MJA 205 (10) • 21 November 2016 C1

Careers A/Prof. Chris Karapetis A/Prof.

the killing fields. Only 17 people prison. out of the to walk survived forget the man who never “I’ll guided us through the prison,” A/Prof Karapetis says. “They don’t hold anything back and it was quite gruesome. Unforgettable, which is the point.” Swannell Cate doi: 10.5694/mja16.2111C1 “We went in not really knowing went “We what to expect, and the roads either bumpy, or muddy and were slippery. was probably “The first day’s ride the hardest, but the surroundings visually stunning. were 15 to would stop every “We 20 kilometres, usually in a village. so excited to see The people were us, they would line the street. There so many happy children.” were The ride took the group to some of Cambodia’s most famous sights, Angkor Wat, including the ruins of stone temple built the massive during the Khmer Empire, but it the Choeung Ek Genocidal was Centre, site of the “killing fields” of Pol Pot’s deadly Khmer Rouge regime, that had the most impact. a tour of also given They were the infamous S-21 prison where tortured almost 18 000 people were before being killed and dumped in was certainly arduous, but we had certainly arduous, but we was a lot of fun as well. . “I’d . “I’d ” MJA “Hopefully, this will encourage me to keep it up and keep improving wanted a my fitness,” he says. “I physical challenge, and the ride Tiffany Cherry — cycled 360 kms 6 days, finishing in Phnom over they raised Along the way Penh. $51 000 for GI cancer research. over “Cambodia is a beautiful country,” A/Prof Karapetis tells the go back there in a heartbeat, and take my family.” Karapetis A/Prof A keen cyclist, admits that a cold Melbourne winter meant that he didn’t get in quite as much training as perhaps before such a trek. he should have and awareness for gastrointestinal for gastrointestinal and awareness (GI) cancer. was Challenge Gutsy Cambodia The in the planning, organised by a year the GI Cancer Institute. Starting at Krong Siem Reap at the A/Prof northern end of Tonle Sap, Karapetis and his group — which also included sports broadcaster The role of research is one he The role of research emphasises with students. “Doing research makes you question, it encourages you to he says. improve,” can see that things can be “You better, and pushes you through to find that something better.” A/Prof Karapetis put Last month his scrubs, put his bike on away a plane and joined a group of strangers on a quest to raise funds we can offer is palliation, but I find can offer we a difference. that I’m still making the families Sometimes I bump into later and they still 10 or 15 years remember me.” A/Prof work, Apart from his clinical researcher,Karapetis is a dedicated biomarkers, focused on predictive benefit thedetermining who will treatments. most from targeted . MJA internshipwhen he realised HRISKarapetis was drawn oncology to the at end hisof

At the end of each day I feel like I’ve done something done something I’ve like I feel day each the end of At been diagnosed, even when their been diagnosed, even and all advanced disease is very “I see people when they’ve already “I see people when they’ve sense of purpose makes the low points worthwhile. Karapetis says that satisfaction and his colleagues at the Flinders Medical Centre A/Prof in Adelaide, medical oncology has a high emotional impact on himself and While acknowledging that While acknowledging done something good, made a big very satisfying.” difference. That’s “At the end of each day I feel like I’ve I’ve like I feel day each the end of “At impact in general practice,” A/Prof impact in general practice,” Karapetis says. “I didn’t get that same sense of to them, or did for them really mattered. “I could see that everything I said “I could see that everything good, made a big difference. That’s very satisfying very That’s made a big difference. good, “ treatment. these patients were very sick, either very these patients were from the disease itself or from the “On the wards I see a degree of I see a degree “On the wards illness that made me realise that disease, sadly. community. Cancer is now killing more people than cardiovascular impact that it had on the general “I was fascinated by the biology of fascinated by the biology “I was of the also aware cancer, but I was I was really interested in. I was a few months of paediatrics. That cancer helped me realise that it was general practice, a few months of obstetrics and gynaecology, and “So in the first year of my “So in the first residency I did a few months of

Associate Professor Chris Karapetis has just cycled through Cambodia, raising funds for cancer research. research. cancer for funds raising Cambodia, through cycled just has Chris Karapetis Professor Associate a difference make to of his determination part It’s Making a difference Making Professor Karapetis tells the Professor Karapetis I decided to do some things I felt I I decided to do some Associate of,” hadn’t done enough “As a student I’d liked everything, liked everything, a student I’d “As my internship so when I finished patients’ lives. the impact on he could cancer have C C2 MJA 205 (10) • 21 November 2016 Around theuniversities andresearch institutes Careers in anindependently selected group of collated from research articles published “database ofauthor affiliation information research institutions. The Nature Index isa has finished highest among Australian tables and the The news-story/7a6561bada1bf52f517d97164e140f35 education/exprofessor-found-guilty-of-fraud/ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher- fraud-conviction/ parkinsons-researcher-avoids-jail-following- http://retractionwatch.com/2016/10/25/ research integrity very seriously.” the vast majority ofourresearchers take and integrity, andIamconfident that to conduct theirresearch withresponsibility Code for Responsible Conduct ofResearch under University policy andtheAustralian to inform researchers oftheirobligations UQ has ongoing educational programs proceedings have now reached anend. stance onthismatter andI’mpleased that complimented for its proactive andopen statement that: “The University has been President Professor Peter Højsaid ina present apaper. UQ vice-chancellor and of $2000to travel to aconference and dishonestly tryingto earn atravel grant career fellowships. The otherwas for trying to obtain fundsby applying to early charges ofattempted fraud included that never took place. Two ofthethree a 2009 study aboutParkinson’s disease have tried to obtain upto $700 justification. Barwood, 31, was found to her nameontwo studies without The othercharge was aresult ofincluding grant to Barwood from theorganisation. that UQ had returned part ofa$300 Earlier in2016, the LionsMedical Research Foundation. was related to obtaining ascholarship from in 2013.” Onefraud charge against Barwood relationship withMurdoch. Bothleft theUQ that shewas previously inanintimate Barwood’s week-long trial, thecourt heard and earned himself thesame sentence. In pleaded guilty to 17 fraud-related charges, former colleague ofBarwood’s at [UQ], her. “Earlier thisyear, Bruce Murdoch, a of five ofthe seven charges laid against Retraction Watch. Shewas found guilty of fraud by aBrisbane jury, according to Nature Index The Australian University ofQueensland has released its 2016 after beingfound guilty suspended sentence been given a2-year Caroline Barwood has Parkinson’s researcher of Queensland Former University reported 000 for (UQ) (UQ) 000 000

research assistant, PhDstudent, junior Churchill has been invarious roles, as a her career at Burnet, Associate Professor Neuropathogenesis Laboratory. During most recently as theHead oftheHIV tables/2016 http://www.natureindex.com/annual- the top 100, whichwas led by Harvard. Australian university at 65, withnoothers in table, UQ was again thetop-ranked RMIT University (396), (241), Curtin (358), Macquarie (393), UOW (136), University ofSydney (143), UWA University ofMelbourne(130), UNSW with UQ (89), Monash (93), ANU(100), 12 China, Germany andtheUK, withAustralia USA topped theCountries table, ahead of and the University WA (158), University ofMelbourne of the Monash University Sciences, withHarvard University second. was topped by theChinese Academy of in at 105ontheInstitutions table which top-ranked Australian university, coming national andregional level”. UQ was the quality research outputat theinstitutional, provides aclose to real-time proxy for high- 68 high-quality science journals … and to_burnet_trailblazer_melissa_churchill https://www.burnet.edu.au/news/743_farewell_ ideals”. scientific approach withhumanitarian the uniqueculture ofBurnet: “that rigorous Associate Professor Churchill embodied Director andCEO Brendan Crabb AC said HIV are now treated. Burnet Institute neurocognitive disorders associated with has led to significant changes inthe way in anumberofhighimpact journals and her research, whichhas been published has been recognised internationally for as well as latent CNSviral infection. She development ofHIV-associated dementia, nervous system andits implications for the focused around HIVinfection ofthecentral lab head. Herresearch interests have been fellow, senior fellow, lab co-head andfinally th (288), . Harvard topped theAcademic table, Australian NationalUniversity University ofSydney University ofTasmania University ofWollongong (428), University ofAdelaide (500). OntheLife Sciences Macquarie University came inat 110, ahead the after 27 years at professorial position a research-only has joined Melissa Churchill Associate Professor HIV/AIDS researcher (151), Burnet Institute (167), (450), and University ofNSW RMIT (375), (480). The University of (117), in in (476), (476), Curtin Curtin ,

elimination. The Frank FennerAward acting antiviral drugs to achieve HCV needed to work inconcert withnew direct Drummer said avaccine was desperately Fenner Lecture, Associate Professor each year. Delivering the2016Frank population, causing 350milliondeaths to chronically infect 3%oftheworld’s vaccine exists for HCV, whichisestimated development ofavaccine. To date, no (HCV) withaspecial focus onthe conducts studies into hepatitis Cvirus Associate Professor Drummer’s laboratory her landmark research into hepatitis C. system involved intheregulation ofblood the renin-angiotensin system, ahormone protective effects ofdrugs which interrupt work played apivotal role indefining the the field ofdiabetes. In particular, his early made numerous important discoveries in established in2003. Professor Cooper has for Diabetes Complications that he the Danielle Alberti MemorialCentre Excellence (DC-CRE), encompassing Diabetes Complications Centre ofResearch Research Foundation International (JDRF) Council (NHMRC) Juvenile Diabetes Joint National Health and Medical Research complications, Professor Cooper heads the group at Baker IDIinthefield ofdiabetic diseases. Inaddition to leading aresearch diabetes mellitusandrelated metabolic advancement ofknowledge inthefield of and outstanding contributions to the an individual’s innovative leadership Study ofDiabetes. The award recognises from theEuropean Association for the drummer prestigious_2016_frank_fenner_award_for_heidi_ https://www.burnet.edu.au/news/741_ the late Professor Frank Fenner AC. named after thegreat Australian virologist, medical research andpublichealth, andis Burnet’s visionandmissionintheareas of acknowledges significant contribution to Claude Bernard award receive theprestigious the first Australian to Cooper, has become Institute Heart andDiabetes Officer at and Chief Scientific Diabetes researcher Fenner Award for the Institute’s Frank been recognised with Heidi Drummerhas Associate Professor for Biomedical Research Burnet Institute’s The Deputy Head of , Professor Mark Baker IDI Centre , MJA 205 (10) • 21 November 2016 C3 ); ); ); ); ); Queensland Careers , University University ); Professor ); Professor ); Professor Ian ); Professor Sansom Institute Sansom Monash Alfred Walter and Eliza Hall and Eliza Walter ); Professor Trevor Trevor ); Professor Centre for Applied Health Applied for Centre ); Professor Fabienne Fabienne ); Professor University of Technology of Technology University Children’s Cancer Institute Cancer Children’s Melbourne Neuroscience Melbourne Neuroscience Children’s Health Queensland Health Children’s ); Professor Linda Richards ); Professor University of South Australia University , ); Professor Jane Gunn Jane ); Professor ); Professor Catriona McLean McLean Catriona ); Professor University of Western Australia of Western University Priority Research Centre for Health for Centre Research Priority ); Professor Christobel Saunders Saunders Christobel ); Professor ); Professor Jane Hall (Professor Hall (Professor Jane ); Professor ); Professor Robyn Norton (Principal Norton Robyn ); Professor St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Institute Vincent’s St. , Griffith University); Professor Roland Roland Professor Griffith University); , ); Professor Ben Kile (Head, ACRF ACRF (Head, Ben Kile ); Professor The George Institute for Global Health Global for Institute George The , University of Melbourne); Professor of Melbourne); Professor University , ); Professor Graeme Hankey (Professor (Professor Hankey Graeme ); Professor ); Professor Maria Kavallaris (Head, (Head, Maria Kavallaris ); Professor ); Professor Ross McKinnon (Professor in (Professor McKinnon Ross ); Professor Genetics of Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Walter Division, of Cancer Genetics Professor Research); of Medical Hall Institute (Professor of Surgical Oncology and Head of and Head Oncology of Surgical (Professor Professor of WA); University Surgery, General (Director, Scuffham Paul Economics Victor Division, Biology Vascular (Head, Stocker Professor Institute); Research Chang Cardiac Molecular Division Head, (Joint Strasser Andreas Professor Vlado Perkovic (Executive Director, Director, (Executive Perkovic Vlado Professor Professor Health); Global for Institute George University of Medicine, (Dean Phillips Rodney (Director, Prince Miles Professor of NSW); University of Melbourne); Professor Christine of Melbourne); Professor University Director, Stewart O’Brien (James Terry Professor of Melbourne); University of Medicine, Professor (Director, Ian Olver Professor Research Health for (Department of General Practice, Practice, of General (Department of Melbourne Economics, of Health Sydney of Neurology, of Orthopaedic Ian Harris (Professor Professor Richard Professor of NSW); University Surgery, Cell Stem and Developmental (Head, Harvey Division, Biology Chemical Research of Medical Institute (Director, Kilpatrick Institute (Director, Kulkarni Jayashri Centre Research Psychiatry Sciences, of Biomedical School (Head, Mackay Flinders University Flinders NSW Health Pathology Health NSW Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Research Cardiac Chang Victor University of Queensland University ); Professor John McNeil (Head, School of Public School John McNeil (Head, ); Professor , Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research Dementia Ageing for Centre Jones Clem University of Newcastle University Austin Health Austin Macquarie University Macquarie , ); Professor Richard Kefford (Head, Department of Clinical Department (Head, Kefford Richard ); Professor Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research Health Mental for Centre Queensland Alfred Health Alfred Jane Visvader (Joint Head, Stem Cells and Cancer Division, Walter Walter Division, and Cancer Cells Stem Head, (Joint Jane Visvader Claire Professor Research); of Medical Hall Institute and Eliza Paediatrician, (Consultant Wainwright Mental of Population (Professor Whiteford Harvey Professor Health, Rheumatology Division and Director of Inflammation (Head Wicks Professor Research); of Medical Hall Institute Eliza and Walter Unit, University). Flinders in Ophthalmology, (Professor Williams Keryn doi: 10.5694/mja16.2111C2 Centre for Blood Cell Therapies, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre); Centre); Cancer MacCallum Peter Therapies, Cell Blood for Centre and Virology of Serology, (Director Rawlinson William Professor screening, OTDS Institute); Brain Queensland of Research, Director (Deputy (Director, Sanson Rob Professor Behaviour McDonald (Director, Department of Respiratory and Sleep and Sleep of Respiratory Department (Director, McDonald Medicine, Research, Cancer ( Morris (Director, Jonathan Professor University); (Monash Health Research Medical Institute Kolling Research, Research, Institute Brain Division, Biology Neuroscience Fellow, Research Principal Herbert (Senior Rob of Research, Division Ho (Chair, Ken Professor Australia); Research Service South Health Metro Program, and Targeting Biology Tumour (Director, Kay Tom Professor Research Medicine, Deakin ); has ); Professor ); Professor University University ); Professor Richard ); Professor Kirby Institute Kirby Neuroscience Research Research Neuroscience Monash University ); Professor Allan Cripps (Research (Research Cripps Allan ); Professor has inducted 50 new Fellows, bringing Fellows, 50 new inducted has ); Professor Susan Davis (Head, (Head, Davis Susan ); Professor Australian Academy of Health and Medical and of Health Academy Australian Medical School); Professor Stephen Stephen Professor School); Medical are drawn from all states and territories of and territories all states from drawn are and of health all aspects and from Australia, and practice clinical across science medical from with representation care, health allied health research, and clinical translational basic The The Sciences Fellows New 272. to Fellowship total its policy for working mothers. QIMR Berghofer’s QIMR Berghofer’s mothers. working for policy Gannon, Frank Professor and CEO, Director careers whose scientists women that said and who had seniority to advancing were could age high-school below one child least at to addition in assistance financial for apply QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Research Medical QIMR Berghofer assistance financial an innovative introduced Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Cancer MacCallum Peter ANU ); Professor Geoffrey Farrell (Professor of (Professor Farrell Geoffrey ); Professor University of Adelaide University Griffith University ); Professor David Bowtell (Head, Cancer Genomics and Genomics Cancer (Head, Bowtell David ); Professor ); Professor Jürgen Götz (Foundation Chair of Dementia Götz (Foundation Jürgen ); Professor ); Professor Roger Byard (Senior Specialist Forensic Specialist (Senior Byard Roger ); Professor Fox (Director of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre); Centre); Cancer MacCallum Peter of Pathology, (Director Fox Director, (Deputy Gandevia Simon Professor Australia of Paediatrics and Child Health and Consultant Paediatrician, Paediatrician, and Consultant Health and Child of Paediatrics of Sydney University Medicine, Hepatic Women’s Health Research Program, Program, Research Health Women’s Program, Health Sexual (Head, Donovan Basil Research Clinical Hepatitis Viral (Head, Dore Greg Professor (Professor Elliott Elizabeth Professor Institute); Kirby Program, Bryant (NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow, Fellow, Research Principal Senior (NHMRC Bryant of NSW Pathologist, Professor, are: Professor Kylie Ball (NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Fellow, Research Principal Ball (NHMRC Kylie Professor are: University Program, Genetics economics, general practice and public health. The new Fellows Fellows new The health. and public practice general economics, http://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/2016/10/qimr-berghofer-helps- women-scientists-rise-top/ childcare while the scientist travels to an important conference, conference, an important to travels the scientist while childcare the attend member to a family for costs the travel or paying and her baby.” with the researcher conference care. “Women postdoctoral scientists who are mothers and are and are mothers who are scientists postdoctoral “Women care. for apply to will be able of their careers stage earlier a slightly at for paying include could This expenses. particular for assistance Professor Gannon said. “The funds can be used at their discretion. discretion. their at be used can funds “The said. Gannon Professor or a research care, child for pay to used be it could For example, pay to be used or it could experiments, help with lab to assistant day and from kids to get to easier it’s so work to close parking for children under two, and having a designated room at the institute the institute at room a designated and having under two, children the playing level funding will help to “This mothers. nursing for keep to young children women with for easier by making it field their careers,” advance to continue can they so publishing research their salaries. The policy is one of several measures the institute the institute measures is one of several policy The their salaries. offering include These parents. support working to introduced has for centre childcare local at a places reserving work hours, flexible https://www.bakeridi.edu.au/news/media-releases/MR-prestigious- international-award damage observed in some patients with longstanding type 2type with longstanding patients in some observed damage now is complications in diabetic of research aspect This diabetes. worldwide. of research area an active exploring metabolic memory and its epigenetic origins. His key key His origins. epigenetic its memory and metabolic exploring of beneficial ‘legacy’ the sustained explain partly may discoveries with in people control glucose improved arising from effects of vascular legacy the irreversible to contribute as well as diabetes, pressure. His recent major field of research endeavour has been has endeavour research of field major recent His pressure.