Recognising cutting-edge Australian research

Professor Brendan Crabb (Burnet Institute) was granted the 2019 GSK Award for Research Excellence for his research in the next generation of treatments and vaccines for malaria – one of the leading causes of death and disease burden globally.

“I am honoured to have received this award – especially as it draws attention to the fact that many of our human brothers and sisters still suffer enormously from malaria,” said Professor Crabb.

The GSK Award for Research Excellence (originally named Wellcome Australia Medal) was established in 1980. “This is years before any researcher here was able to share their work by email or video conferencing. Australia was a long way away from the rest of the research universe.” said Dr Andrew Weekes, Medical Director of GSK Australia.

This long-standing award recognises and celebrates world-class Australian researchers with extraordinary minds who are advancing our understanding of human health and delivering life-changing breakthroughs in science.

In recent years GSK has collaborated with Research Australia to announce the GSK Award for Research Excellence during its prestigious annual event. “Research Australia is a fantastic organisation which engages with key stakeholders to help the Australian research ecosystem thrive.” said Dr Andrew Weekes.

“The work of Professor Crabb is testament to the impact home-grown research and innovation can have on a global scale,” continued Dr Andrew Weekes. “We are honoured to recognise and support research enabling further discoveries and better outcomes for people suffering from global health inequities.”

In the course of time, the GSK Award for Research Excellence has boosted funding for the researchers and helped raise their profile in the research community, both locally and internationally.

Among the previous recipients of the GSK Award for Research Excellence are some of Australia’s most noted scientific researchers, including Professor Tony Basten who won the first award back in 1980 and Professor Kathryn North awarded in 2011.

Professor Basten was awarded for his substantial contribution in understanding the regulation of the immune system in health and disease. His research interests include clinical trials of immunomodulatory agents in cancer, multiple sclerosis and deep vein thrombosis.

Professor North’s body of work included a world-first discovery of a common genetic mutation that influences muscle function and performance. She is recognised as a world-leader in inherited neurological disorders in children.

The longevity of the GSK Award for Research Excellence is a testament to GSK’s continued commitment in recognising outstanding achievements in Australian medical research with potential importance to human health.

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