The ultra-competitive nature of current research funding means that much quality science often goes unfunded. We do not want the NHMRC to be the sole arbitrator of what research we do at the Hudson and will be working closely with research groups to ensure continuity of quality programs.
The end of this month will see the release of funded NHMRC grants with the overall success rate expected to be around 14 per cent.
Our honours students are currently writing their theses and preparing for their final presentations. We wish them every success in this last stage of their program.
The emerging strength of Asia’s research community has been part of recent discourse about universities in the Asia-Pacific region, especially as new ranking results, such as the Times Higher Education index, are released. Forming strong collaborations with scientists in this region will be of utmost importance in the years ahead.
Earlier this month Justin St. John, our head of Genetic Diseases, and I travelled to China to attend the International Meeting on Aging Research in Hangzhou. It was a great opportunity to present our research, and to hear the research of our neighbours.
It also gave me a chance to catch up with colleagues at the Institute of Aging Research, Hangzhou Normal University School of Medicine, where I am a guest professor. While in China I also visited the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine where I was appointed as visiting Professor.
I negotiated the Hudson to be part of an international collaboration with the Institut Pasteur Shanghai, the WEHI, the Doherty Institute and Griffith University along with the Institut Pasteur Paris in the area of immunity and infectious diseases.
The journey home concluded with a detour through Singapore to meet with the A* Institute, Experimental Therapeutic Centre where the Director Dr Alex Matter and I discussed terms of a research agreement to develop drugs against colorectal cancer.
It is with mixed feelings that I announce that Professor Terry Johns has accepted the role of Professor of Paediatric Cancer Research and Head of the Telethon Kids Cancer Centre in Perth. While I am pleased that Terry will be moving to a leadership position, his presence in the Institute as an outstanding cancer researcher will be missed.
Terry joined the Hudson Institute in February 2008 as Head of the Oncogenic Laboratory and has focused his research on brain cancer. During his time with us Terry led a translational research program to find new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this disease. Furthermore, in collaboration with Professor Stephen Tong he has also developed a medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy that has entered final clinical trials.
Terry wishes to express has gratitude to all his colleagues here at the Institute for helping to provide a productive environment that has allowed him to develop his career and more importantly make a difference for patients. Terry plans to continue his research in brain cancer with a greater emphasis on ependymoma, a paediatric brain cancer. He is also looking forward to the challenge of growing a relatively new cancer centre.
There will be plenty of time to wish Terry the best for the next phase of his career as he will remain with us until the second half of 2017.
- Professor Bryan Williams
Director, Hudson Institute of Medical Research
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