Professor Ian Frazer works to raise awareness and funds for medical research through his role with The University of Queensland (UQ) and as Chair of the TRI Foundation Board. He is also the current Chair of the advisory board advising the commonwealth government on the use of the Medical Research Future Fund, a member of the Commonwealth Science Council and President of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science.
At UQ, Professor Frazer works with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) as an advisor on medical research and with the Vice-Chancellor on fundraising through the University’s Campaign Committee. He also leads a research program at TRI on skin cancer immunology with staff from UQ’s Diamantina Institute and continues to work with Admedus Vaccines on a herpes vaccine and new vaccine technologies.
As the founding Chief Executive Officer and Director of Research for the Translational Research Institute (TRI) in Brisbane, Australia, Professor Frazer lead the development of a world-leading biomedical research facility focused on translating scientific knowledge into practical benefits for the community. Combing the intellect of its partners: the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute, Mater Research and School of Medicine; Queensland University of Technology Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation; and the Princess Alexandra Hospital Centres for Research, with a Clinical Research Facility and a co-located biopharmaceutical manufacturer, TRI has the capacity to discover, produce, test and manufacture new treatments and vaccines in one location.
Internationally renowned for the co-creation of the technology for the cervical cancer vaccines, Professor Frazer began his career as a renal physician and clinical immunologist in Edinburgh, Scotland before emigrating in 1981 to Melbourne, Australia. He continued his clinical training and pursued studies in viral immunology and autoimmunity at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research with Professor Ian Mackay. In 1985, Professor Frazer accepted a teaching post with the University of Queensland and was appointed Director of The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute in 1991. In early 2011, Professor Frazer relinquished directorship of the Institute to commence as CEO and Director of Research for TRI. In February 2015, he relinquished this role to focus more on his research.
Professor Frazer was awarded the 2005 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and was selected as Queenslander of the Year, and Australian of the Year in 2006. He was also awarded the 2008 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, the 2008 Balzan Prize for Preventive Medicine, the 2009 Honda Prize and was recently elected as a Fellow of the esteemed Royal Society of London. In 2012, Professor Frazer was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. In 2014, Professor Frazer was elected as the inaugural President of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.