Microchips, medicine, and ministers
The story of a scientist who’s changing the game for patients nationwide.
“I love where I’ve ended up — shaping the system that puts groundbreaking science directly into patients’ hands.”
David Thomson’s journey is anything but typical. Starting out as a curious molecular biologist at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, he found himself in the world of microfluidics and state-of-the-art diagnostics. But he quickly realised that his true passion wasn’t just making science happen in the lab, it was changing the system so that science could actually change lives.
As Head of Government Affairs, Policy and Advocacy at Amgen Australia, David is now at the epicentre of medicine policy, working behind the scenes to influence governments and speed up access to innovative treatments. “I’m a systems thinker,” he says, “always asking: How do we turn ideas into solutions that make a real difference?”
His adventure began at UQ, but the road took a sharp turn when he jumped into a Melbourne Master’s program focused on “lab-on-a-chip” technology. Teeny tiny devices designed to automate the tedious, hands-on work of biology. Then, a thrilling stint at a Scottish startup had him pioneering diagnostics that could fit in the palm of your hand.
“I was fascinated by how technology could make complex science simple and portable.”
Returning to Brisbane, David started his PhD, combining biology, physics, and engineering to create next-level HIV testing tools designed for the toughest environments in Africa. “We weren’t just chasing academic papers, we were solving problems that mattered.”
But the lab bench wasn’t his final destination. A desire to influence bigger systems pulled him to Canberra’s corridors of power, where he worked on innovation and venture capital policies, even earning a spot in the Prime Minister’s department. “That was a game-changer — seeing how policy is made, and how you can steer it to help science thrive.”
Now at Amgen, David blends his scientific smarts with political savvy, tackling thorny issues like drug pricing and government reforms that impact millions. “It’s complex and challenging, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
His secret weapon? The scientific mindset: the curiosity, the analytical lens, and the hunger to connect dots across disciplines.
“Even though I’m not pipetting in a lab anymore, I’m still driven by science, just on a bigger stage.”
David Thomson is proof that the future of innovation isn’t just in the test tube. It’s in the policies that bring those breakthroughs to life.