Michael Alpers

Professor Michael Alpers AO CSM FRS FAA
John Curtin Distinguished Professor of International Health, Curtin University
In office 2005–2016
Personal details
Born	Michael Philip Alpers (1934-08-21)21 August 1934
Died	3 December 2024(2024-12-03) (aged 90) Perth

Michael Philip Alpers (21 August 1934 - 3 December 2024) was an Australian medical researcher, former long-term Director of the PNG Institute of Medical Research and John Curtin distinguished Professor of International Health, at Curtin University. He died at the age of 90 on 3 December 2024 in Perth, WA. ^{[1] [2]}

Education

Alpers graduated from University of Adelaide with a B.Sc. and M.B.B.S. and from University of Cambridge with an M.A.

Career and research

After graduating, he commenced a career, ultimately resulting in investigating kuru, a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

He is Honorary Senior Research Associate University College London. ^[6]

Alpers and his work are the main theme of Kuru: The Science and the Sorcery (2010).^{[ citation needed ]} He is interviewed in The Genius And The Boys (2009).^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "Staff Profile - Professor Michael Alpers".
2. "Vale Prof Michael Alpers – PNG Institute of Medical Research". 28 December 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
3. "Latest news".
4. Stocklin, W. H. (2008). "My kuru adventure". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 363 (1510): 3666–3667. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.4031. ISSN   0962-8436. PMC   2735548 . PMID   18849275.
5. "Michael Alpers (FRS), Kuru, and Papua New Guinea". Health and History. 14 (2): 26–45. 2012. doi:10.5401/healthhist.14.2.0026. ISSN   1442-1771. S2CID   142113962.
6. "Iris Message".

Further reading

• Spark, Ceridwen (2012). "Michael Alpers (FRS), Kuru, and Papua New Guinea: The Combined Allure of Problem, People, and Place". Health and History. 14 (2): 26. doi:10.5401/healthhist.14.2.0026. S2CID   142113962.
• Australian Academy of Science. "Featured Fellow—Michael Alpers: Papua New Guinea and Mad Cows". www.science.org.au. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
• Bradley, Hazel (7 October 2020). "Top honour for kuru 'guru'". The Senior. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
• Royal Society. "Michael Alpers - Professor Michael Alpers AO FRS". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
• Chandler, Jo (12 May 2016). "The man who linked kuru to cannibalism - A chat with intrepid biologist Michael Alpers". Cosmos Magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2021.