The Man who Saved a Million Lives

Viruses and Cancer| Professor Ian Frazer Navigating the Cancer Maze with Grace Gawler | Voice America

The subject of viruses and their role in causing or accelerating cancer is a fascinating subject. It is a topic that is often discussed in Germany where specific tests and antisense treatments are implemented to treat oncoviruses. (An oncovirus is a virus that can cause cancer.) If you missed my interview with Prof Ian Frazer last September, this special episode was encored today on Voice America on Grace Gawler’s weekly show; Navigating the Cancer Maze. To link a virus to cancer in the 1980’s was contentious, but Ian Frazer persevered, convinced this needed further investigation. Now his successful research and development of a cervical cancer vaccine has sold worldwide under the brand names Gardasil and Cervarix.

The subject of viruses and their role in causing or accelerating cancer is a fascinating subject. It is a topic that is often discussed in Germany where specific tests and antisense treatments are implemented to treat oncoviruses. (An oncovirus is a virus that can cause cancer.) If you missed my interview with Prof Ian Frazer last September, this special episode was encored today on Navigating the Cancer Maze. To link a virus to cancer in the 1980’s was contentious, but Ian Frazer persevered, convinced this needed further investigation.

Prof Ian Frazer — The Book that tells of story of one of the most important discoveries in recent medical science

Now his successful research and development of a cervical cancer vaccine has sold worldwide under the brand names Gardasil and Cervarix. To Listen to the interview select the link to Voice America below:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/76241/special-encore-presentation-navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer

Professor Ian Frazer was born in 1953 in Glasgow, Scotland, into an academic family. He studied medicine at Edinburgh University and trained as a renal physician and clinical immunologist. He received a BSc(Med) in 1974 and an MB ChB in 1977.

In 1974, as part of his studies, Frazer spent three months at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne. In 1981 Frazer returned to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute where he continued his clinical training and undertook studies in viral immunology and autoimmunity and became particularly interested in human papilloma viruses (HPV).

In 1985 he took up a teaching position with the University of Queensland. When he moved to Brisbane he decided to continue his work with HPV, in particular HPV and cervical cancer. He was awarded a MD from the University of Melbourne in 1988. The work of Frazer with his colleague, the late molecular virologist Dr Jian Zhou, has led to the development of a vaccine which prevents infection with HPV and cervical cancer.
Prof Ian Frazer is currently CEO and Director of Research at the Translational Research Institute (TRI). Select link below to listen to interview with prof Ian Frazer:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/76241/special-encore-presentation-navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rnemwyjMKs]

The theory that cancer could be caused by a virus began with the experiments of Oluf Bang and Vilhelm Ellerman in 1908 who first show that avian erythroblastosis (a form of chicken leukemia) could be transmitted by cell-free extracts. This was subsequently confirmed for solid tumors in chickens in 1910-1911 by Peyton Rous.

By the early 1950s it was known that viruses could remove and incorporate genes and genetic material in cells. It was suggested that these new genes inserted into cells could make the cell cancerous. Many of these viral oncogenes have been discovered and identified to cause cancer.

The main viruses associated with human cancers are human papillomavirus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus, Epstein-Barr virus, human T-lymphotropic virus, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV) and Merkel cell polyomavirus. Experimental and epidemiological data imply a causative role for viruses and they appear to be the second most important risk factor for cancer development in humans, exceeded only by tobacco usage.
To continue visit source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus

The Man who Saved a Million Lives | Prof Ian Frazer – book review Grace Gawler

Author of ‘Ian Frazer … The man who saved a million lives’, Brisbane’s Madonna King, has certainly done justice to telling the life story and, scientific story of Prof Ian Frazer, one of Australia’s leading medical and scientific researchers.I also had the pleasure of interviewing Prof Ian Frazer on my educational US based internet radio series “Navigating the Cancer Maze”. If you missed this interview – it comes as highly recommended as the book about his life and work.
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/72540/navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer

Author of ‘Ian Frazer … The man who saved a million lives’, Brisbane’s Madonna King, has certainly done justice to telling the life story and, scientific story of Prof Ian Frazer, one of Australia’s leading medical and scientific researchers.

A Review.

In 2012 I heard Prof Frazer give an excellent presentation to a Prostate Cancer Support group at Tweed heads. I was impressed, because here was a man clearly still as passionate about his work as when he began in the field of medicine, virology and immunology decades prior. Born in the same year as myself, we shared a hero.

Ian Frazer grew up in the era of TV scientist Prof Julius Sumner-Miller whose program was called “Why is it so”? I have met so many scientists around the world who name Prof Sumner-Miller as their early inspiration to pursuit of a scientific career – What a legacy he left!

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Prof Ian Frazer on my educational US based internet radio series “Navigating the Cancer Maze”. If you missed this interview – it comes as highly recommended as the book about his life and work.
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/72540/navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer

It is not easy to maintain that degree of dedication and passion that Ian Frazer exudes; he must work hideously long hours. Although very gracious and compassionate one gets the sense that here is a man whose reputation has been hard-earned and at a cost. The world of science, research and pharmaceutical companies is highly competitive and it is this part of the book that is so revealing about the dogged nature of Prof Frazer. Yet, this is softened by the care and compassion threaded throughout the pages especially when it came to sharing the accolades with colleagues such as Jian Zhou.

The unexpected fight of his life and the lives of his fellow researchers began following a published paper in the Journal Virology by his colleague the late Jian Zhou, his wife Xiao Yi Sun, Deborah Stenzel and Prof Frazer. The paper was to be presented at a conference in Seattle in the USA , and at the last minute – a patent was issued in Queensland before Jian Zhou and Ian Frazer left Australia to present one of the world’s biggest breakthroughs in the fight against cervical cancer. However – what ensued over the coming years was a court case to determine who was the real inventor/owner of the world’s first HPV vaccine…it was declared it was not Australia – but the US Georgetown based researchers that deserved first place and the right to say they developed the Vaccine. It was not until August 2007 that this judgement was reversed!

The story is complex but Madonna King weaves her literary skill…. the battle for rightful Australian and not US ownership of the vaccine discovery and patent reads like a spy novel crossed with a television drama – it would make a great Australian mini-series!

This book is not only significant in describing the story line of Prof Ian Frazer the man and his family and colleagues – but also it paints a picture of the behind the scenes pressures and skulduggery that happens in a medical research world that most of us know little about. It is complex and convoluted and of course as well as the discoveries – there is always the financial rewards that creates a competitive race to the finish-line approach. You will read about pharmaceutical companies, ethics and laws and the struggles that ensued to bring truth and a humane discovery to light. Prof Ian Frazer and his team shine throughout.

I would highly recommend this book. It is a great read for anybody who wants to know the science and reason and efforts behind the development of the cervical vaccine that Prof Frazer and the late Jian Zhou pioneered; and, as well, Madonna King shows us the human faces and lives of the people behind science and research that makes our live better. The book is aptly titled….”‘Ian Frazer … The man who saved a million lives’.

A great Christmas gift!

How to get your copy: available in Australia from Dymocks, Target and many other bookstores.

Not available in e-book yet, the book is published by University of Queensland Press BUY ONLINE HERE

Professor Ian Frazer, The Man who Saved a Million Lives interview with Grace Gawler

During this past week, a book about Professor Frazer’s personal story and his discoveries relating to viruses and cancer was launched in Brisbane. It is one of those books that is a must read – an important contribution to Australia medical science history! Authored by Madonna King, the book titled: “IAN FRAZER….The Man who saved a Million Lives” is available in Australia from Dymocks, Target and many other bookstores. Buy online at UQP. Listen to my Interview with Prof Ian Frazer on Voice America…..

Have you ever wondered about the nature of viruses? What they are made of… how they operate….. and how they can do a takeover bid in our bodies and make us so ill? Did you know that viruses are implicated as a causative factor in the development of many cancers – not only cervical cancer? The bigger question begs; what can we do when a virus strikes and can we prevent a virus from causing cancer?

Fortunately for all of us Prof Ian Frazer began asking these questions at an early age. At about the age of nine, he remembers lining up with schoolmates for their polio vaccinations. He said in a recent Reader’s Digest issue: “The needle got my attention,” he says – which is where most kids are happy to leave it. “Then, I realized there were [crippled] kids around who had had polio. That got me interested in how the body fights infection … how the body repairs itself.” Thanks to his earlier scientific curiosity, HPV 16 – one of the leading causes of cancer of the cervix, is in process of being eradicated worldwide.
During this past week, a book about Professor Frazer’s personal story and his discoveries relating to viruses and cancer was launched in Brisbane. It is one of those books that is a must read – an important contribution to Australia medical science history!

Authored by Madonna King, the book titled: “IAN FRAZER….The Man who saved a Million Lives” is available in Australia from Dymocks, Target and many other bookstores. If you haven’t bought your Father’s Day gift yet – this one would a fantastic idea. (A percentage of proceeds from the book will be donated to the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation). Not available in e-book yet, the book is published by University of Queensland Press BUY ONLINE HERE
If you want to hear more about viruses and Professor Frazer’s work – Please do not miss listening to today’s special edition of Navigating the Cancer maze on Voice America’s Health and Wellness channel: http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/72540/navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer
About
Professor Ian Frazer AC, FRS, FAACEO, 2006 Australian of the Year & Director of Research at the Translational Research Institute, Brisbane Australia; is one Australia’s most celebrated medical research scientists. Prof Frazer has received numerous national and international awards for his work in developing the technology that has enabled vaccines to help prevent cervical cancer. To link a virus to cancer in the 1980’s was contentious, but Ian Frazer persevered, convinced this needed further investigation. Now his successful research and development of a cervical cancer vaccine has sold worldwide under the brand names Gardasil and Cervarix. In May 2011, Prof Frazer was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This achievement elevates him to the same status as world renowned scientists such as Stephen Hawking and Sir Isaac Newton. Today’s interview will probe in depth the connection between viruses and cancer and the function of immunity in viral destruction and management.
Short BIO – Professor Ian Frazer
Professor Frazer, a renal physician & clinical immunologist from Edinburgh, Scotland; came to Melbourne Australia in 1981 to pursue studies in viral immunology and autoimmunity at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of medical Research.
In 1985, he moved to Brisbane to assume a teaching post with the University of Queensland & was appointed Director of the Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research in 1991. He has taught immunology to undergraduate & graduate students at the University & has research interests in immune-regulation and immuno-therapeutic vaccines for HPV (Papilloma virus) associated cancers.

Translational Research Institute Brisbane Australia

Now involved in revolutionary research, he is developing a vaccine/treatment for HSV-2 – the virus implicated in genital herpes.
He is a past President of the Cancer Council Australia, Chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Medical Research Advisory Committee & Chair of the International Agency for Research on Cancer Scientific Advisory Committee.

More on this topic and a review of the book IAN FRAZER….The Man who saved a Million Lives in my next blog at www.gracegawlermedia.com

Navigating the cancer Maze on Voice America Heath and Wellness Channel is presented each week by the Grace Gawler Institute in the interest of informing and educating the worldwide cancer community. www.gracegawlerinstitute.com

Listen to the interview at : http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/72540/navigating-the-cancer-maze-with-professor-ian-frazer