Ian Olver (born 10 May 1953) is an Australian

oncologist Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''� ...

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 ...

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 Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

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 Psycho-oncology is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of physical, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of the cancer experience for both patients and caregivers. Also known as psychiatric oncology or psychosocial oncology, r ...

. 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 language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

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

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, 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 hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria after Melbourne Hospital which is still operating on its original site. The ...

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. In 1991 he was awarded an MD from the University of Melbourne for a project in

antiemetic An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Antiemetics are typically used to treat motion sickness and the side effects of opioid analgesics, general anaesthetics, and chemotherapy directed against cancer. They may ...

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

methodology and in 1997 he completed a PhD in bioethics from

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

, exploring life and death issues. He moved to

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

in 1991 as Director of Medical Oncology at the

Royal Adelaide Hospital The Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), colloquially known by its initials or pronounced as "the Rah", is South Australia's largest hospital, owned by the state government as part of Australia's public health care system. The RAH provides tertiary hea ...

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 is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. Its main campus in the Adelaide city centre includes many Sa ...

where he is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicine. While in Adelaide 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 () is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; it is the third-largest settlement after Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and Palmerston, Northern Territory, Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William ...

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 are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

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) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

and an Honorary Associate, Department of Medical Oncology,

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (abbreviated RPAH or RPA) is a large teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown. It is a teaching hospital of the Central Clinical School of the Sydney Medical School at the ...

. 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 The University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along North Terrace are ...

. 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 The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is the main statutory authority of the Australian Government responsible for medical research. It was the eighth largest research funding body in the world in 2016, and NHMRC-funded res ...

. Olver also supports cancer care in India through his association with the Christian Medical College Hospital in

Vellore Vellore ( ), also spelled Velur, is a sprawling 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 and surrounded by the Javadi Hills in the northeastern ...

, 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) was an accredited higher education provider offering diploma, associate and bachelor's degrees, graduate diplomas, master and doctoral degrees in Minister (Christianity), ministry, it also was a Registered tra ...

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 Medical doctors from Melbourne Melbourne Medical School alumni Monash University alumni