Professor Simon Koblar

  • University of Adelaide
Professor Simon Koblar

Prof. Simon A. Koblar BMBS, FRACP, PhD is a Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the University of Adelaide and a clinician-scientist and with a major interest is Stroke. He established the Stroke Research Programme (SRP) in 2005, now the major collaboration in stroke research within South Australia. The SRP is a unique collaboration between the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Adelaide and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN). Prof Koblar continues to practice as a Neurologist and Stroke Physician in public and private.

In 2010 he co-founded the Peter Couche Foundation (PCF), a philanthropic organisation within the University of Adelaide. The PCF has raised $500,000 to support research in a range of translational preclinical fields, stem cell therapy and reduction of vasogenic oedema follow stroke. In 2018 he co-founded the Cure for Stroke Australia, a philanthropic foundation aimed to raise funds for stroke research, with A/Professors Tim Kleinig, Jim Jannes and Anne Hamilton-Bruce.

As Director of the SRP, Prof Koblar has led the translation and prioritisation of pathways of Stroke management within SA Health policy. In 2007 Prof Koblar and A/Profs Jannes and Hamilton-Bruce established TQEH Comprehensive Stroke Unit. He was involved in establishing the SA Stroke Clinical Network which has continued to the current day in different forms to instruct a coordinate stroke pathway delivery with SA. With respect to stroke prevention (an SRP research aim), Prof Koblar made direct representation and gave policy support to the National Stroke Foundation to run a successful bid to the Federal Government to support the FAST media campaign to the sum of $2 million. In 2014, Prof Koblar started planning for the TOOTH Clinical Stroke Trial, a phase 1 clinical study of autologous human adult stem cell therapy for chronically disabled stroke patients.

Since 2008, Prof Koblar has been Patron for Stroke SA, a community-based stroke support group in SA. In the past he has coordinated annual media campaigns for the local community to raise awareness of Stroke prevention, treatment and research during National Stroke Week, which has gained local and national TV, radio, internet and print media coverage.

Prof Koblar has supervised 27 PhD, 3 Masters and 31 Honours students (27 received first class honours). He has mentored many to positions of leadership, including A/Prof Jannes, a past PhD student, now Head of Neurology, CALHN; and A/Prof Hamilton-Bruce, Co-Director of the SRP. He is currently Chair for the Adelaide Medical School Student Research Committee to encourage medical students to pursue research in their clinical course and beyond.

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Find out more about Simon's research outputs, qualifications and affiliations on the SAHMRI Researcher portal