UNSW researcher awarded Prime Minister’s Prize for Science

Dr David Khoury from the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney is recognised for using mathematical models to guide treatment for malaria, COVID-19 and mpox. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese admitted he found attending the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science “intimidating”, surrounded by some of the nation’s most brilliant minds.

Speaking in the Great Hall at Parliament House, he said scientists were tackling some of Australia’s greatest challenges.

“Tonight is a chance to truly celebrate the achievements of individuals, and to celebrate who we are as a nation,” he said.

“Looking at the next few decades, it is Australian science that has so much to contribute to the world that we know is just around the corner.”

Among those leading that charge is UNSW’s Dr David Khoury from the Kirby Institute, whose pioneering research in infectious disease modelling earned him the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year at last night’s ceremony.

“To receive the Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year is an absolute honour and privilege,” Dr Khoury said. “It recognises the hard work that my family put in to help me through school, and the team and collaborators I now work with, without whom the work that I do wouldn't be possible.”

Dr Khoury’s work has transformed how scientists and policymakers understand immunity to infectious diseases, guiding global vaccine policies for COVID-19 and mpox and helping shape new approaches to antimalarial drug development.

The award was presented by Minister for Science Tim Ayres, who said he was delighted to celebrate some of Australia’s most talented researchers.

“All of tonight’s recipients are making their own significant contributions to Australian science,” he said.

“They’re drawing on different scientific disciplines and driving uniquely Australian achievements that really matter.”

Professor Cheryl Jones, Dean of UNSW Medicine & Health, said the recognition reflected Dr Khoury’s exceptional talent and impact.

“David’s use of mathematical modelling to address global health challenges demonstrates how scientific excellence can have real and immediate impact on public health policy and outcomes,” Prof. Jones said.

Kirby Institute Director, Scientia Professor Anthony Kelleher, said Dr Khoury’s work had made a significant and direct impact on international policy for COVID-19 and mpox vaccination, as well as antimalarial drug testing.

“His research is translational in the truest sense of the word, and its impact on the health of some of the world’s most at-risk communities for infectious diseases cannot be overstated,” Prof. Kelleher said.

The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are Australia’s most prestigious and highly regarded science awards, and celebrate achievements in scientific research, research-based innovation, excellence in teaching, and for the first time, the practice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems.

The Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year is awarded to an individual for an exceptional achievement in life science that benefits, or has the potential to benefit, human welfare or society. 

Applying maths to guide public health policy

Dr Khoury received the Frank Fenner Prize for using applied mathematics to translate laboratory results into real-world insights, providing evidence-based predictions that guide drug and vaccine development for infectious diseases including COVID-19, mpox and malaria.

“My passion is applying maths to laboratory science to help make important real-world decisions that can change people's lives. It has enabled faster development and deployment of life-saving treatments and vaccines,” Dr Khoury said.

Dr Khoury’s expertise and innovative methods are regularly sought by industry, government and the World Health Organization (WHO). He was the first person in the world to identify a key measure of immune protection for COVID-19 – a discovery that influenced national and international vaccine policies, including the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of COVID-19 vaccines for children.

He also developed models for antimalarial drug testing and provided critical insights to inform global vaccine policy to combat mpox, establishing the only known link between an immune response and protection against the disease after vaccination.

“My work doesn't happen without collaboration. It is extremely multidisciplinary, and I enjoy working with laboratory scientists, clinicians and public health professionals. What makes the work successful is bringing together different disciplines, understanding the data and making sense of the whole picture,” Dr Khoury said.