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Friday, 11 November 2011

A medical researcher from The University of Western Australia who aims to eradicate killer diseases such as HIV has been named WA's 2012 Rhodes Scholar.

Rachel Paterson (23) attended Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School and will study Infection, Immunology and Translational Medicine at Britain's prestigious Oxford University.

Her win underscores UWA's status as a leading Australian research university with 47 WA Rhodes Scholars in the past 50 years, including former Prime Minister Bob Hawke (1953) and Australia's Ambassador to the US, Kim Beazley (1973).

UWA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson, said Ms Paterson was an excellent representative for the University and Western Australia.

"The University of Western Australia is proud to play a role in promoting the Rhodes Scholarship by encouraging the pursuit of excellence among our students," Professor Robson said.

"Our many Rhodes Scholars have progressed from their scholarship to become leaders in many fields of endeavour from politics to science, from the arts to medicine and law."

Ms Paterson of Nedlands said she had a great passion for medical research because it strives to treat and cure diseases such as polio, malaria and HIV.

"My passion began in high school while studying Biology, Physics and Chemistry.  I decided I could use my love for science to learn to make a difference to the world."

Ms Paterson, a UWA Fogarty Foundation Regional Scholarship winner, completed her Bachelor of Science with Honours majoring in Genetics and Biochemistry at UWA.  Last year, she won the JA Wood Memorial Prize and Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences Medal.

Media references

Rachel Paterson (+61 4) 19 044 056
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

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