Celebrated Wollongong scientist Professor Justin Yerbury has vowed to keep fighting incurable diseases after his work was recognised with one of Australia's highest scientific honours.
Six years after he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), Dr Yerbury was awarded the University of New South Wales Eureka Prize for Scientific Research for his work on MND.
He said the win only made him more determined to advance his work.
"To be honest I was overwhelmed. It really brings into sharp focus all the support that I have received over the years to get to this point," Dr Yerbury said.
"It is a real honour to receive this recognition."
Dr Yerbury first studied commerce at university before his skill on the basketball court led him to play for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL his early 20s.
A family history of MND and the tragic loss of his mother, grandmother and an aunt motivated him start investigating the disease.
He left the world of professional basketball to return to study and enrolled in science at the University of Wollongong.
Graduating with first-class honours and embarking on a doctorate, his research led to running his own laboratory and collaborating with scientists in Britain and Canada.
Diagnosis while researching
While on a work trip to the United States the first signs of MND began to show in Dr Yerbury and he was diagnosed in 2016.
His discoveries about its underlying molecular principles were driving new research into the causes of cell dysfunction.
The research has demonstrated that protein deposits found in motor neurons, the hallmark of MND, result from dysfunction in a process known as protein homeostasis.
That breakthrough was informing research for new therapies.
"The award to me is a recognition of the hard work and sacrifice that my team has made in our quest to improve the lives of Australians living with MND," Dr Yerbury said.
"But we still have work to do to make a difference.
"While we are making strides there is still much to be done, there are over 2,000 people living with MND in Australia today and each person and their family's situation is unique.
"The thing that unites us all is the hopelessness that an incurable disease brings, but I want to change that. I want a better life for people with MND and I want to make MND a treatable disease.
“I am not going to stop until I can say that MND is something that is not a hopeless case.”
Praise for a legend
Friends and colleagues of Dr Yerbury have praised his dedication to finding a cure to MND.
University of Wollongong colleague Professor Gordon Wallace said Dr Yerbury's tireless research in the complex field was "legendary".
"It is a really proud moment for Wollongong," Dr Wallace said.
"Doing scientific research under any circumstances can be trying at times, but to see somebody dedicated to finding answers to a particular scientific challenge like that is really is inspirational, it really lifts the spirits of scientists.
"He's absolutely legendary."
