Medical Alumni Association e-Newsletter, November 2012 Dear Colleagues Welcome to the newsletter for November 2012. Please send any suggestions you have for the content of future monthly newsletters. The sections are: 1. Forthcoming events - Memorial Service for Emeritus Professor Paul Korner; book launch by Michael Kirby of the biography of Norman Haire (note change of date and venue) 2. Alumni news - internship crisis; Book Club of women alumni; birthday celebrations; memorials for medical alumni 3. University and Sydney Medical School (SMS) news - research findings; public health; philanthropy 4. History of medicine - First Tuesday History of Medicine Club (4 November); International Society for the History of Neurosciences, Sydney, June 2013; history of medicine books by Milton Lewis 5. Reunions 6. Death notices and obituaries 7. Updating your University records. 1. Forthcoming events 1.1 Memorial Ceremony, Emeritus Professor Paul Korner AO - Tuesday, 27 November, 10am, The Great Hall, The University of Sydney Friends and colleagues are invited to celebrate the life of Emeritus Professor Paul Korner AO at a Memorial Ceremony at 10am on Tuesday 27th November 2012 in the Great Hall, The University of Sydney. Please RSVP at http://surveys.med.usyd.edu.au/limesurvey/index.php?sid=46453&lang=en Emeritus Professor Paul Korner AO (1925-2012) graduated from Sydney Medical School in 1951 and gained his MD in 1956. He was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physiology in the 1950s and was later Professor of Cardiology at the University of Sydney. He went on to become Director of the Baker Research Institute in Melbourne from 1975 to 1990, during which time the Baker became the first institute in Australia dedicated entirely to cardiovascular research. Paul Korner had an enormous role in establishing Australia as a leading country in this field. He conducted pioneering research into the regulation of blood pressure, including the mechanisms that cause high blood pressure, with a particular focus on the central neurogenic mechanisms. Paul was widely regarded as an inspirational leader and scientist, and is attributed with fostering the careers of many esteemed scientists and academics. He was a Visiting Professor in Physiology at the University of Sydney until his death. 1.2 Book launch by Hon. Michael Kirby AC, CMG - Norman Haire and the study of sex - Monday, 3 December, 6 for 6.30pm (note change of date) Norman Haire and the study of sex by Diana Wyndham will be launched by the Hon. Michael Kirby AC, CMG Date: Monday 3 December 2012 at 6 for 6.30 pm Venue: University of Sydney, SciTech Library, City Rd (next to the Wentworth Building) Please RSVP by Fri 30 November 2012 - http://sydney.edu.au/sup/events.html or call 9036 9958. 1.3 Sydney Ideas See program for November and December: http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/ 2. Alumni news 2.1 National Internship Crisis Updates - see http://www.amsa.org.au/advocacy/internship-crisis/ See also AMSA - http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/funding-feudthreatens-interns-hospital-placements-20121109-2938s.html; http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/internships-for-all-medics-couldprove-disastrous/story-fnbkvnk7-1226519891828; and http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/in-depth/news-review/storm-warning 2.2 Medical women readers Dianne Campbell (now Head of Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Children's Hospital at Westmead) has sent some notes about her Book Club. 'Our “alumni” book club consists of four women from the 1989 graduating year of Sydney Medical School, one from the graduating year 1990, and one from the University of Adelaide, who is now a clinical academic at the University of Sydney - so she has honorary USyd rights! We comprise three paediatricians (Immunology, Nephrology, Eating disorders), one oncologist, one histopathologist and one ophthalmologist. Our last book discussed was The dinner by Herman Koch, and we are currently reading The street sweeper by Elliot Perlman.' Dianne also kindly informed me that Professor Kathryn North (1985) will be the new Director of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne see: http://foundation.rch.org.au/?page=Detail&item=Murdoch-Childrens-ResearchInstitute-announces-new-Director 2.3 Birthday celebrations Peter (1946) and Maureen (1966) Rogers recently celebrated their 90th and 70th birthdays with their large extended family and friends. Peter's father, Eugene, graduated from Sydney Medical School in 1918. Other medical alumni in their extended family include Peter's brother, James Stuart Rogers (1951); his brothers-inlaw, Allan Frederick Dwyer (1942) and (Brian) Michael Dwyer (1953); his son, Chris Rogers (1971), and Chris' wife, Christine Rogers (nee Norrie) (1971); and another son, James (Jim) Rogers (1979), and his wife, Cecily Forsyth (1986). Peter's granddaughter, Caroline Flynn graduated in medicine from UNSW in 2002, as did her husband, Peter Flynn (2003). The attached photos show Peter and Maureen and most of their great-grandchildren! Ferry Grunseit (1945) and his wife, Hannah, also recently enjoyed a celebration of his 90th birthday with his son, Marc (UNSW, 1977), now a renowned glass artist (see: http://www.marcgrunseit.com.au/artists/cv/cvfull.html and http://www.marcgrunseit.com.au/), and his daughter-in-law, Barbara (UNSW, 1977), and with his paediatric friends and their partners. 2.4 Memorials for medical alumni Stephen Leeder (1966) reminded me that a jacaranda tree on the western side of the Anderson Stuart Building is a memorial to Ben Teh (1966). The plaque reads simply 'In memory of Dr Ben Teh 1941-1998' (see photo). I have also attached a recent photo of the brilliant jacaranda in the Quadrangle! Please send me any details of other memorials to our medical alumni. 2.5 Sydney University Medical Society Executive for 2013 Zac Turner, Immediate Past President, has kindly introduced us to the incoming MedSoc Executive for 2013: President – Simon Reid ([email protected]); Vice President (Education) – Audrey Menzies ([email protected]); Vice President (Social) – Harriet Caterson ([email protected]); Treasurer – Welan Dionela ([email protected]); and Secretary – Andrew Ying ([email protected]). We wish Zac and his graduating year every success in their chosen careers. It has been a harrowing time for many as they await news of internships! 2.6 Sydney Medical School Alumni Awards Nominations are now open for the 2013 Alumni Awards. Please see all details at the link: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/awards/index.php 3. University and Sydney Medical School news 3.1 Centre researcher secures rare funding grant from US health body Researcher Professor Tony Weiss from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre has received a prestigious USA National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding grant - one of the few awarded to an Australian researcher in recent years. The NIH grant - $1.3 million towards further work on multi-functional tropoelastin-silk biomaterial systems - acknowledges Professor Weiss's research and international leadership in the fields of human tropoelastin and synthetic human elastin biomaterials, which have been found to augment and repair human tissues. The grant will allow Professor Weiss to develop more sophisticated blends of elastin and silk, which have also been found to direct tissue growth. Professor Weiss will continue to work with principal collaborator Professor David Kaplan at Tufts University in the US. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newscategoryid=1&newsstoryid=10553 3.2 Australians double their antidepressants The use of antidepressants doubled in Australia between 2000 and 2011 and they now account for two out of every three psychotropic medications prescribed, a new study by the University of Sydney reveals. It also shows that over the last decade there has been a dramatic 58 percent increase in the use of psychotropic medications by the Australian population, which has only increased by 13 percent over that time. "Australians are increasingly relying on the use of psychotropic meds to treat their mental health problems," said Professor Iain McGregor, from the University's School of Psychology and senior author of the study published this week in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. "These results are surprising, somewhat worrying, and raise the question of why so many of us need drugs to be able to cope with modern life. "The heavy use of antidepressants may reflect their increasing use in conditions other than depression: everything from anxiety disorders to treating pain. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10549 3.3 The case for creating a smoker's licence A smoker's licence designed to limit access to tobacco products and encourage quitting has been proposed by Professor Simon Chapman, from the University of Sydney. Professor Chapman, from the School of Public Health, outlines his idea for a smart card licence in PLOS One Medicine. It would allow smokers to set daily limits, would give financial incentives for permanent licence surrender and test knowledge of smoking health risks. "A smoker's licence may seem like a radical step toward ending the epidemic of disease caused by tobacco, but it is far less radical than prohibiting the sale of tobacco, which is not a strategy that has yet been supported by any international expert report or political forum," said Professor Chapman. "A smoker's licence allows smokers the choice to continue smoking within a regulatory framework that promises new disincentives to smoke and a major financial incentive to quit." http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10533 3.4 Hard labour under investigation With as many as a 30 percent of pregnant women in Australia experiencing a caesarean birth, a study led by researchers from the University of Sydney aims to determine if there is a link between high levels of lactate in amniotic fluid and difficult labours which may end with a caesarean section. Lead investigator Sally Tracy, Professor of Midwifery at the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sydney, says like any other muscle in our body, it appears that the female uterus produces lactic acid when it is tired. There is compelling evidence that a raised lactate level in the uterine muscle leads to inhibition of muscle contractions, resulting in poor or uncoordinated contractions and a lack of progress in labour or dysfunctional labour. By monitoring the amniotic fluid lactate levels during labour, it may be possible to determine which women are likely to experience a dysfunctional labour due to uterine muscle fatigue, says Professor Tracy. A study based at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick aims to investigate the relationship between higher concentrations of amniotic fluid lactate and the diagnosis of labour dystocia. The research will build on the pioneering work recently undertaken in this area in the UK and Sweden. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10537 3.5 Spring giving means brighter smiles for Bourke Brighter smiles are becoming more common in Bourke thanks to the dental work performed by final-year students from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Dentistry. A regular dental clinic established in conjunction with the Poche Centre and the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) is providing much needed oral health services to the people of the region, helped in part by generous donors to the University of Sydney. Funding projects such as the Bourke clinic is one of the key focuses of the University's spring fundraising appeal, to ensure it can continue to make a difference in reversing the trend of poor dental health in the NSW township. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10522 3.6 Vaccines can have major impact on bacterial meningitis worldwide More widespread use of the vaccines currently available to treat bacterial meningitis could have a major impact on the disease, according to a global research review led by the University of Sydney. "Substantial challenges remain, but the good news is that the use of targeted vaccines, especially in parts of the world where the burden of this terrible disease is the heaviest, can have a major effect," said Professor Peter McIntyre, lead author of the review published in The Lancet on Friday. Professor McIntyre is Director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases at the University's School of Public Health. "It is a justly feared disease which almost always causes death if untreated and long term disabilities such as hearing loss or brain damage in survivors, especially in the poorest countries." There are three main species of bacteria responsible for most cases of bacterial meningitis worldwide - haemophilus, pneumococcus and meningococcus. All three infections can be prevented by vaccines that are highly effective against specific types of each bacterium, but the percentage of total cases which can be prevented differs. "In countries such as Australia and America where the three vaccines have been in use for some years, the number of meningitis cases for all ages has reduced to only about a third of what it was before the first of the vaccines was introduced," said Professor McIntyre. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10513 3.7 Shortage of national health complaints data a problem for health system A lack of national data on health care complaints is a major obstacle to making improvements to the health care system, a study led by the University of Sydney claims. "It is time to agree upon a national data set for complaints," said Professor Merrilyn Walton from Sydney Medical School, lead author of the study published today in the Australian Review of Public Affairs (PDF, 197KB). Professor Walton is a former head of the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission. "All states and territories collect data on health complaints but there is no consistency about what is collected and how the terms are defined. Any meaningful comparison and national analysis about health care complaints, a highly valuable source of information, is currently impossible," said Professor Walton. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10505 3.8 Better access to specialist neurological care for regional NSW People in regional NSW will have remote access to multiple sclerosis clinics in Sydney thanks to a new telemedicine facility in Dubbo. The facility will improve the quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases, who often find travel to be physically and mentally exhausting and, for some, unaffordable. "It is logistically impossible for many patients with multiple sclerosis to travel to our clinic on a regular basis, potentially compromising their medical care," said Dr Michael Barnett, leading MS neurologist and researcher at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI). The new clinic uses teleconference audiovisual technology to put patients in contact with Sydney specialists. Patients attend their telemedicine appointments at the University of Sydney's School of Rural Health in Dubbo, with the consulting specialist located in a dedicated telemedicine room at the BMRI in Sydney. The consultations are facilitated by a rurally based and specially trained MS nurse. The facility was established by Dr Barnett and colleagues at the BMRI in association with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Multiple Sclerosis Australia, and with support from the School of Rural Health. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10488 3.9 Disco bacteria Disease-causing bacteria will light up like a fluorescent shirt on a nightclub dance floor in a new rapid detection technique currently under development at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Pharmacy. Preventing the spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals or healthcare facilities is the focus of a project recently awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council project grant. Over the last couple of decades multi-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA for short, have become a serious global public health concern. Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Paul Groundwater, who will lead the project titled 'Novel Fluorogenic Probes for the Selective Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria', says that his team will use fluorogenic substrates to identify specific bacterial enzymes. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10492 3.10 History of the University nominated for Premier's Award A book about the history of the University of Sydney has been shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Award in the Community and Regional History Prize category. Sydney: The Making of a Public University (Miegunyah Press) by University of Sydney researchers Julia Horne and Geoffrey Sherington, examines the University's evolving role as a public institution since it was founded in 1852. The book tells a tale of how Australian public institutions have evolved in the last 160 year and traverses the different views of what 'public' meant in the history of NSW. Philanthropy at the University serves as an excellent example. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10495 3.11 Equity Fellowships benefit the University and community Obesity, memory, neuroplasticity, development banks and children's language are among the research areas to benefit from this year's University of Sydney Equity Fellowships. Nine academics have been awarded Brown, Thompson and Laffan Fellowships, which provide academic staff with relief from routine teaching and administrative responsibilities to concentrate on research. Recipients this year are from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Faculty of Pharmacy and Sydney Medical School. A joint initiative of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and the Staff and Student Equal Opportunity Unit, each Fellow will receive $60,000 over two semesters. "These programs support talented researchers who have encountered various obstacles to developing their ideas and careers," said Professor Jill Trewhella, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10472 3.12 Epigenetics a factor in Tasmanian devil disease Genes in the tumours of Devil Facial Tumour Disease gradually 'switch off' over time, say researchers at the University of Sydney. The finding, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal today, has important implications for the disease and could also help us to understand how human cancer evolves. "This is the first time that the role of epigenetics has been shown to play a role in this devastating disease which has already killed 85 percent of the Tasmanian devil population," said lead author Associate Professor Kathy Belov, from the Faculty of Veterinary Science. Epigenetics refers to changes in genetic tags - modifications to the DNA which are able to be inherited but are not caused by changing the DNA sequence. Changes in these tags can affect the way different genes are switched on or off and can be caused by external factors such as stress, diet and nutrition. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10468 3.13 Success across the board in latest round of ARC grants The planet's most powerful survey telescope is among the 100-plus University of Sydney projects to receive funding in the latest round of Australian Research Council (ARC) Grants. When built, the Hawaiian-based PanSTARRS-2 telescope will constantly survey the northern half of the sky, says Professor Bryan Gaensler from the University's Sydney Institute for Astronomy. "We have a similar telescope in Australia that sees the southern half of the sky," he says. "But the biggest problems in cosmology can be answered only by seeing the whole sky. The new telescope is the missing half of the equation." PanSTARRS-2 is one of 102 successful Discovery Projects, Discovery Early Career Research and Linkage Infrastructure successful grants received by the University worth total of $37.6 million in this latest round. Other recipients from the University of Sydney include: Dr Yazi Ke from the Brain and Mind Research Institute has been awarded $375,000 to better understand the role of the protein tau in dementia. Tau is present in abnormal deposits in brains of individuals with dementia. The main aim of this project is to unravel and understand in detail new roles of tau in neurons, thus shedding light on normal brain function. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10453 3.14 Inequality faced by parents with intellectual disabilities The federal government and five state governments in Australia have now apologised for forced adoption of babies from mothers in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. During those times there was a belief that young and unmarried women were and 'incapable' of parenting. Today, it is parents with intellectual disability who face the consequences associated with being labelled 'unfit' and 'incapable' of parenting. Researchers from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Health Sciences, along with the Parenting Research Centre, have conducted research and highlighted the needs of parents with intellectual disabilities for many years. Together, they coordinate Healthy Start, the world's only national strategy for children of parents with learning difficulties, which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. In a recent submission to the New South Wales government, the Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) made recommendations aimed at avoiding the need for future governments to again apologise for treating another group of birth parents without compassion when they most need care and support. "Parenting remains the last taboo for people with intellectual disability," says Professor Gwynnyth Llewellyn, Director of the University's Centre for Disability Research and Policy and Co-Director of Healthy Start. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10457 3.15 Aspirin a viable treatment for serious blood clots, study shows Low-dose aspirin is a cheap and effective way to prevent potentially deadly blood clots in the leg or the lungs in patients who have had a previous blood clot, a new study shows. The study, conducted by the National Health and Medical Research Council's Clinical Trials Centre at the University of Sydney, and a team of international investigators, is published today in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study has found that people who have suffered blood clots in the veins of the leg (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or the lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE) are less likely to suffer a recurrence of the serious blood clots or a cardiac event if they take low-dose aspirin. These conditions affect approximately one in 1000 people in Australia each year. "The results of this study suggest the simple, inexpensive treatment of low-dose aspirin could prevent thousands of patients from experiencing recurrent clots each year and may make substantial healthcare savings in Australia and worldwide," Professor John Simes, Director of the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre at the University of Sydney and chair of the study said. "These results suggest that aspirin prevents about one third of recurrent blood clot events. For every 1000 patients treated for one year, aspirin can be expected to prevent about 20 to 30 episodes of recurrent major thrombotic events at the cost of about three significant bleeding episodes." http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10441 3.16 Standing tall - University honoured in science prizes Searching for the afterglows of gamma-ray bursts and understanding how the 'vacuum cleaners' of our brains work are the research goals that have seen two University of Sydney scientists honoured for their work. Last week Dr Tara Murphy, from the School of Physics and School of Information Technologies, won the NSW Young Tall Poppy of the Year Award and Associate Professor Renae Ryan, from the Bosch Institute and Sydney Medical School won a NSW Young Tall Poppy Science Award. Run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science, the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards recognise young scientists who are doing outstanding work in their field and actively engaging and educating the community. This year nine scientists from NSW were acknowledged. Associate Professor Renae Ryan was recognised for the work she does on proteins in the brain called neurotransmitter transporters. "Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that allow the cells in our brain to communicate with each other. Neurotransmitter transporters are the 'vacuum cleaners of the brain' because they suck neurotransmitters back into cells after they have sent their message," said Associate Professor Ryan. When these vacuum cleaners break down or become blocked, they stop clearing these messengers which leads to confusion and ultimately cell death in the brain. These processes underlie the damage in many brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, stroke and schizophrenia. "I am trying to understand exactly how these vacuum cleaners work and what goes wrong when they stop working. The outcomes of my research will provide the basic information for the development of new medications to treat debilitating brain diseases," said Associate Professor Ryan. "Winning a Tall Poppy award is a real honour as they not only recognise scientific achievement, but also community engagement. I am looking forward to working with high school students over the coming year and hope to inspire some to consider a career in science. I am especially interested in attracting more girls into studying science and am passionate about trying to support women to continue in their scientific careers." http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10442 3.17 Sydney's men and Melbourne's women take victory in Australian Boat Race Sydney and Melbourne universities divided the spoils of victory for the third year running on Sunday morning (4 November) as the Australian Boat Race returned to Sydney Harbour. The University of Melbourne's women's eight repeated last year's comprehensive victory over their University of Sydney counterparts, while in the men's race Sydney weathered some early skirmishes to move clear in the second half of the 4.3kilometre course and win by 5.3 seconds. The four crews featured an incredible eight Olympians, seven of whom rowed for Australia at the recent London 2012 Olympic Games. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10437 3.18 Australia's reputation at risk over medical intern crisis Some 150 international medical students don't have intern placements for next year. The situation is critical, for students and the healthcare sector, writes Sydney Medical School Dean Bruce Robinson. About 150 international medical students graduating from Australian universities do not have an intern position for next year due to funding shortfalls. We are at a critical point. If graduates cannot secure an internship locally they will have no option but to take their chances in the competitive matching programs in their home countries. In some home countries, there are no opportunities. In Canada, US and European Union, the odds are against them. The damage to the reputation of Australia as a higher education destination is one thing. Future international student numbers will be affected; students will continue to use both the local and international media to tell their stories. In my view, though, reputational damage is less important than the personal consequences for the students, young people who have come here in good faith, worked hard, passed their exams, become alumni of our universities but now may potentially find the whole exercise was a waste because they have limited opportunities to get their registration. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10432 3.19 We're behind some Sculpture by the Sea scenes Two works by students, staff and graduates from the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning have been showcased in this year's Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi exhibition. Faculty alumna Ivana Kuzmonovska and current PhD student Rachel Couper joined forces to create the work Mirador stands, which takes a commanding position in an old lookout tower. The artistically stunning and technically masterful Mirador is a 3.5 metre high dome lined internally with mirrors. The shifting reflections created by the mirrors represent places that cannot be visited. The work asks us to consider the nature of looking and reflection, man and nature. See stunning photo on website link! http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10417 3.20 Graduate medals recognise outstanding alumni Some of the University of Sydney's most outstanding alumni have been recognised with graduate medals, awarded to exceptional students who have graduated or completed requirements for their degrees in the previous year. The graduate medals include recognition of undergraduate and postgraduate excellence and community achievement, as well as awards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student achievement, sporting achievement, and international student achievement. Rita and John Cornforth Medal for PhD Achievement The Rita and John Cornforth medal was established in 2011 to commend the academic and community achievements of PhD graduates. The medal is named in honour of Sir John Warcup 'Kappa' Cornforth AC CBE FRS (BSc '38, MSc '39, DSc '77) and Lady Rita Cornforth (BSc '37, MSc '38), who were among the most outstanding students in their respective years. John went on to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1975 for his work on the stereochemistry of enzyme-catalysed reactions. He has been deaf since his teens, and Rita has relayed speech to him by lip-reading throughout their life together. Rita and John both accepted postgraduate scholarships in 1938 to work at the University of Oxford, and had a profound influence on the study of penicillin during World War II. Jodie Ingles (PhD (Medicine), 2011) is an outstanding researcher in the field of genetic heart disease, and has made significant contributions to the discipline. She has published 20 high quality peer-reviewed papers, 14 of which arose from her PhD research into the psychosocial aspects of genetic heart disease in the young. Jodie also established the world's first National Genetic Heart Disease Registry in Australia and Australia's first Genetic Heart Disease Clinic, which is being used as a model for similar centres in Australia and overseas. Most recently, she was awarded the NHMRC early Career Scholarship, co-funded by the National Heart Foundation of Australia. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10410 3.21 Including people with intellectual disability at university A new program at the University of Sydney has opened the door to university study for five students with intellectual disabilities. The students are taking undergraduate courses at the University this semester in an Inclusive Education Program (IEP) pilot, an initiative where they have selected to go to lectures in Greek and Roman Myth, Film Studies, Mathematics and Numeracy, Painting and Renaissance and Reformation. With the guidance of student mentors and additional support from academics, the students are attending lectures and tutorials throughout the semester. Danielle Gild (Dan) receives personalised fortnightly tutorials on Greek and Roman Myth from Classics and Ancient History senior tutor Fran Keeling. Together, they discuss various websites, books and course materials. Fran has set a tailored assignment for Dan; students at this stage aren't required to complete formal course work. "The best part about uni is Fran, who has been amazing and is always happy and helping me," says Dan. "And she makes me laugh." Australians with intellectual disability who complete high school typically go on to TAFE courses oriented towards daily living skills and vocational training. Professor Patricia O'Brien, who leads the IEP pilot from the Sydney Medical School's Centre for Disability Studies, says the program helps Australia meet its UN obligations in relation to disabled people and provides participants an opportunity to fully participate in society. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10412 3.22 Rhodes Scholar Jacob Taylor bound for Oxford Jacob Taylor, the vice-captain of the Australian Rugby Union Sevens squad, is the winner of the NSW Rhodes scholarship for 2013. Already a fluent Chinese speaker, Jacob is well ahead in the Asian Century. Prior to completing his BA Languages honours degree at the University of Sydney in 2010, he studied at Peking and Liaoning universities in China. He will take up his scholarship at University of Oxford next year to study for a Master's in Neuroanthropology in the Centre for Anthropology and Mind. In keeping with his long-standing engagement with Australia and China, Jacob aims for his innovative fusion of interests to assist in the forging of a healthy economic and political dialogue between the two countries. His field of study - the emerging area of neuroanthropology - is the way the human brain and body interact within its physical, social and cultural environments. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10398 3.23 Image of a virus caught in the act A dramatic image of a virus replicating and spreading through cells, destroying them as it goes, has been captured by University of Sydney researchers. As featured in the prestigious Cell magazine as part of their Cell Picture Show the technique used to create the image also helps calculate the level of infectious virus present in cells. "The image shows vaccinia virus, the live-virus vaccine used to eradicate smallpox, spreading from a single infected cell through an entire layer of monkey kidney cells," said Dr Timothy Newsome. Dr Newsome and Dean Procter, a PhD student from his laboratory at the University's School of Molecular Bioscience, collaborated with colleagues from the Australian National University to create the image. This is part of Dr Newsome's research on understanding the role of viral genes in viral biology and the effect that mutating these genes has on the viruses' ability to cause disease. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10404 3.24 A coal economy has multiple health and social risks, says major review A major review of evidence on the impact of coal mining has highlighted serious, ongoing health and social problems and an urgent need for improvements in government coal mining policy. The research by the University of Sydney has also revealed a critical lack of local studies investigating the effect coal mining has on Australian communities. The report, which analyses 50 peer-reviewed research papers from 10 countries, will be launched at the University today. "This comprehensive review of Australian and international health and medical literature underlines the pressing need for Australia to re-evaluate whether the overall health and social costs of Australia's reliance on a coal economy will ultimately outweigh its economic benefits," said lead author Associate Professor Ruth Colagiuri, from Sydney Medical School. The purpose of the report (PDF, 1.8MB), commissioned by Beyond Zero Emissions, is to provide an overview of the available evidence on the health effects and social justice impacts of coal mining on local communities and relate these issues to the Hunter Region of New South Wales. The Hunter region has more than 30 mostly open-cut coal mines and six active coal-fired power stations. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10393 3.25 Our alumni shine in 2012 University of Sydney alumni shine in almost every conceivable area, with an impressive range of prime ministers, chief justices, astronauts, surgeons, artists, scientists and Nobel laureates graduating in the University's 162-year history. Each year, the University recognises its outstanding graduates with the Alumni Awards, which recognise innovation, stimulation of new ideas and services, dedication, creativity, leadership and community spirit. Now in their 20th year, the awards are divided into two categories: alumni achievement awards for graduates already established in their careers, and graduate medals, announced on the night, which recognise younger achievers who graduated or completed their degree requirements in the previous year. This year's recipients of Alumni Awards include David Hunter, recipient of the International Alumni Award for his pioneering leadership in researching the variety of factors that cause cancer. Epidemiologist Dr David Hunter is recognised for his pioneering leadership and research into the variety of factors that cause cancer, in particular through global studies that have built huge databases of information. David has led two major studies: the Nurses' Health Studies (and a similar sized follow-up study of nurses); and the Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium, encompassing major world epidemiological cohort studies of 750,000 participants. He is also the principal investigator of a four-year grant from the US National Cancer Institute to study the genetic and biological mechanisms that contribute to breast cancer. Dr Hunter also collaborates with researchers in Tanzania to investigate the relationship between nutrition and HIV. After graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1982, David went on to Harvard University, where he is now Vincent L Gregory Professor in Cancer Prevention and Dean for Academic Affairs. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=10378 3.26 Sydney alumni and the media Tony Joseph (1977), Richard Paoloni (1994) and Andrew McDonald (1978): casualty crisis - http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/injured-toddlers-twonight-wait-a-sign-of-casualtycrisis-20121117-29iye.html Helen Redmond (1993): coal seam gas http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/doctors-raise-alarm-over-toxic-coal-seamgas-leaks-20121116-29hbp.html Jamie Vandenberg (1988): inherited cardiomyopathy http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/personal-cure-saves-family-from-heartcondition-20121116-29hbw.html Deme Karikios (2006): cancer drugs http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/expensive-cancer-drugs-hit-budget20121114-29chj.html Christina Steffen (1982): puzzling infections http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/what-lurks-within/story-e6frg8h61226511523886 Colin Sullivan (1970): sleep sensor mat http://www.theaustralian.com.au/innovationchallenge/sensor-mat-a-virtualdoctor/story-fng1obgz-1226513869658 AAPS/RACP: circumcision - http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/the-first-cut20121105-28stn.html Andrew Rochford (2005): 'doctor prescribes beach life' http://digitaledition.manlydaily.com.au/?iid=70455&startpage=page0000042#folio=41 Stephen Robson (MMed, 2003): breech births http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/bottom-first-naturally/story-e6frg6z61226511036274 Stephen Robson (MMed, 2003): breech births http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/obstetricians-change-positionon-breech-births/story-e6frg8y6-1226511067808 Peter Collignon (1978): antibiotics - http://www.smh.com.au/national/time-runs-outfor-superbug-silver-bullet-20121102-28p1q.html Alexis St George (School of Public Health): obesity http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/too-many-managers-lead-way-on-poorhealth-20121101-28mxk.html Chris Scott (1993): military healthcare - http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politicalnews/doctors-shun-defences-new-insurer-20121031-28kg8.html Stephen Leeder (I966): hospital administration http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/westmead-manager-quits-amid-board-budget-crisis20121026-28b70.html Andrew McDonald (1978): internships - http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/anatural-world-wonder-reduced-to-begging-bowl-20121026-28bal.html?skin=text-only Mark Bowman (1984): Medicare payments for IVF http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/medicare-cuts-mean-1200-babies-notconceived-says-ivf-professor-20121025-2888l.html Longevity - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/the-race-to100/story-e6frg8y6-1226504830123 Ben Veness (SMP3): internships http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/internships-are-not-a-privilege-to-be-sold20121024-285n0.html Ben Veness (SMP3): students on Senate http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx Brian Morris (Physiology, SMS) - Professor Brian Morris was an invited speaker and panelist at the popular 'Festival of Dangerous Ideas', Sydney Opera House, 30 Sep 2012 in the 'Is genital cutting normal?' session with Germaine Greer. See also: http://www.circinfo.net/ (Brian Morris' website) and http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/episode/overview/503/The-First-Cut 4. History of medicine 4.1 First Tuesday History of Medicine Club - Tuesday, 4 December, 5.30 to 7pm We will be discussing the medical alumni involvement in WWI and keen to hear from anyone with any information, any memorabilia etc, or if you are working on related projects. Venue: Edward Ford Building, University of Sydney (the usual venue of the Burkitt Ford Lounge, may be changed – please check the notice board in the foyer) There will no meeting in January 2013. To receive notes of previous meetings or to book, contact Cate Storey - email: [email protected] 4.2 International Society for the History of Neurosciences - 18-22 June 2013 'Next June the annual conference of the International Society for the History of the Neurosciences will be held in Sydney, in one of the new lecture theatres of the Law Building at Sydney University. I’m writing in the hope that I can enthuse many of you about coming to that conference and especially to consider seriously presenting a talk at the conference. The scope of the society – and, hence, of the conference – is the entire gamut of neuroscience: from the history of the basic neurosciences (anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, neurochemistry), through pathology (in every respect that touches upon the nervous system), clinical medicine (psychiatry as well as neurology), anaesthesia, public health, politics, epidemiology and so on. We want to show our international visitors the range of research and scholarship in the fields which are cognate to the scope of the society. In particular, because 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the award of a Nobel Prize to Sir John Eccles, we’re hoping to have enough submissions to allow an entire day (probably on the Saturday, and perhaps holding those sessions in the historic Sydney Hospital, where (together with Stephen Kuffler and Bernhard Katz) Eccles worked (at the Kanematsu Memorial Institute) before World War II and for most of the war years. So please give serious thought to my suggestion – even if you don’t normally think of yourself as a scientific or medical historian. Dr Cate Storey ([email protected]) is the President of ISHN and will, of course, be President of this Conference. Others on the committee include Dr Paul Foley ([email protected]) and Dr Hans Pols ([email protected]). Looking forward to your deluge of submissions.' John Carmody Watch http://www.ishn.org/ for more information soon. 4.3 Books on history of medicine and related themes Milton Lewis is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Menzies Centre for Health Policy in the Sydney School of Public Health. Many readers may be unaware of the broad range of themes in books he has written or edited! MJ Lewis, Managing Madness: Psychiatry and Society in Australia, 1788-1980 (1988); MJ Lewis, A Rum State: Alcohol and State Policy in Australia, 1788-1988 (1992); MJ Lewis, Thorns on the Rose: The History of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Australia in International Perspective (1998); MJ Lewis, The People’s Health: Public Health in Australia, 1788-1950 (2003); MJ Lewis, The People’s Health: Public Health in Australia, 1950 to the Present (2003); MJ Lewis, Medicine and Care of the Dying: A Modern History (2007) (Hardback and E-Book); MJ Lewis, Where To From Here? The Need to Construct a Comprehensive National Health Policy (2001) (with SR Leeder); MJ Lewis, ed, Disease, Medicine and Empire: Perspectives on Western Medicine and the Experience of European Expansion (1988) (with RM MacLeod); Introduced and edited JHL Cumpston, Health and Disease in Australia: A History (1989); MJ Lewis, ed, New Perspectives on the History of Medicine (1990) (with H Attwood and R Gillespie); MJ Lewis, ed, Sex, Disease and Society: A Comparative History of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (1997) (with S Bamber and M Waugh); MJ Lewis, ed, Histories of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa (1999) (with P Setel and M Lyons); MJ Lewis, ed, Public Health in Asia and the Pacific: Historical and Comparative Perspectives (Hardback and E-Book 2008; Softcover 2011) (with KL MacPherson); MJ Lewis, ed, Health Transitions and the Double Disease Burden in Asia and the Pacific: Histories of Responses to Noncommunicable and Communicable Diseases (2013) (with KL MacPherson). Work is in progress on: MJ Lewis and H Minas, eds, Mental Health in Asia and the Pacific. 5. Reunions Reunions for graduating year of: 1958 - Saturday, 9 February 2013 – contact: Brian Parker: [email protected] 1978 - (January Graduation), Saturday, 23 February 2013 - contact: Andrew Byrne: [email protected] 1993 - Saturday, 9 March 2013 – contact: Chris Jones: [email protected] 1963 - Saturday, 16 March 2013 - contact: Sydney Nade: [email protected] 1973 - Saturday, 6 April 2013 - contact: Phil Cocks: [email protected] 1983 - Saturday, 6 April 2013 - contact: Diana Lovegrove (see email below) 1955 - Saturday, 13 April 2013 - contact: John Wright: [email protected] 1978 - (October Graduation), Saturday, 9 November 2013 – contact: Chris Ingall: [email protected] Please contact Diana Lovegrove ([email protected]) if your graduating year is due for a reunion and this has yet to be organised. See also: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/reunions/index.php Reunion reports (for 1992, 1967, 1952 and 1950) - see: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/reunions/reports/index.php 6. Death notices and obituaries (year of graduation in brackets) 6.1 Recent obituaries published in 2012 in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Medical Journal of Australia and elsewhere included: Edward Donnall Thomas (Harvard, 1946) http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/nobel-laureate-gave-new-hope-to-cancervictims-20121113-29a9t.html, written by John Rasko (1986) Gordon Ada (BSc, 1943) - http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/microbiologistfostered-nobel-discovery-20121108-290n7.html, written by Gus Nossal (1955) and others Bob Ravich (MB, ChB, Otago, 1962) http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/leading-light-in-cancer-care-2012110228pcw.html, written by Bruce Robinson (1980) and Fran Boyle (PhD, 1999; RNSH) Denise Lonergan (MMedEd, 2009) http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/caring-oncologist-made-time-for-all20121026-28aws.html Glen ('Herb') John Coorey (1957) http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/surgeon-never-forgot-those-in-need20121021-27za1.html Sara Williams OAM (Welsh National School of Medicine) http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/dedicated-to-childrens-care-2012101427kxa.html John Greenwell (1946) - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2012/197/6/john-greenwellmb-bs-frcog-fracog-fracma, written by Stephen Steigrad (1964) Dorothy Grace ('Billie') Greening (1956) http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/farewell-totrailblazing-medical-specialist-dorothy-billie-greening/2588179.aspx Struan Birrell Robertson (1952) - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2012/197/5/struanbirrell-robertson-mb-bs-frcog-franzcog, written by Jim Roche (1956) David Charles Morton (1952) - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2012/197/4/davidcharles-morton-mbbshons-frcog-franzcog-ddu, written by Alan Hewson (1952) John Maxwell Brown (1957) - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2012/197/4/johnmaxwell-brown-mbbs-fracp Wallace Gladstone Grigor (1953) http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%29612811/fulltext 6.2 Martin John (Tim) Talty (1972) 'My husband, Dr Martin John Talty (Tim) died in hospital on 9 September 2012 (aged 67) following a brief but determined battle with cancer. Our daughter, Amy, and I were by his side, and in death we saw the Tim we all knew, free of pain and at peace. Tim graduated from the University of Sydney in January 1972. He retired from General Practice at Mortdale in late 2011 and was diagnosed with renal cancer in February 2012. His funeral service on 14 September was attended by family, friends, colleagues and patients. Tim had time for everyone, loved a joke and his recent loss is deeply felt by all.' I thank Jill Talty for these notes about her husband, Tim (see attached photo). For other obituaries of our alumni, see: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/news/tributes.php 6.3 Death notices of alumni Vale to other medical friends and colleagues. Death notices of medical alumni in the Sydney Morning Herald or elsewhere included (most recent first): (Richard) Lloyd Cahill MBE (1939); David George Fox (1964); D'arcy Anthony (Tony) Cutcliffe (1962); John Warwick Newman (1956); Peter John Heery (1947); Philip Leonard Lye (1985); Brian Goodwin Lucas (1953); William (Bill) Andrew Distin Morgan (1952); Denise Margaret McGuigan/Lonergan (MMedEd, 2009); John Egan Moulton (1954); Gordon Charles Pettitt (1948); James Henry Field (1957); Paul Ivan Korner (1951); Harry Mossman Pringle (1951); Richard Willcocks (1952); Barry Clive Pearson (1952); Jane Ainslie Hallpike (nee Page) (1968); Keith Douglas Okey (1963); Martin John (Tim) Talty (1972); Joan Anderson (1953); Robert Bohdan Mikolaj Ravich (Otago, 1962; RNSH); Michael James Donlan (1977); Stuart Henry Bartle (1965); Warwick Laurent Williams (1946); Wilfred Hezlet Cary (1946); Dennis Howard White (1950); Roger John Massie Dunlop (1944); John Patrick Keneally AM (1967); Veronica Joan Muller (1953); Aubrey Lawrence Slater (DPM, 1961); Ian Barnewall Hales (1950); Ralph Lindsay Garner (1951); Catherine Mary Ralston (1947); James Sedman Gibson (1959); John Ernest Goldie (1945); Peter Coats (1977); and Henry Ellard Hart (1944). I thank Jim Roche (1956) for informing me about the death of Warwick Newman (1956). For other obituaries of our alumni, see: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/news/tributes.php The link to previous MAA e-Newsletters is: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/news/newsletters/2010/index.php 7. Updating your University records A link has been set up where alumni can make changes to emails and addresses: http://surveys.med.usyd.edu.au/limesurvey/index.php?sid=14261 Please let me know about alumni news and activities that would be of wider interest. We would much appreciate your efforts in encouraging other alumni who do not receive the newsletters to register their email addresses (see above in section 7). Paul Lancaster Medical Alumni Association Council and Alumni Council, University of Sydney Email: [email protected] Tel. 02 9660 0576 20 November 2012
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