Professor Graeme Stewart AM
Professor Graeme Stewart AM, husband,
father, grandfather, all round good guy and one of the world’s most eminent
scientists.
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When at University, Professor Stewart knew
he wanted a career in Medicine that included a strong element of research. His PhD was on the genetic factors that
predispose to MS.
“I was hooked on MS research at that early
stage and have continued the search for the MS genes since,” says Professor
Stewart.
On 11th August 2011 Professor
Stewart’s 35 year quest from PhD student to grandpa became a memorable day in
the history of MS research. Professor
Stewart was one of five governance members of the International Multiple
Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) and led the Australian and New Zealand
contribution.
Professor Stewart says funding from the
Trish Foundation has for many years been central to the efforts in uncovering
the genetic factors that contribute to the cause of MS and to working out how
they do it.
“In 2007, under the expert guidance of
A/Prof David Booth in our group, we shared with colleagues in the USA and
Sweden, the discovery of the second MS gene, IL7Rα,” Professor
Stewart said. “In 2009, as part of the
ANZGene Consortium we were pleased to be involved with the discovery of two
more MS genes.”
“Now, in 2011 we have been part of the
international consortium that published recently in the scientific journal Nature the discovery of 57 MS genes. Our
challenge now is to uncover exactly how these genes are contributing to MS and
design new and better treatments based on this,” Professor Stewart
continues. “At each step, in our
laboratories at Westmead, funds from the Trish Foundation have been essential.”
Professor Stewart’s life’s work of
expertise, dedication, hard work and passion has reaped amazing rewards for
Professor Stewart, his colleagues and for people living with MS. This modest man deserves all the kudos which
comes his way.
Having spent the early years of his career
in Sydney, Professor Stewart worked for two years at Stanford University in
California.
“I returned from Stanford in 1980 to head
up the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the then newly opened
Westmead Hospital where I have remained since,” said Professor Stewart. “In the mid 1990’s my research efforts had
grown to the stage that I formed the Institute for Immunology and Allergy
Research (IIAR).”
In 1996, the IIAR became one of the four
founding research groups of the Westmead Millennium Institute, now the second
largest research institute in NSW and one of the six largest in Australia.
“Westmead Hospital has become the largest
teaching hospital in NSW and, with addition of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead,
I have seen the Westmead Campus become a major force in medicine and medical
research in Australia and internationally,” Professor Stewart explains. “It has been a source of great satisfaction to
contribute to the development of such an international resource in the western
suburbs of Sydney where I grew up.”
Married to his soul mate and best friend Margaret, who is a
Dermatologist, for more than 40 years, Professor Stewart is proud of his
children Sam and Jessica, both Law graduates, who no doubt take after their Mum
and Dad, being smart and hard working. Sam
is a management consultant with BCG and Jessica works in Aboriginal Health in
which she is completing a PhD. Sam and
his wife Gillian presented Graeme and Margaret with a source of much joy, their
first grandchild, Toby now aged 17 months.
When not spending time with his precious family or at work at Westmead,
when looking for Professor Stewart, one would find him in the ocean, swimming
for the sheer pleasure of catching waves or competing in ocean swimming races
along the NSW coast and overseas.
A 'typical working day' does not exist for
Professor Stewart, but he says almost every day involves some aspect of patient
care and some time talking about research.
Professor Stewart says anyone who knows
someone with MS knows where his passion and drive comes from. “I want to be there on the day when we go to
our MS Clinic and announce that a cure has been found.”
One has the feeling this skilled,
hard-working scientist who has given his working life to MS research, will
greatly enjoy that day of celebration.