June 2018

The University of Newcastle’s 2016 Annual Report recently won a coveted Gold Award at the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA).

When Associate Professor Sally McFadden spoke at Dungog Lions Club in 2016 about her long-term research working at solving the riddle of myopia, her words travelled to Mrs Carole Powell, Lions Australia 201N3 District Coordinator. Mrs Powell was looking to fund a local project with global impact to celebrate the Lions Centenary, and this project was the perfect fit.

Following the announcement in February of one of the biggest biotech transactions in Australian history, world-leading pharmaceutical company MSD (a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ USA) has acquired virotherapy firm Viralytics, founded in Newcastle by Associate Professor Darren Shafren.

Professor Hugh Craig – a pioneer of the digital humanities in Australia, a generous teacher and mentor and one of the University of Newcastle’s most respected leaders - is retiring after a 40-year career.

When the paths of Chinese entrepreneur Mr Jack Ma and respected Novocastrian, the late Mr Ken Morley, crossed almost four decades ago, the encounter formed a lifelong friendship and shaped the teenage Jack Ma’s life journey.

The Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) has recently established an Oceania chapter (SRNT-O) – and HMRI’s Professor Billie Bonevski is its inaugural founding President.

The Research Grants and Ethics Management system (RIMS) is undertaking a major upgrade.

Applications for 2019 scholarships accepted until 3 November 2018

Current chemotherapy and radiation treatment options for breast cancer patients are grueling, and not all patients see positive results, however with funding raised from the 2018 Pink Frangipani Ball, Dr Nikki Verrills and her research team hope to develop revolutionary new therapies.

An online support tool being developed by University of Newcastle PhD student, Brian Hill, has won the Regional Australia Institute’s 2018 Lightbulb Moments competition, which is designed to help get the best regional community projects off the ground.

Newcastle endocrinologist, Laureate Professor Roger Smith, has urged a re-think on the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after studying the risk of hip fracture in both elderly women and men.

New ensemble for Hunter region high school students