University of Queensland Diamantina Institute researcher Professor Ian Frazer has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
The Royal Society, a 350-year-old esteemed scientific academy, encompasses the most distinguished scientists from across the globe.
From an international cohort of 700 candidates carefully selected by the Fellowship, only 44 Fellows, 8 Foreign Members and up to 1 Honorary Fellow are elected-in by present members.
Current and previous Fellows include Michael Faraday, Stephen Hawking and Isaac Newton.
“Election to The Royal Society is a great and unexpected honour, providing an opportunity to interact with the world’s leading scientists.," Professor Frazer said.
"I’m thrilled that the Institute’s contribution to medical research has been publicly recognised in this manner.”
Internationally-renowned for the co-creation of the technology for the cervical cancer vaccines, Professor Ian Frazer began his career as a renal physician and clinical immunologist in Edinburgh, Scotland before emigrating in 1981 to Melbourne.
He pursued studies in viral immunology and autoimmunity at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
In 1985, Professor Frazer accepted a teaching post with The University of Queensland and was appointed Director of the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute in 1991.
In early 2011, Professor Frazer relinquished directorship of The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute to commence in-post as CEO of the Translational Research Institute in July.
He retains an active research program at the UQ Diamantina Institute in immune responses to cancer.
Professor Frazer won Australian of the Year in 2006, the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science in 2008 and the 2009 Honda Prize, just a few of the multitude of accolades over the past 30 years in his career of scientific research.
He will attend an admissions ceremony in London where he will sign the Charter Book and receive formal admission as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Details about The Royal Society can be found at www.royalsoc.ac.uk
Media: Caroline Davy, UQ Diamantina Institute Communications and Marketing Manager, telephone (07) 3176 6623 or email c.davy@uq.edu.au.
