Monash Memo - 20 June 2001

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Professor recognised in Queen's honours

A distinguished career in diabetes research earned Professor of Diabetes Paul Zimmet a place on the Queen's Birthday Honours List last week.

Professor Zimmet was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to medical research of international significance particularly in the field of diabetes, and to biotechnology development in Australia.

He paid tribute to those who had been involved in "trying to conquer a disease which has become one of the world's major health problems".

"I think this honour shows that no man is an island - it is shared by all the collaborators I've worked with at Monash, as well as the team at the International Diabetes Institute who have worked with me looking after people with diabetes," he said.

He said he believed his most important achievements included completing Australia's first national diabetes and lifestyle study, which showed there are now a million Australians suffering from diabetes.

He said this was partly due to reduced physical activity over the last 20 years as society became increasingly dependent on machines.

Professor Zimmet has a longstanding association with Monash, having completed his PhD in the Department of Biochemistry in 1973 and having lectured for many years at the university.

In 1989, he was appointed the world's first Professor of Diabetes Research and since then has continued his diabetes and obesity research.

This included groundbreaking work in developing a new test for detecting the onset of insulin-dependent diabetes up to 10 years in advance with Dr Ian Mackay and Dr Merrill Rowley.

He is also director of the International Diabetes Institute, part of the newly formed Monash Institutes of Health.

Caption: Professor Paul Zimmet.

Full list of Monash staff and alumni who received Queen's awards