2026 David Cooper Lecture | Celebrating 40 years of the Kirby Institute

Peter Doherty | Natasha Mitchell (Host)

Peter Doherty was made famous worldwide when he won the 1996 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Swiss colleague Rolf Zinkernagel, for their discovery on the way the body recognises and rejects foreign molecules through killer T cells. This revelation has led to ongoing improvements in treating cancer and organ transplants. Peter is also recognised and respected for his ongoing efforts to share his love of science and impart his insatiable curiosity for learning with the world.

This year the David Cooper Lecture will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Kirby Institute by hosting Australian immunologist and Nobel laureate Peter Doherty in conversation with journalist and presenter, Natasha Mitchell. Together, they’ll discuss the most challenging medical issues of our times, Peter’s fascinating career and inspirations and how any citizen scientist can follow in the footsteps of this renowned laureate professor with an evidence-based worldview.

The David Cooper Lecture is co-presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, the Kirby Institute and UNSW Medicine & Health.

Register now

ABOUT DAVID COOPER

Scientia Professor David Cooper AC was an internationally-renowned immunologist, clinician researcher, and the inaugural director of the Kirby Institute at its foundation in 1986, and remained in the role until he passed away on Sunday 18 March 2018 after a short illness. He initiated ground-breaking, collaborative infectious disease research that has saved countless lives in Australia, and throughout the world. He was among the first responders when the HIV epidemic reached Australia in the early 1980s, and established Australia’s ongoing global leadership in the fight against the global HIV epidemic.

Professor Cooper received many professional accolades. He was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2003, and posthumously appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2018. David Cooper was a dedicated and compassionate doctor to many HIV patients, and those with other immunological conditions, throughout his lifetime, and is remembered as a great friend and mentor to all who were fortunate to know him.

For more information, visit the Kirby Institute website.

LIVE EVENT & VENUE INFORMATION

Leighton Hall is located inside the John Niland Scientia Building at UNSW Sydney's Kensington campus (G19). Please note this is a live event only, and will not be available via livestream.   

TICKETS

ACCESS

Wheelchair Access

The closest accessible drop off point to Leighton Hall is via Gate 11, Botany Street. More information on getting there can be found via our interactive accessibility map available here.

Assisted Listening

Leighton Hall has hearing assistive technology available. Patrons wishing to utilise this service must collect a Roger™ inductive neck loop receiver from the venue staff, and this system can be used with a hearing aid or cochlear implant with a T-coil, or with headphones.

Captioning 

Live captioning on personal devices will be available at this event. 

Auslan

Auslan interpreting services can be provided for selected talks upon request.

Contact

To book and discuss access services, please call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485 or email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND PARKING

Leighton Hall (John Niland Scientia Building) is easily accessible via public transport. The closest light rail stop is the UNSW High Street (L2 line) and the closest bus stop is UNSW Gate 14, Barker Street (303). For more information please call the Transport Infoline on 131 500 or visit transportnsw.info.

Free parking is available in the Botany St Car Park (Gate 11) after 5.30pm. Event patrons should park in the UNSW Permit Holder bays, which are available on all levels. The car park is located here.

Paid casual and visitor parking is available in other UNSW car parks via the CellOPark app or pay-by-plate meters. For more information, visit the UNSW parking website.

PROGRESS FOR ALL

Healthspans – the concept of how long we live healthy lives – vary significantly across Australia and globally. This is primarily due to socioeconomic disparities, location and inequitable access to essential resources like education, nutritious food and healthcare, including the latest advancements in medicine.

Drawing on our history in research, such as our work to eliminate cervical cancer, and education, such as training a significant proportion of NSW’s doctors, over the next decade UNSW will make significant contributions to enabling healthy lives for people in communities in Australia and around the world.

Our aspiration will be to deliver substantial improvements in human healthspans and longevity. UNSW will continue to employ the breadth of our deep discipline-specific knowledge and interdisciplinary education, research and engagement. This will encompass every faculty of the University from biomedical engineering to the built environment, law and justice, and more.

Through collaboration with expert partners, we will help to develop a workforce that delivers better health and wellbeing outcomes for our communities, locally and globally.

You can read more about our objectives in our UNSW Strategy: Progress for All.

CONTACT

For all enquiries, please email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au or call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485.

The Centre for Ideas is happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for 02 9065 0485. Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9065 0485. For more information on all other relay calls visit here.