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Menzies School of Health Research Postal address: Location: Phone: (+61) 08-8922 8196 PO Box 41096 John Mathews Building (58) Fax: (+61) 08-8927 5187 Casuarina NT 0811 Nightingale Road Website: www.menzies.edu.au Australia Royal Darwin Hospital Campus Tiwi NT 0810 Australia Our mission To improve the health of people of northern and central Australia and regions to the near north through multidisciplinary research and education by: Promoting a broad understanding of health that reflects underlying socioeconomic, environmental, health system and biological factors as determinants of health and disease. Conducting high-quality multidisciplinary research, research training and public health education with a focus on Indigenous, remote and tropical health. Advancing the local, national and international application of research findings to improve health. Advocating for research that will contribute to better health for people of the region. Building strong partnerships with community groups, service providers, policy-makers, and other academic organisations. Our logo The Menzies School of Health Research logo reflects the School’s broad research agenda. The warm and fluid circle shapes symbolize both the sun — representing the School’s physical location — and a human cell, the building block of life and the basis of MSHR’s work. The rhythmic edge of dots suggests the School’s many Indigenous clients and collaborations. The precise lines underscoring the ‘m’of Menzies illustrates MSHR’s rigorous scientific standards. Menzies School of Health Research 2003 Annual Report 2003 has been a year of success, opportunity, challenge and change. We have continued to strengthen and grow at an exciting rate and have been increasingly recognised as a leader in PHOTO COURTESY GALIWIN’KU PHOTO MSHR LIFESTYLE PROJECT, HEALTHY Indigenous, remote and tropical health issues and education — both nationally Contents and internationally. Our 2003 Annual Report highlights In Celebration of Excellence: 2003 Highlights . .2 areas of research excellence, giving a Chairperson’s Report . .4 brief overview of our research priorities Director’s Report . .5 and achievements, our mutually MSHR: Leaders in Indigenous, remote and tropical health research . .6 supportive training and education Infectious Diseases Division . .7 programs, and our strong governance Ear & Respiratory Health . .8 Skin Health . .9 practices for the year ending Malaria & International Health . .10 31 December 2003. Melioidosis & Emerging Infectious Diseases . .12 We encourage you to visit our website Tropical Toxinology . .12 www.menzies.edu.au to view detailed Population Health & Chronic Diseases Division . .13 information on our work and Chronic Diseases . .14 operations. Comprehensive reports Environmental Health & Health Services . .16 available online include: Foetal and Early Life Origins of Chronic Disease . .17 Social Determinants of Health . .18 2003 Research & Education Community-based Interventions . .19 Report: detailed listing of MSHR Education & Training Division . .20 research projects and education Indigenous Forum . .22 programs Corporate Services Division . .23 2003 Financial Statements: Collaborations & Major Partners . .24 complete audited financial Governance . .25 statements Patrons & Members . .27 MSHR Honorary Appointments . .27 Publications . .28 Research Funding . .31 Financial Overview . .32 For Further Information . .inside back cover in celebration of excellence: Grants & fellowships Awards & recognition Assoc Prof Nick Anstey was awarded Prof Kerin O’Dea was $3.1 million over five years from the awarded a Centenary Medal Wellcome Trust and NHMRC for for services to research in collaborative work with the Australian Indigenous health. Indonesian Ministry of Health in The medal was created to Papua and the University of PNG on honour those who have made studies to reduce morbidity and Australia’s first hundred mortality from malaria in Papua and years as a federal nation a PNG. This is the largest grant ever success and those who have awarded to MSHR, and one of only laid solid foundations for eleven projects to receive funding in Australia’s future. an initiative which aims to help Dr Alan Cass and co-authors won the Prof Kerin O’Dea and Dr Sandra improve the health of people prestigious Medical Journal of Eades were honoured in this year’s throughout the Asia–Pacific region. Australia/Wyeth Award for the best Australia’s 100 Smartest People in research paper published in the MJA International Health team was the October edition of The Bulletin during 2002. awarded $1 million over five years magazine. They were chosen for their from the US National Institutes of extraordinary contributions to MSHR Indigenous researcher (and TV Health to work with the Indonesian research in the area of Indigenous chef!) Geoffrey (Jacko) Angeles was Ministry of Health in understanding health. invited to be a member of the how and why people get severe editorial board for the US-based Dr Malcolm McDonald’s rheumatic malaria, with a focus on continuing Pimatziwin Journal, a publication fever project won the top Heart our Papuan field studies on the role highlighting Aboriginal and Foundation award for ‘Best Project’. of nitric oxide. Indigenous community health. Menzies researcher, Dr Sandra Eades, NHMRC awarded MSHR research Dr Allen Cheng, PhD student at was honoured with an appointment team, led by Assoc Prof Joan MSHR, was awarded the Murray-Will to the NHMRC’s prestigious Research Cunningham and Assoc Prof Ross Fellowship for Rural Physicians by Committee. Bailie, a $2.4 million research grant the Royal Australasian College of to improve research into the health Dr Peter Morris was awarded the Rue Physicians. Wright Memorial Award for his study of Indigenous Australians. Dr Graeme Maguire was awarded ‘Additional training in recommended Assoc Prof Ross Bailie was awarded Best Public Health Paper at the hygiene practices for the prevention an NHMRC Senior Research Thoracic Society of Australia and of bacterial cross-infection and Fellowship to commence in January New Zealand (TSANZ) conference respiratory illness in Australian child 2004. held in Adelaide in April. care centres: A randomised PHERP (Public Health Education and controlled trial’ at the Annual Assoc Prof Joan Cunningham and Research Program) funding was Scientific Meeting of the Royal Dr Amanda Leach both received granted for our Master of Public Australasian College of Physicians. NHMRC Career Development Awards. Health course for a further two PhD student, Yin Paradies was MSHR research projects involving years. During 2003, MSHR had 65 awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for scabies and skin health, and research students enrolled each semester in one year’s study at the University of into reversing Indigenous renal the MSHR Public Health Coursework California, Berkeley, USA. failure, were highlighted as examples program. of projects that made it ‘From Bench to Bedside’ in the December 2003 edition of the Medical Journal of Australia. 2| 2003 Highlights | Menzies School of Health Research 2003 Annual Report 2003 highlights PHOTO COURTESY PRIORiTI PROJECT, MSHR COURTESY PRIORiTI PROJECT, PHOTO Special events Important visitors & partnerships The new look Menzies School of MSHR formed a historic partnership International Expert on climate Health Research website with Charles Darwin University (CDU) change, Professor Tony McMichael, (www.menzies.edu.au) was launched to strengthen the health research Director of the National Centre for in May in a ceremony featuring and education capacity of CDU. The Epidemiology and Population Health dancers from the Galiwin'ku relationship allows Menzies to retain at the Australian National University, community. The website is an its autonomy, while at the same time was invited to teach students innovative interactive framework to being a Foundation School within enrolled in MSHR’s Public Health communicate with researchers, Charles Darwin University’s Institute Coursework program. research participants, policy-makers, of Advanced Studies. Prof Paul Zimmet, renowned service providers, students and the Renewed Commonwealth funding of international diabetes expert, who general community. $23 million over seven years for the was in Darwin for the launch of the The Menzies School of Health new Cooperative Research Centre for DRUID project, presented a seminar Research Building was officially Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) has which delivered a powerful message named in honour of inaugural MSHR allowed us to enhance our strategic on diabetes to a packed audience. Director, Prof John Mathews AM, in alliances with other organisations Dr Barbara Starfield and Dr Neil appreciation of his leadership in with an interest in Indigenous Holtzman from John Hopkins building nationally and internation- health. University, USA, presented seminars ally recognised health research Signing of a Memorandum of on ‘Achieving Equity in Clinical capacity in the Northern Territory. Understanding with the University of Practice’ and ‘Genetic Myths of The ceremony held in August was Queensland to facilitate the Social Class and Race’. The officiated by then Commonwealth recruitment of high-quality research presentations were co-hosted by Minister for Health and Ageing, students. MSHR and Charles Darwin University. Senator The Hon Kay Patterson. The International Health team As one of his last official The DRUID study, a study to renewed their Memorandum of appointments, The