Serpell, Geoffrey Richard Trembath (1923 - 2014)

Summary

Geoffrey Serpell was an ophthalmologist who established Australia's first glaucoma treatment unit at the Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, in 1957. While undertaking postgraduate training in ophthalmology in the United Kingdom he made a significant contribution to understanding blindness of prematurity by demonstrating that using too much oxygen in incubators for premature babies interfered with development of retinal blood vessels. On returning to Melbourne he was appointed to the staff of Prince Henry's and the Eye and Ear Hospitals. Under his direction the Glaucoma Research Unit at Eye and Ear Hospital pioneered new treatments, and provided a service for instrument standardisation. Serpell was active in the Ophthmalogical Society of Australia, serving as President of the Victorian Division, and being the founding curator the College Museum, 1959-1984. He also acted chairman of examiners at the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Details

Chronology

1946

MB BS, University of Melbourne

1953

Education - Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh

1954

Career position - Appointed to the staff of Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne

1954

Career position - Appointed to staff of the Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne

1957 - 1963

Career position - Founding Director, Glaucoma Research Unit at the Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne

Published resources

Newspaper Articles

• Serpell, Jonathan, 'Ophthalmologist had great vision for research and new treatments', The Age (2015), 44, https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/ophthalmologist-had-great-vision-for-research-and-new-treatments-20150210-13b5hu.html. Details

Resources

• 'Serpell, Geoffrey Richard Trembath (19231229-20141208)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1772676. Details