TWO geneticists have topped the pile of medical practitioners and researchers honoured in the Order of Australia awards announced today.
Evolutionary geneticist Distinguished Professor Jennifer Graves AO, from La Trobe University, and Professor Ary Hoffmann, Group Head and Chair of Ecological Genetics at the University of Melbourne, were awarded the highest honour available, Companion (AC) in the General Division, by the Governor-General.
Professor Graves’ research has led to new theories of the origin and evolution of human sex chromosomes and sex determining genes. Her La Trobe profile describes has as “(in)famous for her prediction that the human Y chromosome is disappearing”.
She also holds honorary positions at the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, and the University of Melbourne.
Professor Hoffmann’s research has focused on pest control and adaptation to ecological stress, including the suppression of dengue mosquito vectors, and new ways of predicting species distribution shifts under climate change.
A third geneticist, Associate Professor Kristine Barlow-Stewart, from the University of Sydney Medical School was awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division. She was the first certified genetic counsellor in Australia, and was the Foundation Director of the Centre for Genetics Education at NSW Health.
Full list of medical honorees:
Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Distinguished Professor Jennifer Graves AO: For eminent service to science, particularly through leadership and research in evolutionary genetics, to international and national professional societies, for science education in schools, and as a mentor and role model for women.
Professor Ary Hoffmann: For eminent service to science, particularly evolutionary biology and ecological genetics, through research, mentoring and education, and to professional scientific organisations.
Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Professor Julie Byles: For distinguished service to medical research, to gerontology, and to professional scientific organisations.
Professor Sandra Eades: For distinguished service to medical research, to Indigenous health, and to professional organisations.
Mr Mark Sullivan: For distinguished service to medical research, to business, and to education.
Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Associate Professor Kristine Barlow-Stewart: For significant service to medicine in the field of human genetics, and to education.
Professor Prithvipall Bhathal: For significant service to pathology, to education and mentoring, and to medical research.
Dr Cuong Bui OAM: For significant service to multiculturalism, and to the Vietnamese community of Queensland.
Professor Leslie Burnett: For significant service to pathology, to medical research, and to professional societies.
Professor Gregory Crawford: For significant service to palliative care, and to tertiary education.
Professor Geoffrey Delaney: For significant service to oncology and cancer services, and to tertiary education.
Professor Brian Draper: For significant service as a psychiatrist to tertiary education, to medicine, and to the community.
Dr Catherine Duncan: For significant service to medicine in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, and to professional associations.
Associate Professor Robert Farnsworth OAM: For significant service to medicine in the field of urology, and to professional associations.
Professor Prudence Francis: For significant service to medical research in the field of oncology, and to education.
Associate Professor Leeanne Grigg: For significant service to cardiology, and to professional societies.
Dr Richard Harper: For significant service to cardiology, to medical research, and to professional associations.
Professor William Heddle RFD (Retd): For significant service to cardiology, to tertiary education, and to professional associations.
Dr Geoffrey Herkes: For significant service to medicine as a neurologist, to medical research, and to professional associations.
Professor Mark Hertzberg: For significant service to haematology, to tertiary education, and to research.
Emeritus Professor Leslie Irwig: For significant service to tertiary education, and to medicine as an epidemiologist.
Dr Margaret Kay: For significant service to medicine, to medical education, and to migrant health.
Professor Farees (Fary) Khan: For significant service to rehabilitation medicine, to research, and to professional societies.
Dr Alice Killen: For significant service to medical administration, and to healthcare delivery.
Dr James La Nauze: For significant service to ophthalmology, and to not-for-profit organisations.
Professor Alfred King-yin Lam: For significant service to tertiary education, to research, and to pathology.
Professor Barbara Leggett: For significant service to gastroenterology and hepatology, and to medical research.
Professor Helen Marshall: For significant service to medicine in the field of vaccinology and public health, to research, and to education.
Dr Graeme Morgan: For significant service to medicine through radiation oncology practice and research.
Professor Peter Morley: For significant service to intensive care medicine, to professional societies, and to tertiary education.
Professor Tuan Van Nguyen: For significant service to medical research, to osteoporosis and fracture prevention, and to tertiary education.
Professor Paul Norman: For significant service to medicine in the field of vascular surgery.
Professor Robert Power: For significant service to medicine in the field of international development and research, and to education.
Professor Colin Robertson: For significant service to medicine, to research, and to professional organisations.
Emeritus Professor Arie Rotem: For significant service to tertiary education, and to public health.
Clinical Associate Professor Saxon Smith: For significant service to medicine as a dermatologist and researcher, and to professional societies.
Professor Elsdon Storey: For significant service to medicine in the field of neurology, and to professional associations.
Professor Bronwyn Stuckey: For significant service to medical research, to endocrinology, and to women's health.
The late Dr Geoffrey Symonds: For significant service to medical research, particularly through gene therapy.
Professor Sandra Thompson: For significant service to tertiary education, to rural and regional health, and to Indigenous health.
Professor Margaret Turner: For significant service to medical research, to psychiatry and to psycho-oncology.
Medal (OAM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Clinical Professor Catherine Birman: For service to medicine through otolaryngology.
Dr Peter Braude: For service to medicine as a physician.
Dr Laurence Budd: For service to medicine as a paediatrician.
Dr Marie-Frances Burke: For service to medicine as an oncologist.
Dr John Dickeson: For service to the community of the Hunter.
Dr Robert Edwards: For service to medicine as a thoracic physician.
Dr Peter Ellis: For service to medicine as a forensic pathologist.
Dr Louise Farrell: For service to medicine in the field of oncology.
Professor Cherrie Galletly: For service to medicine as a psychiatrist.
Professor Kurt Gebauer: For service to dermatology.
Dr Peter Gianoutsos: For service to medicine as a respiratory physician.
Dr Stephen Godfrey: For service to medicine as an ophthalmologist.
Dr Denis Gordon: For service to the community of Belmont.
Dr Matthew Gray: For service to community health.
Dr Harold Gunatillake: For service to medicine, and to the Sri Lankan community of New South Wales.
Dr Kerry Hancock: For service to medicine through a range of roles.
Dr Pamela Harrison: For service to palliative care, and to community history.
Dr Simon Hooton: For service to swimming, and to the community.
Dr Milton Lewis: For service to community health.
Professor Elizabeth McCusker: For service to medicine as a neurologist, particularly in the field of Huntington's disease.
Emeritus Professor Laurence Mather: For services to anaesthesia and pain management as a research scientist and educator.
Dr Anthony Michaelson: For service to the community through alcohol and drug use prevention programs.
Dr Bradley Murphy: For service to community health.
Associate Professor Mehrdad Nikfarjam: For service to medicine in the field of pancreas and biliary surgery.
Dr Gino Pecoraro: For service to medicine as a gynaecologist.
Dr Harald Pope: For service to medicine through a range of roles.
Professor Helge Rasmussen: For service to medicine as a cardiologist.
Dr Walter Roper: For service to the community through a range of roles.
Dr Ramin Samali: For service to medicine as an urologist.
Dr Arnold Shmerling: For service to the Jewish community.
Dr Deborah Simmons: For service to medicine through a range of roles.
Dr Edmund Spork: For service to the community through a range of organisations.
Dr Brian Stagoll: For service to medicine as a psychiatrist.
Dr Harry Stalewski: For service to medicine as a paediatrician surgeon and urologist.
Dr Ian Stewart: For service to medicine through a range of roles.
Dr James Taylor: For service to emergency medicine, and to the community.
Dr Furio Virant: For service to medicine through a range of roles.
Dr Conrad Winer: For service to musculoskeletal medicine.
- Cate Swannell