The Ritchie Centre course attracts bright young researchers

It’s not often that lecture theatres are brimming with undergraduate students. With lectures and so much supporting material available online, only a fraction of students usually show up.



Last Monday night, R1 was packed with Monash Bachelor of Biomedical Science students eager to learn about the elective units on offer for their course.

Associate Professor Tim Moss, from the Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute was there to spruik BME 3802 - Fetal and Neonatal Development, a 3rd-year course offered by the University’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Top ranking

Tim was the only non-academic staff member in attendance but that’s not unusual for BME3082. The unit is taught solely by research scientists and clinicians from the Ritchie Centre.

“Years ago, Professor Stuart Hooper revitalised an ordinary undergraduate unit into what’s become an exemplar of research-led teaching”, Tim told us.

“Rather than offering conventional practical classes, Prof Stuart Hooper had the idea of bringing students into our laboratories to observe (and occasionally take part in) our experiments.”

BME 3082 is convened by Dr Megan Wallace, from the Ritchie Centre. Under her leadership, the course ranks consistently among the top units within Monash, as judged by students.

Inspiring the next generation

Every year, the Ritchie Centre attracts a new cohort of Honours students through BME 3082, many of whom continue on to complete PhDs. The majority of the student researchers in Tim’s Perinatal Inflammation Research Group completed BME 3082.

“Some of the world’s leading young perinatal researchers are graduates of BME 3082. We have a self-perpetuating cycle of research and teaching in perinatology that’s hard to beat. The enthusiasm of the researchers doing the teaching is inspiring the next generation to follow them.”

Judging by the enthusiastic reception from the Biomedical Science students, BME 3082 will continue to attract bright young minds to research in women’s and children’s health, ensuring that Monash University and the Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute continue to lead the world in perinatal research.