AAS Email – May 2011

NEWS
FEATURE ARTICLE
IAS NEWS – don’t forget to use the slide!
CONFERENCES
SECRETARIAT

Welcome to the latest edition of our eNewsletter and the first ‘big issue’ for 2011. Already this year is shaping up as being a potentially critical watershed year for medical research. Logic tells us that a career in medical research is all to do with excellence, dedication and just plain hard work. The scientists that succeed in medical research sacrifice personal time to ensure manuscript submissions, grant applications and experimental data are completed in time for never ending deadlines. Yet, in the midst of our latest round of NHMRC project applications, as we battled the RGMS system, we met with the news that the Federal Government plans to cut NHRMC funding by a whopping $400 million. As gut wrenching as this is for those working in medical research because of the imminent loss of research job opportunities, it may have a much wider impact on our society as scientists will leave Australia to explore research in better funded countries. Australia has always prided itself on the innovations driven by Australian scientists exemplified by some of the most life-changing research in areas of infectious diseases, through Nobel Laureate Sir Howard Florey's development of the first penicillin for use in humans, areas of immune system and vaccines, such as Professor Ian Frazer's development of the Gardasil vaccine, Melbourne paediatrician, Dr John Colebatch's first controlled clinical trial of chemotherapy to treat childhood leukaemia and the 2005 Nobel Laureates Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. If funding is cut, Australian people lose access to future health care opportunities.

This has spurred the Discoveries Need Dollars campaign, initiated by The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and directed at protecting medical research funding and reprimanding the government for affecting the future health of Australians. Please support the Get Up! campaign; sign the i-Petition to the Australian Government being organized by Research Australia, and; support the Facebook and Twitter campaigns. We need to make a lot of noise to protect medical research in Australia.

Alison Heather and Judy de Haan


MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE

As you may be aware, membership subscriptions are due and we would be delighted if you would renew for 1 or more years!

If you are not currently a financial member, please renew your membership as soon as possible. We are asking all members, whether a full member or a student member, to renew their membership using the Meetings First website.

It has become obvious that we need to know more about the background of our members. There are two areas where this will be particularly useful - programming concepts for the Annual Scientific Meeting, and in our interactions with potential sponsors. For example, just knowing how many clinicians and how many scientists we have could be both a surprise and a 'selling point'.  Fees are AUD30 per year for students, and AUD60 per year for full members (plus sales tax for Australian residents).


DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ABSOLUTE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK – feedback due May 6

“The National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance (NVDPA) has drafted the Guidelines for the Management of Absolute Cardiovascular Disease Risk. The aim of these new guidelines is to provide updated information and recommendations regarding the management of people at risk of cardiovascular disease using an absolute risk approach and to complement the Guidelines for the assessment of absolute cardiovascular disease risk.

 

In line with NHMRC recommended timeframes for consultation of draft clinical guidelines, feedback will be accepted from Friday 1 April until COB FRIDAY 6 MAY, 2011. Copies of the draft guidelines can be downloaded from www.strokefoundation.com.au<http://www.strokefoundation.com.au>. Feedback should be submitted at  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CVDGuidelinesFeedback ”

 

Following the public consultation phase, the Expert Working Group will meet to redraft the final version of the guideline and the Project Team will respond to everyone who provided feedback. We expect to submit the guidelines to the NHMRC by the end of July for consideration by Council at the October meeting.

MEDICAL RESEARCH IN SINGAPORE – Dr Alison Heather reports

Whilst the Australian government is allegedly considering cutting NHMRC funding, the Singapore government has just announced a 20% increase in research funding. This will amount to an increase of nearly $3 billion in the next four years. Dr Alison Heather, as part of an Emerging Leader Award supported by Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, was recently provided with the opportunity to tour Singapore and the leading Cardiovascular and Vascular Biology research institutes. It was nothing short of a “whole new world” with the laboratories equipped with the latest technologies and research groups publishing exclusively in mid to high tier journals. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Research hub includes several independent institutes and can only be described as a world-class research arena. On one floor alone, there is a microscope facility encompassing 12 microscopes ranging from simple confocal to high resolution live cell imaging machines. The Bioimaging Institute has machines that allow imaging of both human patients as well as small animals all within the one research laboratory. Research conducted with A*STAR encompasses basic science to clinical trials all occurring within institutes that are located within walking distance of each other. This allows scientists with different specialties to attend each others seminar programs and the result is research where bioengineers, molecular biologists, stem cell experts, clinical scientists and pharmaceutical representatives all work together.  A*STAR is located at Science Park where medical companies are also located. This close proximity of both scientific research and medical enterprise allows translational clinical science to be well supported. Collaborative science is not only well supported by the government but encouraged at the highest level. Dr Alison Heather had the opportunity to present a seminar within Biopolis – one of the many institutes within A*STAR- that was attended by molecular biologist, cell biologist, clinicians, bioengineers and medical imaging experts. From just one seminar, collaborative efforts have been established that are enabling her to expand her research opportunities into areas that could not have otherwise been possible.

Furthermore, the myriad of funding opportunities allow scientists to complete innovative science – start up grants are offered for up to 3 years that allow proof of concept research. The funding model allows scientists to be excited about their research and everyone that Dr Alison Heather met with were up-beat and clearly wanted to describe and discuss their research data. The funding opportunities meant that leading A-star scientists eagerly met with Dr Alison Heather and the other Australian representatives to discuss possible collaborative ventures.

Within the university system of Singapore, funding is not as lucrative as within the A*STAR complex. Grant success rate is lower however research is supported. Similar to the A*STAR model, new biomedical research facilities are being built that will allow clinicians and scientists to perform basic and translation science within the one research area. Research is highly regarded with University departments and the scientists are equally upbeat and excited about their research, similar to that observed in the highly funded A*STAR. Dr Heather met with new recruits from USA, Australia, New Zealand, France and the UK. The excellent funding opportunities and the support provided to researchers are attracting high calibre post-doctoral scientists and mid-career scientists. 

Taken together with recent developments that may limit Australian medical research opportunities, the high level of funding in counties like Singapore really raises questions about our nation’s future standing not only in the world, but also  in the Asia-Pacific region. Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and China have all made rapid advances in medical research that may well mean that Australia will soon be left far behind.

 

AAS ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING 2011
October 19-21, National Wine Centre, Adelaide

The Organising Committee of Terri Allen, Peter Clifton, Judy de Haan, Karin Jandeleit-Dahm, Heather Medbury and Peter Meikle have been working with the Australian and New Zealand Society of Obesity to put together an inspiring scientific program. Details are available via the Meetings First website.

 

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETTY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS (IAS) NEWS

 

CONFERENCES

May 13 – 15, 2011
The Science of Nutrition in Medicine and Healthcare
Sydney

May 24, 2011
1st Joint APSAVD-PLAS-PSVM Atherosclerotic Peripheral Arterial Disease Forum
Quezon City, Philippines

October 19-21, 2011
AAS Annual Scientific Meeting
Adelaide

SECRETARIAT
Please remember that I am always here to help at anytime if you have any queries relating to your AAS membership, or any other business relating to AAS.

If there is information you would like to include in the next e-news, please email it to aas@meetingsfirst.com.au.

Kind regards

Jennifer Seabrook
Meetings First
PO Box 448
YARRA JUNCTION VIC 3797

Phone                   +61 3 5967 4479
Fax                       +61 3 9015 6409
Email                    aas@meetingsfirst.com.au
Website                www.athero.org.au