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Congratulations to Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research Director, Professor Di Yu, who has been recognised by Australia’s foremost scientific body for his ground-breaking research into the immune system.

Professor Yu has been awarded the Jacques Miller Medal by the Australian Academy of Science for his outstanding contributions in experimental biomedicine.

“I am humbled to receive this honour and be recognised for my research and discoveries over the past 20 years,” Professor Yu said.

“Professor Jacques Miller is a brilliant immunologist and the founder of my research topic, so you can understand how special this medal is to me.”

Professor Yu is the Chair in Paediatric Immunotherapy within the Children’s Health Research Centre and Professor of Immunology at the University of Queensland’s Frazer Institute.

His research focuses on the immune system and understanding the production of antibodies, which can protect us from diseases, but can also become pathogenic and attack our own body’s tissue.

Most recently, Professor Yu was named as the inaugural Director of Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research – an Australian first of its kind research centre, which was established last year thanks to Foundation funding.

Under Professor Yu’s leadership, the Centre will develop new immunotherapies for life-threatening diseases in children, with a particular focus on cancers with limited treatment options.

Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO, Lyndsey Rice said: “We are incredibly proud to have Professor Yu lead the way in this new era of children’s cancer treatment at the Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research.”

“Professor Yu and the Ian Frazer Centre’s research into immunotherapy is desperately needed to accelerate children’s cancer breakthroughs and hasten the delivery of better treatments,” she added.

As the Ian Frazer Centre Director, Professor Yu is responsible for leading major research programs and guiding various collaborations for clinical translation.

“We owe it to all Australian kids and their families to advance cancer treatments – this is only possible with the generosity of our community,” Ms Rice said.

To find out more or donate to the Ian Frazer Centre for Children’s Immunotherapy Research, head here.

Image: Professor Ian Frazer & Professor Di Yu (L – R)