Advancing neuroimmunology through research, equity and care
Metro North Health’s 2025 Researcher of the Year Professor Pamela McCombe
Metro North Health’s 2025 Researcher of the Year Professor Pamela McCombe is one of Australia’s leading clinician scientists, whose research has helped establish neuroimmunology as a cornerstone of modern neurological care.
Professor McCombe has built a distinguished research career focused on immune‑mediated neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Guillain‑Barré syndrome, myasthenia gravis and motor neurone disease.
“When I began, neuroimmunology wasn’t really seen as a field,” Professor McCombe said.
“Now we know immune mechanisms are central to many neurological conditions, and that knowledge has changed how we care for patients.”
A defining feature of Professor McCombe’s work is its translation focus, where she works closely with laboratory scientists in genetics, imaging, statistics and cellular biology to ensure research findings inform real‑world clinical care.
“My approach is that research only matters if it improves someone’s life,” she said.
“Clinician‑led research allows us to ask the questions that come directly from patient care and take the answers straight back to the clinic.”
Professor McCombe is also a long‑standing advocate for recognising sex and gender differences in neurological disease. Her research has highlighted the importance of pregnancy, hormones and gender‑specific factors in both study design and clinical decision‑making.
“For too long, medicine treated the male body as the default,” she said.
“If we want equitable care, our research has to reflect the real lives of the people we treat.”
At RBWH, Professor McCombe has established research‑active clinics that integrate patient care, clinical trials and discovery science, while mentoring the next generation of clinician‑scientists.
“My goal has always been to build research cultures that last,” she said.
That’s how you create impact—through collaboration, curiosity and care.”