Alan Trounson was responsible for many of the developments that made human in vitro fertilization a clinical success for treating female, male, idiopathic infertility, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. He cofounded the Institute for Reproduction & Development, Monash University. He led the team that independently discovered human embryonic stem cells and founded the Australian Stem Cell Centre. He returned to Monash as Director and Personal Chair in Stem Cells, founding Monash Immunology & Stem Cell laboratories. Trounson was appointed President of the Californian Institute for Regenerative Medicine for 6.5 years – a $multibillion agency for basic and translational stem cell research.