RANZCO elects new president

Assoc Prof Daniell will serve as president-elect until the RANZCO Annual Scientific Congress in Melbourne in Novber when he will formally succeed his predecessor, Dr Bradley Horsburgh, who will step down after two years in the position.Assoc Prof Daniell is a senior consultant ophthalmic surgeon, heading the corneal service at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. He is founding chair of the Australia New Zealand Corneal Society and medical director of the Lions Eye Bank. Previously he was head of ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.He is also head of surgical research at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, with a research interest is a bioengineered cornea. It was said he had developed the concepts for and been a driving force for that project.In addition to his medical practice and research, Assoc Prof Daniell holds several positions on ophthalmic boards and committees. He has been a section editor and board mber of the Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology journal, reviews for most major ophthalmology journals, and was chairman of the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia (ORIA) for six years. Today, he continues to review grants for ORIA and the National Health and Medical Research Council.Assoc Prof Daniell is involved in teaching ophthalmology to students, registrars and fellows, has been an examiner for ophthalmology for over 10 years and supervises several post-graduate students. He also previously served on the RANZCO board for 10 years, most recently as vice-president before stepping down last year.“RANZCO plays an important role in improving eye-health outcomes for people across Australia and New Zealand and further afield by ensuring the highest possible standards of ophthalmology training and representing the interests of people with eye-health probls,” Assoc Prof Daniell commented.“As president I aim to build on the important work that we have done in improving people’s eye health and further RANZCO’s position as a leading provider of medical education and professional and patient advocacy.”Welcoming Assoc Prof Daniell’s election, outgoing RANZCO president Dr Horsburgh, said, “As vice-president of RANZCO, Mark was dedicated to furthering the objectives of the profession and the patients who rely on ophthalmology.“He was enormous support to me in my role as president and I am confident that his expertise, determination and drive will make him an excellent and successful president.”