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UNSW Medicine Newsletter - 1 October 2008
General News
Research News
OHS News
Library News
Current Events
General News |
Vice Chancellor's visit to the Faculty
We are pleased to invite you to the Vice Chancellor's visit to the Faculty on Thursday, 23rd October at 12.15pm. Professor Fred Hilmer will be giving a presentation on strategic, budget and topical issues relating to UNSW and its activities.
Date: Thursday, 23rd October 2008
Time: 12.15 - 1:15pm
Venue: Mathews Theatre C, located on Level 3 of the Mathews Building
Could you please confirm your attendance to <deansoffice.temp@med.unsw.edu.au> by Monday, 13th October 2008.
Peter Smith
Dean
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty Learning & Teaching Awards
To recognise the contribution of staff to learning and teaching in the Faculty, nominations are called for the Faculty Learning & Teaching Awards for 2008. The awards are open to academic staff, sessional staff (including conjoints) and professional and technical staff. Further details on the awards, including criteria and an application form, are available at the following site:
Nominations for the 2008 Faculty Learning & Teaching Awards should be forwarded to Elena Mankovskaia, Office of Medical Education, by Friday 31st October.
Phil Jones
Associate Dean (Education)
Biological Resources Update
Balb/c nude breeding colony has been transferred to Australian Bio Resources at Moss Vale. These mice are in very short supply in Australia and demand is strong. Debra is currently in discussion with Jenny Kingham regarding increased breeding of these mice for UNSW researchers as a priority.
Rat room plans (revised) to incorporate the Biological Resources Wallace Wurth roof facility (formerly BABS animal house) are in the process of being finalised together with the renovations in Lower Ground Wallace Wurth. Construction will commence shortly and there should be no disruption to any research.
Bookings for Animal Imaging Laboratory equipment and procedure rooms and hoods
It appears that the teething problems encountered in establishing this system have now been solved. Currently the booking system will only be used for booking equipment for PC2 and the Imaging Laboratory. Online booking for WW5 PC1 and other BR facilities will be available shortly and all researchers will be notified.
Thank you again, Carl!
Our new phone numbers: Office: 9385 8456 | Fax: 9385 8457
Revised Faculty of Medicine Strategic Plan
The Faculty's Strategic Plan has recently been revised. Please view a copy here - Strategic Plan
Relocation of Associate Dean (Research)
Professor Denis Wakefield and his Executive Assistant, Wendy Wartho, have relocated to the second level of the AGSM building (Rm 244). Their contact details remain the same (tel - 9385 8210).
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Research News |
Faculty Research Day - Tuesday 7 October
All are invited to any or all sessions of the day.
2pm to 4pm, Mathews Pavilions
- Poster exhibition/competition
3:45pm to 4:45pm, Mathews Pavilions
5pm to 7pm, Ritchie Theatre (Scientia)
- Evening talks by Krystal Keller (blind, cancer-survivor; singer/song-writer) and Margaret Morris (Professor, Pharmacology, Medical Sciences)
- Insight-inspired forum on career options after the postgraduate degree
- Poster prize-giving ceremony
Contact -
NewSouth Innovations Technology prize for Research Day
NewSouth Innovations Technology is providing a prize for Research Day on 7 Oct 2008. To participate in this, see:
Submissions close 6 October.
Submissions and further information contact: Dr Laura Issa - L.issa@nsinnovations.com.au; 9385 5592
Major Equipment Grants
Your Major Equipment Grant applications MUST REACH the FACULTY OFFICE by CoB on Tuesday, October 14th to be considered for funding in 2009. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Please forward to Jasmine Wu (deansoffice.temp@med.unsw.edu.au), and copy to Denis Wakefield (d.wakefield@unsw.edu.au). The applications first need to be ranked by a faculty ranking committee before they are forwarded to the DVC (Research). Please DO NOT send them directly to the Dean or to the DVC (Research).
Faculty Research Grants/Early Career Researcher Grants
A reminder to send in your applications by 31 October to . Please send a hard copy including signature of Head of School to:
Wendy Wartho, Room 244, AGSM Building
NHMRC Grant Writing Workshop
A further workshop has been arranged for applicants currently writing grant applications. Talks will be given on successful grant writing by Professor Denis Wakefield, Professor Peter Gunning and Professor Phil Mitchell.
Date: 26 November
Time: 3-5 pm
Venue: M102, Wallace Wurth Building
Please email Wendy Wartho on if you wish to attend.
UNSW gets smart at Biotech Conference
NewSouth Innovations welcomes participation in showcasing Faculty inventions, technologies, capabilities and unique enabling technologies at AusBiotech 2008. If you would like to promote a capability, technology or opportunity for a research collaboration please contact Dr Laura Issa at l.issa@nsinnovations.com.au or 9385 5592 to discuss.
New PhD Scholarship established - Adolescent Depression & Suicide
The Macquarie Group Foundation PhD Scholarship in Adolescent Depression & Suicide
This new scholarship has been established to encourage exceptional students to undertake research in adolescent depression and suicide in the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW.
The Scholarship is provided for three (3) years to a student commencing a PhD. PhD students may be granted an extension for up to six months if their research was delayed by circumstances beyond their control.
Value $30,000. An extra fund of up to $5000 will be available for the recipient’s expenses.
Closing date: 31 October 2008
For more details contact Professor Philip Mitchell at phil.mitchell@unsw.edu.au
To apply for this Scholarship go to the UNSW Postgraduate Research Scholarships website
Herbal Supplement Mood Swing Study
Do you suffer from Mood Swings?
The Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick is conducting a clinical trial on the effect of a herbal product on mood swings and mild anxiety in younger women. You may qualify for this study if you are aged between 18 and 45 years old (with a regular menstrual cycle) and have had at least one of the following psychological symptoms for 3 – 6 months.
- Depression, angry outbursts, irritability, anxiety, confusion or social withdrawal.
For more information, please contact 9382 6621 at Barbara Gross Research Unit of Royal Hospital for Women. Your inquiry will be treated in the strictest confidence.
You would need access to the internet and email. Please go to http://www.rhw.org.au to access online.
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OHS News |
Laser Pointer Guidelines
UNSW lecturers need to be aware of recent legislation affecting the use of laser pointers for lecturing purposes.
Laser pointers for class room use are normally class 2 lasers that use <1mW of power. The eye blink response typically makes them safe to use in case of accidental eye exposure. However, there are laser pointers of class 3a and above which can damage the eye with only fleeting exposure.
With recent incidents of people shining lasers in the eyes of pilots, new legislation has been enacted in NSW making it illegal:
1) to possess a laser pointer >1 mW output without a permit. Existing owners of pointers >1 mW (owned before 18 July 2008) have until 1 December 2008 to obtain a permit.
2) to possess in public any kind of laser pointer, including class 2 lasers (<1mW output) "without reasonable excuse".
Bob Armstrong (OHS coordinator radiation safety) has updated a UNSW document on laser pointers from 2001, (see below). The Guideline incorporates the latest legislation and will be accessable soon on the OHS & WC website. See also a laser fact sheet from the NSW Police Force.
Bob Armstrong recommends all lecturers and others check the laser pointers they are using and dispose of (or send to OHS & WC unit) ALL non class 2, or above, laser pointers . The classification should be stamped on the side of the pointer. The permit (Firearms Registry) for class 3A and above is $127 and does not seem justifiable considering the low cost of replacement with a class 2 laser for those with a "reasonable excuse".
If you have any questions regarding the Guideline or the legislation, please don't hesitate to contact Bob Armstrong, Radiation Health & Safety Coordinator, 9385 2912 or r.armstrong@unsw.edu.au
See also:
Richard Szczepanski
OHS Coordinator
Faculty of Medicine
Wallace Wurth Building, Room MG07
Tel: (02) 9385 8735 | Email: r.szczepanski@unsw.edu.au
Please Note - The OHS & Workers Compensation Unit is located at: Level 1, North Wing of the Chancellery in the Human Resources Department.
For OHS & Worker's Compensation information visit our web site at: http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/ohswc/ohswc_home.html
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Library News |
New ECG resource
The Library now provides Interactive ECG which aims to provide accurate, high quality ECG information in an interactive, clinically relevant environment to facilitate the acquisition of skills in ECG interpretation. (Available via the Library Catalogue or Sirius.)
New literature awareness services - Faculty of 1000 Medicine & Biology:
The Library now provides two literature awareness services which highlight and evaluate the most interesting papers published in the medicine and biological sciences.
(Search Sirius for Faculty of 1000 Medicine and Faculty of 1000 Biology.)
New General Practice resources
For further information please contact the Faculty's Outreach Librarian Kate Dunn ( or (02) 9385 8241)
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Current Events |
Casemix Conference 2008 - extending the boundaries
Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing
Date: 16-19 November
Venue: Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, South Australia
Web: http://www.casemixconference2008.com.au
More Information: Email Flyer (PDF)
Australian Doctors International "Fundraiser for our closest neighbours in PNG"
Guest Speaker: Peter FitzSimons. Proceeds will help fund essential health programs in Western Province, Papua New Guinea.
Date: Thursday, October 23
Time: 6.45pm (for 7.30pm) to 11.30pm
Location: Manly Golf Club, 38-40 Balgowlah Road, Manly
Invitation and more Information: Australian Doctors International website
Media Contact: Leah Boonthanom on 0411 860 741 or leahboonthanom@gmail.com
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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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