07 October 2015
Three of UniSA’s top health researchers have been inducted as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS).
UniSA’s Pro Vice Chancellor: Health Sciences Professor Robert Vink and Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) research leaders Professor Hamish Scott and Professor Gregory Goodall were inducted as new Fellows at the AAHMS first Annual Scientific Meeting and dinner in Canberra last night.
Election as an AAHMS Fellow reflects the international standing of an individual’s contribution to health and medical science through research, leadership and service.
Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Allan Evans congratulated Professors Vink, Scott and Goodall on their election.
“I’m delighted the work of these distinguished researchers has been recognised by the AAHMS,” Prof Evans says.
“AAHMS Fellows’ contributions ensure that users of the healthcare system in Australia are offered the best quality of care using the latest in advances in health research and I’m pleased Bob, Greg and Hamish have been recognised for their exceptional professional achievements.”
Professor Vink is an expert in brain injury, brain swelling and concussion. His recent research has been characterising the role of neurogenic inflammation in acute and chronic brain injury, particularly in its role in brain oedema, the development of elevated intracranial pressure and in repeated concussion / chronic traumatic encephalopathy. His patents in the area of neurogenic inflammation have been licensed to pharmaceutical industry and are currently undergoing clinical development.
Prof Vink recently gave the Eccles Lecture at the annual meeting of the Australasian Neuroscience Society, where he was awarded an Australasian Neuroscience Society medal, and the annual meeting of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia.
Professor Greg Goodall heads the CCB’s Gene Regulation Laboratory which recently discovered how circular RNAs (ribonucleic acids) are made and how their production is controlled. The discovery, published in the world’s highest ranked journal in biological and medical sciences Cell, could lead to new avenues for blocking the spread of cancer.
Professor Hamish Scott heads the CCB’s Molecular Pathology Research Laboratory which investigates how and why genetic mutations occur, how these changes cause diseases or disease predisposition such as cancer and autoimmunity, and ways of better treating and monitoring these diseases. His current research includes diagnostic implementation of next generation sequencing for personalised medicine.
Professors Vink, Scott and Goodall were among 77 new Fellows inducted from around Australia.
Media contact: Kelly Stone office 8302 0963 mobile 0417 861 832 email Kelly.stone@unisa.edu.au
