Neurologist, Professor Geoffrey Donnan AO, is the Director of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, home to 450 researchers in the Parkville precinct.

When a young Geoffrey Donnan made the trip “up to Ormond” with a cohort of friends from Geelong College back in 1967, they had a sense they were embarking on a long-term venture of great signi cance.

Geoffrey knew, all going to plan, his journey would involve a six-year stint living in this awe-inspiring college while undertaking a medical degree. They were halcyon days with Master Davis McCaughey and his wife Jean at the helm. “Davis was one of the most inspiring people I have ever met.

He was low key and understated but when he spoke to us, we really listened because he provided such wisdom and a framework to guide us,” Geoffrey recalls. “And Jean was a brilliant academic in her own right. Because of the high level of expectation created by those around us, we really did want to excel. Davis inspired me to go on to try to do something worthwhile with my life.”

Others also paved the way for the ambitious country boy who is also proud of country origins at Wangaratta High School. “The environment was incredibly supportive and the tutorials immensely helpful. I was always so grateful that I was right on the university campus and over the road from the Royal Melbourne Hospital.”

The tutorials were instrumental in developing confidence and memorable for the talent of the tutors. “Robert Burton was fabulous and specialised in surgery. Robert Moulds was also inspiring. He went on to become Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine in Suva.” The senior students were admired as talented mentors. “They really did help us to do our best and they prepared us for the demanding role we would later face in the hospital environment.”

Friendships formed and after graduation, long-term professional relationships developed. Geoffrey still keeps in touch with many of them. “It has been fascinating to see where various career paths have taken them all.”

Geoffrey was pleased to welcome Brett Kagan eighteen months ago and to hear mentoring is still a priority at Ormond, as it is at the Florey. “Throughout my career, there has definitely been a connection when you come across someone from Ormond. You do tend to look out for each other and take a particular interest in each other’s welfare.”

The Florey’s 600 staff are trying to understand the brain and some of the young star researchers, including Brett, are doing extraordinary work. Geoffrey re ects the he quite often pauses and thinks for a moment and marvels at the changes in neuroscience during his 40 years in medicine.

“It’s worth thinking about the brain and the elusive nature of this spongy 1.5 kilo mass of tissue. It’s the most complex living structure with the capacity to store more information than a supercomputer. It creates a network of connections far superior to Facebook or any other social network.”

Geoffrey can’t imagine what the future researchers in this area will see in 40 years’ time but he knows that it will make an enormous difference to our future health and the way we live.