Photo of the week: Photomicroscopy

Cell Press: Cell Picture Show: "Beauty in Disease". The exhibition features 16 images of microscopic elements including cells, vasculature, DNA, neurones, various tissue types and pathologies. All spectacular. See: http://www.cell.com/pictureshow/beauty-in-disease

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

Justin Chen at the 2014
EMCR@AMREP conference

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 (2-6 March)

Mon 2 Mar 12:30PM ► Psychiatry Professorial Grand Round
Tue  3 Mar  8:30AM  ► Media training for scientists workshops
Fri  6 Mar  10:00AM ► 2015 BMedSc(Hons) orientation 
                     1:00PM ► PhD Pre-submission review Mr Brendan Elsworth

Welcome to Dr Dan Andrews, Department of Immunology

Dr Daniel Andrews is a Senior Research Fellow and laboratory head for the Natural Killer (NK) Cell Biology Laboratory in the Department of Immunology. He heads the newly formed NK cell Biology Laboratory focuses on the interaction between NK cell receptors and non-classical MHC. The focus is on understanding the biochemistry, cell biology and immune responses associated with these interactions.

Immune detection and eradication or control of cancer and cancer immunotherapies are based in part on the idea that tumour-specific white blood cells can protect the body from tumour development, growth and metastases. While strong evidence supports this, the means by which these white cells first recognize the cancerous tissue is largely unknown. We are studying a new family of white blood cell receptors that may be important in this recognition, either naturally or following therapy.
See more: www.med.monash.edu.au/immunology/staff/andrews-dan.html

Medical research graduates to be more industry oriented: Prof Stephen Jane

Prof Stephen Jane: The gap between
medical industry and research can be
bridged more effectively with training.

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) published an opinion piece (23 Feb 2015) by Professor Stephen Jane on the need for medical graduates to think beyond academia for their future career paths, and describing Monash University's new Translational Research PhD and graduate certificate. "This new educational stream offers scientists and clinicians an opportunity to develop skills specifically aimed at getting basic research to practical outcomes - in clinical practice, biotech and pharma, commercialisation, medical devices and regulation - in multidisciplinary environments." See more:

• AFR link (paywalled)
• Translational Research PhD and graduate certificate

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