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UNSW Medicine Newsletter - 2 July 2008
General News
Student Administration News
Research News
Library News
Current Events
General News |
Biological Resources Update
Here at Last! Exit from Little Bay has been achieved and our facility is now fully operational in Wallace Wurth.
New phone number: 9385 8456 New fax number: 9385 8457
Animal Imaging Facility also operational. Training on the equipment will be provided by Dr Carl Power. Please email: for further information.
All bookings for procedure rooms and hood time in both PC1 and PC2 laboratories and the animal imaging room equipment are to be made on-line and all users must be registered (see link below) - http://129.94.150.79/maif/book.dll
All users of Biological Resources facilities must have completed mandatory UNSW OH&S training and have attended an induction to the facility. PC1 inductions are conducted by Sandy Spathos and PC2 by Jae Greenwood. Please call the office number to arrange.
Please note there will be no deliveries during the World Youth Day celebrations, in the week beginning 14th July.
The patience and support of all our researchers has been very much appreciated in our move from Little Bay and we look forward to working with you and helping you to achieve the best possible research outcomes.
Invitation to apply for inclusion in the Registry of the International Criminal Court's list of expert witnesses.
Applications are open to both individuals and expert bodies with expertise in fields relevant to the jurisdiction of the Court. See letter and application from the Attorney-General's Department, International Crime Cooperation Division.
Closure of Gate 9 (High Street) to vehicles
Gate 9 has closed to all vehicles (pedestrians only) until the end of the construction of the Lowy Cancer Research Centre (late 2009). You may have been notified of a two-week closure, however, due to safety concerns the University has decided to close this gate until the end of construction (except in the case of emergency vehicles).
Please be aware of this when directing visitors or if you are visiting from off-campus.
Honours List - Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Peter Baume AC
Emeritus Professor Peter Baume, who is affiliated with the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, has been appointed the country’s greatest civic honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service advancing higher education as an academic, researcher and administrator, and to the community through leadership roles in organisations addressing significant public health and social policy issues.
For other UNSW recipients and the full story see - UNSW Media, News & Events
UNSW Retirement Research (Psychology) Survey
Invitation (from School of Psychology students)
You are invited to participate in a Retirement Planning Survey through the School of Psychology. We want to help people to make their retirement a really positive experience. Our research findings are used to design content of pre-retirement seminars and inform policies in organisations.
If you are 45 years old or over we are interested in hearing from you. Even if you feel retirement is a long way off and you have not given much thought to it, we would still like to hear from you.
Participating in this study may help you to think about the sorts of things that are important to health and wellbeing in retirement. The survey should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Each participant will go into a draw for a $150 gift voucher of their choice.
For more information and to participate in the survey, please click on the link below:
http://www.surveys.unsw.edu.au/survey/154278/1982/
The survey will close 5 pm July 15th, 2008.
Note that clicking this link does not indicate your consent, you will be asked before the survey starts whether or not you want to participate.
We appreciate your help. Without it, our research would not be possible.
If you have difficulties accessing the survey or queries relating to our questionnaire please contact Alexa Muratore at UNSW or Dr Joanne Earl, School of Psychology (02) 9385 3017.
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Student Administration News |
Volunteer Interviewers needed
Selecting medical students is critical to our Faculty and obviously also to the community. The interview is an important component and, to ensure we select the highest quality applicants, we need to conduct over 500 interviews.
We have many Faculty members already involved, but we still require additional interviewers with the following background:
- Faculty members (both doctors and non-doctors),
- Non-Faculty members (does not have affiliation with Faculty of Medicine, UNSW)
- People with rural background (ie. grew up in rural areas or have strong affiliation with rural community)
The interviews will be held on September 29 - October 3, 2008 and January 6 - 7, 2009. Interviewer training will be provided in July at the Kensington campus. We ask that new interviewers attend two sessions:
- 22nd July 2008 from 6.00pm - 8.30pm (light dinner will be provided) Topic: Philosophy
- 23rd July 2008 from 6.00pm - 8.00pm or 24th July 2008 from 6.00pm - 8.00pm (light refreshment will be provided) Topic: Calibration
If you are interested in assisting this year and can commit to at least one half day session in September (or if you can recommend someone with rural background or non-faculty), please contact Joanna Tjojoatmodjo at or call 9385 1317.
I look forward to hear from you.
Associate Professor Andrew Cole
Presiding Member, Selection Working Group
Graduation Date - Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine Graduation is on Tuesday November 25 at 10.30am
If a student has questions regarding graduation please refer them to the website link below. It contains information on a number of issues including extra tickets and non-attendance: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/graduandsimportantinfo2.html
Scenario Group Room Changes
As of Tuesday 1st July 2008, all classes/meetings held in the Medicine Scenario Group Rooms on Level 4 in the Mathews Building (formerly BioMed Library) and Samuels 305 and 306 will be relocated and held in the Library Level 10 rooms 1001, 1001C, 1020, 1024 & 1043.
Medicine Scenario rooms on Level 4 in the Mathews Building will be decommissioned and Samuels 305 and 306 will return to CATS rooms.
Please refer to the plans below for further details.
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Research News |
Increased support for Post Doctoral Research Fellows
Post Doctoral research fellows are one of the faculty’s greatest assets and in most great research institutes and universities around the world are a major driving force to the research endeavour. Unfortunately, their contributions and achievements often go under recognised and unappreciated. Despite their obvious importance to our research activities, training junior staff and scientific planning they often feel they “fall through the cracks” with regard to infrastructure support, travel, research grants and mentoring. In order to ensure appropriate support and recognition of our post doctoral research fellows a number of new initiatives are to be introduced by the Faculty. These include:
- The establishment of a dedicated webpage for postdoctoral fellows > view webpage
- The establishment of a social club to be organised by a committee of postdoctoral fellows
- Participation in Professional Development and Talent Management Program
- Participation in teaching activities
- Research grants
- Travel grants
Mentoring and career development are important issues amongst the postdoctoral fellows. I would encourage all postdoctoral fellows to establish a relationship with a mentor who could help them with their career. They are expected to participate in the Talent Management Program established by the Faculty. Postdoctoral fellows are also encouraged to participate in the undergraduate and graduate teaching programs within the Faculty of Medicine and should take advantage of the expert teaching courses available for staff at UNSW. This is particularly pertinent to those who wish to pursue an academic or research career.
A new research grant (up to $10,000 per annum) is available for postdoctoral fellows to assist them in their research, particularly those research activities that they have initiated and for which they are seen as the lead investigator. In order to facilitate career development and to increase their research experience, travel scholarships will be made available to postdoctoral fellows. This will allow travel to one international meeting per year (valued up to $3000), or a national meeting to Australia or New Zealand (valued up to $1000). These initiatives have been endorsed by the Dean and are seen as a first step in providing greater support for our postdoctoral fellows and to facilitate their career development.
Denis Wakefield
Professor and Associate Dean Research
Launch of UNSW Health Data Linkage (HDL) Committee website
The UNSW Health Data Linkage (HDL) Committee is pleased to announce the launch of its website, http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/medweb.nsf/page/HDLC.
This site includes all the information you need if you are undertaking HDL research in NSW and you wish to apply for UNSW 'linkage credits' which will mean a reduction in the fees you pay to the Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL). The site also includes links to descriptions of the services offered by the CHeReL, if you are considering future HDL research.
The Committee welcomes feedback and enquiries, please contact Dr Margaret Faedo on phone 9382 8861 or email
AusAID forms a strategic partnership with UNSW to advance knowledge on human resources for health in the region
The Parliamentary Secretary, Bob McMullan, announced in April 2008, the establishment of four knowledge hubs to inform the Australian aid program and health policy dialogue across the region. The hubs will use their convening power to work with others to develop a critical mass of expertise and knowledge in Australia to link people working in the respective areas, strengthen and expand networks, and identify opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaboration.
The School of Public Health and Community Medicine was chosen to establish the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Knowledge Hub under this partnership with AusAID. UNSW researchers were awarded $6.6 million over four years, for this project. The team from UNSW includes Associate Professor Rohan Jayasuriya, Professor Anthony Zwi, Associate Professor Anna Whelan, Mr Alan Hodgkinson, Professor Daniel Tarantola and Ms Lois Meyer.
The aim of the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Knowledge Hub is to be the key reference point for the generation, management and dissemination of state of the art knowledge on HRH for all its partners. The hub will develop sustainable partnerships for knowledge generation, synthesis and dissemination for HRH in the Asia-Pacific region and facilitate the generation of knowledge in HRH that contributes to policy and programs in strengthening health systems in the Asia Pacific region.
The group has already commenced work to develop partnerships with HRH experts in Australia and overseas to give priority to the needs identified in countries of the Asia Pacific region. Many of these countries are facing a crisis in producing and maintaining a sustainable health workforce and have been identified as priority countries in the Australian Government’s assistance program.
For more information contact: Waireti Amai, T: 9385 8464, E:
NewSouth Innovation News
As Universities around the world continue expansion of their commercialisation activities many investigators focus on the more obvious, immediate rewards such as moving a technology from the bench to market or generating income. While these are obviously important, a variety of additional benefits can arise for the investigator, the university, commercial partners and the community at large. With this article, NSi will address the spectrum of possible benefits that may result from commercialisation activities at UNSW.
Direct Returns
Commercialisation Income
Generation of revenue is the most obvious return arising from commercialisation activities. Such revenues may include licensing fees and on-going royalties, or an equity position in a start-up company. In any instance however, UNSW’s IP policy specifies that 1/3 of the net revenues generated by a technology will be returned to the inventors personally; 1/3 will be distributed to UNSW; and the final 1/3 will be retained by NSi to fund ongoing activities.
In December 2007 DVC-R, Professor Les Field issued guidelines relating to UNSW’s share of net revenues, indicating that in the default position the majority would be directed back to the Faculty from which the technology arose. For clarity, in these instances “net revenues” means gross commercialisation revenues generated by a technology minus specifically attributable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by NSi, such as patent expenses.
Research funding
It is a simple fact that most technologies invented at universities are very early stage and require significant additional development before being ready for market. Companies often find it cost effective to sponsor further proof of concept or initial product development work at the university since the inventor has the expertise and infrastructure already in place. Such support may be direct or leveraged using ARC Linkage funds, and can include direct support of a project, postdoctoral fellow or student, or through in-kind contributions such as materials and equipment.
Consulting
In addition to funding further research in an inventor’s laboratory, companies often will want an ongoing consulting relationship. Working as a consultant allows the investigator to advise and comment on the company’s product development efforts. Such consultancies can range from occasional development status reviews to participation in more formal product steering committees. In either case it is an opportunity for the investigator to be compensated for keeping a hand in the product as it develops.
Indirect Returns
Future opportunities
Establishing relationships with companies via consulting, commercialisation or research projects can provide long-term benefits to the researcher and his/her laboratory. In addition to potential future collaborations, post-docs and students working on the project may also benefit as their work can be viewed as a long-term “interview.”
Better World Project
Most researchers don’t enter the academic field expecting to make huge personal financial returns from their work, and instead are led by a love of the science. Flowing from this love of science is a desire to see their work have applications beyond the bench; applications that ultimately benefit the public.
The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) has developed a program called the Better World Project that describes some of the huge number of academic research advances that have been partnered with industry to beneficially impact society. These projects range from vaccines to clean fuels to fighting tooth decay. More information, including the 2008 Better World Report, is available at http://www.betterworldproject.net/index.cfm.
Summary
A number of benefits can be derived from the commercialisation process that extend well beyond simple financial revenues. NSi has expertise in these areas, and stands prepared to assist investigators maximise the potential benefits resulting from commercialisation efforts.
http://www.nsinnovations.com.au/unswstaff/index.html
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Library News |
Changes to the document supply service
- Inter Library Loan requests must now be made through the Library’s Catalogue by logging into your Borrower Record and selecting the ILL Request tab.
- Off-campus users can register for an off campus account and use the method above to request items that are not held at UNSW Library. Items held at UNSW Library can also be requested.
- Conjoint staff are eligible to use the service. (They will need a UNSW staff ID card and Unipass to do this).
Advantages of the change
- You will be able to track the progress of Document Supply requests from your Borrower Record.
- This represents the beginning of an unmediated service which will reduce the supply times of these requests.
New Journals
For further information please contact the Faculty's Outreach Librarian Kate Dunn ( or (02) 9385 8241)
University Library Update 6
In this Issue - http://info.library.unsw.edu.au/libadmin/about/libraryupdate62008.pdf
- Course proposals
- ELISE update
- LibGuides
- Change of hours
- Changes to document supply
- Some interesting Library stats
- Product information
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Current Events |
Lunchtime Research Seminar Series - School of Public Health and Community Medicine
Showcasing leading public health research
The Lunchtime Seminar Series at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine UNSW, offers an opportunity for staff, students and others with an interest in public health research to learn more about the research and related activity of the School.
Seminars are held every Wednesday of the month, with the exception of the 1st Wednesday, in Room 305/306 (Level 3 Samuels Building) between 12pm and 1pm. Lunch is provided and no RSVP is required.
If you would like more information about the Seminar Series, or if you have suggestions regarding speakers and / or topics (including your own) please contact Vanessa Traynor on 9385 2518 or
Upcoming seminars for July/August are:
| 9 July | Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite,
Director, Centre for Clinical Governance Research in Health | Current issues in clinical governance |
| 23 July | Dr Julie Hall MBE,
Principal Medical Advisor, Office of Health Protection, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing | The SARS experience in China and continuing lessons |
| 30 July | Dr Rod O’Connor,
Associate Professor (Conjoint), School of Public Health & Community Medicine | Making better decisions: mistakes, biases, irrational effects and inspired genius |
| 13 August | Professor Daniel Tarantola,
Professor of Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health & Community Medicine | Global immunization and the rights of the child |
| 20 August | Brahmaputra Marjadi, PhD Candidate,
School of Public Health & Community Medicine | Infection Control in Rural Indonesia: Straddling the Clinical Medicine and Public Health Divide |
| 27 August | Henry Zheng, PhD Candidate,
School of Public Health & Community Medicine | Synthesizing scientific evidence and quantifying effect sizes with meta-analysis |
MedSoc Academic Symposia
Professor Mohamed Khadra will present a talk entitled "The Road Less Travelled". Professor Khadra was previously a UNSW Professor of Surgery and Head of the Rural School.
Date | Time: 28th July, 5:30pm
Where: Biomed Theatre A, UNSW
All Upcoming Events
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Keep in touch with faculty news and events on our website. If you have an upcoming event or story please submit it for display.
http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/medweb.nsf/page/News+and+Events (Staff ID and UniPass required to submit)
If you have any research in press, which would be of interest to a general audience, please contact Susi Hamilton in the Media unit at UNSW on 9385 1583 or
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