Cervical cancer vaccine pioneer Professor Ian Frazer and Queensland Premier Peter Beattie will address graduation ceremonies at The University of Queensland tomorrow (Wednesday, December 10).
The two graduation ceremonies will take place at 3pm and 6pm respectively in the UQ Centre, Union Road, St Lucia campus.
More than 300 students from UQ’s School of Life Sciences and Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science (NRAVS) will graduate at the 3pm ceremony.
• Guest speaker will be Professor Ian Frazer, Director of UQ’s Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research. Professor Frazer trained as a renal physician and clinical immunologist in Edinburgh, Scotland before emigrating to Australia in 1980. He joined UQ as a teaching academic in 1985 and now holds a personal chair as head of the Centre, based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Under Professor Frazer’s leadership, the Centre has pioneered the world’s first vaccine against cervical cancer, with commercial release expected in 2005. In May this year he was awarded a Centenary Medal for distinguished service to the Queensland Cancer Fund. Professor Frazer is also a vaccine consultant to the World Health Organisation and the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.
• Also at the 3pm ceremony, Dr Angus Mcelnea will be awarded a PhD in the School of Land and Food Sciences for his research into acid sulfate soils. Dr Mcelnea developed chemical tests to predict the environmental risk and the amount of lime necessary to neutralise the soils. He has received a publication medal from the Australian Society of Soil Science for his research, which was carried out in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines. His methods are also being incorporated into the Australian Standards and National Acid Sulfate Soil Laboratory Method Guidelines.
At the 6pm ceremony, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie will address 300 graduates from UQ’s Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences (BACS) and will receive an honorary Doctor of Science.
• Mr Beattie’s honorary doctorate recognises his leadership and commitment to higher education through Smart State initiatives and his support for research in the fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology.
A University of Queensland graduate, Mr Beattie obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws before becoming a solicitor in 1976. He joined the Labor Party in 1974 and was elected State Secretary in 1981. In 1989 he was elected as Member for Brisbane Central and from July 1995 served as Health Minister before becoming Opposition Leader in 1996. He has been Queensland’s Premier since 1998 and Minister for Trade and Multicultural Affairs since February 2001.
• Also at the 6pm ceremony, School of Biomedical Sciences graduate Ms Jaclyn Costello will be awarded a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours for her research investigating two new drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. As a sufferer of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ms Costello’s research interest is very personal as well as academic. The disease is painful and debilitating and requires treatment with powerful anti-inflammatory drugs. Current drug treatments are either very expensive or have severe side effects. Two new drugs developed by the University of Queensland have been found to be more effective than existing treatments. Ms Costello’s research project provided insights into the way the new drugs reduce the impact of the disease on the joints.
Media: For further information contact Lynda Flower, UQ Communications (07 3365 2339). Parking is available under the UQ Centre.
