Ed Byrne (neuroscientist)

He was knighted in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to higher education.

In 2019, Byrne was awarded a Doctor of Medical Science (Honoris Causa) from the University of Sydney and was elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK).

In 2017, Byrne became an Honorary Professor at Peking University Health Science Center and a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by Monash University in 2017.

In 2015, Byrne was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from Western University and was made an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS).

In 2014, Byrne was appointed a guest professor by Peking University Health Science Center (PUHSC). He was also made an Honorary Citizen for Jiangsu Province, China, in September 2014. In September 2014, Byrne was appointed Principal and President of King's College London.

On 26 January 2014, Byrne was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to tertiary education, particularly through leadership and governance roles with Monash University, to biomedical teaching and research, as a scientist and academic mentor, and as a contributor to improved global health.

Byrne was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Warwick in July 2013, and an Honorary Doctor of Medicine by the University of Adelaide in August 2014. He is also a recipient of the Queens Square Prize for Neurological Research of the UCL Institute of Neurology and is an Emeritus Professor of Monash University.

In 2009, Monash University announced that Byrne would replace Richard Larkins, its outgoing Vice-Chancellor. Immediately upon his appointment, Byrne undertook a restructuring of the university's management and administration, placing the ten faculties into four "clusters". The aim of this was to encourage inter-disciplinary collaboration and reduce duplication across faculties (cutting administrative costs).

His contribution to neuroscience has been particularly strong in mitochondrial disease. In 2006, his work was recognised when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

On 26 January 2006, Byrne was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to neurology as a clinician and academic and to advances in medical research, particularly in the area of mitochondrial muscle disease.

Byrne first went to Monash University in 2003, when he was made Dean of its Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, a role he held until 2007. He then returned to the UK, where he became Vice-Provost (Health) at University College London (initially serving as Dean of its Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Head of its School of Medicine).

He returned to Australia to become Director of Neurology at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne in 1983. In 1993, he became Founding Director of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Unit and later the Centre for Neuroscience, going on to become Professor of Clinical Neurology in 1992 and Experimental Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 2001.

Byrne's career in neuroscience combined prominent work as both a researcher and clinician. His career began in Adelaide, South Australia, as Neurology Registrar at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1978. In 1979, he left Australia to undertake a research fellowship in clinical neurology in London.

Sir Edward Byrne AC FTSE FRCP FRCPE FRACP (born 1952) is a neuroscientist who served as Principal of King's College London from August 2014 until January 2021. He was previously Vice-Chancellor of Monash University.

Born 15 February 1952, Byrne grew up in northeast England, the son of a general practitioner, and moved to Australia at the age of 15. He studied medicine at the University of Tasmania, graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSc) in 1971, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) with First Class Honours in 1974, and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1982. Byrne also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Queensland, a Diploma in Clinical Science from the University of Adelaide and a Doctor of Science (ScD) from the University of Melbourne.