World leading scientists relocate to Sydney

The NSW Government has successfully attracted three of the world's leading scientists to Sydney to build international research teams. In a June 2007 announcement, Minister for Science and Medical Research Verity Firth said the NSW Life Science Research Awards is a ‘brain gain’ program, helping to generate economic, health, environmental and social benefits.

“The three scientists relocating to NSW under the first round of these awards will be immune system expert Professor Wolfgang Weninger, cognition and brain sciences expert Professor John Hodges, and genomics expert Dr Ian Paulsen,” said Ms Firth. "These three scientists are recognised leaders in their fields of research, and their relocation to NSW will be a major scientific coup for this State.”

“These first recipients of the NSW Life Science Awards will contribute greatly to NSW’s international strengths in immunology, microbial genomics and understanding of diseases affecting the brain and long term memory.” Ms Firth said the NSW Government aims to boost the State’s knowledge base and research capability by attracting top scientists and researchers from the US, Europe and Asia.

“Having world class life science researchers working in NSW will help attract more research talent to this State, contribute to the establishment and expansion of our research facilities, and add to the intellectual capital of NSW,” said Ms Firth. “The longer term aim is to see breakthrough research translated into economic, health, environmental and social benefits for NSW.”

Professor Weninger will start work at the Centenary Institute in Sydney in June 2007; Professor Paulsen will be based at Macquarie University from July 2007; and Professor Hodges will be jointly hosted by the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and the University of NSW from November 2007.
 
“The NSW Life Science Research Awards builds on the success of the former BioFirst Awards, which were established by the NSW Government in 2001 and attracted 13 researchers back to NSW, as well as a further 39 people to take part in new research teams,” said Ms Firth.

“Between 2001 and 2006, the research groups resulting from the BioFirst Awards produced 62 published papers and leveraged $6.7 million in research funding from the Commonwealth Government – a major achievement for NSW. We aim to build on the legacy of the BioFirst Awards through the NSW Life Science Research Awards.”

July 2007