Documenti di Didattica
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MINDS IN
AUSTRALIAN
RESEARCH
TEN
GREAT
MINDS IN
AUSTRALIAN
RESEARCH
TEN
© Australian Government 2007
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Online: 1864964502
Foreword
Today, thanks to Australian medical researchers, we live in a world were cochlear implants give sound where there was silence,
vaccines for cervical cancer exist and a glass of bacteria infested broth taught us that this bacteria can cause stomach ulcers.
As a medical researcher, it gives me a strong sense of pride to be part of a community which includes some of the greatest minds
in the world. Australian researchers are leading the way in the fight against many diseases including cancer, malaria and other
infectious diseases. The talent in this country is outstanding.
As the CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council, it gives me great pleasure to know that with the help
of our funding, the work of the men and women profiled on these pages will continue and keep Australia at the international
forefront of health and medical research.
The outstanding researchers profiled in 10 of the Best - Great minds in Australian research have effected change in health and
medical research in this country as well as internationally either through their groundbreaking research and their dedication
to research policy.
It is a privilege to be able to introduce you to these researchers who have such an important and largely unacknowledged role
in the health of every man, woman and child in our country. I feel humbled by the dedication, perseverance and talent of these
people who truly are among the greatest minds in health and medical research.
ONE
understand what the chain is between having an abnormal gene
and having epilepsy”, he said. “When we understand that chain
we will then be in a position to try and intervene and develop
better strategies for treatment.”
For as long as he can remember, Professor Berkovic wanted
to be a doctor. While in medical school he found himself more
and more interested in the human brain. His fascination with
epilepsy came from his first job as a neurology intern at the
Austin Hospital.
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many debilitating diseases.
contributing to science through consulting, policy development
Professor Hilton says, “With the genes that control blood cell and administration. There is also an element of getting out of the
development, the hope is that by understanding how blood way of younger researchers. I’m really passionate about moving
cells normally develop we can intervene in diseases like on and letting the next generation take up opportunities.”
leukaemia and arthritis.”
Although Professor Hilton’s research tends to focus on blood cell
diseases, the potential of his research is far reaching and may
one day spell and end to many other types of disease.
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“I’ve found that my background of coming from outside a lab
H
perspective, instead of saying that the lifetime risk of people
has actually been an advantage. I have no preconceived ideas,
T
with these mutations was around 80 – 90%, their studies showed
the information for me is in the data and I’m quite happy
it was actually about half of that. Professor Hoppers research was
to be proven wrong”, he said.
proved to be right.
“What you learn from mathematics is the process of logical
“It took balls to set up these studies, we got a little bruised and
thinking. Scientists have a reputation for being boffins that know
battered in the process but in the end its about using correct
and remember everything; my attitude is that I will become
data. Let the data speak for itself”.
an expert when you put the data in front of me!”
Professor Hopper’s current population based studies looks
at genes and the environment together in breast cancer, bowel
cancer, and prostate cancer.
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MINDS IN
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he says. leaded petrol in Australia—you get the impression that, if anyone
F O R
The challenge now for Professor McMichael is threefold –
to understand better how climatic conditions affect human
health; to detect the emerging impacts of climate change
on health; and to estimate the likely future impacts.
can do it, Professor Tony McMichael will.
FIVE
than can be resolved without high-tech, expensive medicine.” and emotional distress to the couple. Professor Normans research
is well and truly on the path the achieving this.
A tall and gentle man with the last traces of a Rhodesian
accent, Professor Norman is a pioneer in fertility techniques. “I’m a person who thinks several years ahead. Often people like
His laboratory is responsible for refining and promoting me stumble because they are so intent on looking forward that
the single embryo implantation technique and introducing they don’t see the rocks at their feet. But I think as I get older
pioneering quality management techniques. Previously, several I realise its not just high profile clinical work with advanced
embryos were implanted to give the best odds of a pregnancy technology that makes a difference, its getting amongst people
however the result was often twins or triplets. Through his with evidence based knowledge that allows them to change
team’s research, pregnancies are now being achieved through things themselves. When that fails, our interventions must
the implantation of a single embryo in more than 85% of cycles. be appropriate and with a long term view.”
“For women under the age of 38 over 98% of our embryo
transfers are one embryo which results in a healthier baby
who doesn’t need to be in intensive care.”
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my patients today, and it’s seeing these patients live full lives a caring doctor, a loving mother, and a mentor—truly
with the help of medication and education that makes it all an extraordinary woman indeed.
worth it.”
An allergy and respiratory medicine specialist, Professor
O’Hehir’s current research is working to develop allergen
immunotherapy vaccines for the prevention of peanut and other
serious environmental allergies.
“Allergen immunotherapy is the only treatment that can prevent
allergic diseases. We are currently identifying the critical peanut
proteins that might induce tolerance to peanut in allergic patients
without risking an allergic reaction.”
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out of reach of most third world countries where the need
“I think Adrienne and I have bored them witless by talking shop
E
is greatest. Professor Paton’s vaccine, once it is through final
at home!”
S
clinical testing, will be able to be made for a couple of dollars a
dose which makes it accessible to the most at risk communities.
“I’ll die a happy man if we can have an impact on the incidence
of this disease in young and vulnerable children, not only in
Australia but in countries that can’t afford modern drugs.”
Professor Paton became interested in pneumococcus in 1982
while working at what was then the Adelaide Children’s Hospital
in a diagnostic microbiology role—a position Professor Paton still
wonders how he got—where he found that being in a hospital
environment gave him first-hand insight into the effects
of bacterial infections on patients.
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current treatments are effective in most cases but what we are To a man like Peter Sly, the measure of success doesn’t come
E I
aiming to do is prevent it occurring to begin with.”
During his medical rotation, Professor Sly found that paediatrics
was the field that really interested him, not only for the
from how many journals his name appears in, it comes from
seeing a child that he has helped live a better life through
his research.
complexity of the diseases that children face but also because “My simplistic hope for all of my work is to eventually prevent
of the children themselves. kids from getting asthma, and to one day stop the progression
of the lung destruction that is at the moment inevitable in kids
“Paediatrics was an easy choice for me because of the
with cystic fibrosis, and I really do think we’re on the right track
genuineness of kids—you can walk up to a kid in hospital and
to do it.”
ask how they are and the answer is always ‘good’ no matter how
ill they actually are. If you ask an adult the same question you’d
better have an hour to spare for the answer.”
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of cell death inhibitors known as inhibitors of apoptosis proteins to give lectures on the presentation and interpretation of data
(IAPs). These proteins may be another target in the battle against in scientific publications to researchers from Cambridge in the
cancer. UK to the Mayo Clinic and Cold Spring Harbor Labs in the US.
“We’ve got our fingers crossed that the human trials of a drug
that inhibits IAPs will show it can kill cancer cells and doesn’t
seem to have any major toxic side effects.”
Listening to Professor Vaux animatedly describe his research
it is easy to see that this is a man who isn’t doing the job for
glory, this is a man who is in love with science and despite
being widely lauded and world renowned, is still a basic scientist
at heart.
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research firmly on the agenda of the World Health Assembly.”
As the former Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, a practising
medical doctor and a pioneer in the field of hypertension For a woman of such immense achievement, Professor
research, Professor Whitworth’s achievements go beyond most. Whitworth isn’t comfortable with talking about herself, preferring
instead to let the focus stay on her work—and her body of work
Her love of science led Professor Whitworth easily into a
speaks for itself. The determination and brilliance of this woman
career as a researcher. During a stint as a resident at the Royal
has truly made a difference on the future of our health.
Melbourne Hospital, Professor Whitworth was allocated a term
in the clinical research unit attached to the Walter and Eliza Hall
Institute under Dr Ian Mackay who was responsible for lighting
the fire of interest in research in someone who had originally
intended a career as a clinical nephrologist.
WORKING TO BUILD A HEALTHY AUSTRALIA
www.nhmrc.gov.au