14 June 2026
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Professor Paul Nestel — an inspiring luminary of cardiovascular research and a key figure in the history of the Baker Institute.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Paul published 490 peer-reviewed papers. Internationally, he is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the field of lipid and lipoprotein research in cardiovascular medicine — a distinction earned through decades of rigorous, purposeful work that has helped shape how we prevent cardiovascular disease.
His connection to the Baker Institute runs deep. Alongside Paul Korner, he was instrumental in transforming the Institute into a truly independent scientific research institute with its own agenda and ambition. They secured an NHMRC Block Grant for the Baker Institute, one of only four ever awarded.
Paul held senior roles across some of Australia's most respected institutions. He served as Deputy Director of the Baker Medical Research Institute from 1976–1985, Chief of the CSIRO Division of Human Health and Nutrition, and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Flinders University. He was a Consultant Cardiologist at the Alfred Hospital, and held visiting professorships at the University of California, San Francisco, UC San Diego and Rockefeller University in New York, as well as working at the National Institutes of Health in the United States.
Major scientific research included cardiovascular prevention, therapy and public health, lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolism, nutrition and diabetes. He founded the Australian Atherosclerosis Society and served as its President, and as Vice-President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences.
Paul chaired the Heart Foundation's Diet and Heart Disease Committee, served on the Prime Minister's Science Council working group on food policy, and shaped national nutrition policy at the highest levels of government.
Paul was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and awarded the Centenary Medal — honours that reflect a life of genuine service to cardiovascular research.
Remarkably, Paul was still working full-time at the Baker Institute into his seventies, leading the Laboratory of Human Nutrition with the same energy, dedication and intellectual curiosity that defined his entire career. He later continued as an Honorary Appointee with the Lipoproteins and Atherosclerosis laboratory and remained a regular and valued presence at the Institute. His commitment to science never waned. His last experimental paper was published in 2012, when he was 83 years old. His final clinical paper appeared in 2019, at age 90, and his most recent review article was published only last year.
Paul leaves behind an extraordinary legacy — one that continues to shape cardiovascular research both in Australia and around the world, and one that is woven into the fabric of our Institute.
Our deepest condolences go to his wife, Lydia, their family, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
Memorial service
A memorial service for Paul Nestel will take place on Thursday, 25 June, at 2.00pm
Ormond Hall
17 Moubray St, Melbourne 3004
