Dr John Amerena trained in Melbourne, followed by four years in the United States at the University of Michigan. Over that period of time he worked in the fields of hypertension & hyperlipidaemia, before returning to Australia where he is now a Cardiologist at University Hospital - Geelong.

He currently has appointments with Deakin University in the School of Medicine as well as the Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine at Monash University. He is the director of the Geelong Cardiology Research Unit which is currently involved in many phase II – III clinical trials.

While still involved in hypertension he has become involved in research in atherothrombosis, especially with respect to antithrombotic/antiplatelet therapies, particularly in the context of atrial fibrillation. Heart failure is a major interest, and he is also the Director of the Heart Failure Programme at University Hospital - Geelong.

He is well published in these areas, as well as in many other areas of cardiovascular medicine.