John Fraser

Prof Fraser founded the Critical Care Research Group (CCRG) in 2004 - a multi-disciplinary research collaborative encompassing local, state, national and international levels to improve outcomes for patients living with cardiovascular disease. As a part of his development of this collaborative research initiative, in 2014 he and his team were awarded an international Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) (one of only six clinical CREs) in Australia, looking at the development and utilisation of bionic hearts and lungs. This has become an international network, with collaborations between Australia (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), New Zealand, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil, Germany, Italy, France, and Ireland. He has published 300+ peer-reviewed papers, co-authored the first textbook on mechanical and circulatory support, and has been invited to speak as a keynote and sessional speaker at over 200 events both nationally and internationally. Since its inception, Professor Fraser and the CCRG have attracted more than $AUD40M in grants and industry funding. 

Prof Fraser balances his work in improving patient outcomes through research and development with a clinical workload in his roles as Director of Intensive Care Unit at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, and as a Pre-Eminent Staff Specialist at the Prince Charles Hospital, both in Brisbane. This regular contact with patients being diagnosed, treated for, and living with chronic cardiovascular disease allows him to better understand the gaps in medical knowledge, and the opportunities to provide better outcomes to patients, both now and into the future.