The Director Emeritus of Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Professor Evan Simpson has been acknowledged with the Honour for significant service to medical science, particularly in the field of breast cancer, as an academic and researcher.
Professor Simpson has made significant contributions to research into estrogen-dependent breast cancer, leading to the development of breast cancer drugs with fewer side effects for women.
Professor Simpson is a world leader in the field of estrogen biosynthesis. His work has focused on the study of aromatase, the enzyme responsible for producing estrogen.
His research led to the concept that oestrogen action in post-menopausal women is due to local production in sites such as the breast, bone and brain.
This discovery spurred on the search breast cancer therapies that specifically inhibit aromatase expression in the breast but spare other sites where it serves a critical role for other functions, such as in the bone, brain and blood vessels.
Professor Simpson’s work also led to the creation of the first preclinical model for estrogen insufficiency, resulting in the discovery of new and unexpected roles for estrogens in both males and females, including bone metabolism in men.
His current research is focused on the role of oestrogen in several important health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and, of course, breast cancer.
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