Richard Scolyer, acclaimed melanoma researcher who tried experimental treatment on his own brain cancer – obituary

Richard Scolyer at the University of Sydney, where he was a professor in the faculty of medicine. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

At the peak of his career and fitness, the leading melanoma researcher, pathologist and athlete Prof Richard Scolyer received a devastating diagnosis of aggressive, incurable brain cancer. His response was to approach it as one more opportunity to boldly advance medicine by undergoing pioneering treatment on himself.

Scolyer, who has died aged 59, became patient zero in a novel and risky experiment after his diagnosis of a grade-four IDH-wildtype glioblastoma in May 2023. Encouraged by his colleague and co-director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, Prof Georgina Long, Scolyer agreed to be the guinea pig in a revolutionary treatment regime.