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A healthy partnership
Deakin
University's Institute of Biotechnology has entered into a new and exciting
partnership with Barwon Health to do cutting edge biomedical research.
"I'm thrilled that Barwon Health and BioDeakin have been able to set up a partnership that will allow us to work together in such important fields as immunology, bone and muscle growth and development, tissue regeneration and repair and medical applications of novel biomaterials," said Professor Andrew Parratt, BioDeakin's inaugural director.
The CEO of Barwon Health, Mrs Sue De Gilio, also welcomed the new partnership.
"We are the leading provider of health services in regional Victoria," Mrs De Gilio said. "We have also taken a very active approach to medical research and this partnership enhances that work.
“Some of the first collaborative projects will include the medical applications of biomaterials, developing a greater understanding of stem cell proliferation and differentiation and the evaluation and characterisation of potential for novel bioactives as functional foods delivering health benefits.”
Professor Parratt said that as well as the growing role of BioDeakin as a major player in health research, the opening of a medical school in 2008 on Deakin's Waurn Ponds campus had also played an important role in the establishment of the partnership.
"The expertise and the facilities will all be here in the Geelong region," he said. "It is crucial that we all work together to best use those resources and this partnership ensures that will be the case."
The first steps will include setting
up an Executive Management Group made up of:
- The Chair of Barwon Biomedical Research;
- The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Deakin;
- BioDeakin's Director;
- The Chief Executive Officer of Barwon Health.
"This committee will meet twice a year and will determine the type of research the partnership will undertake as well as measure the beneficial outcomes of the work.
"We will be working in areas that will have a real impact on the quality of lives of people's health and it is to be able to tell the community what we are achieving on their behalf."
The day-to-day administration of the collaboration will be undertaken by Professor Parratt and Mrs De Gilio.
www.deakin.edu.au/biodeakin
www.barwonhealth.org.au
Professor Pip Hamilton, A.M.
Deakin University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Pip Hamilton was awarded an AM in the Queen's Birthday honours in June.
Professor Hamilton received the award for services to science and to research.
He began his research career at the University of Tasmania in radio astronomy, working with the team of scientists that first identified pulsars.
In the later stages of his career, Professor Hamilton has become a successful research manager, both in Tasmania and for the past nine years at Deakin University.
During his time at Deakin he has revolutionised the university’s approach to research.
Deakin is Australia’s fastest growing research university with a clearly identified blueprint for the future, one being copied now by other universities.
“It’s nice to get the AM, both for myself and for the many colleagues I’ve had throughout my career,” Professor Hamilton said.
“I have been lucky to work with teams of very competent people, both as a researcher and more recently in research management.
“It’s one reason I am a great believer in the team work approach we are taking to research here at Deakin where we are breaking down all the old barriers and bringing researchers from all disciplines together.
“It’s quite exciting stuff when you see it in action, chemists interacting with physicists and engineers, nutritionists working with lawyers.”
Also in June, Professor Hamilton announced he would be retiring later this year to spend more time with his wife Margaret, his Labrador Stoney and also to indulge in his other great passion, playing the fugues of Bach.
“People have long said my Bach was worse than my bite,” he quipped. “Now I’ve got the time to change that!”.
Research Services Division:
Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds
Pigdons Road, Geelong, Victoria 3217 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 5227 2673 Facsimile:
+61 3 5227 2175
Email: dvc-research@deakin.edu.au
www.deakin.edu.au/research
Getting a feel for haptics
The word is haptics and according to Professor Saeid Nahavandi we will not only hear more about it over the next decade, we will be benefiting enormously from this new and exciting science.
Excited soon-to-be parents turning up for their already much-anticipated ultrasound will not only be able to see their unborn baby, but “feel” it.
Medical and dental students will be able to fine-tune their skills to the highest level before trying them out on patients.
Cars will be more easily made safer, with design flaws discovered earlier.
And in the world of games, you will not only be able to play a game of “virtual” tennis with someone on the other side of the world, but feel the weight of the ball on the racquet.
So what is this thing called haptics?
It comes from the Greek work haptesthai, meaning to touch. One dictionary definition calls it the science of applying tactile sensation to human inter-action with computers.
Deakin teaches togetherness
Deakin University researchers are leading the way in developing programs that will allow students from diverse cultural backgrounds - especially young Muslims - to better fit into not just Australian school systems, but the broader community.
Professor Fethi Mansouri from the university’s Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights has been the lead researcher in a five-year study begun in 2003 that looks at attitudes of students and teachers in three Melbourne secondary schools.
Young Arab-Australians from years nine and 10, their parents and teachers have taken part in a series of interviews, surveys and focus groups.
“We found many things, many of them pointing to the fact that the schools need better resources and training facilities for teachers,” Professor Mansouri said.
Next month
- The classroom in the year 2020