Professor David Peiris

David is the Chief Scientist for the Institute and plays a lead role in developing and implementing our research strategy. He is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney and works clinically as a GP. He is a 2024-2028 NHMRC Investigator Fellow (Level 2).

David joined The George Institute in 2006 and is passionate about strengthening primary health care worldwide. He is focussed on overcoming the challenges of delivering affordable, high-quality health services and programs to communities across the globe. His research is underpinned by health systems science, a dynamic and emerging discipline that includes health services research, health policy and systems research and implementation science.

David has published extensively in health systems research and leads several grants testing innovative strategies to improve access to high-quality primary health care. He is a former Australian Harkness Fellow in Healthcare policy, based at the Harvard School of Public Health and was the elected co-chair of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases committee for hypertension control from 2012 to 2015. He sits on several government, non-government and research advisory committees. He is a commissioner on two Lancet commissions focussed on evidence-based implementation in global health and pandemic preparedness.