Research, biobusiness honoured in Australia Day awards

By Iain Scott
Tuesday, 27 January, 2004

Last week, ResMed's California-based chairman and CEO Dr Peter Farrell was in his usual stirring form at a Melbourne speech, referring to Australia as "Botswana" and the nation's flag as a "dog's breakfast". But perhaps he was just getting it all out of his system one last time -- on Monday, Farrell was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), one of the top gongs in the annual Australia Day honours.

The achievements of Australian life scientists were widely rewarded in this year's honours. Cochlear implant pioneer Prof Graeme Clark and Prof Adrienne Clarke of Melbourne University were both named Companions of the Order of Australia (AC), the highest award bestowed by the honours.

Queensland's chief scientist Prof Peter Andrews, Murdoch Children's Research Institute director Prof Bob Williamson and Commonwealth chief scientist Robin Batterham were all named to the Order of Australia (AO), along with expat researchers Dr Victor Fazio and Prof Enid Gilbert-Barness.

Joining Farrell on the AM list were, among others, Emeritus Prof Frank Gibson of the John Curtin School of Medical Research, proteomics pioneer Dr Keith Williams of Proteome Systems, last year's ASBMB Lemberg medallist Prof John Hopwood, reproductive biologist Prof Roger Short, and science promoter Dr Sue Stocklmeyer.

While ResMed and Cochlear were both recognised in the awards, so was one of the people who had been closely involved with both firms -- Dr Mike Hirshorn, of Nanyang Ventures, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

Hirshorn's award was for services to medical technology through the development of strategies for product commercialisation -- surely one of the few instances of venture capital being recognised by a nation's honour roll.

Hirshorn said being recognised with an OAM closed a loop for him, from his early days as a medical researcher, to his work with medical devices pioneer Paul Trainor and 15 years with Cochlear, as well as his work on government committees.