FOUR members of the medical profession have been named as Companions in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC), in the Queen’s Birthday Honours announced on 10 June 2019.
Professor Ruth Bishop AO, virologist and an Honorary Fellow of the Murdoch Children’s Institute, was honoured for “eminent service to global child health through the development of improved vaccines for paediatric gastroenteritis, and to medical research”.
In 1973 Professor Bishop, along with colleagues from the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne’s microbiology department, found a virus, now known as rotavirus. They showed it was the cause of an acute gastroenteritis that hospitalised 10 000 Australian children every year and killed more than half a million children worldwide. As a result, vaccination against “gastro” has been part of the National Immunisation Program for all Australian infants since July 2007, resulting in a drop in hospital admissions of more than 70%.
Professor David Burke AO, was named AC for “eminent service to neurophysiology, to innovative treatments for spinal cord and brain trauma injuries, and to professional medical organisations”.
He led one of the two research teams which formed the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute (renamed NeuRA) in 1991 and was elected Fellow of the Australian Academies of Science and of Technological Science and Engineering in 1995. In 2002 he moved to the University of Sydney as Dean of Research for the Health Faculties. He is now Professor of Neurology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney, having previously held Chairs of Clinical Neurophysiology and of Neurology at the UNSW where he was Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the Prince Henry and Prince of Wales Hospitals for 11 years.
Professor Alan Cowman, Deputy Director (Scientific Strategy) of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, was named AC for “eminent service to the biological sciences, notably to molecular parasitology, to medical research and scientific education, and as a mentor”.
His research has focused on protozoan infections, specifically those which cause malaria. He made significant advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms which the malaria parasites use to take over human cells, and how they evade the body's natural defences. Professor Cowman found that once the malaria parasite takes over red blood cells, it remodels them in such a way that they can reproduce without triggering the patient's immune system.
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith, Director of the Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development in the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine, was named an AC for “eminent service to science through pioneering research and innovation in the treatment of neuropathic pain, to gender equity, and as a role model”.
She has considerable expertise in biomedical discovery/translation with specialist expertise in the pain field, is President of the Australian Pain Relief Association and is former Chair of the Australian Pain Society’s PhD Scholarships Committee.
Other medical honourees are:
Officer (AO) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia
Air Vice-Marshal Tracy Smart AM: For distinguished service in responsible positions to the Australian Defence Force in the fields of medical and health services.
Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Professor Andrew Biankin: For distinguished service to medical research, and to the treatment of pancreatic cancer, as a clinician-scientist.
Professor Lex Doyle: For distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, as a neonatal paediatrician, academic, author and researcher.
Professor Fiona Judd: For distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, as a clinical psychiatrist and academic, and to professional bodies.
Professor Karim Khan: For distinguished service to sport and exercise medicine, and to the promotion of physical activity for community health.
Professor Christine Kilpatrick: For distinguished service to medicine through senior administrative roles, to the promotion of quality in health care, and to neurology.
Emeritus Professor Susan Kippax: For distinguished service to higher education, and to community health, particularly through research into HIV prevention and treatment.
Emeritus Professor Edward Kraegen: For distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, in the areas of diabetes, obesity and glucose metabolism research.
Dr Robert Larbalestier: For distinguished service to medicine, particularly to cardiothoracic surgery and transplantation, and to professional medical societies.
Professor David Mackey: For distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, in the field of ophthalmology, as a clinician-scientist and academic.
Professor Christina Mitchell: For distinguished service to medicine in the field of haematology, to medical education and research, and to academic leadership.
Professor Richard Pestell: For distinguished service to medicine, and to medical education, as a researcher and physician in the fields of endocrinology and oncology.
Dr Gregory Powell: For distinguished service to the international community of Zimbabwe in the field of paediatrics as a clinician and mentor.
Professor Peter Rathjen: For distinguished service to higher education through senior administrative roles, and as a scientist and medical researcher.
Professor Linda Richards: For distinguished service to medical research and education in the field of developmental neurobiology, and to community engagement in science.
Dr Tillman Ruff AM: For distinguished service to the global community as an advocate for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and to medicine.
Professor Mark von Itzstein: For distinguished service to medical research and education in the field of structural biology and glycochemistry, and as a mentor.
Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia (Honorary)
Professor Jacob George, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Westmead Hospital, “for significant service to medicine as a gastroenterologist and hepatologist”.
Member (AM) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia
Brigadier Michael Reade: For exceptional performance of duty as the Director of Clinical Services of the 2nd General Health Battalion and Professor for Military Medicine and Surgery.
Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Dr Christine Ball: For significant service to anaesthesiology, and to medical education.
Professor Bruce Black: For significant service to otolaryngology, and to medical education.
Associate Professor Anthony Buzzard: For significant service to the international education sector, and to medical science.
Clinical Professor Peter Bye: For significant service to medicine, particularly to cystic fibrosis, and to medical education.
Dr William Carroll: For significant service to neurological medicine, and to people with multiple sclerosis.
Dr Jonathan Clark: For significant service to medicine, as a head and neck surgeon.
Associate Professor Stella Clark: For significant service to medical research as an advocate for improved standards.
Dr Ian Cook: For significant service to gastroenterology, and to medical research.
Professor Alan Cooper OAM: For significant service to medicine as a dermatologist and researcher.
Dr John Edmonds: For significant service to rheumatology, and to medical research.
Dr Alan Eggleston: For significant service to the Parliament of Australia, and to the community of Western Australia.
Dr Jonathan Ell: For significant service to medicine, and to medical education and research.
Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea: For significant service to women in STEMM as an advocate and role model.
Professor Lynn Gillam: For significant service to medical education in the field of bioethics.
Professor Michael Grayson: For significant service to medicine in the field of infectious disease.
Professor Michael Grigg: For significant service to medicine as a vascular surgeon.
Professor Winita Hardikar: For significant service to medicine, particularly to paediatric liver disease and transplantation.
Professor Andrew Heggie: For significant service to medicine and dentistry in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Dr Michael Hollands: For significant service to medical education and professional standards, and as a surgeon.
Professor Stuart Hooper: For significant service to medical research in the field of foetal lung and cardiorespiratory development.
Professor Geoffrey Isbister: For significant service to medical research in the field of toxicology.
Associate Professor Brigid Jordan: For significant service to medicine in the field of paediatrics and infant mental health.
Professor Constance Katelaris: For significant service to medicine in the field of immunology and allergy.
Dr Jennifer Kendrick: For significant service to medicine, and to medical education and standards.
Professor Steven Krilis: For significant service to medical research in the areas of inflammation, thrombosis and allergic disease.
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni: For significant service to medicine in the field of psychiatry.
Dr Richard Lee: For significant service to intensive care medicine.
Dr Peter Lillie: For significant service to medicine in the field of anaesthesia.
Dr Douglas Lingard: For significant service to medicine as a radiologist, and to community health.
Dr John Litt: For significant service to preventative medicine as an influenza specialist, and as a general practitioner.
Dr David McCredie: For significant service to medicine in the field of paediatric nephrology.
Associate Professor Ruth McNair: For significant service to medicine, and as an advocate for the LGBTIQ community.
Dr Prudence Manners: For significant service to medicine as a paediatric rheumatologist.
Dr Colin Merridew: For significant service to surgical and obstetric anaesthesia.
Associate Professor Michael Murray: For significant service to geriatric medicine as a clinician and educator.
Dr Clare Nourse: For significant service to medicine in the field of paediatric infectious diseases.
Dr Clare O’Callaghan: For significant service to community health.
Associate Professor Leo Pinczewski: For significant service to medicine, particularly to the advancement of knee surgery.
Emeritus Professor Anthony Radford: For significant service to medicine, to medical education, and to global health.
Dr Joseph Reich: For significant service to ophthalmology.
Dr Lindy Roberts: For significant service to medicine, and to professional organisations.
Dr Nicholas Saltos: For significant service to medicine, and to education.
Professor Malcolm Sim: For significant service to occupational and environmental medicine.
Dr Leon Simons: For significant service to cardiovascular medicine, and to education.
Dr David Smart: For significant service to hyperbaric medicine, and to professional organisations.
Dr Richard Stark: For significant service to neurological medicine, and to professional associations.
Professor Carolyn Sue: For significant service to medicine, particularly to mitochondrial disease.
Dr Susan White: For significant service to sports medicine.
Professor James Wilkinson: For significant service to medicine, particularly paediatric cardiology.
Professor Dao-Yi Yu: For significant service to ophthalmology, and to education.
Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division
Dr Michael Biggs, for service to medicine as a neurosurgeon.
Dr Joan Castle, for service to medicine.
Dr Christopher Cunneen, for service to medicine as an occupational and environmental physician.
Professor Jane Dahlstrom, for service to medical education, and to pathology.
Associate Professor Michael Denton, for service to medicine as a vascular surgeon.
Dr Malcolm Dobbin, for service to medicine.
Dr Geraldine Duncan, for service to rural medicine.
Dr John England, for service to medicine as a cardiologist.
Dr David Everett, for service to medicine as a paediatrician.
Dr Peter Faulkner, for service to medicine through a range of roles.
Dr Frank Fisher, for service to community health.
Dr Robert Gillies, for service to the community through charitable initiatives.
Dr Samuel Heard, for service to medicine.
Dr Quang Phu Ho, for service to medicine in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology.
Dr Samir Ibrahim, for service to psychiatry, and to the community.
Dr James Linklater, for service to medicine, particulary as a radiologist.
Dr David McDonald, for service to medicine as a paediatrician.
Dr David Martin, for service to medicine in the field of orthopaedics.
Dr Mary Moran, for service to medical research, and to global health initiatives.
Dr William Nardi, for service to medicine in the field of ophthalmology.
Dr Gregory O’Sullivan, for service to medicine in the field of anaesthesiology.
Associate Professor Georgia Paxton, for service to community health, and to refugees.
Dr Milton Sales, for service to medicine, and to the community.
Dr Michael Scobie, for service to ophthalmology, and to the community.
Dr Penelope Stewart, for service to medicine in the field of emergency and intensive care.
Dr Robert Stunden, for service to medicine in the field of paediatric surgery.
Dr Douglas Thornton, service to dentistry in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Dr Anatoly Trachtenberg, for service to medicine, particularly as a general practitioner.
Dr Vida Viliunas, for service to medicine in the field of anaesthesiology.
Dr Gordon White, for service to medicine, particularly sexual health.
Dr George Williams, for service to medicine in the field of paediatrics and developmental disability.
Dr Adam Zagorski, for service to medicine as a general practitioner.
- Cate Swannell