Biography:

Graeme Young grew up in Melbourne an underwent secondary education at Northcote High School Melbourne. He graduated MB, BS in 1969 from the University of Melbourne following which he spent a National Service year in PNG as Regimental Medical Officer (captain) at Goldie River in the RAAMC. It was there that his love of research was kindled and where he saw that simple things often made the most difference for people’s health and often were the most feasible.

After attaining Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1978), he studied overseas on a Fogarty International Fellowship (NIH) and RACP Travelling Scholarship at Washington University, St Louis. He graduated MD in 1981 (University of Melbourne, research), and in 1997 was appointed as the foundation Professor of Gastroenterology at Flinders University of South Australia, and Regional Head of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Southern Adelaide Health Service. In 2002, Graeme was additionally appointed as Director of Development, Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer. In 2005, he became Head of the Flinders Cancer Control Alliance, subsequently the Flinders Centre for Cancer Prevention and Control and now Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer (FCIC). From 2011 after relinquishing his hospital appointments he was appointed Professor of Global Gastrointestinal Health at Flinders University. In 2021 he retired from that position and was honoured with the title Matthew Flinders Distinguished Emeritus Professor. He has remained closely involved with the research group at Flinders University and with his international professional and academic network.

Honours/Awards (selected):

2021: Matthew Flinders Distinguished Emeritus Professor.  2017: elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS); Winner of the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Innovation in Medical Research.  2014: made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM); awarded the Charles G Moertel Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, an international Award for “dedication to colon cancer research” and was honoured by establishment by the FCIC of the “Graeme Young Oration”.  2013: South Australian Scientist of the Year.  2011: awarded the title of Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor from Flinders University.  2009: Distinguished Research Prize of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia at its 50th Anniversary Celebrations; elected a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGAF).  2008: elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE).  2007: South Australian of the Year in Health for his screening research and the role he played in the establishment of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program; recognised as one of the fifty most influential people in South Australia.   2006: he received a “Ten of the Best” award from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia for research into screening for colorectal cancer.  2005: CSIRO P-Health Flagship Fellow.

International networks:

Graeme Young was a founding member of the World Endoscopy Organization’s (WEO) Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee in 1998. He chaired this in 2005-2013 and remains an active influential leader of major international publications and health policy associated with this group. Under is leadership as Chair, he oversaw membership increase from 13 to 550 members – it now comprises 1,300 members which have a major influence on health policy and research. During the first 20 years of the group, it saw the number of countries implementing colorectal cancer screening rise from just 2 to close to 60, with Australia being a key leader.

He is an internationally recognised expert on CRC screening and biomarkers, policy and practical implementation. He has been the clinical lead in the development of the blood-based biomarkers for CRC detection and is a world leader having assisted a number of countries including Australia to take CRC biomarker research into public health medical practice. Graeme has published with over 400 colleagues who have worked in other institutions – over 250 of these are international colleagues. He ahs delivered many international venue presentations and been a peer reviewer for international research funding bodies and professional organisations establishing clinical guidelines.

He has an international reputation in the broad field of bowel, especially in the prevention of colorectal cancer, large intestinal physiology, intestinal microbiome and intestinal nutrition. He has many (approaching 500) medical and medical-science publications including articles on intestinal cell biology, mechanisms of dietary prevention, screening and surveillance for colorectal cancer, dietary impact on colorectal disease, colonic fermentation of dietary substances and public health issues related to bowel health and bowel cancer. He is the senior editor on several comprehensive textbooks and contributes chapters to major textbooks on gastrointestinal medicine.

Over several decades he has led a multidisciplinary clinical and translational research initiative at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer which grew out of his roles as head of Gastroenterology Services and Director of Development of the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer. He has led several teams of research personnel covering population screening, clinical research, behavioural sciences relevant to screening, epithelial biology, colorectal cancer biomarkers and molecular biology. He has attracted funding from Australian and overseas bodies, including NHMRC, Cancer Councils, NIH, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, Australian Cancer Research Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NGOs and government.

The research conducted at Flinders and in the prior years at University of Melbourne, has guided the nature and establishment of Australia’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Network.

In terms of leadership and peer processes, he has been Chairman of the Governing Council (board) of the FCIC. He has participated in and/or chairs national committees or boards including the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, NHMRC, and National Cancer Control Initiative. He has served as a council member of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia for 12 years. He has advised several international research bodies (including US National Cancer Institute), organisations involved in management of cancer (e.g. World Endoscopy Organization (WEO), UICC) and biotechnology companies. He is a founding Board Member of the International Digestive Cancer Alliance and has been the Chair of the WEO Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee. He has advised health authorities in Australia, and countries around the world including New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Netherlands and others on screening for colorectal cancer. In 2012, he was invited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a global process re-examining the role of zinc therapy in diarrhoea and malnutrition in developing countries. Through his work that explored how best to ensure that colorectal cancer screening would be a feasible health care policy. Together with a strong team of international collaborating colleagues, they have seen a global explosion of adoption of screening in economically advanced countries, as well as being a pivotal person in establishment of Australia’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

His passion has been to ensure translational of science into clinical practice and population health.

His research expertise covers basic research (gut physiology including cell biology, biochemistry, colorectal oncogenesis and intestinal microbial function), clinical trials (addressing a range of medical and nutritional interventions of relevance to gut health and discovery of cancer biomarkers), population research (addressing infant microbiome in developing countries and improved strategies for population screening for colorectal cancer).

In terms of leadership and peer processes, he has been Chairman of the Governing Council (board) of the FCIC. He has participated in and/or chaired national committees or boards including the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, NHMRC, and National Cancer Control Initiative. He has served as a Member of Council of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia for 12 years. He has advised several international research bodies (including US National Cancer Institute), organisations involved in management of cancer (e.g. WEO, UICC), and biotechnology companies.

Over the past five years, Prof Young has been PI on 6 NHMRC grants (total $3.562M), 3 NGO grants in the cancer field ($1.87M), 3 global health grants including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Indian Government ($11.8M), and industry grants ($2.5M). He has had ongoing research support from the diagnostic and food industry since 1984, which has been instrumental in translation of scientific advances into practice. He has supervised 15 successful PhD students (several have received awards), 4 MPH candidates and 4 other postgraduate diploma/degree students. He has overseen the Gastroenterology FRACP Part II Fellows annually since 1983.

Prof Young has been a contributing author on both releases of NHMRC Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer; European guidelines for colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis. He has chaired NHMRC panels including the gastroenterology panel, and allocations committee as well as being an international reviewer for the US NCI National Review of Colorectal Cancer Research Program. He also chaired evidence-based reviews for establishing formal international guidelines for evaluating new population screening tests.

• Dec 2012 Jean Winter - University medal

• Gastroenterology (18)

• Gastroenterology (6)