Mike McGuckin is a NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and is Deputy Director (Research) at at the Mater Research Institute – The University of Queensland within the new Translational Research Institute in Brisbane, where he leads the Mucosal Diseases Research Group. Mike is the author of over 130 scientific publications with his research currently focused on mucosal infection and chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and has held 4 patents. He has particular interests in the role of secreted and cell surface mucin glycoproteins in host defense from infection and inflammation. Mike also has a strong interest in the role of protein misfolding and ER stress in secretory cells in chronic inflammatory disease, including diabetes. He is heavily involved in national and international peer review, is on the Editorial Boards of four international journals, and has served as the lead member of the Academy of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for Gastroenterology. Mike chairs the Mater Research Committee, and serves on the Research Committees of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia, University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and the Translational Research Institute. In addition he is an elected Councilor for the International Society for Mucosal Immunology, and serves on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee for the Cancer Council Queensland and the ANZ Trustees Limited Queensland Medical Research Grant Program Advisory Committee.