Person

Freeman, Shirley Estelle (1924 - 2014)

AM

Born
21 October 1924
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died
28 December 2014
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Pharmacologist

Summary

Shirley Freeman was a pharmacologist whose early career was at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and the Baker Institute. Her work with Paul Fantl on the mechanism of blood clotting led to the development of warfarin. For six years Freeman was on the staff of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne, ending as Acting Head of Department. In 1966 Freeman moved to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation at Maribyrnong, joining the Physiology Group. The work of the Group was to provide advice on effects of chemical warfare agents, particularly on the treatment of casualties in the field. Other research included work on the toxins of the Sea Wasp and the Blue-Ringed Octopus. During her time at DSTO the emphasis shifted from effects of toxic agents to chemical detection and synthesis. Freeman became an expert adviser to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on early international negotiations towards a Chemical Weapons Disarmament Convention.

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Details

Chronology

1946
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
1957
Career position - Burroughs Wellcome Research Fellow
1959
Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Melbourne
1959 - 1960
Career position - Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
1961 - 1964
Career position - Senior Lecturer, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne
1964 - 1965
Career position - Acting Head, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne
1965
Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne
1966
Career event - Joined the Defence Science and Technology Organisation
1989
Life event - Retired as Senior Principal Research Scientist, Materials Research Laboratory
12 June 1989
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of public service

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Newspaper Articles

  • Rickards, Jenny and Crone, Hugh, 'Pharmacologist became adviser on chemical weapon disarmament: Shirley Freeman, pharmacologist, 21-10-1924 - 28-12-2014', The Age (2015), 35. Details

Resources

See also

  • Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_f.html. Details
  • Horsley, Ray; Howe, John; O'Reilly, Jan, Materials Research Laboratory: Structure and Information 1988 (Melbourne, Victoria: Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 1988), 149 pp. Page 72. Details

Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn

Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 11 August 2016

EOAS ID: biogs/P003545b.htm

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