Frank Fenner

He first met Ellen Margaret 'Bobbie' Roberts at the Australian Army Nursing Service during World War II, where the latter worked on malaria as a trained midwife and nurse.

The two tied the nuptial knot in a Catholic ceremony. Since the couple suffered from infertility, they adopted two children, Marilyn Aldus Fenner and Victoria Fenner.

Tragedy struck the family on March 30, 1958 as their younger daughter Victoria Fenner shot and killed herself. The autopsy stated extreme mental and spiritual disturbance as the reason for the death.

Frank Johannes Fenner was born on December 21, 1914 in Ballarat. Both his parents were employed as teachers. He was one of the five children born to the couple. When he was about two years old, the family shifted to Adelaide, South Australia.

Young Fenner attained his early education from Rose Park Primary School after which he enrolled at the Thebarton Technical School.

After completing his preliminary education, he gained admission at the University of Adelaide where he attained his MBBS degree in 1938 and MD in 1942. Meanwhile, he received a Diploma of Tropical Medicine from University of Sydney in 1940.

In 1940, he was drafted into the Australian Army Medical Corps. He served at Australia, Palestine, Egypt, New Guinea and Borneo, first in the position of a Captain and later as a Major. He worked until 1946 taking up various portfolios that of a physician, pathologist and malariologist.

Following his war-time service, he was appointed by Frank Macfarlane Burnet to work at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. In the early years of his career, he essentially worked on virus that causes smallpox in mice, known as mousepox or Poxvirus genetics

It was his study of pathogenesis of viral disease that shaped much of the future course of his career. Furthermore, it was his study that led to the development of diagnostics tests and vaccines related to the disease.

For his excellent command over his work, he was bestowed with a fellowship from Rockfeller Institute for Medical Research in New York City, in 1949. It was there that he worked on mycobacterium Bairnsdale bacillus, which causes Buruli ulcer. After tuberculosis and leprosy, it was third highest affected mycobacterial disease worldwide.

He returned to Australia in 1949 where he was appointed as the Professor of Microbiology at the new John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University, Canberra.

In 1945, for his work in combating malaria in Papua, New Guinea, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1976, he was conferred with the honor, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), for his service in the field of medical research.

He became the joint winner of the Japan Prize (Preventive Medicine) in 1988.

Recognizing his work and service in the field of medical science, public health and environment, he was bestowed with the prestigious honor of being appointed as Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

In 1995, the Royal Society awarded him with Copley Medal.