Professor Garry Jennings AM
Director
Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute

Garry Jennings is Director of Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, formed from the merger of the Baker Heart Research Institute, Australia’s largest cardiovascular research institute and the International Diabetes Institute in 2008.

In 2008 the Institute had approximately 700 staff and annual turnover of AUD $70 million, published over 300 scientific papers on diabetes and cardiovascular disease in disciplines ranging from fundamental molecular research to clinical translation and epidemiology.

He is Immediate Past President of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, former President of the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia and Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Cardiovascular Health.

A cardiologist, he was previously Director of Cardiology at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne and Chair of the Division of Medicine.

His research interests have included particular contributions on the role and mechanisms of exercise in cardiovascular disease and metabolism and the sympathetic pathophysiology of hypertension and heart failure. His other interests have included artery and cardiac structure and function as targets for therapy. He has published books on heart disease for the general public and over 360 research publications.

Board involvement includes Chair of Baker IDI start up companies Nucleus Network, V Kardia Pty Ltd, Elacor Pty Ltd and membership of the Boards of National Heart Foundation of Australia, Research Australia, Osprey Medical Inc, as well as Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. He is a Trustee of the Asia Pacific Society of Hypertension and of the Foundation for High Blood Pressure Research.