Ian Olver AM (born 10 May 1953) is an Australian medical oncologist,

cancer research Cancer research is research into cancer to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Cancer research ranges from epidemiology, molecular bioscience to the performance of clinical trials to evaluate and ...

er and bio-ethicist. He is a former chief executive officer of

Cancer Council Australia Cancer Council Australia is a national, nonprofit organisation which aims to promote cancer-control policies and to reduce the illness caused by cancer in Australia. It advises various groups, including the government, on cancer-related issues, ...

and a noted authority and media commentator on cancer issues. In 2011 he was appointed to the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for service to medical oncology as a clinician, researcher, administrator and mentor, and to the community through leadership roles with cancer control organisations. His main research interests are new anticancer drug studies, symptom control, bio-ethics and psycho-oncology. He has authored more than 200 journal articles, 19 book chapters and two books as well as co-editing two books.

Life and career

Ian Olver was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia, and educated at Wesley College. He studied medicine at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

, graduating in 1976. He then trained in medical oncology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, the

Alfred Hospital The Alfred Hospital, also known as The Alfred or Alfred Hospital, is a leading tertiary teaching hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site ...

in Melbourne and the University of Maryland Cancer Centre in Baltimore, receiving Fellowship of the

Royal Australasian College of Physicians The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training and educating physicians and paediatricians across Australia and New Zealand. The RACP is responsible for training both ...

in 1984. After finishing his medical oncology training Olver worked for six years at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute where he jointly developed the oncology clinic at

Bendigo Base Hospital Bendigo Base Hospital is the major hospital of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It is operated by Bendigo Health Care Group (commonly known as Bendigo Health). The hospital is the largest regional hospital in Victoria and one of the largest public ho ...

. In 1991 he was awarded an MD from the

for a project in antiemetic

clinical trial Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietar ...

methodology and in 1997 he completed a PhD in bioethics from

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

, exploring life and death issues. He moved to

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

in 1991 as Director of Medical Oncology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he worked to establish a comprehensive multi-disciplinary cancer centre, becoming the Clinical Director in 1993. In 2001, he became the first Cancer Council SA Professor of Cancer Care at the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

where he is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicine. While in

he initiated a number of programs to improve cancer care in rural and remote areas and for Indigenous people. He established the first medical oncology clinic in

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

and pioneered a telemedicine link for multidisciplinary cancer care between

and Darwin which provided benefits for both local patients and clinicians. He has also led research into culturally appropriate approaches to the treatment and care of

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

diagnosed with cancer. Ian Olver was elected chair of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia from 2004 to 2006. In May 2006, Olver moved to Sydney when he was appointed CEO of

, Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

and an Honorary Associate, Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. In February 2015 Olver returned to Adelaide to take up the appointment of Director for th
Sansom Institute
for Health Research at the University of South Australia. In addition to these positions he was chair of the board of directors of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre and serves on a number of advisory committees including the advisory board of Cancer Australia, and the Health Ethics and Prevention and Community Health Committees of the National Health and Medical Research Council. Olver also supports cancer care in India through his association with the Christian Medical College Hospital in

Vellore Vellore (English: ), also spelt as Velur (), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separa ...

, through the Australian Friends of Vellore group. He trained the first medical oncologist for the hospital and is president of the Australian Friends of Vellore. He is also interested in spiritual matters and has a Certificate of Ministry (Lay Preaching) from the

Adelaide College of Divinity Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD) is an accredited higher education provider offering diploma, associate and bachelor's degrees, graduate diplomas, master and doctoral degrees in ministry, it is also a Registered Training Organisation offering ...

Honours and recognition

* 2011: Appointed a Member of the

(AM) for service to medical oncology as a clinician, researcher, administrator and mentor, and to the community through leadership roles with cancer control organisations * 2008: Received the Cancer Achievement Award from the Medical Oncology Group of Australia which is awarded a scientist, clinician or health care professional that has made an outstanding contribution to the control of cancer in Australia.

Authorship

*''Conquering Cancer: Your Guide to Treatment and Research''.(1998) *''Is Death ever preferable to Life?''(2002) *''When Cancer Crosses Disciplines: A Physicians Handbook.'' (co-editor) (2009) *''The MASCC Textbook of Cancer Supportive Care and Survivorship.'' (co-editor) (2011) *''Investigating Prayer: Impact on Health and Quality of Life.'' (2012)

Fellowships

(FRACP) (1984) *Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators (MRACMA) (1993) *Chapter of Palliative Medicine (FAChPM) (2000)

External links

*Cancer Council Australia CEO Profile (http://cancer.org.au/Newsmedia/mediaspokespeople.htm) *University of Sydney Profile and Publications (http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/people/academics/profiles/olveri.php) *University of Adelaide Profile and Publications (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/ian.olver) *HealthInsite Expert View: Cancer incidence, treatments, prevention. (http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/expert/Cancer_incidence__treatments_and_prevention)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olver, Ian 1953 births Living people Australian oncologists Australian medical researchers Members of the Order of Australia