Graduated from the University of Melbourne as MB. BS. 1960 and following internships and registrar years was awarded Membership of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1964. In 1973 was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists. In 1978 the thesis on recognition of carriers of Haemophilia and multiple publications on bleeding disorders, factor VIII biochemistry, studies of von Willebrand factor and studies in disseminated intravascular coagulation earned a doctorate from the University of Melbourne.
Post- graduate training was obtained at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital from 1967 –1969 and from the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London in 1969-1970.
On return to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne became Director of Haematology and Oncology in 1975. In 1985 became Director of Division of Specialist Medicine and in 1992 Director of Medicine.
In 1995 was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia for distinguished service in paediatric haematology and oncology and in 1998 the gold medal of the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Throughout the career has practiced academic paediatrics with an emphasis on clinical research and laboratory research and development.
Major fields of interest have been Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Hodgkin’s Disease Langerhan’s Histiocytocis. the Haemophilias, von Willebrand’s disease
There have been 164 publications and 2 books.
In 1975 was founding member of the Australian and New Zealand children’s cancer study group which subsequently became ANZCHOG. While a member of the group was involved in 6 peer reviewed publications on ALL induction and BCG immunotherapy as well as chemotherapy only in Hodgkin disease.
Retired from RCH in 2004 and appointed as advisor in haematology to the Department Health and Ageing 2005-2012 and subsequently to the Board of Peninsula Heath service 2012- 2018.
During retirement volunteers as speaker on personal aspects of Holocaust living and survival at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum and Bnei-Brith Courage to Care Organization which visits schools in Victoria to teach by means of the Holocaust the value of being an Upstander and prevent bullying and racial and gender discrimination.