Global cancer leader and UniSQ professor named Queensland Great

One of Australia’s most respected voices in cancer control, Professor Jeff Dunn AO, has been named a Queensland Great, recognising more than four decades of life-changing service to the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) professor has dedicated his career to improving cancer survivorship, driving legislative change, advocating for investment in regional services, and creating ground-breaking support programs for cancer patients and their families.

Professor Dunn was presented with the Queensland Great award – an honour reserved for a select group of extraordinary Queenslanders – at a ceremony at Customs House yesterday evening.

Reflecting on his career, Professor Dunn said he was deeply humbled to receive the recognition.

“To be born and raised in Queensland is a great privilege, conferring values all Queenslanders share, including respect for the fair go, a fighting chance, and a future that our children can cherish,” he said.

“While my life’s path has been in cancer control, my motivating passion has always been to contribute where I can to eliminating pain and suffering, harnessing a restless sense of hope that our individual efforts can make a difference for the collective.

“For me, the greatest achievement of my career has been the unflinching promotion of patient-centred care, so that no patient walks alone with cancer.

“I am tremendously proud to have played a role in improving cancer control at home and abroad, and am deeply humbled to stand on this great Queensland soil and be recognised as a Queensland Great.”

A bronze plaque acknowledging the achievement will be installed at Roma Street Parkland.

UniSQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Nelson congratulated Professor Dunn on the prestigious honour.

“Professor Jeff Dunn has changed the face of cancer care in Queensland and beyond,” Professor Nelson said.

“His leadership, compassion, and commitment to supporting people affected by cancer exemplify what it means to be a Queensland Great.”

Among his most significant contributions are:

• Facilitating the investment of over $100 million in funding for cancer control in Queensland
• Championing the introduction of the world’s most progressive tobacco control legislation
• Establishing Queensland’s first dedicated cancer helpline, counselling service, and community-based cancer research centre
• Bringing global health conferences to Queensland with an estimated economic value of $50 million
• Securing access to cancer registry data for Queensland cancer researchers, saving countless lives
• Pioneering world-leading community-based support to contribute to the increase in cancer survival from 45% in 1989 to 66% today

Professor Dunn serves as UniSQ Chair of Cancer Survivorship and is Chief of Mission and Head of Research at the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

His research has been published in more than 200 publications and he has been ranked among the top 2% of scientists worldwide for oncology and clinical medicine.

Professor Dunn was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2014 for distinguished service to medical administration.