Singapore: Professor Richard Larkins has been appointed as the new director and chair of the Australian Synchrotron Holding Company and the Australian Synchrotron Company.

Professor Larkins replaces Ms Catherine Walter whose term expires in November. "I would like to thank Mrs Walter for her hard work and commitment to science in Victoria through the five years she has served as Chair of both companies," said Ms Louise Asher, minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, while making the announcement.

"Helping a new organization develop and grow is challenging. Ms Walter's dedication to helping the Australian Synchrotron to become a fully effective scientific institution with a robust management and governance framework is much appreciated," she said, adding "I am delighted that we have been able to secure funding from the Commonwealth and state governments for another four years and also pleased to announce that Emeritus Professor Richard Larkins has agreed to chair the boards of the Australian Synchrotron companies."

Professor Larkins has had a distinguished career and is well placed to support the Australian Synchrotron's continued development and growth as Australia's leading scientific research facility, added Ms Asher.

Professor Larkins, the former vice chancellor and president of Monash University, is currently chair of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the Council of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Australia. His medical research work was in the fields of diabetes and endocrinology, for which he won the Eric Susman Prize for Medical Research and the Sir William Upjohn Medal for distinguished service to medicine. He was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2002.