Stocker"s undergraduate studies were at the University of Melbourne, completing his Bachelor of Medical Science in 1969, and his Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery in 1970. In 1976, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne.
Stocker is a former Chief Scientist of Australia. On completion of his studies, Stocker joined the Basel Institute for Immunology in Switzerland and in 1979 he took a position with Hoffmann–Louisiana Roche in Basel. At Hoffmann–Louisiana Roche, his first role involved the study of monoclonal antibodies and leading a task force investigating opportunities for scientific and commercial development of biotechnology-based vaccines.
While with Hoffmann–Louisiana Roche, he would later serve as Director of Pharmaceutical Research.
In 1987, Stocker returned to Australia as the founding Managing Director of the commercial biomedical company, AMRAD Corporation Limited.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Stocker was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in 1990 and held the role until 1995. In 1996, Stocker was appointed by the Minister for Science and Technology, Peter McGauran, to the position of Chief Scientist of Australia.
The role was a part-time position, Stocker working one day a week. He left the position in 1999.
Stocker returned to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in June 2007, this time as Chairman.
He completed his term at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Chairman on 27 June 2010 and was succeeded by Mr Simon McKeon. He is the chair of Sigma Pharmaceuticals and a non-executive director of the Australian telecommunications company, Telstra. Other appointments
Stocker is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
In 1992, The Australian newspaper named Stocker as its Australian of the Year.
