Professor Graeme Young graduated MB, BS in 1969 from the University of Melbourne with honours. After attaining Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1978) , he studied overseas on a Fogarty International Fellowship and RACP Travelling Scholarship at Washington University, St Louis.

Professor Graeme Young graduated MD in 1981 (University of Melbourne), and in 1997 was appointed as the foundation Professor of Gastroenterology at Flinders University of South Australia, and Regional Head of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Southern Adelaide Health Service. In 2002, he was additionally appointed as Director of Development, Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer. In 2005 he became Head of the Flinders Cancer Control Alliance, now the Flinders Centre for Cancer Prevention and Control (FCCPC).

Awards: In 2009 he was awarded the Distinguished Research Prize of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia at its 50th Anniversary Celebrations in Sydney.

Also, he was elected a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGAF). In 2008 he was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (AATSE). In 2006 he received a “Ten of the Best” award from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia for his research into screening for colorectal cancer. In 2007 he was awarded South Australian of the Year in Health for his screening research and the role he played in the establishment of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Also in 2007 he was recognised as one of the fifty most influential people in South Australia.  In 2005 he was appointed as CSIRO P-Health Flagship Fellow.

Professor Graeme Young has an international reputation, especially in the broad field of colorectal cancer and its prevention and colorectal epithelial biology.  He has many publications including articles on intestinal cell biology, mechanisms of dietary prevention, screening and surveillance for colorectal cancer, dietary impact on colorectal disease, colonic fermentation of dietary substances and public health issues related to bowel health and bowel cancer.  He is the senior editor on several comprehensive textbooks and contributes chapters to major textbooks on gastrointestinal medicine.

At the clinical level, he has overseen the implementation of Gastrointestinal Services at Flinders Medical Centre and Repatriation Hospital Daw Park, a functional grouping of physicians and surgeons with major coordinated support from nurses, pathologists and dieticians. This has resulted in implementation of several multidisciplinary pathways for complex cases, and several databases designed to facilitate management of people through complex pathways involving interaction between primary care and several intrahospital specialty areas. It has also resulted in management of Gastroenterology and Hepatology across several hospitals – FMC, Repatriation and Noarlunga Hospitals – in a manner that complements and coordinates regional services. He has overseen many changes to existing clinical programs and he is experienced in change management.

Professor Graeme Young currently heads a large research initiative at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer Care, Prevention and Research, within the FCCPC. He has several teams of research personnel covering population screening, clinical research, epithelial biology and molecular biology. He has attracted funding from Australian and overseas bodies, including NHMRC, state Cancer Councils, NIH, industry, Australian Cancer Research Fund, benevolent foundations and government.

In terms of leadership and peer processes, he has participated in and/or chairs national committees or boards including the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, NHMRC, and National Cancer Control Initiative. He has served as a council member of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia for 12 years. He also acts as advisor to several international research bodies (including US National Cancer Institute), organisations involved in management of cancer (e.g. OMED, UICC) and biotechnology companies. He is a founding Board Member of the International Digestive Cancer Alliance and is the Chair of the World Organization of Digestive Endoscopy (OMED), Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee. He has advised health authorities in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Netherlands and other countries on aspects of prevention of colorectal cancer.

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