UQDI's Professor Ian Frazer, inventor of the cervical cancer vaccine and 2006 Australian of the Year, has been awarded a 2012 Bupa Health Foundation Award.
Professor Frazer received the award to assist his work in the research of skin cancers, their precursor lesions for genetic signatures of viruses, and protein signatures of specific immune responses, which might predispose patients to developing squamous skin cancer. Understanding and targeting these viruses could hold the key to developing preventions and cures for skin cancer sufferers.
If proven, Professor Frazer's project has potential to influence development of a vaccine for skin cancer with very significant national and international health impacts.
Dr Christine Bennett, Chair of the Bupa Health Foundation Steering Committee, says the Foundation invests in initiatives and partners that have the potential to make a real difference to improving Australian health and healthcare.
One of the country’s leading charitable organisations dedicated to health, Bupa Health Foundation, will this year provide almost $2.5 million for a range of medical research and healthy living programs.
