Gustav Nossal

Sir Gustav Victor Joseph Nossal (born 4 June 1931)

Sir
is an Austrian-born Australian research biologist. He is
famous for his contributions to the fields of antibody Gustav Nossal
AC CBE FRS FAA FTSE
formation and immunological tolerance.

Early life and education

Nossal's family was from Vienna, Austria. He was born
four weeks prematurely in Bad Ischl while his mother
was on holiday. His family left their home town of
Vienna for Australia in 1939 following Nazi Germany's
annexation of Austria. As his father's grandparents
were Jewish, he was also considered Jewish and at risk
of being sent to concentration camps. In an interview
with Adam Spencer, Nossal noted that his father was
not a professing Jew but of Jewish ethnicity as he had Nossal at the 5th World Conference of Science
been baptised a Roman Catholic as a child. Nossal Journalists in 2007
remarked that his father "therefore thought that he
Born Gustav Victor Joseph Nossal
would be somewhat protected from the Holocaust-type
4 June 1931
predicament. Of course, he hadn't properly read Mein
Bad Ischl, Austria
Kampf. It was all spelt out there: if your four
grandparents were Jewish, then you were Jewish."[1] Alma mater University of Sydney (BSc),
He was baptised and remains a practising Roman University of Melbourne (PhD)
Catholic.[2] Known for His contributions to the fields of
antibody formation and
Nossal showed interest in medicine and wanted to immunological tolerance
become a doctor since the age of seven.[3] When he
Awards Albert Einstein World Award of
first attended school in Australia, Nossal spoke no
Science (1990)
English[4] but he graduated from St Aloysius' College
Scientific career
in 1947[5] as the dux of the college.[6] In 1948, he
entered the Sydney Medical School, graduating later Fields Immunology
with first-class honours from the University of Sydney. Institutions The Walter and Eliza Hall
At the age of 26, he left his job in Sydney and moved Institute of Medical Research,
to Melbourne to work with Macfarlane Burnet in Melbourne
Doctoral Michael F. Good
students
medical science at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and gained his PhD degree at
the University of Melbourne in 1960.

Religious beliefs
On describing his views on religion Nossal said:

For me, a large part of that is a tremendously strong identification with the mission of the
Church. An instinct for justice is central to that mission and central to being a Catholic...
Science deals with fundamentally repeatable, objective, verifiable observations. It deals with
hypotheses of which you can at least say "this is not patently false." But the human experience,
on the other hand, does not just deal with verifiable facts. The human experience has
Shakespeare. It has Beethoven. It has Thomas Aquinas. There is no scientist alive who can tell
me how the brain of Shakespeare differs from the brain of the worst scribbler for the tabloid
press. This is not yet and may never be in the realm of science... We have to access this huge
other area of human experience through other means. Call them the humanities. Theology, of
course, is one of the great humanities. A human being struggling to understand the cosmos and
to understand his or her own consciousness is not at all antipathetic or opposed to me struggling
to understand how cells make antibody molecules.

— [2]

Career
Following the retirement of Macfarlane Burnet in 1965, at the age of 35 Nossal became director of Walter
and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, a position that he kept until 1996. In parallel, he was
Professor of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne. Nossal's research was in fundamental
immunology, in the field of "antibody formation and immunological tolerance".[7] He has written five
books and 530 scientific articles in this and related fields.

Nossal has been President (1970-1973) of the 30,000-member world body of immunology, the
International Union of Immunological Societies; President of the Australian Academy of Science (1994-
1998); a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) (1989
to 1998); and Chairman of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (1987-1996). He has been
chairman of the committee overseeing the World Health Organization's Vaccines and Biologicals Program
(1993-2002) and Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Council of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Children's Vaccine Program (1998-2003). He was Deputy Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal
Reconciliation from 1998 to 2000. He was Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Global
Foundation,[8] The purpose of the foundation was to "encourage Australia’s sustainable national
development in a global context." Sir Gustav is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy
Foundation of Victoria and of the advisory board of the Health Impact Fund.

Personal life
Nossal is married to Lyn whom he met and later married on completion of his medical course at the
University of Sydney. Together, they have four children and nine grandchildren.[9][10]

Awards and recognition

1964 - Royal Society of Victoria Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research[11]
1967 – Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1969 – Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science
1969 – SSI Honorary Member[12]
1970 – Emil von Behring Prize
1970 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contribution to medical
research[13]
1977 – Knighted for his ground-breaking work in immunology[2][6][14]
1979 – Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture by the Australian Academy of Science[15]
1980 – Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy
1981 – Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
(FTSE)
1982 – Awarded the ANZAAS Medal[16]
1982 – Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)[17]
1982 – Rostrum Award of Merit, for excellence in the art of public speaking over a
considerable period and his demonstration of an effective contribution to society through the
spoken word[18]
1983 – Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (HonFRSE)[19]
1989 – Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his service to medicine, to science and
to the community[20]
1990 – Albert Einstein World Award of Science[21]
1994 – James Cook Medal[22]
1996 – Koch Gold Medal,[23] the prize being awarded for prizes for major advances in
biomedical sciences, particularly in the fields of microbiology and immunology.
1996 – Fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria (FRSV)[24]
1997 – Listed as one of the 100 Australians identified as Australia's Living National
Treasures
2000 – Australian of the Year[25]
2001 – Centenary Medal for distinguished service to the study of antibody formation and
immunological tolerance[26]
2002 – Featured on an Australian postage stamp[27]
2006 – Honorary member of the Monash University Golden Key Society
2007 – The Nossal Institute for Global Health[28] at the University of Melbourne was named
in honour of Nossal
2009 – Nossal High School, located at the then Berwick campus of Monash University, now
the Berwick Campus of Federation University, was named in honour of Nossal
2010 – Inaugural Monash Medal as an Outstanding Australian for his contribution to the
Australian community and beyond
2012 – Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Lifetime
 Achievement Award
Foreign Member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology[29]

See also
List of Australian of the Year Award recipients

References
1. Spencer, Adam (12 November 2009). "The World in Sydney — Sir Gustav Nossal — ABC
Sydney" (http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2009/11/16/2740862.htm). Australian
Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
2. "Nossal, Sir Gustav Joseph Victor — Faculty of Medicine Online Museum and Archive" (htt
p://sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Nossal,_Sir_Gustav_Joseph_Vi
ctor). Sydney.edu.au. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
3. "Sir Gustav Nossal in Forging the Path, A Find My Pathway Interview" (https://www.findmypa
thway.com/blog/sir-gustav-nossal-immunologist-interview/). Find My Pathway. 30 October
2018.
4. Cincotta, Liz (19 June 2008). "Passage to Australia" (http://www.theage.com.au/national/pas
sage-to-australia-20080618-2stt.html?page=-1). The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 1 March
2012.
5. Middleton, Chris (4 March 2011). "The Principal" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110309105
311/http://www.staloysius.com.au/newsletter/2011/2011_06.pdf) (PDF). The Gonzagon
(Weekly Newsletter of St Aloysius' College). p. 2. Archived from the original (http://www.stalo
ysius.com.au/newsletter/2011/2011_06.pdf) (PDF) on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 1 March
2012.
6. "Sir Gustav Nossal | The Nossal High School" (http://nossalhs.vic.edu.au/about-nossal/sir-g
ustav-nossal). Nossalhs.vic.edu.au. 4 June 1931. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
7. "Biographical entry — Nossal, Gustav Joseph Victor (1931 – )" (http://www.asap.unimelb.ed
u.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000678b.htm). Bright Sparcs. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
8. "Our Members: Office bearers" (https://web.archive.org/web/20080309222121/http://www.gl
obalfoundation.org.au/about/members.html). The Global Foundation. Archived from the
original (http://www.globalfoundation.org.au/about/members.html) on 9 March 2008.
Retrieved 7 March 2008.
9. Thompson, Peter (28 April 2004). "Talking Heads – Sir Gustav Nossal" (http://www.abc.net.a
u/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2222759.htm). Talking Heads. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Retrieved 21 June 2016.
10. "Sir Gustav Nossal, immunologist" (https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/hi
story/interviews-australian-scientists/sir-gustav-nossal-immunologist). Interview by Max
Blythe. Australian Academy of Science. 1998. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
11. "Past Winners" (https://web.archive.org/web/20171010210724/http://www.scandinavianimm
unology.nu/Honorary-Members.html). Archived from the original (https://rsv.org.au/awards-a
nd-prizes/rsv-medal-winners/) on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
12. "Honorary Members" (https://web.archive.org/web/20171010210724/http://www.scandinavia
nimmunology.nu/Honorary-Members.html). Archived from the original (http://www.scandinavi
animmunology.nu/Honorary-Members.html) on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October
2017.
13. "Nossaly, Gustav Joseph Victor: The Order of the British Empire — Commander (Civil)" (http
s://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1065616). It's an Honour. Commonwealth of
Australia. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
14. "NOSSAL, Gustav Joseph Victor: Knight Bachelor" (https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/aw
ards/1083627). It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 1 January 1977. Retrieved
7 March 2008.
15. "Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture" (https://www.science.org.au/opportunities-scientists/
recognition/honorific-awards/career-awards/macfarlane-burnet-medal-and). Australian
Academy of Science. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
16. "The ANZAAS Medal" (https://web.archive.org/web/20081227101720/http://www.anzaas.or
g.au/anzaasmedal.html). ANZAAS. Archived from the original (http://www.anzaas.org.au/anz
aasmedal.html) on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
17. "Gustav Nossal | Royal Society" (https://royalsociety.org/people/gustav-nossal-12009/).
18. Rostrum Victoria, Friday 12 November 1982.
19. "Sir Gustav Joseph Victor Nossal CBE AC FRS HonFRSE" (https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/gu
stav-nossal/). 17 July 2019.
20. "NOSSAL, Gustav Joseph Victor: Companion of the Order of Australia" (https://honours.pm
c.gov.au/honours/awards/886105). It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 12 June
1989. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
21. "Albert Einstein World Award of Science 1990" (https://web.archive.org/web/2014122909195
4/http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/winners-science-gustavnossal.php). Archived from
the original (http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/winners-science-gustavnossal.php) on
29 December 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
22. "SVI Patron – Gustav JV Nossal" (https://www.svi.edu.au/our_story/patron/). St Vincents
Institute. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
23. "Gustav Nossal – Virology Down Under" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090418204530/htt
p://www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm). University of Queensland. Archived from
the original (http://www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm) on 18 April 2009. Retrieved
7 March 2008.
24. "Elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Victoria" (https://rsv.org.au/about-us/fellows/). 22
May 2013.
25. Lewis, Wendy (2010). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 978-1-74196-809-5.
26. "NOSSAL, Gustav: Centenary Medal" (https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/111562
1). It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
27. "Previous Legends" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120324081543/http://shop.auspost.com.
au/stamps/legends-2012/about/previous-recipents). Stamp collections. Australia Post. 2012.
Archived from the original (http://shop.auspost.com.au/stamps/legends-2012/about/previous
-recipents) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
28. "The Nossal Institute for Global Health" (http://www.ni.unimelb.edu.au/about_us/welcome/sir
_gustav_nossal_welcome). The University of Melbourne. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
29. "Ѹ – ȸ – ȸ Ұ" (https://web.archive.org/web/20171011181747/https://kast.or.kr/kr/member/
member_view.php?idx=3711&PHPSESSID=7390650efd86a2a3a77688f003664280).
Archived from the original (https://kast.or.kr/kr/member/member_view.php?idx=3711&PHPS
ESSID=7390650efd86a2a3a77688f003664280) on 11 October 2017.

External links
Short biography (http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000678b.htm)
Gustav Nossal – Virology Down Under (https://web.archive.org/web/20090418204530/http://
www.uq.edu.au/vdu/BasicsGustavNossal.htm)
1987 interview (https://web.archive.org/web/20110706130226/http://www.science.org.au/sci
entists/interviews/n/gn1987.html) and 1998 interview (https://web.archive.org/web/20110305
 060043/http://science.org.au/scientists/interviews/n/gn.html) on the Australian Academy of
Science website.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization—a millennial challenge (http://www.natur
e.com/ni/journal/v1/n1/full/ni0700_5.html;jsessionid=48A805390DA104D42833E97C5D0CA
D8D)
Liz Cincotta. "Passage to Australia (http://www.theage.com.au/national/passage-to-australia-
20080618-2stt.html?page=-1)". The Age, 19 June 2008.
Video (https://www.themonthly.com.au/sir-gustav-nossal-fifty-year-revolution-global-public-h
ealth-1174) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120222000455/http://www.themonthly.c
om.au/sir-gustav-nossal-fifty-year-revolution-global-public-health-1174) 22 February 2012 at
the Wayback Machine of Gustav Nossal lecture on The 50-Year Revolution in Global Public
Health, Sydney University, July 2008

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