Former Kolling Institute director Professor Rob Baxter received an Order of Australia medal in the Queen’s Birthday honour roll for his significant service to medical research, endocrinology and tertiary education.
Professor Baxter has more than 20 years experience in breast cancer research, with expertise in cell biology, endocrinology and metabolic regulation.
He has been a Professor in the Sydney Medical School since 1992 and was Director of the Kolling from 1994 to 2011.
Professor Baxter said he was surprised to receive the award.
“I greatly appreciate the recognition and hope that community support for basic and pre-clinical research will be reflected in an improved funding environment,” he said.
Professor Baxter has led a long standing program of pre-clinical breast cancer research within the Kolling, and hopes this award will highlight this area of research.
“My research into cell and tissue growth led me from the endocrinology of normal childhood growth, to cancer research, studying the abnormal growth of breast cancer cells.
“I hope this award will give greater recognition to our efforts to improve treatment, and overcome chemotherapy resistance for women with triple-negative breast cancer.
“Our current pre-clinical studies are aiming to develop a targeted therapy for this type of breast cancer, which typically affects women at a younger age, and is more difficult to treat than other breast cancers.”