Albert, Adrien (1907 - 1989)

Summary

Adrien Albert was Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University from 1949 to 1972. Prior to this, Albert was Acting Head of Pharmacy (1938) and lecturer in Organic Chemistry (1939 -1947) at the University of Sydney. During World War II the supply of pharmaceuticals from abroad dwindled so Adrien Albert, in conjunction with the Australian Army Medical Directorship, set up the production of these essential drugs in Australia. He was awarded a Commonwealth Research Scholarship to help fund this work. Almost immediately after the war ended, Albert moved to England to take up the position of Director of Research at the Wellcome Foundation in London. Two years later, Sir Howard Florey lured Adrien Albert back to Australia to work at the newly created John Curtin School of Medical Research.

Details

Soon after completing secondary school, Adrian Albert took up a four year post as apprentice pharmacist with the company Hallam. He quickly realized that his interests lay in pharmaceutical research, not retail pharmacy, and that he would need more formal qualifications. Once his apprenticeship had ended, Albert enrolled in science at the University of Sydney, then worked for two years in a dye firm to fund further studies in England. Even though he experienced several bouts of ill health during his stay in England, Albert completed a PhD on the physical properties of drug actions of antibacterial agents. This work was the forerunner for contemporary drug design.

Albert returned to Australia in 1938, was appointed Acting Head of Pharmacy, then lecturer in Organic Chemistry at the University of Sydney. Over the next 35 years Albert further enhanced his reputation as a first rate chemist and pharmacologist. He locally produced essential drugs for Australia during World War II, worked for the prestigious Wellome Trust Foundation in London and was appointed the inaugural Head of the Medicinal Chemistry Division at the John Curtain School of Medical Research. For the first 9 years the Division was housed at the Wellcome Trust in London, then in July 1956 after the John Curtin School of Medical Research building was finally completed, the Division moved to Canberra. Adrien Albert retired from this post in 1972 but continued to work for the Australian National University (the Research School of Chemistry and the Department of Chemistry) until shortly before his death in 1989.

Chronology

21 November 1928

Career position - Registered as a pharmacist after a four year apprenticeship with Hallam

c. 1932

Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)), University of Sydney

1932

Career position - President, University of Sydney Pharmacy Student's Association

1932

Award - University Medal, University of Sydney

1932 - 1934

Career position - Dyer (?) at Hendersons of Rosebery

1934

Life event - Left for England

1937

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD Med), University of London

1938

Career position - Acting Head of the Pharmacy Department, University of Sydney

1939 - 1947

Career position - Lecturer in Organic Chemistry, University of Sydney

1947

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of London

1947 - 1948

Career position - Research Fellow, Wellcome Foundation in London

1949 - 1972

Career position - Professor of Medical Chemistry at John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra

1958 -

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1964

Career position - Archibald Liversidge Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales

26 January 1989

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - In recognition of services to medical chemistry, particularly in the fields of teaching and research

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Adrien Albert - Records, 1923 - 1990, MS 177; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Book Sections

• Brown, D. J., 'Albert, Adrien (1907-1989), Medical Chemist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 17: 1981 - 1990 A-K, Diane Langmore, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2007), pp. 8-10. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/albert-adrien-11. Details

Journal Articles

• Brown, D. J., 'Adrien Albert 1907-1989', Historical Records of Australian Science, 8 (2) (1990), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9900820063. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4685639. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/9919406. Details
• 'Adrien Albert - Citation at year of election, 1958', Fellows of the Academy, Australian Academy of Science, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/adrien-albert. Details
• 'Albert, Adrien (19071119-19891229)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-458087. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Albert, Adrien - Ms 177', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms177.html. Details
• Brown, D. J., 'Adrien Albert 1907-1989', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/adrien-albert-1907-1989. Details