(Formerly known as Central Clinical School)
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| L-R: Drs Zhoujie Ding, Matt Hudson and Robb Wesselingh |
Matt, Zhoujie and Rob were awarded funding in the fourth and final round for 2022 of the GIN Hub's Pitch for their project, "Developing the first Australian mouse model of anti-NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis". We look forward to seeing the results of this collaboration between the Neuroscience and Immunology and Pathology departments.
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| The Monash team at the 2022 Day of Immunology. L-R back row Nirmal Bhatt, Flavia Gomez, Kathy Hsin, Gemma Hartley, Maria Demaria. Front row: Katrina Kan, Jesse Mulder and Jurie Tashkandi |
By Dr Maria Demaria, Lecturer, Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School
The International Day of Immunology is celebrated every year on 29 April. The Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) organises a number of events to coincide with this day. In Victoria and Tasmania, our events included a public lecture, research institute discovery tours, science in the pub, and secondary school student workshops and careers sessions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first year since 2019 that many of these events have been held.
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| October is Mental Health Month |
By Dr Zhouije Ding and the CCS GEDI committee
COVID-19 has significantly changed our daily life, an outcome shared across the world. Here in Melbourne, endless lockdowns and the question of “Will we ever be back to normal?” haunts us all.
When my 6-year old child asked me, “Could we go abroad and visit grandpa and grandma because I miss them so much”, it was definitely a heart-breaking moment, in which all I could think to say was “Yes, we will, one day”.
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| Image: Wear it purple |
by Drs Zhoujie Ding, Jess Borger
On 27 August 2021 the Central Clinical School's Gender Equity Diversity and Inclusion (CCS GEDI) committee are asking you to ‘Wear it Purple”.
Wear it Purple Day aims to drive awareness of rainbow young people in Schools, Universities and Youth Alliances, and assist these organisations in creating inclusive experiences and environments.
Advocacy, raising awareness and providing a supportive and safe environment is particularly important in academia, where there are still many Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) challenges experienced by researchers and educators who identify as LGBTIQA+.
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| A rainbow of solidarity: the Monash University rainbow lanyard shows support for LGBTQ(IA)+. |
See also Part 2: The lived experience of LGBTQ(IA)+ - Fredrik Appelgren's story
by Jessica Borger, Alex Dimitropoulos and Zhoujie Ding*
In 2004, 17 May was established as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). Since then, commemorations have taken place in more than 132 countries globally.
However, there is still a lack of full awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and more (LGBTQ(IA)+) rights, or, more broadly, the acceptance of diversities, in our society.
See also Part 1: How CCS can support LGBTQ(IA)+ initiatives
by Jessica Borger, Alex Dimitropoulos, Zhouije Ding*
Here we share a real-life story from the LGBTQ(IA)+ community supporting why we need to ensure inclusivity and support diversity in the workplace. We would like to thank Fredrik Appelgren for sharing his story and opinion with us.
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| Research group leaders in the Department of Immunology and Pathology share their thoughts on mentoring. L-R upper row: A/Prof Margaret Hibbs, Prof Nicola Harris, A/Prof Natasha Smallwood, Prof Anne Holland; L-R lower row: Prof David Tarlinton, A/Prof Menno van Zelm, Dr Malcolm Starkey. |
The topic of women in science usually draws immediate mention of Marie Curie, the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, first in Physics in 1903 (with her husband Pierre), and then in Chemistry in 1911. Or more recently, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier’s ground-breaking work in gene editing, which won them the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Their win marked the first time a science‐related Nobel Prize was shared by women and no men.
