Achievements

NHMRC Grants Awarded for 2009

Congratulations to the following people within the department who were awarded NHMRC research grants for funding commencing in 2009.

• Louise Burrell. NHMRC Project Grant. Vasopressin: a novel target in heart failure. 2009 - 2011, $551,250
• Rachel Davey, Jeffrey Zajac, Howard Morris. NHMRC Project Grant. The mechanisms of the anabolic actions of androgens in bone. 2009 - 2011, $451,625
• Barbara Fam, Sof Andrikopoulos. NHMRC Project Grant. The role of liver fructose-1,6-phosphatase (FBPase) in body weight regulation. 2009 – 2011, $475,125
• Joe Proietto. NHMRC Project Grant. Investigating the origin of obesity-induced dyslipidaemia. 2009 - 2011, $559,375
• Ingrid Scheffer, Sarah Wilson, Martin Delatycki. NHMRC Project Grant. Clinical genetic phenotyping of Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2009 - 2011, $559,375
• Ego Seeman, Roger Zebaze, Mark Knackstedt, Eleanor Mackie, Roger Price, Karli Gross. NHMRC Project Grant. Bone fragility: the neglected role of corticol porosity. 2009 - 2011, $596,250

NHMRC Excellence Awards

The NHMRC has awarded two of its seven Excellence Awards to researchers associated with our department. These awards, which recognise researchers' outstanding contribution to the success of research in this country, are granted to the highest ranked recipients of grants and fellowships in 2008.

Dr Sof Andrikopoulos, head of the Islet Biology Laboratory in the Metabolic Disorders Research Group, is investigating the genetic susceptibility of islet dysfunction in diabetes. His research has led to the hypothesis that increased insulin secretory demand may be a mechanism that contributes to diabetes, a theory that has clinical implications in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Prof Graeme Jackson, head of the Brain Research Institute is recognised for his work in defining the causes of epilepsy and for classifying the brain's developmental abnormalities using MRI.

Both recipients received their awards from Prof Michael Good, Chair of the NHMRC, at a dinner in Canberra in early December, 2008.

International Osteoporosis Foundation Medal of Achievement

Prof Ego Seeman is the 2009 recipient of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Medal of Achievement. This prestigious award, presented at the IOF meeting in Florida, March 2009, honours researchers who have significantly advanced the field of osteoporosis through their original and outstanding scientific contributions. Prof Seeman, head of the Seeman Research Group, has contributed to studies of the definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis, as well as studies investigating factors determining skeletal growth, structure and bone strength. On presenting the award, IOF President Prof John Kanis said "Ego Seeman is among the most respected thought-leaders in the field of osteoporosis research, and is renowned as both a scientist and as an educator, scientific editor and speaker".

Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Medal

The Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Medal has been awarded to Professor Sam Berkovic for his contribution to epilepsy research. This award is made to an individual within Australia who has made an outstanding contribution in the areas of progressive neurological disorders or palliative care. Professor Berkovic leads the Berkovic Research Group, whose research focuses on the genetic foundations of epilepsy. He and his team of researchers were the first to prove that many types of epilepsy have a significant genetic component. The award is just one of many received by Professor Berkovic in recent years, including the prestigious Max Planck Institutes' Zulch Prize for neurology and election to the Australian Academy of Science in 2005, and an NHMRC Australia Fellowship, worth $4 million over 5 years, in 2007. For the Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation award, Prof Berkovic receives a medal and a grant of $5000.   

Endocrine Society of Australia Mid-Career Research Award

The 2009 ESA Mid-Career Research Award has been won by Dr Rachel Davey, head of the Bone Biology Laboratory, in the Molecular Endocrinology Research Group. This award recognises outstanding researchers with 5 to 12 years postdoctoral research experience, and is judged on the applicant's publications, grants, peer recognition, contributions to research training and contributions to professional activities. To mark this award, Dr Davey presented a lecture on her research entitled Male Sex Hormones and the Skeleton: Using Genetically Modified Mouse Models to Identify their Mechanisms of Action at the recent ESA Annual Scientific Meeting, in August 2009. In 2008, Dr Davey was the first non-American recipient of the American Society for Bone & Mineral Research's Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award.

BSc(Hons) Poster Prize 2009

The Department of Medicine's Poster Prize for BSc(Hons) students has been won this year by Ms Jackie How, a member of the Verberne Research Group. Jackie is supervised by Dr Daniela Sartor, and won the award for her poster entitled The role of gastric leptin in obesity-related hypertension. Jackie will receive a Certificate of Excellence and a $100 bursary for this prize, and also presented her poster, along with the other Honours students, as part of Austin Health Research Week, October 19-23, 2009.

PhD Poster Prize 2009

The Department of Medicine's Poster Prize for PhD students has been awarded to Ms Nicole Lee, a member of the Androgens & Muscle Laboratory in the Molecular Endocrinology Research Group. Nicole is nearing the end of the third year of her PhD, and her research is focussed on identifying genes regulated by androgens that contribute to the anabolic actions of androgens in muscle. Nicole, supervised by Dr Helen MacLean, won the prize for her poster entitled Odc1 and Tceal7 are androgen receptor target genes in skeletal muscle. She will receive a Certificate of Excellence and a $250 bursary. Nicole also presented this poster as part of Austin Health Research Week, and is also presenting her research in a talk at the Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation Symposium in November, 2009.