Lifesaving researchers recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

12 June 2018

Seven Faculty of Medicine staff or alumni have been recognised with Queen's Birthday Honours for their significant service to medicine. 

It’s also double the celebration for researchers Brandon and Claire Wainwright, who were both appointed Members of the Order of Australia (AM).

The two professors were among more than 20 UQ community members to make the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Professor Claire Wainwright from the UQ Faculty of Medicine and Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital was recognised for significant service to medicine as a respiratory clinician, and for leadership into the study of cystic fibrosis.

“I work with children and families who teach me so much and are always an inspiration,” she said.

“This award, I feel, is on behalf of them as well as my wonderful research and clinical teams and the many collaborators who have supported and advised me over the years.”

Professor Brandon Wainwright, Director of UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, received his AM for significant service to medicine in the field of molecular bioscience, to cell biology and genome research, and to education.

He said the honour belonged not just to himself but to all staff and students at IMB who have made the institute one of the top life sciences institutes in the Asia-Pacific region.

"I'd like to especially acknowledge my own research group, who continue to advance treatments for brain cancer into the clinic," he said.

"It is a special pleasure to receive this award in company with my wife, Claire, who is an outstanding paediatric physician and researcher."

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Aidan Byrne said he was delighted to see so many members of the UQ community being celebrated.

“The university is immensely proud of it alumni, staff and students who create positive change in society through their discoveries, their teaching, their leadership, and in a myriad of other ways,” he said.

“These honours recognise that their contributions are not just appreciated within an academic context, but by a much broader community who values their hard work, community spirit and knowledge leadership.

“I offer them my sincere congratulations.”

UQ community Queen’s Birthday honourees from The Faculty of Medicine include*:

AO

  • Associate Professor Katherine Mary Tucker (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Honours) ’80)

AM

  • Professor Anthony Brown
  • Professor Lawrence Hirst (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’69, Doctor of Medicine ’83, Doctor of Science (Medical Science) ’15)
  • Professor Bernard ‘Mark’ Smithers (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’77)
  • Professor Claire Wainwright
  • Professor David Walker
  • Dr Jeffrey Brock (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’81)

OAM

  • Southern Queensland Rural Health Board Chair Dereck Tuffield
  • Dr Michael Miros (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ’82)
  • Associate Professor Carol Tippet (Masters of Public Health ’83) 

*Have we missed anyone? If you know of a member of the Faculty community honoured in the Queen’s Birthday awards that does not appear on our list, please let us know by emailing med.media@uq.edu.au so that we can help celebrate their success.

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