A loss for Australian health and medical research with the news Alastair Lucas AO has passed away.
Mr Lucas, chairman of investment banking at Goldman Sachs Australia, was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer last year, on the eve of the launch of the Medical Research Future Fund Action Group.
He was the founding chairman of the MRFF Action Group, a coalition of stakeholder groups established to back creation of the Abbott Government's $20 billion endowment fund for health and medical research.
Mr Lucas was also chairman of the Burnet Institute from 2002-2014 and a Research Australia Director from 2012-2014.
AusBiotech CEO, Dr Anna Lavelle, described Mr Lucas as a very genuine, insightful and active supporter of the Australia medical research and biotechnology sector.
"He was fundamentally a champion for medical research and understood the curative power of innovative therapies. A real loss to the community as well as to the sector and his family," said Dr Lavelle.