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Today's date is Thursday, March 28, 2024
School of Population Health
 April 2012
Tuesday 17
13:00 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - UAEM AGM : 2012 AGM for UAEM More Information
Universities Allied for Essential Medicines 2012 AGM Nominations for committee positions open, please email [email protected]

We are the UWA chapter of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, an organisation that aims to make sure that medicine and medical research that happens in the universities of first world countries is used to meet the needs of people in developing countries. New members from all disciplines welcome.

Website: www.essentialmedicine.org Facebook: UAEM UWA
Wednesday 18
13:20 - Forum - Bioenergy Forum : The Energy and Minerals Institute along with the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry are pleased to invite you to The University of Western Australia’s Bioenergy Forum Website | More Information


Microalgae Energy Farms for Low Cost Biodiesel Production Presented by Dr Peer Schenk

ABSTRACT: From start to finish, biodiesel production from microalgae requires optimisation of all steps towards cost effectiveness and energy efficiency, as current limitations exist mainly in the industrial feasibility of microalgae systems. Our team is developing improved non-GM Australian microalgae strains, as well as low cost algae cultivation and harvesting systems to provide a cost & energy effective biodiesel production module. This module utilises microalgae's potential as zero-waste biorefineries, producing not only bioenergy, but also protein-rich animal feedstock and high-value products such as Omega-3 fatty acids. Our research group maintains a growing collection of marine and freshwater microalgae from Queensland, whereby high lipid yielding strains are screened and selected for improvement. We use adaptive evolution methods incorporating mutagenesis and high throughput selection for high-lipid yielding strains. These are then used in especially engineered "Split-System" cultivation units that incorporate both, a low cost photobioreactor (PBR) coupled with several extensive raceway ponds. In the PBR, optimal culture conditions are maintained with daily culture harvested into the raceway ponds to stimulate lipid biosynthesis. Several harvesting and lipid extraction.

Autotrophic Production of Algal Biofuel: What is the best technology line-up Presented by Dr Skye Thomas-Hall

ABSTRACT: Microalgae have the potential to produce 10-20 times more biofuel feedstock per unit area than any terrestrial bioenergy crop. However for this to be economically viable, three important technology stages need to come together: i) cultivation of high lipid species must be relatively contamination free and highly productive (ideally AFDW in excess of 30 g m-2 d-1); ii) the biomass needs to be harvested quickly using energy efficient technology; and iii) the harvested algae should be processed into stable products before value is lost. Cellana LLC was formed in 2008 with the primary aim of developing the technology pathway to make algal biofuels economically viable. Cellana’s 2.5ha Kona Demonstration Facility (KDF) is located on the Big Island of Hawaii and has been producing high quality algal biomass since 2009. The production can be tailored to customer needs for different fractions of the algal biomass, including lipids for biodiesel, protein for animal feed, essential fatty acids (i.e. EPA, DHA) and accessory pigments (e.g. lutein, ß-carotene, lycopene etc) for the nutrition and cosmetic industries. Cellana’s KDF is primarily a research facility, designed to test many algal species simultaneously (up to 12) in realistic outdoor conditions. The large scale hybrid system can grow 2 species simultaneously and has excellent flexibility that enables cultivation conditions to be optimized for each individual strain. The facility is also set up to test a variety of harvesting and dewatering techniques on each species grown at demonstrations scale (up to 780,000 L). Presented is an overview of strain selection at small scale (lab <1 L) and mid scale (outdoor 200 L). Growth parameters that can be altered for optimizing cultivation at mid scale and large scale (60,000 – 130,000 L). The majority of the presentation is on harvesting and processing techniques used by Cellana and in the wider algae industry, focusing on cost versus efficiency of methods trialed at Cellana’s Kona Demonstration Facility (KDF). Best handling and storage practices are also presented along with data analysis specifically focusing on lipid quality.

16:00 - SEMINAR - CWR Presents: : Building Global Resilience: Recognizing There Is A Next Generation. Website | More Information
This talk is about the importance and suggestions for building global resilience for the benefits of our next generation and us. The content is effectively addressing the four focuses summarized below,



The History of life: 5 Million years of building the DNA inventory

* Responding to the interglacial periodicity: building the world

* The stability through diversity; filling habitats

* Last ice age: tempering our genes

* Warming since last ice age: Switching on aggression



Change in the name of progress, technologies of the 1900's

* Anthropogenic emissions have triggering new carbon emission loops

* Homogenization of habitats is leading to species instabilities

* Globalization is leading to economic chaos & preventing sustainability through wealth inequality

* Drugs, sex and earphones are leading to social, mental and cultural instabilities



The challenge for the 21st Century: The consequences of simplification

* Global warming abatement requires carbon sequestration, not only emission reductions

* Biodiversity needs to be restored to ensure sustainable carbon cycles

* The movement of capital needs to constrained to benefiting productivity.

* Multiculturalism & globalization needs to be slowed to re-establish icon of life  



Moreover, where there is a will there is a way! Ten suggestions for building resilience are given at the end of the talk.

The talk is an opening address given by Prof. Jorg Imberger in the International iesp-Workshop, from which resilience as requirement for sustainable development has been discussed. The workshop is aiming to provide a contribution to tackle the earth crises and was held at Munich, Germany 28-30 March, 2012.

PS* This seminar is free and open to the public, no RSVP required.

****All Welcome****
Thursday 19
11:00 - STAFF EVENT - Staff Mixed Volleyball Social Sport : 5 week competition commencing Apr 19th Thursday lunchtimes at the UWA Recreation Centre Website | More Information
Open to UWA Staff Teams. Teams do not have to be representative of faculties and/or departments. Competition will consist of 30 minute games each week during one of four lunch time slots between 11am and 1pm.
Tuesday 24
10:00 - VISITING SPEAKER - International Visiting Speaker, Professor John Frank Director SCPHRP : Best Practice Guidelines for Monitoring Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Status: Lessons from Scotland Website | More Information
INTERNATIONAL VISITING SPEAKER

Professor John Frank MD, CCFP, MSc, FRCPC, FCAHS, FFPH

Director of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy (SCPHRP) in Edinburgh

Tuesday 24 April, 2012 Hosted by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

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Best Practice Guidelines for Monitoring Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Status: Lessons from Scotland 10:00am, Seminar Room

A narrative account of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy model of knowledge transfer to policies, programs and practice in public health 1:00pm, Bibbulung Room

All welcome, RSVP required Melanie Hansen [email protected]

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Professor John Frank is Director of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy in Edinburgh, which seeks to develop and robustly test novel public health policies and programs to equitably improve health status in Scotland, through the convening and ongoing support of researcher/research-user consortia. Prof. Frank trained in Medicine and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, in Family Medicine at McMaster University, and in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, after serving in Mbeya, Tanzania as a Medical Officer and Instructor of Medical Assistants from 1976 to 1979. He has been Professor (now Professor Emeritus) at the University of Toronto, in the Department of Public Health Sciences (now the Dalla Lana School of Public Health), since 1983. He was the founding Director of Research at the Institute for Work & Health in Toronto from 1991 to 1997. In 2000, Prof. Frank was appointed inaugural Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Population and Public Health and in July 2008, he became Director of the SCPHRP. Prof. Frank also holds a Chair at the University of Edinburgh in Public Health Research and Policy. His broad research and professional interests concern the determinants of population and individual health status, especially the causes, remediation and prevention of socio-economic gradients in health. His scientific publications include 25 books, monographs and book chapters, over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and 65 other scientific publications. He has been principle or co-investigator for $CDN14 million in direct research grants and has overseen over $50 million in flow-through grants in the last decade.
Saturday 28
8:00 - EVENT - Chronic Lung Disease and Smoking Cessation : Educational seminar day with presentations from respiratory specialists including W.Prof. Phil Thompson, Dr Peter Bremner and international smoking cesstion expert Dr Hayden McRobbie. Website | More Information
For all members of the health care team including physicians, GPs, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals.
Sunday 29
10:00 - EXPO - Nursing and Health Expo 2012 More Information
Held in venues in capital cities across Australia, the RCNA Nursing and Health Expos draw together professionals, practitioners and health providers to showcase the nursing and health industry as a valued and dynamic profession.

Learn about nursing as a profession, discover professional development opportunities and career paths for nurses and health professionals, see equipment and lifestyle options, get to know the higher educational institutions and meet our nursing and health academic staff!
Monday 30
12:00 - VISITING SPEAKER - LIWA Medical Research Seminar Series : Prof Jose Porcel presents "Pleural Fluid Biomarkers" Website | More Information
LIWA invites you to a free seminar on: "Pleural Fluid Biomarkers" by Professor Jose Porcel from Department of Internal Medicine, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, Spain. Time: 12 noon for light lunch with 12.30pm – 1.30pm presentation.

 May 2012
Tuesday 01
13:00 - TALK - UWA Careers Centre - Water Corporation Employer Talk : Water Corporation graduate recruitment presentation Website | More Information
Water Corporation representatives will be on campus to talk about graduate opportunities for all students. (engineering and science highly desired) Please book through http://uwa.careerhub.com.au
Friday 04
9:00 - SEMINAR - Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: A Negative Future: The Interaction Between Mechanisms of Virulence and Resistance in Clinically Significant Nosocomial Gram Negatives : PhD proposals More Information
Mr Jarrad Hall will give a talk on "A Negative Future: The Interaction Between Mechanisms of Virulence and Resistance in Clinically Significant Nosocomial Gram Negatives" in the Microbiology & Immunology Seminar room, Friday, 4th May 2012 at 09:00am. In 2011 a novel, emerging rarely encountered carbapenemase (OXA-181) was detected. There has been limited spread of this resistance determinant outside of the sub-continent to date. However, several outbreaks of the parental OXA-48 carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae have occurred in Europe. Through the use of molecular biology the project will examine W.A.'s risk of importing highly resistant nosocomial Gram negative bacteria and the relationship between virulence and resistance in these organisms.

9:25 - SEMINAR - Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: Characterisation of a successful triple immunotherapy for the treatment of Mesothelioma. : PhD proposal More Information
Ms Shruti Krishnan will give a talk on "Characterisation of a successful triple immunotherapy for the treatment of Mesothelioma" in the Microbiology & Immunology Seminar room, Friday, 4th May 2012 at 09:25am. Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a cancer of the pleura and less commonly of the peritoneum, tunica vaginalis and pericardium. One particular obstacle preventing tumour clearance by the immune system is the presence of regulatory T-cells (Tregs). These Tregs are prevalent within murine and human mesotheliomas and their removal results in tumour growth inhibition with the release of anti-tumour effector T cells from immunosuppression. Our work has focused on targeting multiple mechanisms of immune suppression in the AE17 murine model of mesothelioma. Specifically, we targeted the depletion of Tregs, CTLA4 and TGF-beta; using monoclonal antibodies and soluble receptors. We found the triple immunotherapy resulted in tumour clearance in 46% (13/28, from three independent experiments) of the mice treated; with the generation of memory T cells (CD4+CD44+T cells) that prevented tumour re-emergence on rechallenging the cured mice with the original innoculum. Though the triple immunotherapy looks promising with the complete eradication of the established tumours and developing immunological memory; optimization of this approach will likely yield an even better response rate.

10:30 - FUNDRAISER - Pink Ribbon Forum - Fundrasing Event for Breast Cancer Research More Information
Come along and hear special guest speaker Winthrop Professor Christobel Saunders-Breast Cancer Surgeon, Family of Survivor-Emily Hanson student from Murdoch University and Peta McClausland from Cancer Council WA talk about Breast Cancer. Winthrop Professor Christobel Saunders will share the latest clinical research developments and more, Emily Hanson will share her inspirng journey of her circumstance and Peta McClausland will provide updated information on available resources and contacts about breast cancer.

Don't miss your chance to win great prizes for the raffle draw. Raffle draw tickets can be purchased prior to the event. Raffle tickets are 1 for $3.00 or 3 for $5.00. Contact Rani Varathan - 6488 2807. Sponsors include Co-Op Bookstore, IGA, Myer and more!!

Only $5.00 for entry all proceeds are donated to National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Tuesday 08
12:00 - STUDENT EVENT - Health Day : 12 - 2pm on Oak Lawn, Range of fun activities to promote mental and sexual health More Information
What do you do when you’re feeling stressed? Where would you go if you were sexually harassed? ‘Health Day’ is run by fourth year health promotion students aiming to answer questions like these and target issues of Mental Health and Sexual Health on campus. Come down the Oak Lawn on Tuesday 8th May from 12-2pm for a range of fun activities and to find out more!
Friday 11
9:00 - SEMINAR - Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: UVR-induced vitamin D: essential for immunoregulation? More Information
Dr Shelley Gorman from Telethon Institute for Child Health Research will give a talk on "UVR-induced vitamin D: essential for immunoregulation?" in the Microbiology & Immunology Seminar room, Friday, 11 May 2012 at 09.00am. Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin after exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) found in sunlight, and can suppress immunity in a similar manner to UVR. Our studies show that topically-applied vitamin D can increase the suppressive activity of regulatory T cells through interleukin-2 and skin-derived dendritic cell mechanisms. However, the role of vitamin post-UVR in suppressing immunity has not been determined and I will discuss our recent findings, which indicate that UV-induced vitamin D may not be essential for immunoregulation.
Monday 14
18:00 - PUBLIC LECTURE - Will Australia's Personal Electronic Health Records Improve Your Health? Website | More Information
A public lecture by Associate Professor David Glance, Director, UWA Centre for Software Practice.

From July 2012, Australians will be able to register for their own Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR). The PCEHR will potentially allow consumers to have access to a summary of their medical information including medications, medical history, information about allergies and adverse drug reactions and letters and documents. In contrast to a summary record like the PCEHR, the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC), in collaboration with The University of Western Australia, is using a web-based electronic health record called MMEx for 22,000 mostly Aboriginal people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The difference between this approach and the PCEHR is that everyone is working off the same record. Practitioners have to work collaboratively, because their changes are immediately seen by everyone involved in the care of the patient. It is very unlikely that the PCEHR will revolutionise health care in Australia any more than its equivalent did in the United Kingdom. From an e-health perspective, this will only come from a single shared electronic health record with clinical protocols and governance that allow health providers to collaborate with a patient in managing their health and wellbeing.

Cost: Free, no RSVP required.
Tuesday 15
13:00 - SEMINAR - Nucleic acid sequencing technologies: Wows and Woes : School of Anatomy, Physiology & Human Biology Seminar Series More Information
The Speaker: Dr Watson trained as a molecular biologist in the United Kingdom and conducted his first post doc with Prof Steven Holgate, Prof Newton Morten and Prof. Patricia Jacobs in Southampton , UK performing genetic linkage analysis to Atopy and allergic disease. In 1994 he took up a position as the manager of the Centre for Cell and molecular Biology at the University of Western Australia.

In 1996 he was successful in obtaining NH&MRC funding for a project looking at the molecular aspects of the Murine AIDS virus. Dr Watson then moved to a research position within the WA Health Department at Royal Perth Hospital Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases to study the Hepatitis C Virus which remains one of his main research areas to date.

In 2006 Dr Watson took up the position of Manager of the newly established Geomics Node of the Lotterywset Biomedical facility located within the Department of Immunology and Immunogenetics at Royal Perth Hospital.

Dr Watson has been highly active in organising conferences both local and national (CBSM and ASM) and has previously chaired CBSM 92002-2005). Dr Watson is an ASMWA committee member and is the chair of the WA health Hepatitis C Virus statewide database development group.

He joined the Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases as the Laboratory Manager in December 2008. His most active area of current research is in the area of the Hepatitis C virus with particular focus on molecular immunology and antivirals.
Friday 18
9:00 - SEMINAR - Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: The development of a tetracycline-based gene regulation system to study H. pylori pathogenesis and persistence : PhD Final Seminar More Information
Ms Alexandra Debowski will give a talk on "The development of a tetracycline-based gene regulation system to study H. pylori pathogenesis and persistence" in the Microbiology & Immunology Seminar room, Friday, 18 May 2012 at 09.00am. A limited number of genetic tools are available to study Helicobacter pylori pathogenesis. In particular, gene expression systems, that allow the regulation of bacterial genes during an infection are lacking. Such a genetic tool is of particular importance to study the functional role and temporal requirements of H. pylori virulence determinants as infection is persistent and clinical diseases develop after many years of chronic inflammation and epithelial damage. This study describes the development of a chromosomal H. pylori gene regulation system based on tetracyclines for the control of gene expression, both in vitro and in vivo.
Friday 25
9:00 - SEMINAR - Microbiology & Immunology Seminar Series: Xer recombination in H. pylori More Information
A/Prof Mohammed Benghezal will give a talk on "Xer recombination in H. pylori" in the Microbiology & Immunology Seminar room, Friday, 25 May 2012 at 09.00am. In the model organism E. coli, recombination mediated by the related XerC and XerD recombinases complexed with the FtsK translocase at specialized dif sites, resolves dimeric chromosomes into free monomers to allow efficient chromosome segregation at cell division. Computational genome analysis of Helicobacter pylori, a slow growing gastric pathogen, identified just one chromosomal xer gene (xerH) and its cognate dif site (difH). Here we show that recombination between directly repeated difH sites requires XerH, FtsK but not XerT, the TnPZ transposon associated recombinase. xerH inactivation was not lethal, but resulted in increased DNA per cell, suggesting defective chromosome segregation. The xerH mutant also failed to colonize mice, and was more susceptible to UV and ciprofloxacin, which induce DNA breakage, and thereby recombination and chromosome dimer formation. xerH inactivation and overexpression each led to a DNA segregation defect, suggesting a role for Xer recombination in regulation of replication. In addition to chromosome dimer resolution and based on the absence of genes for topoisomerase IV (parC, parE) in H. pylori, we speculate that XerH may contribute to chromosome decatenation, although possible involvement of H. pylori’s DNA gyrase and topoisomerase III homologue are also considered. Further analyses of this system should contribute to general understanding of and possibly therapy development for H. pylori, which causes peptic ulcers and gastric cancer; for the closely related, diarrheagenic Campylobacter species; and for unrelated slow growing pathogens that lack topoisomerase IV, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Monday 28
12:00 - SEMINAR - LIWA Medical Research Seminar Series : By Prof Graham Hall, "Lung function – going global in 2012" Website | More Information
The Lung Institute of WA invites you to a free seminar on: "Lung function – going global in 2012" by Professor Graham Hall from the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. Time: 12 noon for light lunch with 12.30pm – 1.30pm presentation.
Wednesday 30
19:30 - EVENT - Quiz Night for Maiti Nepal : Quiz night to fundraise money for Maiti Nepal Website | More Information
Get your Quiz on to help raise money to fight sex trafficking in Nepal!

Tickets are $20 each, or a table of 8 for $145 and include some finger food. 18+ ID required, as the venue services alcohol. Children are welcome but need to be accompanied by at least one of their parents/legal guardians. Arrive at 7:30pm for a 7:45pm start.

All proceeds will be going towards Maiti Nepal, a group that provides prevention, rehabilitation, education, health services and more for Nepalese women and children who are victims of sex trafficking.

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