Prof Abell’s research is concerned with the design, synthesis, and exploitation of small molecule enzyme inhibitors and mimics of key biological compounds (particularly peptides) as a basis of new therapeutics for protease-related diseases, cancer and other diseases and infections; as well as probes to study and exploit key metabolic processes such as electron transfer. He has had a leading role in initiatives that foster extended multidisciplinary research including as a founding member of Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), a past head of school of Chemistry and Physics (University of Adelaide), Adelaide node director ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) in what is a truly world-class multidisciplinary research environment. He is a co-founder of Calpain Therapeutics, a privately-funded biotechnology venture dedicated to the development of proprietary candidate drug compounds having the potential to impact the progression of major ophthalmic diseases and enhance the quality of patients’ lives.