Former Merck Sharp and Dohme medical director Emeritus Professor Graham Macdonald has been appointed as chair of the interim board of the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC).

The interim board took control of the ASCC this month after the previous board resigned over disagreements about the centre’s direction.

Macdonald is a well-known and highly respected researcher and academic in the field of nephrology. He was medical director of MSD for three years and then external licensing co-ordinator for six, before retiring last year.