176##1974 Produced by the Central Communication Unit for circulation among members of CSI RO staff January 1974 (SI RO to review its medical research policy More emphasis may be placed on nutrition CSIRO is cnrrently giv­ Professor Fenner H Iso sug­ 'This research is sometimes • influenza virus vaccine; syner~ • muscular dystrophies - Food gested that the Australian not satisfactorily exploited in gism of antihacterial com~ Research, Protein Chemistry, ing consideration to the im­ Government should: relalion to human health be­ pact of its work relating to pounds (working together o[ Nutritional Biochemistry • set lip an Australian Medical cause of the absence of effec­ antibacterial compounds with • collagens and ageing; woo] medical research and the Research Council separate tive liaison between CSIRO body (issues and substances) allergenic properties - Pro­ Executive proposes to create from the National Health and medical research workers, -Animal Genetics tein Chemistry and Medical Research Coun­ or because an organisation for e reprC?ductive physiology, en· • advice on statistical aspects a CSIRO Medical Research conducting tbe appropriate foJ-' Liaison Committee on cil, which would become the docnnolagy, polyunsaturated of many programmes of National Health Council low-up medical research does fat mCcHs and milk procJucts medical research - Mathe­ which both CSIRO and • establish an Australian not exist in Australia,' he said. - Animal Physiology, Food matical Statistics medical interests will be National Institute for Medi­ Informal arrangements were Research, Nutritional Bio­ • biomedical engineering-TriN represented. cal Research with a focus on sometimes made by CSIRO chemistry bophysies social and environmental scientists for collaboration with • climate pbysiology-Mechani­ • fsafe 1 cigarettes: wool filters Aware that many of CSIRO's medicine, under the control research workers engaged in activities arc already in fields cal Engineering, Chemical and lowering of tar/nicotine of the Australian Medical clinical or public health re­ Physics, Animal Physiology content of leaf - Textile related (0 human hcallh, the Research Council, and with Executive lust year asked Pro­ search, and specialist organisa­ • sewerage trealment and re­ Physics, Tobacco Research. CSIRO conditions of employ­ moval of viruses ~ AppHed fessor Frank Felmer, formerly ment of research staff. tions such as the Austrnlian Director of the John Curtin Biochemical Society and the Chemistry Cont'd on page 4 School of Medical Research ut Australian Society for Micro­ the AlIstnlliun National IJniN CSIRO research biology have played an im­ vcrsity, to lu'cparc a reporl for In. summarising his report, portant role in encouraging in­ the Advisory Council. Professor Fennel' said that a formal contacts between CSIRO considerable amount of basic All Divisions were consuHed scientists and medical research research in biomedical science on uny work they might be do­ workers in other organisations, ing in this field and later Pro­ was conducted by CSIRO scien­ fessor Fenner mel to talk with tists in the course of the-ir nor­ the report continued. representalives of the Executive mal work, particularly in lhose The type of biomedical re­ and the 22 n[ the 36 Divisions Divisions concerned with ani­ search which CSIRO is already that were involved in some as­ mal bealth and food· produc­ involved in included: pect of the work. Afterwards tion. Outside the Organization, • zoonoses (diseases transfer­ Professor Fenner visited some research in biomedical and able from animals to man)­ o[ the Divisions and held clinical research was conduclcd Animal Health, Wildlife Re­ mainly in tbe medical schools further discussions with the search Chiefs and scientific staff. of the St~te universities, in pJ"i~ vate meclJcal research institutes • immunology of worm and bac­ In his report to the Advisory terial infections, and asthma Council, Professor Fenner's re­ and in the John Curtin School -Animal Health, Protein commendations were in two of Medical Research at ihe parts. Those that were related A.N.U. Chemistry directly to CSIRO were that the Organization should: • establish a CSIRO Commit­ tee on Medical Research NEW CHIEF FOR 'MATH STATS' • review its olIicial attitude on medical research All Australian, "rofcssor J. Now 48 years of age, Pro­ • establish a Division of Human Gani, who hus won 1U1 interN fessor Gani received his PhD Nutrition. nnHonal rC(lutation in thc field from the Australian National of IJrobahility and sfufislics, University in Canberra in 1955 hDS been appointed fhe new and was awarded the degree of Chief of the Division of Mathe­ ~9~~.from London University in mUlieol Siofistirs. New secretary Currently, Professor Gani is He has published 60 research Dircclor of the Manchester­ papers on mathematical statis­ Sheffield Universities' School of tics and applied probability and of Probability and Statistics has written two textbooks on and in the past has held senior statistics. positions in mathematics and Last year Professor Gani statistics at universities in Aus­ came to Australia at the request tralia, the USA and Canada. of the Executive to review and report on the future activities of the Division and he will be back again early this month for a week-long planning session in More interest Canberra and probably Ade­ 'Sun Pictorial photo' laide. Because the Executive has for investors concluded that in future greater Ifs madam president now emphasis should be placed on The Directors of the Laboro­ CSIRO scientist, Ms Bar­ rested in microbiological tories Co-operative Limited in applied mathematics research, the name of the Division is' to bara Keogh, has been elected problems of the dairy in­ Canberra have reviewed the the new president of the dustry in general. current Interest rate paid by be changed to Mathematics and StatistiCS nearer the time Pro­ Melbourne Sciences Club, an The club has 1400 mem­ Phil O'Brien, Personnel Officer the Co-operative. The interest organisation in which men bers, 50 of them women, for the ACT and Northern Ter­ rates payable from 1 January fessor GRnL takes over. The headquarters of the outnumber women nearly 30 and Barbara was one of its ritory, has been elected to the will now be: to one. It is the first time foundation members when position of ACT Branch Secre­ • fortnightly deductions from Division will also be shifted to Canberra about that time but it the club has chosen a woman it started in 1968. Member­ tary of the Administrative and salary -7 per cent for the position. sbip is made up of scientists Clerical Officers' Association. is not intended that the group • short term deposits (under 12 at Adelaide will be shifted to A microbiologist, Btu·bam and technologists who be­ He has been granted leave of months) -7 per cent has worked for CSIRO for long to scientific societies absence to enable him to take the ACT en rnasse. • long term deposits (over 12 Discussing the changes with nearly 20 years and is a alliliated with the Clunies up his appointment. member of the staff of tbe Ross Fonndation. Phll joined the Head Office months) -7t per cent. the staff at a recent Division conference, Mr V. D. Burg­ Dairy Research Laboratory Members meet regularly Staff Section in 1965 and trans­ The Co-operative is inte­ of the Division of Food to discuss their work, to ferred to Canberra in 1967. He rested in arranging fortnightly mann of the Executive said that the growth of the Division in Research at Highett. Most hear guest speakers talk not has always been active In savings and term deposits from of her work is concerned only on science, but on all staff. Inquiries should be future would be concentrated ACOA activities, and for the with research studies relat­ tOPICS of community inte­ past three years has been Presi­ directed to Mr M. Bakker, more in Canberra than in other centres and that Professor Gani ing to cheese starter or­ rest, and to thrash out their dent of the ACT Division of the Regional Administrative Office, ganisms, but she is inte- problems. Council of Commonwealth Pub­ P.O. Box 500, Civic Square, would make that city the base lic Service Organizations. ACT 2608. from which he would operate. Max Planck Society concerned CHAIRMAN PRAISES WORK OF BENEVOLENT FUNDS Morc thall 4500 members of took into account the human with community relations staff (abollt 68 llcr ecnt) arc factor. now con(ributillg to the four 'People and their require­ CSIRO Benevolent ]7Ullds, 11 ments are regarded as an essen­ At a time when CSIRO is becoming increasingly aware of the effects of modern ()racticnl eX(lfcssion of fhe tial feature of the study, as science and technology on the general public and is looking at ways by which 'future social conscience of those whQ we.ll as the need for lltilisillg shock could be 1II1eviated', it is interesting to note that overseas scientific orgauisations work for (he Ol'gnnizaHoll and the resources and for the con­ their fhoughtfulllcss for theiJ' servation of the environment.' are eqnally concerned with the sitnation. colleagues who might of some In the remote communities time he involvcd ill accidents study, the Organization was One of these is (he Mux the Government and the rest or meet with other un[orscclI embarking on 'an almost un­ l'lanck Society for the Ad­ from private sources. misfor~une. charted sea as far as CSIRO is Mention of Ihis high con­ concerned'. this programme, vancement of Science. 'But the Government doesn't In tribution rale and the feelings Ml [SU, Katherine, Kununurra, determine how spend This organisation, which has we Ollr behind the membership was Mt Newman and Dampier have money,' Professor Lust said. its headquarters in Munich, is made by the Chairman, Dt' been put under the microscope 'Wc do, however, have a Board Illude UIJ of 49 Institutes in J. R.