Marjorie Smart Lecture 2004

Professor Emeritus Sir Gustav Nossal (right), the 2004 Marjorie Smart Fellow, spoke about vaccination as a way to solve the world’s social and economic problems at the Marjorie Smart Memorial Lecture, held at The University of Melbourne on Wednesday 24 March.

St Hilda’s College Principal Barbara Green welcomed the 200-odd guests to the lecture, and Professor David Copolov introduced Prof. Nossal before his speech, “International Health Advances in a Troubled World”.

Prof. Nossal spoke about the need for greater social equity and better health and how improved health was linked to poverty reduction and economic growth. Much could be achieved if the rich countries “unbuttoned their wallets”, and an estimated eight million lives could saved, Prof. Nossal said.

He spoke about sustainability and using effective aid to help poorer countries and eliminate misuse of foreign aid, for example, give medical help on condition that the government of the country commit to extra funding for the project. “Use the carrot on a stick approach,” Prof Nossal said.

Prof. Nossal also spoke about the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation program, which is majorly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and is helping to immunise millions of children around the world.

About Professor Emeritus Sir Gustav Nossal
2004 Marjorie Smart Fellow

SIR GUSTAV NOSSAL, AC, CBE, FAA, FRS

GUSTAV NOSSAL was born in Bad Ischl, Austria, in 1931, and came to Australia with his family in 1939. He studied Medicine at The University of Sydney and, after residency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, took his PhD at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. Apart from two years as Assistant Professor of Genetics at Stanford University, one year at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and one year as a Special Consultant to the World Health Organization, all Nossal’s research career has been at the Hall Institute, of which he served as Director (1965-1996). Nossal was also Professor of Medical Biology at The University of Melbourne.

Nossal’s research is in fundamental immunology, and he has written five books and 530 scientific articles in this and related fields. Nossal has been President (1986-1989) of the 30,000-member world body of immunology, the International Union of Immunological Societies; President of the Australian Academy of Science (1994-1998); a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (1989 to 1998); and Chairman of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1987-1996). He has been Chairman of the committee overseeing the World Health Organization’s Vaccines and Biologicals Program (1993-2002) and Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill and Melinda Gates Children’s Vaccine Program (1998-2003).

Nossal was knighted in 1977, made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1989 and appointed Australian of the Year in 2000. He has received numerous other honours from 11 countries. Amongst the most significant are Fellow of The Royal Society of London, Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences, Member of the Academie des Sciences, France, the Robert Koch Gold Medal, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science, the Emil von Behring Prize, the Rabbi Shai Shacknai Prize, and over 120 named lectureships in ten countries.

Nossal is also involved in charitable work as Chairman of The Felton Bequests’ Committee; in the business community as a Principal of Foursight Associates Pty Ltd; and in international advancement of Australia as Chairman of The Global Foundation. He was involved in Aboriginal affairs as Deputy Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation from 1998 to 2000.