Brendan McMorran was born in New Zealand and completed his education in Dunedin. He majored in biochemistry at The University of Otago, New Zealand, and graduated with BSc Hons (1993) and PhD (1997). He conducted his postdoctoral studies with Professor Brandon Wainwright at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland (1997-2006), where he worked on cystic fibrosis and host response to lung disease. He was appointed a Senior Research Fellow at Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania in 2006 and co-led a research program with Professor Simon Foote investigating the protective role of platelets in malaria infection. This research continued at Macquarie University, Sydney, following his appointment as Associate Professor in 2012. He joined The John Curtin School of Medical Research in December 2014 as an Associate Professor, and continues to lead research programs on platelets and malaria, development of host-directed therapies, and genetic causes of renal disease in Tiwi Islanders. His research is supported by the NHMRC and ARC.