Science, Technology and Engineering

Past academic member of Department becomes new CEO of ARC (22 June 2004)
Professor Peter Høj, who was Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry from 1989-1994, has now been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Australian Research Council.

Bernard team block nerve growth inhibitor to fight MS in mice (June 2004)
Claude Bernard and an international team of investigators has found an unexpected role for a brain molecule, and if further research confirms and expands their laboratory findings, this work may provide a new lead for developing better therapies for multiple sclerosis.

Professor Claude Bernard awarded the Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Medal (June 2004)
Congratulations to Professor Claude Bernard for being the recipient of the Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Medal. The trustees were unanimous in their decision to award the Medal to Professor Bernard, thus acknowledging his pre-eminent research in the field of Multiple Sclerosis and Neurosciences.

The Foley lab are using their own unique peptide 'library' containing a thousand million molecular sequences in a project aimed at eliminating anthrax as a potential weapon for terrorists (June 11, 2004)
At the BIO 2004 biotechnology conference in San Francisco, USA, this week Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, referred to research by La Trobe University scientists that had the potential to create a simple test to detect anthrax spores and protect against their deadly damage. Dr Mick Foley and his team are working with researchers at the CSIRO and the project is being carried out within the national Cooperative Research Centre for Diagnostics, of which La Trobe is a member.

Emeritus Professor Bruce Stone has been presented with an Australian Citation Laureate Award for his contributions to agricultural science (April 2004)
The Award was made by the American company Thompson ISI, a provider of website information,  The awardees were selected on the basis of the number of times their research papers had been cited by other researchers - an accepted objective way of measuring the impact an individual has.

Professor Nick Hoogenraad awarded the ASBMB Lemberg Medal (May 2004)
The Lemberg Medal is awarded to a distinguished Australian biochemist or molecular biologist who will present the Lemberg Lecture at the Annual Conference. The Medal and an honorarium are presented in memory of Emeritus Professor M. R. Lemberg who was the Society's first President and Honorary Member.

Diana Stojanovski, PhD Student in Mike Ryan's lab, wins ASBMB Fellowship (May 2004)
ASBMB Fellowships are awarded annually to biochemists or molecular biologists, in their early career and normally resident in Australia, in recognition of their outstanding work in an area of Biochemistry or Molecular Biology.

Biochemistry student company, BIOTOPYA, wins three at the YAA VICTORIAN BIOTECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM COMPETITION FOR 2003 (Apr 2004)
COMPANY OF THE YEAR : BEST BUSINESS PLAN : BEST ANNUAL REPORT (more ..)

Department of Biochemistry celebrates grant success (Nov 2003)
Department of Biochemistry researchers and their collaborators have been awarded an additional ~$6.4 million in new grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and National Health and Medical Research Council.

5-year QEII ARC fellowships awarded to Drs Kaye Truscott and David Dougan (Nov 2003)
Two La Trobe graduates return to the Department in mid-2004 to commence their research on proteases and protein folding after undertaking postdoctoral research in Germany.