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Previous events
NHMRC Research Poster Competition winners
The Australian Medical Students Association (AMSA) Convention 2008, 6 – 13 July 2008, Melbourne
The AMSA convention is the largest forum of its kind, attracting around 800 medical students from 19 Australian and New Zealand universities. The theme of this year’s event was desire, enquire, inspire and highlighted areas including Mental Health and Preventative Medicine.
NHMRC sponsored the Australian Medical Students Association’s (AMSA) Research Poster competition as a part of the 2008 AMSA convention. This year the competition attracted 41 entrants from Australian and New Zealand medical research students. Professor James Best, Chair of the NHMRC Research Committee relished the task of judging the top 15 dynamic entries.
NHMRC would like to congratulate the competition winner Elizabeth Davida Paratz (University of Melbourne) for her poster Lactate Dehydrogenase-1 as a candidate biomarker of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, and second place winner Daniel Reilly (University of Melbourne) for his poster Connective tissue disorder – a new subgroup of boys with slow transit constipation.
Special thanks to Professor James Best for taking the time to judge the Research Poster competition.
Direct-to-consumer DNA tests: marketing hype or medical breakthrough?
DNA shampoo? Diet and exercise regimes tailored to your own genetic makeup? DNA tests available on the internet to calculate your genetic risk for breast cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease?
This is no longer the stuff of science fiction—rapid advances in genetic science and technology are greatly expanding the range of DNA tests available, and dramatically reducing the costs.
NHMRC and the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) joined forces to explore these issues at a free Public Meeting hosted by ABCTV’s Bernie Hobbs in Sydney on 7 August 2008.
» View: Direct-to-consumer Genetic Testing - Public Meeting Summary
Clinical Research Excellence Conference (CRX08)
7 – 9 August, 2008, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
NHRMC is a proud sponsor of the Clinical Research Excellence Conference, CRX08 which provides a forum for extensive discussion surrounding a wide range of clinical research issues that are of key relevance to researchers, practitioners and industry.
NHMRC’s CEO Professor Warwick Anderson will make a presentation about the NHMRC at this event and Professor Michael Good, Chair of the National Health and Medical Research Council, will speak about Translating Research into Policy.
NHMRC is a major national sponsor of ASMR Medical Research Week®, 2-8 June 2008
National Australia Bank National Press Club Luncheon, 4 June 2008
Special guest speaker: Professor Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE, ASMR Medallist 2008
Professor Nossal will be presented with the ASMR Medal at the Luncheon.
ASMR Medical Research Week® Dinner, Grand Hyatt Ballroom, 5 June 2008
Presentation of the Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research
This annual Award is in its 9th year and consists of a $50,000 prize and presentation medal.
The Award is open to researchers gaining their first PhD or MD within the last twelve years.
The winner will be announced at the ASMR MRW® Dinner.
Special Guest Speaker: Professor Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE
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Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP has called for nominations for the Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research, 2008.
The Award is open to researchers who have been granted their first PhD or MD within the last twelve years. The annual Award, made in recognition of outstanding individual achievement in health and medical research in Australia, is now in its ninth year and consists of $50,000 and a presentation medal. This year’s winner will be announced in June 2008.
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Nominations for the year 2008 Award close 5pm Friday, 28 March 2008.
Nominations are to come from the Head of Department, School, Division, Institute or equivalent level and must contain:
- Name, contact details and current curriculum vitae of nominated researcher. Applicants must have been granted their first PhD or MD within the last twelve (12) years and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
- A short paragraph (suitable for release to the media and general public) stating the major research achievements and why the researcher is being nominated, and
- A separate statement of not more than two (2) pages, concisely addressing the following criteria:
- active in research based in Australia;
- able to demonstrate a strong record of achievement in health and medical research;
- able to demonstrate outstanding potential for future health and medical research (as judged by the advisory panel);
- an inspiring figure and a role model to young scientists and students; and
- involved in public communication/interaction.
An original plus one (1) hard copy and an electronic copy, are to be submitted to:
Kim Robb
Secretariat Section, Program Management Branch
National Health and Medical Research Council
GPO Box 1421
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Please note that incomplete nominations will not proceed to the advisory panel for short listing and recommendation to the Minister.
Late nominations will not be accepted.
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NHMRC Inaugural Awards
The NHMRC Awards to be announced in December 2007, will recognise a number of outstanding Australians for their contributions to health and medical research. The awards are designed to show the NHMRC’s appreciation to the research and ethics community for their considerable scientific research, innovation and leadership.
The Inaugural NHMRC Awards will be made in the following categories:
- NHMRC Outstanding Contribution Award – for long-term contribution and individual commitment and support to NHMRC, and health and medical research.
- NHMRC Ethics Award – for outstanding contributions to the achievements of high ethical standards in health and medical research as judged by AHEC and HRECs.
- NHMRC Achievement Award – recognising outstanding achievement in health and medical research as judged by NHMRC Grant Review Assessment rankings
- From Science to Art – for outstanding images from health and medical research.
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NHMRC Augmentation of Drinking Water Supplies Workshop – Summary
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) hosted a national Augmentation of Drinking Water Supplies Workshop (Workshop) on 2 August 2007 at Old Parliament House, Canberra.
The Workshop formed part of the public consultation for the Draft Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Managing Health and Environmental Risks (Phase 2) – Augmentation of Drinking Water Supplies (the draft Guidelines). These draft Guidelines, which have been developed by the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) in consultation with the health sector, provide scientific information on how to achieve safe augmentation of drinking water. The draft Guidelines do not consider whether communities should or should not augment their water supply. The aim of the Workshop was to discuss the health and environmental issues surrounding the use of recycled water to augment drinking water supplies.
The Workshop was well attended by key stakeholders and representatives from local government, Commonwealth and State Departments and consumer organisations. Participants discussed whether the draft Guidelines provided the best technical advice for achieving safe drinking water augmentation and for minimising the risks associated with using recycled water.
Feedback was provided by participants on a variety of issues including:
- protection of public health;
- community support;
- institutional capability;
- barriers;
- skills and training;
- management of industrial waste; and
- regulatory surveillance.
Participants of the Workshop outlined 26 specific recommendations for, or issues that require addressing in, the draft Guidelines. This included recommendations to provide more detail on the use of biological assays, to include a list of competency criteria for use by regulators and to deal more specifically with skills shortages and training requirements.
It was also suggested that documents outlining the auditing processes, regulatory framework, mandatory standards, verification, training infrastructure and treatment plant operation be included to assist with the implementation of the Guidelines when finalised.
A complete summary of the Workshop was submitted to the National Environment Protection Council as part of the public consultation on the draft Guidelines.[top]