Professor Mark Shephard

Professor Mark Shephard is the Founding Director of the Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing (2011-2022), after previously being the Director of the Community Point-of-Care Services unit at Flinders University (2003-2010).

Mark brings just under 30 years of experience involving pioneering and innovative translational research of point-of-care (POC) testing models for chronic, acute and infectious diseases into rural and remote health services at both national and international levels.

Mark also has significant expertise in POC testing device evaluation and training and quality management systems, as well as leadership in initiating, developing and delivering university teaching programs on POC testing at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Under Mark's leadership, the International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing has been a formally designated as World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for three consecutive four-year terms (since 2017). Mark was appointed as inaugural Chair of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) Special Interest Group on Global Point-of-Care Testing (2013) and served as Chair for two terms until 2018. 

Mark has published 115 peer-reviewed journal articles and 24 book chapters in the global literature and is principal author and editor of the book A Practical Guide to Global Point-of-Care Testing (published in November 2016). He has also been a chief investigator on research grants (both category 1 and 2) that have secured more than $72 Million of research income.

Mark is a Founding Fellow in the Faculty of Science of Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Flinders University in 2009. Mark is a dual recipient of a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) (2006) and an Australian of the Year Award (2004).

In 2022, Mark was awarded the title of Matthew Flinders Professor at Flinders University.

In August 2024, Mark was named as a ‘Top Scholar’ by ScholarGPS, ranking him in the top 0.5% of all scholars globally. 

In November 2024, Mark was named in the ‘2024 World’s Top 2% of Researchers’ recognised by Stanford University Global Rankings. 

In July 2025, he was elected as an Expert Consultant (representing Australia) on the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry’s (IFCC) Committee on Point of Care Testing.

In September 2025, Mark presented a TED talk on the transformative powers of POC testing at the 5^th United Nations General Assembly Symposium on Digital Health. Mark was one of only 35 delegates globally invited to attend this prestigious event.