Burnet Institute

Professor David de Kretser, The Governor of Victoria
Professor de Krester is the current Governor of Victoria, and the Foundation Chairman of the BioMelbourne Network (2001 - 2006). He is also the former Executive Chair of the Monash Institutes of Health, and the Foundation Director of the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University.

Professor Gordon Ada, AO
Professor Ada was educated at the University of Sydney (BSc 1943, MSc 1946, DSc 1959). He commenced his career as a scientist at the National Institute for Medical Research, Hampstead, and London and has worked in internationally renowned scientific facilities such as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, John Curtin School of Medical Research. He was a Director of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and was President of several scientific societies.

Dr John W Connell, AM, DEng (Hon), FTS, CEng, FIStructE, FIE Aust, FRSH, FAI, MASCE
Dr Connell is a consulting engineer and founder of the Connell Wagner Consulting Group (formerly known as the John Connell Consulting Group). A former long term member of the Austin Hospital Board, Dr Connell was instrumental in the establishment of the Austin Research Institute, which he supported tirelessly in his roles as Board member and Vice President.

Mr Bryce Courtenay, AM, Author.
Mr Courtenay is one of Australia's greatest success stories. An internationally-acclaimed best-selling author and business man, as a speaker and storyteller he has no equal. Mr Courtney began his career 30 years ago in advertising, were he won a string of local and international advertising awards. He then re-invented himself as novelist. His first novel The Power of One was an international best-seller. Translated into 11 languages and with sales of over two million copies, the story is powerful and emotive. More outstanding books have followed, including April Fool's Day - the biography of Damon, Bryce's youngest son who died of medically-acquired AIDS. Bryce has also worked with direct marketing guru Ian Kennedy to produce 'The Power of One to One' an invaluable business text book. In 1995 Bryce was awarded an AM in the Order of Australia.

Mr Neil (Nobby) Clark, AO, BCom, FCPA
Mr Clark was a founding patron of the Austin Research Institute and became President of the Board in 1998. He commenced his career with the National Australia Bank in 1946, becoming Chief Executive Officer in 1985. Mr Clark has also been a director of Coles Myer Limited, Ashton Mining Limited, Amcor Limited, Mayne Nickless Limited, State Bank of SA, Fosters Brewing Group Limited, Santos Limited and Boral Limited. Mr Clark stepped down as President and Chairman of the Austin Research Institute after five years in the position on 11 August, 2003.

The Rt Hon Sir Zelman Cowen AK, GCMG, GCVO, KStJ, Kter, GCOMRI, DCL, LLD (Hon), DLitt (Hon), DHL (Hon), DUniv (Hon), PhD (Hon)
Sir Cowen was educated at Scotch College, the University of Melbourne and New College, Oxford. At Oxford, he was Vinerian Scholar in Law; from 1947 to 1950. On return to Australia, Sir Cowen was a Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Melbourne University. In 1967, he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England, NSW and in 1970 became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland. In 1977, he was sworn in as nineteenth Governor-General of Australia and served until July 1982. Sir Zelman has been chairman/president of many associations and has written extensively on legal, political and social themes. Sir Cowen was also a regular broadcaster, particularly for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Professor Allan Fels, AO, Former Chairman of ACCC and Dean of the Australian & New Zealand School of Government
Professor Fels is an economist, lawyer and public servant. He was most widely known in his role as chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) from its inception in 1995 until 30 June 2003. Upon his retirement from the ACCC he became foundation Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), a position which he continues to hold. He is also currently an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University, a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Political Science at the University of Melbourne and a consultant to law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. Professor Fels was the Co-Chairman of the Joint Group on Trade and Competition at the OECD from 1996 until 2003. He was awarded the Order of Australia in June 2001.

Rt Hon Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH, Former Prime Minister, Australia.
Mr Fraser was born in Melbourne on 21 May 1930. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar and received his degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, in 1952. He was elected to the Federal Parliament in 1955 during the Menzies Government. He gained Liberal Party pre-selection for the electorate of Wannon in southwest Victoria, where he held the seat for 28 years from 1955 to 1983. Before being appointed Leader of the Liberal Party in March 1975, Mr Fraser held a number of portfolio positions, including that of Minister for the Army in January 1966, Minister for Education and Science in February 1968, and Minister of State for Defence in November 1969. In November 1975, following the dismissal of the Labor Prime Minister, Mr Fraser was appointed Prime Minister of a Caretaker Government pending the outcome of a General Election. He subsequently led Australia when he was twice re-elected successfully in 1977 and 1980, and became the country's second longest serving Prime Minister. Mr Fraser has also held distinguished honorary posts, as Doctor of Law and Member of the Byrnes International Advisory Board (University of South Carolina), Doctor of Letters (Deakin University), Fellow (Magdalen College, Oxford), Vice President (Oxford Society and Royal Commonwealth Society), Senior Adjunct Fellow (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Distinguished International Fellow (American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research), Fellow for International Council of Associates (Claremont University), Fellow of the Center for International Affairs (Harvard University). In April 1983, he resigned from the Australian Parliament but continued to be active at the international level. In February 1976, he was appointed to the Privy Council. He was later made a Companion of Honour in February 1976 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1988.

Professor David Ho, Director, The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre, New York
Professor Ho is the founding Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre. He is also the Irene Diamond Professor at The Rockefeller University. Professor Ho received his degrees from California Institute of Technology (1974) and Harvard Medical School (1978). Subsequently, he did his clinical training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/UCLA School of Medicine (1978-1982) and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School (1982-1985), respectively. Professor Ho has been actively engaged in AIDS research for 24 years, and has published over 350 papers on the subject. He is perhaps most recognized for the elucidation of the dynamic nature of HIV replication in infected persons. This basic understanding led Professor Ho and his co-workers to champion combination antiretroviral therapy, including the use of protease inhibitors. He continues to pursue therapeutic studies that attempt to eradicate HIV. In addition, his research team is now devoting considerable efforts to develop a vaccine to halt the spread of the AIDS epidemic. Professor Ho is an honorary professor at Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Wuhan University, and Fudan University. Professor Ho was named Time Magazine's Man of the Year in 1996, and was the recipient of a Presidential Medal in 2001.

Mr Justice Michael Kirby, AC, CMG, Member of the International Bioethics Committee of UNESCO and Member of the UNAIDS Global Panel on Human Rights, Justice of the High Court
Justice Michael Kirby was appointed to the High Court of Australia in 1996. At the time of his appointment he was the President of the NSW Court of Appeal, having been appointed to that office in September 1984. He was admitted to the NSW bar in 1967. He was appointed a Deputy President of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission in 1975. He has held numerous national and international positions including; board member with CSIRO; the President of the Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands; the United Nations special representative in Cambodia, and the President of the International Commission of Jurists. In 1991 he was appointed a Companion in the general division in the Order of Australia.

Eddie McGuire, AM
Eddie McGuire is one of Australia’s most accomplished television personalities well-known for his hosting roles on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and The Footy Show. He is a former CEO of the Nine Network and president of the Collingwood Football Club. In 2005 he was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to the community, particularly through support for health care and welfare organisations, and to broadcasting.

Sir Peter Morris, AC, FRS, FRCS
Professor Sir Peter Morris, AC FRS FRCS, is one of Australia's great expatriate surgeons. During his distinguished transplantation based career he was Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Director of the Oxford Transplant Centre, University of Oxford, and President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Sir Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Foreign Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. His professional scientific career revolved around transplantation and transplantation biology, with a major interest in the immune response to histocompatibility antigens and its suppression.

Former Melbourne Lord Mayor, The Right Hon John So
The Right Hon John So was the first directly elected Lord Mayor of the Melbourne City Council in 2001, and was re-elected in November 2004 for a second term. A businessman and Justice of the Peace, he has qualifications in science and education from the University of Melbourne. Actively involved in tourism and ethnic community welfare issues, he was a Commissioner of the Ethnic Affairs Commission (91-93) and a former Councillor of the City of Melbourne (91-96 and 99 - 1).