Ian Frazer

In 1976, he first met his future wife-to-be Caroline whom he married the same year. The couple has been blessed with three children, out of which two are doctors and the third a veterinarian studying medicine.

Ian Frazer was born on January 6, 1953 in Glasglow, Scotland to medical scientist parents. His parents’ profession had a deep influence on the mind of young Frazer who aspired to become a scientist himself.

Young Frazer attained his preliminary education from Aberdeen private school after which he studied at the Robert Gordon’s College. At both the institutions, he excelled in science which determined the future course of his life.

He joined the University of Edinburgh and completed his obtained Bachelor of Science in 1974 and M.B.B.S. in 1977.

From 1978–1979, he worked at the Edinburgh Eastern General Hospital, the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the Roodlands General Hospital in Haddington, receiving training as a renal physician and clinical immunologist. He investigated the immunological issues associated with transplantation.

It was due to his growing interest in viral immunology that Ian Mackay brought him to Melbourne in 1980. At Melbourne, he researched on viral immunology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

He spent much of the early 1980s conducting research on hepatitis B virus at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. To zero in on his findings, he studied a group of homosexual men, as they were usually prone to a high risk of chronic Hepatitis B.

From his study of homosexual men, he discovered that the immune system of a significant number of patients were unable to clear Hepatitis B infection. In 1981, he discovered that similar cases of immunodeficiency afflicting homosexuals were found in gay men around the world.

Suspecting a viral origin, he along with his colleagues tested the immune-impaired unit for a variety of viruses that were known to cause immune problems. It was after much finding that he discovered that the then recently identified virus, HTLV-III, later known as HIV was a cause.

Over the years, he has been bestowed with numerous awards including the Australian Biotechnology Award in 1999, Business/Higher Education Round Table award for Collaborative Research 1999, Centenary Medal for services to cancer research in 2003, John Curtin Medal and CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science in 2005.

In recognition of his work on the HPV vaccine, he was named Australian of the Year in 2006. Same year, he received the Distinguished Fellowship Award from Royal College of Pathologists

In 2007, he was conferred with various awards including Novartis Prize for Clinical Immunology, Golden Plate recipient at International Achievement Summit, International Life Award for Scientific Research, Merck Sharp & Dohme Howard Florey Medal and Clunies Ross Award.

In 2008, he received the Balzan Prize for Preventive Medicine and American Academy of Dermatology Lila Gruber Award for Dermatology. Furthermore, he received the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science.

In 2009, the Australian Medical Association awarded him with a Gold Medal.