MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR of RESEARCH
It has been a busy year for our team of researchers and support staff and I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution that everyone has made in their individual area. The Kolling took an important step forward this year with the signing of a new joint venture agreement and the establishment of the governing Institute’s Research Strategy will be confirmed and further consultation will be undertaken through surveys and workshops to gain your views and input. Next year also marks our 100 year anniversary – an important milestone we will be celebrating throughout the year. As the longest running medical research institute in New South Wales, the Kolling has held a key role in research activities for a nearly a century. Today we have a large, impressive team and I look forward to continuing to support and promote the excellent work we are doing here. One way we will be promoting our work and range of expertise will be through the new Kolling Institute committee to oversee our new direction. Next year the Kolling
website. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the website. It features a wealth of information and will be consistently updated with the latest news. I would like to commend the latest recipients of the Beryl and Jack Jacobs travel award, who will all be taking part in international trips to broaden their research experience and develop new relationships. These trips help to strengthen our research and professional standing, and promote our research work to the rest of the world. I would also like to recognise Dr Yo Otsu for his part in an international team which has discovered a receptor in the brain, which regulates moods. The breakthrough could lead to the development of new mental health and pain drugs. 2019 has been especially busy for me and I have been fortunate to participate in a host of conferences and professional opportunities. This has included the festschrift activities for Professor Salvatore DiMauro – known as the father of Mitochondrial medicine. I studied with Professor DiMauro at Columbia University in
New York for three years, completing my post doctoral studies before joining the Kolling. I recently travelled to Canberra for the Australian Association of Medical Research Institutes conference, to learn how the Kolling Institute can work with other Australian medical research institutes to further benefit from government initiatives like the Medical Research Futures Fund. I have also just returned from the combined SYNERGIES and LEAP program in Bangkok, which was co-ordinated by the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. As course director, it was fabulous to teach leadership skills to young neurologists and emerging leaders from 13 Asian countries. We fostered collaboration between clinicians and basic science researchers to integrate their research work into clinical practice; a philosophy that we are also following here at the Kolling Institute. As we approach Christmas, I’d like to wish everyone a relaxing break and a wonderful time with their families.
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KOLLINGNEWS | ISSUE 4 | DECEMBER 2019
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