SoMS Newsletter - November 2005
Research
Paper of the Month
Paper of the Month for October goes to a study by Pierre J. Dilda, Anthony S. Don, Kara M. Tanabe, Vincent J. Higgins, John D. Allen, Ian W. Dawes and Philip J. Hogg "Mechanism of Selectivity of an Angiogenesis Inhibitor From Screening a Genome-Wide Set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Deletion Strains" published in J National Cancer Inst 97: 1539-1547. Well done to all authors! We had 8 submissions for Paper of the Month in October, the highest number of submissions since we started this initiative 18 months ago. We will be presenting this award, plus the Citation Classics and Century Club members on 15th Dec, prior to our Xmas celebrations. Please keep those entries coming in!
Grants and Awards
NSW Ministry for Science and Medical Research Grant
Professor Elizabeth Burcher has been awarded a new project grant for her work to investigate receptor changes in the bladder following spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. The $250,000 grant was one of five awarded to UNSW researchers in a recent announcement from NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, Frank Sartor. Congratulations to Professor Burcher and her team on their grant success.
ARC 2006
SoMS staff have received four new grants in the 2006 Australian Research Council (ARC) funding round announced yesterday. Two grants were awarded in the Discovery category and one each in the Linkage Projects and Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities categories. Congratulations to all the successful applicants. For more information visit the ARC website at http://www.arc.gov.au/funded_grants/selection.htm.
NHMRC 2006
SoMS staff have received more than $6 million in grants and awards from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in the latest round of funding. Seven project grants, four research fellowships and three career development awards will be given, starting in 2006. This is a wonderful result which represents a revival in the success of SoMS in competitive research grants. Congratulations to all the successful applicants. Please visit the SoMS website for the full news story.
Tall Poppy Award
Congratulations to Dr Katharina Gaus on receiving a 2005 NSW Young Tall Poppy Award. Established in 2000 the awards recognise young scientists who excel at research, leadership and communication. Dr Gaus attended a ceremony at NSW Parliament House last month together with three other UNSW scientists who also received awards.Please visit the SoMS website for the full news story.
Pfizer USA Detrol LA Research Grants Program
This program is designed to support clinical research proposals exploring the pathology and physiology of bladder function and dysfunction, strategies to enhance the treatment of OAB, and/or the efficacy of Detrol LA in overactive bladder or related lower urinary tract conditions within approved dosing range.
Deadline: 16 Nov 2005
Website: http://www.detrolgrants.com
Spinalcure Australia (Formerly Australasian Spinal Research Trust) Senior Fellowships
This fellowship is aimed at supporting outstanding researchers in the field of spinal cord research, especially in the areas of repair and regeneration. Applicants previously not involved in this area of research are strongly encouraged to apply, especially if they bring new approaches or methodologies into the field. This three year fellowship (with possible extension to five years) will support researchers who are more than three but less than 10 years out from their PhD or MD. The fellowship will provide support of $100,000 p.a. for salary, superannuation and laboratory support.
Deadline: 02 Dec 2005
Website: http://www.spinalcure.org.au
Pathology News
End of an Era in Pathology
The conclusion of Session 2 2005 marks the end of one of the longest standing courses in the undergraduate medical program at UNSW. Over the past four decades, Pathology for 3rd Year Medicine (PATM3101) has helped students to acquire a basic understanding of disease processes, using examples of common, classical and critical diseases to ensure continued relevance to clinical practice.
At this time, it is appropriate that we pay tribute to some of the members of the School of Pathology at UNSW who contributed to the original development of the course:
- The late Prof Donald Wilhelm (founding Head of the School of Pathology);
- Prof Athol Lykke (Head of the School of Pathology 1980-1995);
- Dr Grace Higgins (curator of the Museum of Human Disease until 2002).
In recent years, PATM3101 underwent a complete revamp, initiated in 1996 by Prof Denis Wakefield, with the development of an innovative Student Manual. I have been fortunate to be the convenor of the course from 1996 onward, and have been privileged to work with excellent teachers of Pathology, including Prof Rakesh Kumar, Prof Andrew Lloyd, A/Prof Nick Hawkins and Dr Mark Dziegielewski. In recent iterations of PATM3101, exciting and popular innovations were introduced, such as the use of Web-based self-assessments with automated feedback, as well as the use of virtual microscopy in both practical classes and examinations.
Despite the nostalgia that the long-standing academic staff of Pathology feel towards PATM3101, we look forward to further involvement and integration with other disciplines throughout all phases of the new medicine program.
Dr Gary Velan
OHS
RMU Training Website
RMU have just updated their OHS Training web page with the 2006 Training schedule. If you know students who need this training before they start lab work please speak to Michelle Price about suitable dates and courses.
Eye Safety Talk
Technet are running a lunch event on "Eye safety for High risk tasks" from 1-2 pm on the 15th November 2005 at Staff Development, 4th floor Mathews Building. A representative from UVEX will be there with glasses for you to try on. For more information see the Technet Events page and bring your lunch.
Hazard and Incident Reporting
If you see a Hazard or an incident that occurs in the Wallace Wurth Building we need to know about it. Please fill in a Hazard or an Incident form and send it to your supervisor for signing. The completed form should be given to Michelle Price to send to the required areas for both actioning, and the updating of school records.
Changes to the Workplace
Can all staff who are planning or implementing changes to their workplaces e.g. refurbishments please let Roland Stocker and Michelle Price know the details of the changes. The Level 3 OHS Committee now has a standing item on their meeting Agenda to discuss these matters.
Museum
Museum volunteers gathered for a special celebration at the Tyree Room in the Scientia for the Melbourne Cup Day luncheon and watched Makybe Diva win the cup for the third year in a row. Ewen Simpson was runner up in the best tie competition with his bright, horse racing theme tie pattern. Due to the Museum move, the normal mid-year luncheon was delayed and this choice of venue and event proved a winner with all.
The Museum will be closed for the 3rd year practical exam from Wednesday 9th November up to and including Friday 11th November. It will also be closed for the 4th year Medical (“VIVA”) exams on Tuesday 22nd November, up to and including Friday 25th November. The RCPA will be using the Museum for their exams on Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November. The Museum opening hours for students remain at 8am – 5pm daily Monday – Friday. It is not open weekends. It would be helpful for lecturers to clarify these times and dates during classes. The Museum will be closed for stocktake on Monday 28th November
The Museum is running a special program, in addition to its other teaching programs, in mid November for a local group of gifted and talented students in tandem with the Department of Anatomy, to look at the brain and the many diseases that may affect it.
Museum staff are gearing up for the major event of the Museum launch and Medical Science Expo to be held 5-7pm on Monday 5th December. Over eighty guests have already registered their interest in attending. Just a reminder to SoMS staff who are intending to come to RSVP and contact us if an extra invitation is required (f.cato@unsw.edu.au).
Many thanks to all of the SoMS research groups and staff for their effort and timeliness in preparing and submitting posters and PowerPoint slides for presentation and explanation to visitors during the Expo. In addition, the project has been professionally enhanced by the dedicated work of Jarray Ambrose and Miriam DeLacy for which I am also extremely grateful. We all look forward to an enjoyable, enlightening and entertaining evening with insights from our new UNSW Chancellor, the NSW Health Minister and ABC’s Science commentator and UNSW alumnist Robyn Williams. Hope to see you there.
Jenny Horder
SoMS Christmas Party
The SOMS Christmas Party will be taking place at 3.30pm on Thursday 15 December. Drinks and nibbles will be located in the Wallace Wurth Foyer. The party will follow our Awards Presentation in the Athol Lykke at 2pm.