NHMRC Tracker 2007

September 14th

The NHMRC CEO, Professor Warwick Anderson, will be holding a series of forums in each State and Territory over the coming months, to outline current activities within NHMRC, and to discuss issues and concerns within the research community. Each Forum will be open to health and medical researchers, research administration officers and other interested people. This will be your opportunity to raise questions directly with the CEO.
The sessions will be held in the afternoons on the following dates:
- Adelaide - 1 November 2007
- Perth - 2 November 2007
- Melbourne - 21 November 2007
- Brisbane - 22 November 2007
- Sydney - 23 November 2007
- Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and selected regional centres - early 2008
Further information about each session will be provided through NHMRC Tracker closer to the date.

Nominations are now open for the inaugural NHMRC From Science to Art Award.
The advancement of science and research through biomedical imaging is a field blossoming with the advent of new technology. In recognition of this burgeoning new field of science, the NHMRC From Science to Art Award will be awarded for the most outstanding image generated as part of a health and medical research project.
The recipient of this award will have the winning image used in NHMRC advertising material for the next 12 months.
Submissions should be sent electronically in 300dpi jpeg or tif format to samantha.ross@nhmrc.gov.au by 22 October 2007 and should include the name, contact details and institution of the nominee, the source of the image and what the image is. Digitally enhanced or altered images are eligible.
Further information on how to enter is available by contacting Samantha Ross on 02 6217 9343.

The Australia Fellowship (AF) is a pre-eminent award for outstanding health and medical researchers across all disciplines, each Fellowship with a total value of $4 million. The inaugural round of AF awards was announced by the Minister for Health and Ageing in August and it is anticipated that Round Two will be finalised soon.
AF Round Three will commence early in 2008, and will be advertised later this year through the usual channels. Leading researchers with a vision for the benefit of Australian health and medical research are encouraged to apply. International researchers are also eligible, provided they meet certain conditions.
We urge all research institutions and researchers to encourage your international friends who are leading researchers, whether Australian or not, to begin to plan applications now. We are looking for leaders in research excellence in any field relevant to health, with a vision for the future and demonstrated capacity to achieve visionary plans. Remember that an Australian passport is not a prerequisite!!
More information about the Australia Fellowships scheme can be found at:
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants/apply/career/index.htm

NHMRC is now awaiting review feedback from the external assessors assigned to each application. These reviews will be available for applicants' responses in mid to late October 2007. Applicants will have two weeks to respond.
Announcements are expected to be made in late 2007. For more information, please contact Ms Christine Denny, Senior Project Officer, (02) 6217 9286

Minister Abbott announced the appointment of Dr Kerry Breen to the role of Commissioner for Complaints, effective from 1 September 2007.
Dr Breen succeeds Dr John Donovan, who had served in the role with distinction since March 2000.

The NHMRC, with the support of ARC, is hosting its third biennial National Research Ethics Conference on 17-18 October 2007, at the Sebel and Citigate Hotel, Albert Park, Melbourne.
The Conference seeks to promote debate about the ethical dimensions of human research. Four symposium sessions are included, along with a Continuing Education Day to run on 16 October.
Early bird registration closes 28 September 2007. For more information and to register online, go to:
http://www.communicationlink.com.au/ethics/main.aspx

The next CEO message will be posted on the NHMRC website (www.nhmrc.gov.au) on Monday 17 September. It covers:
Aiming for Excellence - International review of NHMRC
Australian Fellowships
Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research
Streamlining ethical review of multi-centre clinical research
New Australia/China Exchange Fellowships
Project grants peer review
Implementation of the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act 2002
Drinking Water Supplies
Health guidelines and the NHMRC
Animal Welfare
NHMRC Awards
NHMRC Development Grants