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In 1998, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sir Howard Florey, the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) created the Florey Medal. This honour is awarded biennially to an Australian biomedical researcher for significant achievements in the life sciences.
Generously sponsored by CSL, the Florey Medal is one of Australia's most prestigious science awards, recognising the life's work of some of Australia's most remarkable scientists.
In 2014 AIPS and CSL created the Young Florey Medal. This honour provided a counterpoint to the Florey Medal's focus on lifetime achievement, by identifying and recognising a young scientist undertaking life-changing research. The second Young Florey Medallist will be awarded this year.
To celebrate CSL's ongoing support of innovative research, AQ caught up with three previous Florey Medallists to find out their views on the current research landscape in their various areas of biomedical research and human health advancement.
1. What was the main motivation for you to pursue your research path?
COLIN: To come up with a form of treatment and diagnosis that is effective and specific. I started on infectious prion diseases in the brain and through associations with mentors, wanted more speed in research and moved to Alzheimer's research.
JOHN: A determination to dramatically improve the health, wellbeing and life outcome of children suffering lysosomal storage diseases.
CAROLA: Three years into my clinical residency in the UK, I undertook a Masters in Immunology. I immediately fell in love with the beauty and complexity of T and B cell interactions in a microenvironment known as germinal centres, where rapidly mutating B cells need to be selected on the basis of acquiring high affinity antibodies that can provide longterm protection against infection without triggering autoimmunity.
2. Did you have a science role model or mentor that had a significant impact on you?
COLIN: As a young medical student in Perth in the 1960s and 70s, I had many influential mentors including Professor Byron Kakulas, Professor Michael Alpers AO (both leading researchers in neurological diseases) and Professor Neville Stanley (a microbiologist). Through these mentors I came into contact with Dr D. Carleton Gajdusek and developed an interest in neurological disorders.
JOHN: Professor David Solomon...