Gustav Nossal

{{Infobox scientist

| honorific-prefix = Sir

| name = Gustav Nossal

| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AC|CBE|FRS|FAA|FTSE|FRSV}}

| image = Gustav Nossal (cropped).jpg

| caption = Nossal at the 5th World Conference of Science Journalists in 2007

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|06|04|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bad Ischl, Austria

| birth_name = Gustav Victor Joseph Nossal

| death_date =

| death_place =

| field = Immunology

| work_institutions = The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne

| alma_mater = University of Sydney (BSc),
University of Melbourne (PhD)

| doctoral_advisor =

| doctoral_students = Michael F. Good

| known_for = His contributions to the fields of antibody formation and immunological tolerance

| author_abbrev_bot =

| author_abbrev_zoo =

| prizes = Albert Einstein World Award of Science (1990)

| footnotes =

}}

Sir Gustav Victor Joseph Nossal (born 4 June 1931) is an Austrian-born Australian research biologist. He is famous for his contributions to the fields of antibody formation and immunological tolerance.

Early life and education

Nossal's family was from Vienna, Austria. He was born four weeks prematurely in Bad Ischl while his mother was on holiday. His family left their home town of Vienna for Australia in 1939 following Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria. As his father's grandparents were Jewish, he was also considered Jewish and at risk of being sent to concentration camps. In an interview with Adam Spencer, Nossal noted that his father was not a professing Jew but of Jewish ethnicity as he had been baptised a Roman Catholic as a child. Nossal remarked that his father "therefore thought that he would be somewhat protected from the Holocaust-type predicament. Of course, he hadn't properly read Mein Kampf. It was all spelt out there: if your four grandparents were Jewish, then you were Jewish."{{cite web|last=Spencer |first=Adam |url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2009/11/16/2740862.htm |title=The World in Sydney — Sir Gustav Nossal — ABC Sydney|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=2009-11-12 |access-date=2013-06-25}} He was baptised and remains a practising Roman Catholic.{{cite web|url = http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Nossal,_Sir_Gustav_Joseph_Victor |title = Nossal, Sir Gustav Joseph Victor — Faculty of Medicine Online Museum and Archive |publisher = Sydney.edu.au |access-date = 23 June 2013}}

Nossal showed interest in medicine and wanted to become a doctor since the age of seven.{{Cite web|url=https://www.findmypathway.com/blog/sir-gustav-nossal-immunologist-interview/|title=Sir Gustav Nossal in Forging the Path, A Find My Pathway Interview|date=30 October 2018|website=Find My Pathway}} When he first attended school in Australia, Nossal spoke no English{{cite news

| last = Cincotta | first = Liz

| title = Passage to Australia

| newspaper = The Age

| location = Melbourne

| date = 19 June 2008

| url = http://www.theage.com.au/national/passage-to-australia-20080618-2stt.html?page=-1

| access-date = 1 March 2012 }}

but he graduated from St Aloysius' College in 1947{{cite news

|last = Middleton

|first = Chris

|title = The Principal

|newspaper = The Gonzagon (Weekly Newsletter of St Aloysius' College)

|page = 2

|date = 4 March 2011

|url = http://www.staloysius.com.au/newsletter/2011/2011_06.pdf

|access-date = 1 March 2012

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110309105311/http://www.staloysius.com.au/newsletter/2011/2011_06.pdf

|archive-date = 9 March 2011

}}

as the dux of the college.{{cite web|url=http://nossalhs.vic.edu.au/about-nossal/sir-gustav-nossal |title=Sir Gustav Nossal | The Nossal High School |publisher=Nossalhs.vic.edu.au |date=4 June 1931 |access-date=23 June 2013}} In 1948, he entered the Sydney Medical School, graduating later with first-class honours from the University of Sydney. At the age of 26, he left his job in Sydney and moved to Melbourne to work with Macfarlane Burnet in medical science at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and gained his PhD degree at the University of Melbourne in 1960.

Religious beliefs

On describing his views on religion Nossal said:

{{centred pull quote|For me, a large part of that is a tremendously strong identification with the mission of the Church. An instinct for justice is central to that mission and central to being a Catholic...

Science deals with fundamentally repeatable, objective, verifiable observations. It deals with hypotheses of which you can at least say "this is not patently false." But the human experience, on the other hand, does not just deal with verifiable facts. The human experience has Shakespeare. It has Beethoven. It has Thomas Aquinas. There is no scientist alive who can tell me how the brain of Shakespeare differs from the brain of the worst scribbler for the tabloid press. This is not yet and may never be in the realm of science... We have to access this huge other area of human experience through other means. Call them the humanities. Theology, of course, is one of the great humanities. A human being struggling to understand the cosmos and to understand his or her own consciousness is not at all antipathetic or opposed to me struggling to understand how cells make antibody molecules.

|source=}}

Career

Following the retirement of Macfarlane Burnet in 1965, at the age of 35 Nossal became director of Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, a position that he kept until 1996. In parallel, he was Professor of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne. Nossal's research was in fundamental immunology, in the field of "antibody formation and immunological tolerance".{{cite web |title=Biographical entry — Nossal, Gustav Joseph Victor (1931 – ) |publisher=Bright Sparcs |url=http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000678b.htm |access-date=8 March 2008}} He has written five books and 530 scientific articles in this and related fields.

Nossal has been President (1970-1973) of the 30,000-member world body of immunology, the International Union of Immunological Societies; President of the Australian Academy of Science (1994-1998); a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) (1989 to 1998); and Chairman of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1987-1996). He has been chairman of the committee overseeing the World Health Organization's Vaccines and Biologicals Program (1993-2002) and Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Children's Vaccine Program (1998-2003). He was Deputy Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation from 1998 to 2000. He was Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Global Foundation,{{cite web |title=Our Members: Office bearers |publisher=The Global Foundation |url=http://www.globalfoundation.org.au/about/members.html |access-date=7 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309222121/http://www.globalfoundation.org.au/about/members.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 }} The purpose of the foundation was to "encourage Australia’s sustainable national development in a global context." Sir Gustav is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria and of the advisory board of the Health Impact Fund.

Personal life

Nossal is married to Lyn whom he met and later married on completion of his medical course at the University of Sydney. Together, they have four children and nine grandchildren.{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2222759.htm | title=Talking Heads – Sir Gustav Nossal | work=Talking Heads | date=28 April 2004 | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | access-date=21 June 2016 | author=Thompson, Peter}}{{cite web | url=https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/sir-gustav-nossal-immunologist | title=Sir Gustav Nossal, immunologist | publisher=Australian Academy of Science | work=Interview by Max Blythe | date=1998 | access-date=21 June 2016}}

Awards and recognition

1964 - Royal Society of Victoria Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research{{Cite web |url=https://rsv.org.au/awards-and-prizes/rsv-medal-winners/ |title=Past Winners |access-date=15 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010210724/http://www.scandinavianimmunology.nu/Honorary-Members.html |archive-date=10 October 2017 |url-status=dead }}
1967 – Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1969 – Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science
1969 – SSI Honorary Member{{Cite web |url=http://www.scandinavianimmunology.nu/Honorary-Members.html |title=Honorary Members |access-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010210724/http://www.scandinavianimmunology.nu/Honorary-Members.html |archive-date=10 October 2017 |url-status=dead }}
1970 – Emil von Behring Prize
1970 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contribution to medical research{{cite web |title = Nossaly, Gustav Joseph Victor: The Order of the British Empire — Commander (Civil) |work = It's an Honour |date = 1 January 1970 |publisher = Commonwealth of Australia |url = https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1065616 |access-date = 7 March 2008}}
1977 – Knighted for his ground-breaking work in immunology{{cite web |title = NOSSAL, Gustav Joseph Victor: Knight Bachelor |work = It's an Honour |date = 1 January 1977 |publisher = Commonwealth of Australia |url = https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1083627 |access-date = 7 March 2008}}
1979 – Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture by the Australian Academy of Science{{cite web|url=https://www.science.org.au/opportunities-scientists/recognition/honorific-awards/career-awards/macfarlane-burnet-medal-and|title=Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture|publisher= Australian Academy of Science|access-date= 22 February 2017}}
1980 – Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy
1981 – Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
1982 – Awarded the ANZAAS Medal{{cite web |title= The ANZAAS Medal |publisher= ANZAAS |url= http://www.anzaas.org.au/anzaasmedal.html |access-date= 7 March 2008 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081227101720/http://www.anzaas.org.au/anzaasmedal.html |archive-date= 27 December 2008 }}
1982 – Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS){{Cite web | url=https://royalsociety.org/people/gustav-nossal-12009/ |title = Gustav Nossal | Royal Society}}
1982 – Rostrum Award of Merit, for excellence in the art of public speaking over a considerable period and his demonstration of an effective contribution to society through the spoken wordRostrum Victoria, Friday 12 November 1982.
1983 – Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (HonFRSE){{Cite web | url=https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/gustav-nossal/ |title = Sir Gustav Joseph Victor Nossal CBE AC FRS HonFRSE|date = 17 July 2019}}
1989 – Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his service to medicine, to science and to the community{{cite web |title = NOSSAL, Gustav Joseph Victor: Companion of the Order of Australia |work = It's an Honour |date = 12 June 1989 |publisher = Commonwealth of Australia |url = https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/886105 |access-date = 7 March 2008}}
1990 – Albert Einstein World Award of Science{{cite web|title=Albert Einstein World Award of Science 1990 |url=http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/winners-science-gustavnossal.php |access-date=13 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229091954/http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/winners-science-gustavnossal.php |archive-date=29 December 2014 }}
1994 – James Cook Medal{{cite web| url = https://www.svi.edu.au/our_story/patron/| title= SVI Patron – Gustav JV Nossal| publisher= St Vincents Institute| access-date = 31 August 2015}}
1996 – Koch Gold Medal,{{cite web |title=Gustav Nossal – Virology Down Under |publisher=University of Queensland |url=http://www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm |access-date=7 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418204530/http://www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm |archive-date=18 April 2009 }} the prize being awarded for prizes for major advances in biomedical sciences, particularly in the fields of microbiology and immunology.
1996 – Fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria (FRSV){{Cite web | url=https://rsv.org.au/about-us/fellows/ | title=Elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Victoria| date=22 May 2013}}
1997 – Listed as one of the 100 Australians identified as Australia's Living National Treasures
2000 – Australian of the Year{{cite book |author=Lewis, Wendy |title=Australians of the Year |publisher=Pier 9 Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-74196-809-5 |author-link=Wendy Lewis }}
2001 – Centenary Medal for distinguished service to the study of antibody formation and immunological tolerance{{cite web |title = NOSSAL, Gustav: Centenary Medal |work = It's an Honour |date = 1 January 2001 |publisher = Commonwealth of Australia |url = https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1115621 |access-date = 7 March 2008}}
2002 – Featured on an Australian postage stamp{{cite web|url=http://shop.auspost.com.au/stamps/legends-2012/about/previous-recipents |title=Previous Legends |department=Stamp collections |work=Australia Post|year=2012 |access-date=13 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324081543/http://shop.auspost.com.au/stamps/legends-2012/about/previous-recipents |archive-date=24 March 2012 }}
2006 – Honorary member of the Monash University Golden Key Society
2007 – The Nossal Institute for Global Health{{cite web|title=The Nossal Institute for Global Health |publisher=The University of Melbourne |url=http://www.ni.unimelb.edu.au/about_us/welcome/sir_gustav_nossal_welcome |access-date=26 February 2011}} at the University of Melbourne was named in honour of Nossal
2009 – Nossal High School, located at the then Berwick campus of Monash University, now the Berwick Campus of Federation University, was named in honour of Nossal
2010 – Inaugural Monash Medal as an Outstanding Australian for his contribution to the Australian community and beyond
2012 – Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award
Foreign Member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology{{cite web |url=https://kast.or.kr/kr/member/member_view.php?idx=3711&PHPSESSID=7390650efd86a2a3a77688f003664280 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011181747/https://kast.or.kr/kr/member/member_view.php?idx=3711&PHPSESSID=7390650efd86a2a3a77688f003664280 |archive-date=11 October 2017 |title= Ѹ – ȸ – ȸ Ұ }}

References

External links

[http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000678b.htm Short biography]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090418204530/http://www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm Gustav Nossal – Virology Down Under]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706130226/http://www.science.org.au/scientists/interviews/n/gn1987.html 1987 interview] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20110305060043/http://science.org.au/scientists/interviews/n/gn.html 1998 interview] on the Australian Academy of Science website.
[http://www.nature.com/ni/journal/v1/n1/full/ni0700_5.html;jsessionid=48A805390DA104D42833E97C5D0CAD8D The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization—a millennial challenge]
Liz Cincotta. "[http://www.theage.com.au/national/passage-to-australia-20080618-2stt.html?page=-1 Passage to Australia]". The Age, 19 June 2008.
[http://www.themonthly.com.au/sir-gustav-nossal-fifty-year-revolution-global-public-health-1174 Video] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222000455/http://www.themonthly.com.au/sir-gustav-nossal-fifty-year-revolution-global-public-health-1174 |date=22 February 2012 }} of Gustav Nossal lecture on The 50-Year Revolution in Global Public Health, Sydney University, July 2008

{{Albert Einstein World Award of Science Laureates|state=collapsed}}

Category:Living people

Category:1931 births

Category:Albert Einstein World Award of Science Laureates

Category:Academic staff of the University of Melbourne

Category:Australian biologists

Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Australian immunologists

Category:Australian Knights Bachelor

Category:Australian of the Year Award winners

Category:Companions of the Order of Australia

Category:Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science