Science commercialisation award new for 2015 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science

The Australian Government will recognise the practical and commercial successes of Australian scientists, with a new award to be added to the 2015 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane said that Australians make a significant investment in science through an annual Government budget of $9.2 billion.

“All Australians benefit from the advances in science and the best way to share the gains of our world-class scientists is to encourage stronger links between science and business,” Mr Macfarlane said. "The new prize, the Prime Minister’s Prize for the Commercial Application of Science, will promote building better links between researchers and industry and encourage entrepreneurship in our business and research communities."

See more.

Mindfulness: a mental health technique which should be taught early and often

Dr Neil Bailey's 'Thinkable Open
Innovation Award' video entry.

Dr Neil Bailey, based at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, researches how techniques of mindfulness (or meditation) change our brain to prevent or ameliorate mental illness. Recent research has shown that the brain's grey matter is diminished in psychiatric disorders, and conserved or even augmented with mindfulness practice. Neil describes in this video the particular aspect his research is investigating.

• Vote for Neil's video for the Thinkable Award. The winner is awarded $5000: http://thinkable.org/submission/2037
• Monash is offering mindfulness practice courses to staff: Link

Volunteers for breastfeeding questionnaire

Photo: iStock

Have you ever breastfed? Or are you currently breastfeeding? If so, you are invited to take part in a survey which will take approximately 5-10 minutes. Your participation will be completely anonymous and will contribute to the PhD study undertaken by Ms Marina Iacovou in the Department of Gastroenterology at Monash University.  This study has been approved by the Monash Health Human Research Ethics Committee.   Please click on the link to complete the survey. Thank you!
http://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_a91Y8HhiPK8xNt3

Healthy participants sought: Genes, Cognition, Brain Function and Schizophrenia

Image: WebMD

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre is seeking healthy volunteers between 35 and 65 to undertake a study examining the relationship between genetics, cognition, brain function and schizophrenia. We are interested in recruiting those with no personal or family history of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder and those with no personal history, but who do have a first degree relative (children or siblings) with any of these illnesses. See more.

Gluten doesn't deserve its villainous reputation: Professor Peter Gibson on Radio NZ National

Photo: AFP / Sofie Delauw / Cultura Creative

Professor Peter Gibson, Head, Department of Gastroenterology, explains why gluten is not "the villain of the food world" and why he believes most of those following a gluten free diet may be doing themselves more harm than good.
26/02/2015 Radio New Zealand National: "Is gluten the devil in your food?"

Forthcoming CCS events: PhD seminars, public events, general notices

Laura Blair-West MAPrc

Central Clinical School has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. All event notices are maintained on the CCS Events calendar  CCS staff & students can see details of both public and local events (including professional development courses, trade fairs and HDR calendars) and deadlines, at the Intranet's Announcements page.  Various Departments have their own calendars, see CCS seminar index: www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/events/seminars.html

 

What's on for next week

Mon Feb 23 10:00 AM ► CCS Induction for new staff. Enquiries: nicole.shears@monash.edu
                   11:00 AM ► PhD Confirmation of Candidature - Mr Sung Chung (MAPrc)

                   11:30 AM ► PhD Confirmation of Candidature - Mr Aaron Hill (MAPrc)

                     1:30 PM ► Psychiatry Professorial Grand Round

Tue Feb 24  11:30 AM ► PhD Confirmation of candidature - Ms Ashlee Conway (ACBD)

Wed Feb 25 11:30 AM ► PhD Mid-candidature review - Ms Pin Shie Quah (Immunology)

                    1:00 PM ► Clinical and Pathology Review (ACBD)

                    1:30 PM ► PhD Pre-submission review - Dr Antony Friedman (Medicine)

Fri Feb 27   10:00 AM ► CCS Honours orientation
                    11:00 AM ► CCS photography: Bookings for Staff

New efforts to broaden PhD training are “fantastic” but Australian medical industry needs capitalisation

Fabienne Mackay says the medical industry hasn’t
been supported enough.
Picture: Aaron FrancisSource: News Corp Australia

The Australian published an article (18/2/2015) quoting Professors Stephen Jane and Fabienne Mackay on medical research PhD training and post PhD opportunities. Link. Excerpts quoted below.

"Monash University’s Central Clinical School head, Stephen Jane, said the new PhD ... included content on intellectual property, designing clinical trials and statistics. He said the PhD would arm students with 'a skill set commensurate with a far broader range of career options but also emphasise the necessity to engage with industry'.

"...for leading medical researcher Fabienne Mackay, head of the department of immunology at Monash University, the real problem is that Australia’s medical industry hasn’t been supported enough to grow to the scale the country needs to capitalise on its strong medical research. She said the US was also facing an oversupply of medical researchers but, unlike Australia, there was a big medical industry to soak them up.

“'The real problem does not come from universities who develop links with national and international industry partners to create opportunities for their students and the workforce. The problem is the choice made by leaders of this nation who have neglected efforts to diversify our economy and never made the choice to exploit homegrown talents to build a decent homegrown medical industry,' she said."