Ian Frazer

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Your time at the University

I applied to Edinburgh University with the intent of studying Physics, and pursuing an interest in astrophysics, but rapidly changed my studies to Medicine.

I led a full life as a medical student, pursuing my interest in medicine, and particularly in medical research through an intercalated honours year in Pathology, but also running a mobile disco, undertaking most of the jobs on the committee of the University Ski Club and pursuing vacation jobs as a barman, a tester of metallurgy for the Porsche Car Factory, a general factotum in an alcoholics institute, and an organiser of skiing holidays in the Alps.

Tell us about your Experiences since leaving the University

I worked for a while as a doctor in Edinburgh, before moving to Australia to pursue my interest in immunology. The 2 year working holiday has turned out to be a permanent move, and the balance of my professional life has shifted gradually from clinical practice to basic and applied medical research on vaccines.

While I worked as a clinician for over 20 years, in Melbourne and Brisbane, I now spend my time divided between vaccine research and research administration, running a large biomedical research institute in Brisbane.

My life has recently been painted in technicolour in a biography by Madonna King, and helping her to write that made me realise the formative influence of the intellectual freedom that I was granted as a student at Edinburgh University.

Professor Ian Frazer

I recognise that my major contribution to the profession has been indirect, through my part in the team work that led to the development of vaccines to help prevent cervical cancer.

The friends I made in Edinburgh remain friends and colleagues, and we keep in touch regularly. It was a great honour to receive an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh University in 2013, and returning to Edinburgh was bitter sweet and nostalgic, as I recognised the great fun I’d had as a student in Edinburgh at the start of my career.

My life has recently been painted in technicolour in a biography by Madonna King, and helping her to write that made me realise the formative influence of the intellectual freedom that I was granted as a student at Edinburgh University.

Alumni wisdom

Never underestimate your capacity to do what you want, where you want!

Go to the best place you can to develop your career and your thinking, and don’t waste a minute of your life on things that don’t grab you as important.