Professor Matt Bellgard

Professor Bellgard holds extensive expertise in artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and digital innovation and has co-authored 165 articles, is co-inventor of 7 full patents, and was project director to design and commission a world’s top-100 supercomputer.

Professor Matt Bellgard graduated with First Class Honours and PhD from the University of Western Australia in artificial intelligence before commencing as a lecturer in Computer Science at Murdoch University. Previously, he was Professor and Foundation Chair in Bioinformatics and the inaugural Director of a Western Australian State Government Centre of Excellence at Murdoch University. This Centre delivered to the needs of industry and government in the areas of health, drug development, agriculture, bio- and food- security, food nutrition, mining, radio astronomy, remote sensing and the environment. He led a project that changed Federal Government biosecurity policy.

Professor Bellgard is project director of global and national digital health solutions. He co-created the Data Strategy Roadmap for the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service in Queensland and led a project to reform a Queensland Health policy. He Chaired the Asia–Pacific Economic Co-operation Rare Disease (RD) Network which oversaw the development of the APEC RD Action Plan. This Plan brings together governments, industry, academia, clinicians and patient-advocacy groups to support the estimated 200 million individuals living with a RD within the Asia–Pacific region.

Professor Bellgard will work closely with Professor Julia Davison who has so ably undertaken the interim PVC role to lead the evolving institutional Impact and Innovation Strategy, enhancing world-leading impact and preparing the University for a successful REF2028 and beyond.