A Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) researcher has been recognised with a Australian Academy of Science honorific award.
Professor Andrew Steer has been awarded the Gustav Nossal Medal, which acknowledges leading global health research across infectious diseases, nutrition and vaccine development.
Professor Steer has a focus on prevention of tropical infectious diseases of childhood and has worked to establish community-based treatment programs for scabies in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also been influential in vaccine development for Strep A diseases and has been heavily involved in key global programs for rheumatic heart disease.
"Up to one child in every classroom in the Pacific has rheumatic heart disease, while scabies impacts up to one in every two children in the region," Professor Steer said.
"Our research has found that the best way to combat these diseases is by empowering local health and medical professionals to implement disease control programs."
Image: Professor Andrew Steer
Professor Steer said that having worked directly with Sir Gustav Nossal in the past, being recognised with the medal was additionally special.
"My connection to this award is a personal one, with Sir Gustav Nossal an advisor to some of our scabies work," he said.
"This makes being recognised with the Gustav Nossal Medal extra special and meaningful."
Watch the Australian Academy of Science's full video
