Catalyst - Sir Gustav Nossal

Sir Gustav Nossal is one of Australia's most celebrated medical scientists and humanitarians. He was knighted in 1977 and made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1989. He has received numerous awards, including Australian of the Year in 2000.
Whilst studying to be a doctor, Sir Gustav was struck by the life-changing results of medical research and later undertook post-graduate work at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne. His research focused on the fundamentals of immunology – work that became a watershed in understanding the immune system.
At the age of 34 he became Director of the Hall Institute, guiding it to become a jewel in Australian medical research, a position he held until 1995.