Russell Basser

Russell Basser oversees all clinical research activity within the CSL group of companies and has responsibility for the development and implementation of clinical strategies that support product licensure and post-licensure commitments. This includes development of new products and new indications for existing products in the CSL Behring portfolio, and clinical evaluation of novel biotechnology products within the CSL Limited research pipeline.

Dr. Basser started with CSL in 2001 with oversight of the CSL Limited corporate clinical programs. His responsibilities expanded with these programs and the group has integrated the relevant skills in Australia required for international drug development. Some of the projects he has worked on include rHDL for cardiovascular disease, CSL360 for leukemia, the ISCOMATRIX® adjuvant technology, as well as licensure of CSL’s seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines internationally.

Previously, he worked as a medical oncologist at Royal Melbourne and Western Hospitals in Melbourne, Australia, and was a Fellow at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. He completed his medical degree (1983) and doctorate of medicine (1999) at the University of Melbourne and attained his fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1991). He was Director of the Centre for Developmental Cancer Therapeutics (now Cancer Trials Australia), Co-chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the ANZ Breast Cancer Trials Group, and served for six years on the Board of Directors of the ANZBCTG. Dr. Basser spent 10 years as a clinical trial academic, with particular interest in the clinical use of hematopoietic growth factors, new cancer drug development and management of breast cancer.