Percival Bazeley
Encyclopedia
Percival Landon Bazeley was a scientist
of Australian biotechnology
and public health.
, Australia
on 2 March 1909, Bazeley attended the school of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney
, graduating in 1938. During his course of study, he undertook employment at Australia's Commonwealth Serum Laboratories during vacation periods. Subsequently, he joined CSL on a full-time basis in 1939. Val Bazeley joined the Australian Army Militia in June 1939, and began full-time military service in the Australian Imperial Force
on 23 May 1941.
With the discovery and subsequent large-scale production of the wonder drug penicillin, a project for the production of penicillin in Australia became a high priority defence need. Captain Bazeley was brought back from New Guinea
, where he was a captain in the 2/8th Australian Armoured Regiment, to head the team given the task of producing penicillin. Dr. Bazeley visited the United States and returned to set up production at CSL. In the face of great difficulties, given wartime conditions, his personal contribution to the success of the project cannot be underestimated. He was a driving force and spent long hours at the laboratories grappling with the problems of the new venture. By Christmas of 1943, the first Australian penicillin
had arrived in New Guinea to save countless lives. In the months to follow, enormous quantities of penicillin were produced in the primitive CSL plant, and Australia can boast of being the first country in the world to have had penicillin available for its civilian population, having met not only the needs of its own defence forces, but also those of the American allies in the southwest Pacific.
It was during this period that Captain Bazeley's promotion as Major occurred, and the familiar black beret of the Armoured Corps was replaced by the Major's peaked cap.
With the end of the war, Val Bazeley returned to university studies, and graduated as MB BS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University of Melbourne
in 1950. By then, he had received the O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) for his work on penicillin.
The early 1950s saw Dr. Bazeley at the University of Pittsburgh
in the United States working with Jonas Salk and his team towards the production of a Poliomyelitis
vaccine. With the success of that project, he returned to Australia to once again find himself given the task of pioneering the production of an important new weapon against disease. Twenty-five million doses of Salk Poliomyelitis vaccine were produced at CSL in the 1950s and 1960s under Dr. Bazeley's leadership as director of the government institution. This led to widespread recognition. He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander of the British Empire) and was deservedly renowned in the general community where, for example, he was chosen as Victorian Father of the Year in 1958.
In 1961, Dr. Bazeley returned to the United States to work with Jonas Salk at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California
. Subsequently, he joined UC San Diego's
University Hospital (now "UCSD Medical Center") as a full professor of medicine. At this same time, he also personally funded and maintained a private medical research facility outside Salt Lake City, Utah
. University of California mandatory retirement rules forced Dr. Bazeley into private medical practice at the age of 67. He died 10 September 1991.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
of Australian biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
and public health.
Biography
Born in Orbost, VictoriaOrbost, Victoria
Orbost is a town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, located east of Melbourne and south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. It is about from the town of Marlo on the coast of Bass Strait. At the 2006 census, Orbost had a population of 2452...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on 2 March 1909, Bazeley attended the school of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, graduating in 1938. During his course of study, he undertook employment at Australia's Commonwealth Serum Laboratories during vacation periods. Subsequently, he joined CSL on a full-time basis in 1939. Val Bazeley joined the Australian Army Militia in June 1939, and began full-time military service in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
on 23 May 1941.
With the discovery and subsequent large-scale production of the wonder drug penicillin, a project for the production of penicillin in Australia became a high priority defence need. Captain Bazeley was brought back from New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, where he was a captain in the 2/8th Australian Armoured Regiment, to head the team given the task of producing penicillin. Dr. Bazeley visited the United States and returned to set up production at CSL. In the face of great difficulties, given wartime conditions, his personal contribution to the success of the project cannot be underestimated. He was a driving force and spent long hours at the laboratories grappling with the problems of the new venture. By Christmas of 1943, the first Australian penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
had arrived in New Guinea to save countless lives. In the months to follow, enormous quantities of penicillin were produced in the primitive CSL plant, and Australia can boast of being the first country in the world to have had penicillin available for its civilian population, having met not only the needs of its own defence forces, but also those of the American allies in the southwest Pacific.
It was during this period that Captain Bazeley's promotion as Major occurred, and the familiar black beret of the Armoured Corps was replaced by the Major's peaked cap.
With the end of the war, Val Bazeley returned to university studies, and graduated as MB BS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1950. By then, he had received the O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) for his work on penicillin.
The early 1950s saw Dr. Bazeley at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the United States working with Jonas Salk and his team towards the production of a Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
vaccine. With the success of that project, he returned to Australia to once again find himself given the task of pioneering the production of an important new weapon against disease. Twenty-five million doses of Salk Poliomyelitis vaccine were produced at CSL in the 1950s and 1960s under Dr. Bazeley's leadership as director of the government institution. This led to widespread recognition. He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander of the British Empire) and was deservedly renowned in the general community where, for example, he was chosen as Victorian Father of the Year in 1958.
In 1961, Dr. Bazeley returned to the United States to work with Jonas Salk at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Subsequently, he joined UC San Diego's
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
University Hospital (now "UCSD Medical Center") as a full professor of medicine. At this same time, he also personally funded and maintained a private medical research facility outside Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. University of California mandatory retirement rules forced Dr. Bazeley into private medical practice at the age of 67. He died 10 September 1991.