises in the treatment of epilepsy – his previous role was at St Vincent’s as Professor and Director of Neurology.
He is recognised internationally for his expertise in epilepsy management, particularly imaging and surgical planning.
After completing specialist training in Melbourne, Professor Cook undertook an MD thesis while working as Brain Research Fellow at Queen Square, London.
He returned to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne to continue his interest in neuroimaging in epilepsy.
Under his directorship, both the research and clinical components of the Neurology Department at St Vincent’s have been significantly enlarged.
Currently one of the largest units in Australia for the surgical treatment of epilepsy, this was a direct extension of work he began in London, where he developed techniques for the accurate measurement of hippocampal volumes, and established their position in non-invasive assessment of surgical candidates.
More recently his interests have included experimental models of epilepsy and seizure prediction.
In 2023, Professor Mark Cook was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to neurological medicine and research through contributions to the treatment of epilepsy.
Working with the research team at the Bionics Institute has been a life changing experience for me. Having the opportunity to collaborate with specialists in their respective fields, outside of biological science with expertise in medical technologies and materials, has been pivotal in the development of electric medicine. The Institute is leading the way in medical bionics research in Australia, in fact the entire world, and has been in this space since the very start. The perspective that the team at the Institute provides is incredibly insightful and radically different. It makes me think about how I look at things in a totally different way. As collaborators we have developed radical new therapies for complex neurological illnesses. For a long time the institute has focussed on hearing, but now its reach has extended to many areas of human health, particularly in the area of brain disease. This is the most exciting period of development that I have come across or that I have lived through – it’s the start of a brand new era in medicine. – Prof Mark Cook AO
