Professor
Munjed Al Muderis

After fleeing the tyranny of Saddam Hussein’s regime in a life-threatening journey on a leaking boat, Professor Al Muderis was detained on Christmas Island’s Curtin Detention Centre and several Western Australian jails. He overcame these extraordinary obstacles to become an orthopaedic surgeon and advocate for the human rights of others.

As a world leader in osseointegration surgery, providing solutions to people with significant limitations to mobility and suffering from debilitating conditions, Professor Al Muderis completed his Australian orthopaedic training in 2008 on the NSW Northside Scheme. He subsequently embarked on international fellowships in Germany and Switzerland. Early on in his career, he launched into academic pursuits and now hold several academic titles including Clinical Professor at Macquarie University, Adjunct Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University Of Notre Dame Australia School Of Medicine Sydney and Honorary Associate of the School of AMME/Faculty of Engineering and IT at the University of Sydney. Professor Al Muderis is also the Discipline Head of the Limb Reconstruction Unit at Macquarie University Hospital.

Apart from his academic and clinical roles, I am involved in humanitarian work around the world. He was awarded the 2020 NSW Australian of the Year for his contribution to medicine and humanitarian efforts. He is an Ambassador of the Australian Red Cross, Amnesty International Australia, Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association and World Wellness Group, and Patron of the Asylum Seekers Centre, Sanctuary Australia Foundation and the New South Wales Amputee Association, as well as hold affiliation with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Since 2010, Professor Al Muderis has been an Australian Air Force Reservist and an advocate of the Australian Armed Forces, and also involved in treating injured personnel from the Australian, British and American Defence Forces, for which he was recognised by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 2018 he was recipient of the Asian Game Changer Award in New York and more recently in 2019 he was rewarded with the Social Force Award at the GQ Men of the Year in Abu Dhabi, recognising the contributions made in the realms of humanitarianism and philanthropy.

Professor Al Muderis’ passion in advancing the field of orthopaedics is evidenced by his numerous publications (89 peer-reviewed journal articles and three book chapters), regular presentations at national and international scientific meetings, in addition to establishing collaborative scientific relationships with orthopaedic centres of excellence around the world such as Johns Hopkins, Hospital for Special Surgery, Walter Reed, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam and Vall d’Hebron University Hospital.

Innovative technological advancements have become an integral part of his daily work and have gained recognition amongst local and international clinicians. Professor Al Muderis’ vision is that Australian surgeons can drive innovation in the field of orthopaedics, and push the envelope of therapeutic solutions for patients worldwide, because we should strive to be world leaders.