2015

UON cognitive neuroscientist Frini Karayanidis has been inducted into the Australian Research Centre's (ARC) College of Experts, joining a team of academic authorities drawn from higher education, industry and the public sector.

An Australian-first symposium is looking to lead the way in investigating methods to improve the higher education experience for university students from a refugee background.

Neuroscience researcher Dr Andrew Gardner has been recognised for his significant contributions to medical research in Australia, winning the 2015 Griffith University Discovery Award from Research Australia.

The Faculty hosted two tables at the 19th Annual NUPSA (Newcastle University Postgraduate Students' Association) Dinner, held on the evening of 15 November at Noah's On The Beach, Newcastle.  Faculty staff and RHD students joined in the university-wide celebration of student achievements.  Awards were presented by NUPSA and each of the five Faculties presented awards to successful students. Our very own Associate Professor Suzanne Ryan, Faculty Assistant Dean (Research Training), won the 'Teacher of the Year Award', which was voted by the students and presented by NUPSA. It was also Suzanne's honour to present the FBL Awards to our outstanding RHD students in the following categories:

Dr Katie Baines has been awarded more than $585,000 in NHMRC Project Grant funding commencing in 2016 for her research project Targeting neutrophil extracellular traps to reduce inflammation in severe asthma.

Dr Mark Baker has been awarded more than $411,000 in NHMRC Project Grant funding commencing in 2016 for his research project Understanding idiopathic male infertility: Biomarkers to assist in the diagnosis and assisted reproductive technology outcomes.

Conjoint Professor Jim Denham has been awarded more than $376,000 in NHMRC Project Grant funding commencing in 2016 for his research project The role of adjuvant zoledronic acid in locally advanced prostate cancer.

Dr Lei Jin has been awarded more than $401,000 in NHMRC Project Grant funding commencing in 2016 for his research project Alpha-actinin-4 as an oncogenic driver and therapeutic target in melanoma.

Professor Roger Smith has been awarded more than $469,000 in NHMRC Development Grant funding commencing in 2016 for his research project Achieving Targeted Delivery of Drugs to Uterine Muscle in Women for the Prevention of Preterm Labour.

Professor Clare Collins has been awarded more than $687,000 in NHMRC Research Fellowship funding commencing in 2016 for her research into personalised medical nutrition therapy to improve diet related health outcomes.

Professor Alan Brichta has been awarded more than $491,000 in NHMRC Project Grant funding commencing in 2016 for his research project Mechanisms underlying efferent feedback in the vestibular system.

Professor John Wiggers has been awarded more than $766,000 in NHMRC funding commencing in 2016 for his research a practice change intervention to increase the provision of antenatal care addressing maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy: a stepped-wedge trial.