MESSAGE FROM THE ACADEMIC DIRECTOR
As you look through this newsletter, I hope it will give you a clear picture of the scope of research currently underway at the Kolling Institute, and its impact on how care is delivered in hospitals and in the community. With our focus on high-quality, translational research, our work is increasingly informing models of care and crucially, our understanding of particular conditions. It is pleasing to see the range of activity throughout the Kolling in each of our priority research areas. Our researchers are making considerable progress in their investigations into musculoskeletal conditions, heart and kidney disease and in the fields of neuroscience and pain. All these areas present a significant challenge for the community, and with an ageing population, we expect the challenges will only increase. That’s why it’s so important our researchers are at the forefront of progress and improved standards of care, and that they are supported with a robust strategic framework. We have made good inroads in the last 12 months implementing the Kolling Research Plan and I’m pleased to report that the key goals are being met from increased funding to better health outcomes and greater collaboration. Our researchers are increasingly working with national and international
peers, and operating within a diverse research ecosystem including our health and university partners, and industry representatives. Our researchers are also being supported with new infrastructure and in recent months capabilities were strengthened with the installation of $750,000 of new high-tech equipment. This substantial investment will enable our cancer and neuroscience teams to undertake research they simply couldn’t do before, and provide them with valuable information about how cells function in disease and health. This vital information will inform a new approach. In the last few months, the Kolling continued to host a range of specialised events, including a Space Colloquium involving some of the brightest minds in Australia’s space medicine community. This was a successful event and one which we expect will lead to a greater focus on research to support future missions in space. Pleasingly, we have seen increasing engagement with our Kolling Seminar Series, which have featured leading Australian and international presenters. The seminars offer an opportunity to hear the very latest research progress in a specific area, and it’s encouraging they are being well attended.
A busy schedule of upcoming events is planned including the Kolling Symposium on November 23rd at the Northside Conference Centre. Planning is also underway with the NORTH Foundation, local Rotary clubs and the Ku-Ring-Gai Stealers Softball/Baseball Club for a Hit-A-Thon on March 3rd 2024 to raise awareness and funds for road safety research initiatives. It was lovely to meet with the family of the late Bill Walsh during a recent visit to the Kolling. Bill was one of the first people to undergo chemotherapy at Royal North Shore Hospital and he raised a remarkable amount of funding to establish the Bill Walsh Cancer Research lab many years ago. His legacy continues to help those today and I would like to thank his family for their continued interest in our life- saving work. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Adjunct Professor Anthony M. Schembri AM to his new role as Chief Executive of the Northern Sydney Local Health District. We look forward to working closely with him and building on our culture of research excellence and improved wellbeing. Read on to learn more about the latest focus for our researchers and their efforts to lift the standard of care we all receive.
Professor Jim Elliott
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KOLLINGNEWS | SEPTEMBER 2023
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