QIMR Professor takes Queensland’s top honour

Professor Adele Green AC has been named the Queensland Australian of the Year 2013 in recognition of her 20-year war on skin cancer at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.

Professor Green is a senior scientist at QIMR, a former Deputy Director, and Head of the Institute’s Cancer and Population Studies Group.

Professor Green said she was delighted that the value of medical research was being recognised.

“Skin cancer is a huge issue for Queenslanders and QIMR works hard to determine the causes and work on prevention strategies, particularly for melanoma,” Professor Green said.

“I’d like to pay tribute to my colleagues at QIMR without whose support our research would not have had such an impact.

“I’d also like to wish well the other finalists in my category. It was an honour to be considered alongside them.”

Adele Green’s world-first research established that daily sunscreen use can prevent melanoma.

Professor Green also headed up a study which determined that the survival rate of patients with thin invasive melanoma was 96%, offering hope and reassurance to sufferers. It remains the only published analysis of very long-term survival rates for these patients.

Another of Professor Green’s key projects is the 20-year follow-up study of almost 1,000 residents of the town of Nambour, Queensland. This study focuses on the most common skin cancers: basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

QIMR director Professor Frank Gannon congratulated Professor Green.
“This is well-deserved recognition of Professor Green’s passion and commitment and recognises the significance of health and medical research for all Australians,” Professor Gannon said.

“She’s led significant advances in understanding the causes and prevention of skin cancer.”

“Professor Green has also proven herself to be a brilliant mentor to early-career scientists at QIMR,” Professor Gannon said.

“Her commitment to students demonstrates her passion and support for science and medical research as an important and vital vocation.”

Professor Green was also appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2004 for service to medical research to public health including improved Indigenous health, and for leadership in the wider scientific community.

QIMR congratulates the night’s other winners, and the other finalists in Adele Green’s category: Professor Lisa Gasteen AO, Graeme Wood AM and Anna Meares OAM.

The Australian of the Year will be announced in January.