Coronavirus vaccine: Brisbane dad Paul Young leads University of Queensland COVID-19 vaccination battle

To Brisbane woman Kate Young, the man with the grey hair and the kind smile is just dad. But to everyone else, this man and his incredible team are in line to become the saviours the world is so desperate for.

NOT many can say their dad is on a mission to save the world.

Viruses and vaccines were the topic of conversation at the dinner table when Kate Young was growing up and there were many eye rolls as her scientist dad shared stories of his work in the lab.

Now, a 33-year-old woman, Kate can’t get enough of her “nerdy” dad’s shop talk.

Her dad is Professor Paul Young, who is leading the front running team at the University of Queensland in the world race for a vaccine to stop the deadly COVID-19 virus in its tracks.

Suddenly all eyes and ears are on this modest Brisbane virologist and if his team cracks the science, billions of people across the world will know the name Paul Young.

Paul Young with daughter Kate.

“Dad has a kind and generous spirit and would cringe at the idea of being singled out from his team at UQ. He is very much a man who believes in creativity through collaboration. He doesn’t seek out the limelight and never has,” Kate told The Sunday Mail from her home in the Cotswolds in England.

Paul Young works with colleagues Keith Chappell and Trent Munro and the trio has been dubbed the three wise men.

The professor is now in his 60s and has been working on vaccines for over 40 years but he has never been more fired up being in the lab as he is today, his cookbook writer daughter said.

“Now it seems strange that his work is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. He may be 64 but I don’t think he has ever been so excited about anything as this COVID-19 vaccine. There is nothing that excites dad more than the unknown,” she said.

“My stepmother, Cheryl, is also a scientist so we are a pretty nerdy family. My sister Luce, 31, is a virologist but I went on the path of being a cook and food writer, Dad has always instilled in his daughters that we must be excited by the job we do. Paying the bills is of course important but loving what you do is the key to being happy,” she said.

Paul has revealed to his daughter that over a lifetime of working with vaccines this mission is very different as his team has a challenge that presents a real and present threat to the global population.

What is different is that this time these scientists have an end point and a solution has to be found in record time. There is no allowance for going down the rabbit holes of discovery research, every minute is focused on this singular goal.

But while Professor Young is comfortable in his white coat and dedicated to his work, Kate said that he has been a great dad, always available and ready with comfort and support. He always made the time to attend his children’s school events, he cooked a lot and makes a mean mango ice cream and just last weekend the family had a zoom conference where they watched Star Wars together.

Paul with Kate when they were younger.

“I have always been incredibly proud of my dad. I hope that somebody finds a vaccine so that we can move forward – a protection that allows the world to rebuild and I would love that to be my dad,” she said.

Kate believes the man wearing the white lab is amazing but so too is the man out of the coat.

“I have fond memories of growing up. I loved being with dad. Luce and I use to go the lab with him when we were kids and earn pocket money by unpacking boxes,” she said.

The UQ researchers are among about 100 teams around the world working on vaccines for protection against SARS-CoV-2.

But the work is highly collaborative and Prof Young spends most of his evenings filled with teleconferences with the scientific community across all international borders. He said he has never seen such global collaboration with everyone working on the one goal.

Dr Daniel Watterson, Christina Henderson, Professor Paul Young, Dr Keith Chappell and Professor Trent Munro from the University of Queensland. Picture: University of Queensland

There is much hope riding on the Queensland team. The professor behind one of Australia’s biggest scientific successes – Prof Ian Frazer – has backed the work at UQ as one most likely to come off, saying it stands out among the slew of contenders.

Professor Frazer developed the lifesaving human papilloma virus HPV vaccine which prevents cervical cancer and in 2008 earned him the Prime Minister’s Prize for science.

“Let’s see what happens but dad’s team has been given an incredible boost by the Queensland and Federal Governments,” Kate said.

The Queensland Government has pumped $10m from the Queensland Government Advance Queensland initiative into the project along with $3m from the Australian Government and $3.5m from The Paul Ramsay Foundation. This backing is to fast track the vaccine.

A vaccine could be ready six months early, with human trials underway within a month or two. If successful, a vaccine might be available for emergency use in healthcare workers and vulnerable populations in early 2021.

Queenslanders are also immensely proud of the UQ’s outstanding scientists in this pandemic crisis.

Innovation Minister Kate Jones is delighted that “an Ashgrove local is leading the charge”.

“The dedication of this team is something all Queenslanders can be proud of. Paul and his team are making huge personal sacrifices to save lives. They’re working around the clock and seeing less of their families because they know this is one of the most important projects of their lives. If we can pull this off, this vaccine will put Queensland on the map,” she said.

Nominate your QLDer of the year

THROUGH drought, bushfires, a global pandemic and major sporting events, Queenslanders have shown they can rise to any occasion.

New heroes have emerged on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, as our fireys and farmers battled natural disasters and Ipswich’s own Ash Barty surged to the top of world tennis.

The past 12 months have been like no other.

To celebrate and remember the amazing feats of Queenslanders across our great state, The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail is seeking nominations from the public to crown the Queenslander of the Year.

Nominees can come from all walks of life and any industry, but must embody the Maroon spirit of helping others, pioneering new ideas and hard work.

“The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail are proud to be leading the way in celebrating the amazing work and achievements of Queenslanders,” Sunday Mail editor Kelvin Healey said.

“As a state, and more broadly, we’ve experienced tragedy, triumph, challenges and opportunities, over the past year.

“This award will pay tribute to those Queenslanders who have lead the way with their hard work and commitment to this great state.”

The award will be judged by a panel of eminent Queenslanders and announced on Queensland Day – Saturday, June 6.

Nominations must be emailed to [e-mail] by Monday, June 1.

*Submissions must be 50 words or less, be relevant to the past 12 months and include the nominator’s name, address and contact details. Information will be collected solely for The Courier-Mail Queenslander of the Year award and will not be used for any other purpose.