Professor Michael Kassiou’s contributions to medicinal chemistry and neuropharmacology have achieved national and international acclaim, exemplified through receipt of the 2023 Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science. Potentially offering the first effective pharmacological treatments targeting psychiatric and neurological disorders including substance use disorders, Professor Kassiou is realising significant innovative advances in drug discovery, neuroinflammation imaging, and therapeutics. Contributing to Australia’s innovation ecosystem, he addresses real unmet clinical need through establishment of three commercial entities garnering >$300 million in commercial funding. As Academic Director of the Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation, he fosters the next generation of researchers in advancing Australia’s healthcare.