The University of Queensland (UQ) has marked the 30th anniversary of the joint Australian–Swiss Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with a commemorative event at its Herston campus, honouring the scientific legacy of Nobel Laureates Professor Peter Doherty AC, a UQ alumnus, and Professor Rolf Zinkernagel AC.
Awarded in 1996, the prize recognised their landmark discovery explaining how the immune system identifies and destroys virus‑infected cells. The breakthrough fundamentally reshaped the field of immunology, revealing key mechanisms of T-cell recognition and laying the scientific groundwork for three decades of advances in diagnostics, antiviral strategies, precision vaccines, immune‑based therapies, and public health prevention programs.
Hosted by UQ Global Partnerships, the anniversary event brought together researchers, clinicians, global collaborators, students, and supporters for a fireside conversation with the Laureates. The discussion explored the origins of their research, the international and cross-disciplinary collaboration that enabled it, and its profound and ongoing influence on global health.
UQ Global Partnerships Associate Director Claire Green said the anniversary highlighted the value of long-term scientific partnerships.
“Discoveries of this magnitude are rarely the product of one institution or one country,” she said.
“They emerge from teams, trust, and collaboration across borders. The work of Professors Doherty and Zinkernagel continues to influence scientific practice worldwide, and UQ is proud to honour a discovery that has shaped modern medicine and saved countless lives.”
The conversation was moderated by Professor Gabrielle Belz, an internationally recognised immunologist whose own research builds on foundational principles established by the Laureates. Professor Belz guided reflections on how the field has evolved since 1996, the challenges facing global immunology today, and the next frontier of immune-based innovation, including personalised vaccines, pandemic preparedness, and cellular immunotherapy.
Photo credit: Jenny Cuerel
