The AustralianSociety for

Medical Research

Suite 702, Level 7, 37 Bligh Street,

Sydney NSW 2000ACN 000599235 · ABN 18000599235

Catherine WestSenior Executive

& Chief Financial Officer

Ph: 02 9230 0333Fax: 02 9230 0339

Email:asmr@alwaysonline.net.au

Web: www.asmr.org.au

Newsletter Editor-in-Chief,Dr Bree Foley

Print Post Approved25500300067

There has been considerable activity in the Australianhealth and medical research (HMR) sector since mylast report in the March ASMR Newsletter. I will takethis opportunity to recap what has been happening,as well as laying out ASMR’s priorities and initiativesfor the second half of 2017.

2017–18 Federal BudgetThis year ’s federal budget was viewed by moststakeholders as fairly reasonable with respect to thehealth portfolio. The annual allocation to the NHMRCMedical Research Endowment Account (MREA),which supports the NHMRC grants program, wasmaintained at current levels, with a slight increasefor inflation, however HMR investment did not forma focus of this particular budget. The Governmentrhetoric at present is very much focused on theMedical Research Future Fund (MRFF) doublinginvestment into HMR within five years, and the federalbudget coincided with the announcement of the firstdisbursements from the MRFF.

We have had productive meetings with the Ministerfor Health, Greg Hunt, and his chief HMR advisor andlook forward to continuing to build this relationshipand articulating our vision for a more sustainable andpredictable investment model for HMR. The Ministertakes a consultative approach, has a vision for healthand is willing to establish partnerships with keystakeholder groups to achieve this vision.

Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)Over the past couple of months, more than $65M indisbursements from the MRFF have been announced.It was pleasing to see that $8M for clinical fellowshipswill be channelled through existing NHMRC fellowshipschemes and subjected to their rigorous evaluationprocesses. However, it remains unclear how the otherdisbursements were decided, given that there was noopen call for applications nor any obvious expertreview process.

Since the inception of the MRFF, the ASMR has stronglyadvocated the need for transparency and veracity.Given the transformative potential of this Fund, it isessential that all MRFF disbursements be contestable,governed by a clear system involving an open and

competitive application process, with the quality andpotential of proposals evaluated by independentexpert review. Only through such a mechanism canwe guarantee the sustained integrity of this Fund insupporting outstanding research, without fear orfavour. It is critical that the MRFF legislation be tightenedto protect the Minister of the day and the Fund withinthe environment created by the vague and flexiblenature of the current legislation.

This will form a major focus of my advocacy efforts overthe remainder of my Presidency.

New NHMRC Grants StructureThe new NHMRC grants structure was announced byProfessor Kelso in Canberra on May 25. The structuralreview has been a highly consultative process. Thereare still many questions to be answered about someof the finer details, but from the arguments I haveseen put forward, I believe the new structure has a goodchance of meeting its primary objectives of reducinggrant writing and reviewing burden, improving equityand reducing conservatism.

The ASMR will continue to work with the NHMRC toeducate our membership on the new grants structure.It is important that we temper expectation aroundhow the new structure will affect grant funded rates— it’s important to remind our colleagues thatincreasing funded rates was never an objective of thestructural review, and that achieving this is simplynot possible without additional investment into the

August 2017

In this issue:

Focus on Inequality

Health and Income 3Inequality

Driving change to 4improve Indigenous Australians social andemotional wellbeing: collaboration is the key

The magnification of 5health inequalitiesamong people who arehomeless; a researchand interventionchallenge we cannotignore

Inequality is 6everyone’s problem

Childhood change: 7disconnecting thecomplex web ofdisadvantage throughsocietal understandingand compassion

ASMR MRW® 2017 8Report

56th ASMR 9National ScientificConference

ASMR Peter Doherty 10Leading Light Award

asmrAustralianSociety forMedicalResearch

asmr newsletterAustralianSociety forMedicalResearch

Dr Daniel Johnstone

President’sReport

August 2017 2

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NHMRC MREA. We also need to continue to advocatestrongly for boosting NHMRC investment to supporta workforce that is under immense pressure. Whileit is easy to get swept up in the excitement of theMRFF, we must continue to educate Government onthe importance of NHMRC-supported investigator-initiated research to complement the priority-drivenresearch of the MRFF.

ASMR Medical Research Week®Early June saw a huge week of activity nationwide aspart of ASMR Medical Research Week® (ASMR MRW®),with over 30 events spanning every state and the ACT.My deepest thanks to the invaluable contributions ofthe ASMR State and Regional Committees, ASMR MRW®Director Demelza Ireland and Cath West and PriscillaDiment in the engine room that is the Executive Office.I hope all of our members managed to attend an eventand show their support for the Australian HMR sector.

I particularly enjoyed undertaking the gruelling butinspiring ASMR Medallist Tour, and meeting many ofyou at Gala Dinners around the country. Both ASMRMedallist Professor Richard Wilkinson and MediaDirector Matt Dun were delightful travel companionsand pulled out all stops to spread the word of HMRand promote health equity more broadly. While thecore business of ASMR is advocacy for HMR, ourbroader mission is to improve the health and wellbeingof all Australians. Achieving this mission will requireus to reach beyond the confines of what we’vetraditionally considered HMR and draw in perspectivesfrom social scientists, economists, communityadvocates and many other stakeholders. HavingProfessor Wilkinson communicate his research on theharmful effects of inequality on health is hopefully thefirst step towards a broader and more integratednational discourse around how we can use ourcollective knowledge and expertise to achieve betterhealth and prosperity for all.

ASMR National Scientific Conference2017Preparations for the 2017 ASMR National ScientificConference (NSC) are in full swing – I encourage youto check out the website at https://asmr.org.au/asmr-nsc/nsc-welcome/. Congratulations to ConferenceConvenor Jordane Malaterre, Program Convenor SarahMeachem and Professional Development DirectorJoanne Bowen for putting together an exciting andinspi r ing program that integrates sc ient i f icpresentations and professional development sessions.Given the importance of this conference for ourmembership, we have taken extraordinary steps totighten the budget for this meeting, and are verypleased to offer incredibly low registration fees thatshould make the event accessible to all. I encourageyou all to join us on the 14th-15th of November at theCharles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney byregistering and submitting abstracts for NSC 2017.

Peter Doherty Leading Light AwardArguably the toughest stage of a research career isduring the mid-career years, where opportunities arelimited relative to other career stages. Recognisingthis, the ASMR will this year launch a new award forthe most outstanding contribution by a mid-careermember (5 to 12 years post-doc) over the past 5 years.Assessment will be based primarily on the qualityand impact of a single publication put forward bythe applicant, but will also incorporate the applicant’strack record relative to opportunity and engagementin scientific advocacy and community outreach.Named the “Peter Doherty Leading Light Award”,the inaugural award will be presented by the NobelLaureate himself at the 2017 NSC. I encourage all mid-career researchers who meet the criteria to apply forthis prestigious award — more details can be foundat https://asmr.org.au/research-awards/.

Looking forwardsThere is clearly still much to do over the second halfof 2017. After several years of low morale due tostagnant HMR investment, I see reason for optimismgoing forwards. The “golden goose” that is the MRFFhas laid its first egg, and we are promised moreover the coming years. Now that this additionalinvestment into HMR is tangible, it is incumbentupon all of us to ensure that it is used responsibly.From the ASMR’s perspective, based on its long-standing ideals of integrity and equity, we believethis can only be achieved by establishing anapplication process that is open to all and evaluatingproposals by rigorous and independent expertreview. I encourage you to unite with us in ouradvocacy for this important safeguard.

Equally important is the continued role of the NHMRCin supporting investigator-initiated research and, inparticular, basic, discovery-driven research. Thetranslation and commercialisation aspirations of theMRFF will ultimately fail unless underpinned by a solidfoundation of basic research — the type of researchthat is a cornerstone of the NHMRC. It is our duty toremind Government of the importance of supportingall stages of the research pipeline.

There will always be battles to fight and argumentsto make if we are to improve the outlook for theAustralian HMR sector. The ASMR will, now andalways, advocate vociferously for the sector, usingits resources to fight these battles and make thesearguments. The support of our membership enablesus to achieve these objectives — it helps us to helpyou. So thank you for your ongoing support of theSociety, and please encourage your colleagues toalso join as members. The larger our membership,the more tools we will have at our disposal toadvocate on your behalf.

3 August 2017

In Australia, death rates of working age men doing bluecollar jobs and living in the most deprived 20% oflocal statistical areas are over three times as high asthose in white collar jobs living in the least deprived20% of areas.1 The equivalent figure for women is twiceas high. There are differences between indigenousand non-indigenous life expectancy of about 20 years.

A robust and growing body of evidence shows thatpopulations of societies with bigger income differencestend to have poorer physical and mental health, moreillicit drug use, and more obesity.2 More unequalsocieties are marked by more violence, weakercommunity life, and less trust. Inequality also damageschildren’s wellbeing, reducing educational attainmentand social mobility. The differences in populationhealth between more and less equal societies areoften large. Among developed countries, mental illnessand infant mortality rates are two or three times higherin more unequal countries; teenage birth rates andhomicide rates can be 10 times higher. These differencesare so large because inequality affects the majority ofthe population, not just a poor minority. The scale ofincome differences within a society immerses us allmore deeply in issues of status insecurity andcompetition. A growing literature highlights the effectof inequality on status anxiety, depression, narcissism,self enhancement, and addictions.3

Inequality is also implicated in other global risks, fromfiscal crises to increasing political polarisation.4

Economists have identified the negative effect ofinequality on economic stability and growth, and ithas also been shown that inequality intensifiesconsumerism and overconsumption while increasingrelative poverty.

During the 20th century, inequality in most richcountries fell almost continuously from the 1930s tothe 1970s and then increased dramatically from the1980s with the influence of neoliberal economics.5

This widening inequality has been driven mainly bytop incomes growing faster than others. Meanwhile,inequality between countries has fallen, and somecountries, most notably in Latin America, have managedto reduce income disparities. Australia has had a slowerrise in inequality but remains one of the more unequalof the OECD countries.

World leaders have made strong statements on thedamage inequality does. In 2013 President BarackObama said that income inequality is the “definingchallenge of our time”. In the same year, Pope Francissaid “inequality is the root of social ills”; Christine

Lagarde, the Director of the International MonetaryFund, said “a more equal distribution of income allowsfor more economic stability, more sustained economicgrowth, and healthier societies with stronger bondsof cohesion and trust”; and Ban Ki-Moon, then UNSecretary General, said “social and economicinequalities can tear the social fabric, undermine socialcohesion and prevent nations from thriving. Inequalitycan breed cr ime, disease and environmentaldegradation and hamper economic growth.”

You might think that evidence of harm, alongside thegrowing concerns of world leaders, academics,business, civil society, and government would beenough to turn inequality around. But there is no signof a sustained narrowing of income differentials and,from the perspective of research on health inequalities,the record does not inspire optimism. Decades ofresearch has led to a consensus among public healthacademics and professionals that we need to tacklethe structural determinants of health if we want toreduce health inequalities; yet this has not happenedand health inequalities have not diminished.

The long term failure, even of ostensibly progressivegovernments, to tackle these glaring injustices isperhaps one of the reasons why public opinion hasswung so strongly away from the established politicalparties.6 And the public’s sense of being left behindwill only be exacerbated by the negative health effectsof austerity, which are starting to emerge in somecountries.7

1. Turrell, Gavin, et al. “Do places affect the probability of deathin Australia? A multilevel study of area-level disadvantage,individual-level socioeconomic position and all-causemortality, 1998–2000.” Journal of Epidemiology & CommunityHealth 61.1 (2007): 13–19.

2. Pickett KE, Wilkinson RG. Income inequality and health: acausal review. Soc Sci Med 2015;128:316-26.doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.12.031 pmid:25577953.

3. Wilkinson, Richard G., and Kate E. Pickett. “The enemybetween us: The psychological and social costs of inequality.”European Journal of Social Psychology 47.1 (2017): 11–24.

4. World Economic Forum. The global risks report 2017.https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-risks-report-2017

5. Alvaredo F. Inequality over the past century. Finance Dev2011;48. http://www.imf.org/ external/pubs/ ft/fandd/ 2011/09/picture.htm.

6. Local health outcomes predict Trumpward swings. Economist2016 Nov 19.

7. Loopstra R, McKee M, Katikireddi SV, Taylor-Robinson D, BarrB, Stuckler D. Austerity and old-age mortality in England: alongitudinal cross-local area analysis, 2007-2013. J R Soc Med2016;109:109-16. doi:10.1177/0141076816632215pmid:26980412.

Professor Richard Wilkinson, 2017 ASMR Medallist

Professor Richard Wilkinson

receiving the ASMR Medal

from the Federal Minister for

Health, Greg Hunt

Focus on InequalityHealth and Income Inequality

August 2017 4

Mental health is the leading cause of health burdenin the Indigenous Australian population. Whilst researchis emerging, funding for dedicated Indigenous mentalhealth programs and services is limited1. Indigenousviews of mental health and social and emotionalwellbeing are very different to those of non-IndigenousAustralians. Aboriginal Academic Professor PatDudgeon, in her role as member of the National MentalHealth Commission, notes that, ‘this affects the wayin which policies, programs, early prevention andintervention initiatives need to be framed, formulated,implemented, measured and evaluated’.

Community based participatory research (CBPR) is ahighly accepted methodology for addressing complexIndigenous mental health concerns. This approachenables Indigenous communities the opportunityto co-design and actively participate in answeringquestions to their own community’s needs. In 2013,after a year of consultation with communities acrossSouth East, South West and Darling Downs Q.L.D, myteam and I were awarded two NHMRC grants. Bothgrants address mental health concerns raised bycommunities in the above mentioned regions.

T h e f i r s t p ro j e c t i s a c ro s s s e c t i o n a l s t u d y,documenting mental health prevalence using Scid-I in which N=544 Aboriginal participants have beeninterviewed. The sample consists of AMS (n=420),with small sub-samples recruited via ‘reserve’communit ies (n=70) and community (n=54) .Preliminary findings show that Indigenous Australiansliving on traditional lands appear to have a lowerprevalence of mental disorders than those living in‘mainstream’ communities. The results of this paperare about to be submitted for publication.

The second study addresses communities’ desire tohave trained suicide interventionists living within theircommunities. Therefore, a community-led multifaceted

gatekeeper training program to increase knowledgeand awareness of suicide r isk factors amonggatekeepers is being developed. The first rollout of theproject started on the 23rd of July this year. The trainingprogram will be complemented by a dedicated smartphone application (App) that will facilitate informationflow and connectedness of at-risk youth to communityand support agencies. This project will be the first inAustralia to use Social Network Analysis to assess theimpact of the training program on connectednessbetween at-risk youth and the community, and oninformation flow between at-risk youth, communityand support agencies. The aim of reducing suicideamongst Indigenous youth living in rural QLD addressestwo national health priority areas: Indigenous healthand mental health. It will ultimately help close thegap in the area of Indigenous mental health andreduce avoidable morbidity and mortality amongIndigenous youth.

Both studies provide preliminary evidence thatquantifies the burden of mental illness amongstIndigenous Australians. This work is building on adear th of l iterature to better understand theunderlying issues associated with mental healthconditions within Indigenous Australian populations.Further, building Aboriginal research capacity shouldbe an important goal of all Aboriginal community-based research and both these projects address a highpriority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercommunities, and are relevant to the NationalAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan.

1. Dudgeon P, Walker R, Scrine C, Shepherd C, Calma T, Ring I.Effective strategies to strengthen the mental health andwellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Canberra Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014.

Dr Maree Toombs, ASMR Director,

Indigenous Health and Research

Focus on InequalityDriving change to improve Indigenous Australians’ social and emotional wellbeing: collaboration is the key

Dr Maree Toombs

The Board of Directors of ASMR wish to acknowledge a bequest from the Estate ofMaxwell John Smith

Mr Smith, late of Victoria, is not known to the Society but we areextremely grateful for his kindness in naming ASMR as one of thebeneficiaries.

Five beneficiaries were named to receive equal parts of theproceeds of his Estate. Beneficiaries are:

Magen David Adom■

The Alfred Hospital■

The Centre for Eye Research■

Guide Dogs Victoria■

The Australian Society for Medical Research■

5 August 2017

“Until a health care problembecomes life threatening, ahomeless individual will likelychoose shelter or food before goingto the doctor. These priorities mustbe considered when dealing withthe homeless population.What might, at first, seem likecarelessness or noncompliance is,in reality, simply a struggle tosurvive.”1

The magnitude of health inequalities among peoplewho are homeless belies the notion of a gradual socialgradient for health. Rather, the sharp differences inhealth for homeless people has been described in TheLancet as more akin to a cliff than a slope, withdisproportionate morbidity and premature deathamong people experiencing homelessness.2 This cliffis evident in Australia also, with people experiencinghomelessness more l ik e ly to have complex ,compounding health needs and comorbidities, andgreater usage of acute health services.3

As espoused by Wilkinson,4 the causes and solutionsto health inequalities often lie outside the remit of thehealth sector, and the vexed issue of recurrenthomelessness exemplifies this. Health issues amongpeople who are homeless invariably cluster with, andare exacerbated by other social determinants of health,including trauma, poverty, unemployment, domesticviolence and social disconnection. This constellationof underlying issues challenges traditional clinicalboundaries and health system responses. It presentsa challenge for health research also, as marginalisedgroups are not only excluded from health servicesbut also from routine health statistics.3

As we are discovering in our current research aroundhomelessness and health, even where data exists, itis often messy; date of birth can be uncertain for thosewho are stolen generation, home address is a misnomer,and people can often fall through the cracks of theservice and data systems. Randomised control trialsa n d c o nv e n t i o n a l s t u d y d e s i g n s w i t h n e a tmethodologies do not easily lend themselves readilyto homelessness research. Yet if we truly care aboutreducing health inequalities for those who are mostvulnerable, homelessness presents a challenging litmustest for health and medical research.

In an era of strained health and research budgets,there is also an economic rationale for building theevidence base for tackling the nexus betweenhomelessness and health inequalities. The health sectorbears much of the cost and consequences of therevolving door between homelessness and health inAustralia, with people who are homeless over-represented in ED presentations and preventablehospital admissions. Conversely, our recent data linkagestudy found that there were significant reduction inhospital use and associated costs among formerlyhomeless people who were provided with publichousing and support.3 The most dramatic reductionin health service use in this study was among formerlyhomeless people with mental health issues, with thecompounding relationship between mental healthand homelessness poignantly articulated by one ofthe participants:

“Being unable to afford privatehousing and not having a safe placeto stay long term is all consuming.Stress, anxiety and hopelessnessbecome everyday occurrences”3

Viewed through a soc ia l determinants lens,homelessness is not only a key driver of poor health,but also a symptom of adverse social and economicconditions.5 Moreover, having a safe place to live andsleep is also a fundamental human right, and imperativein tackling broader health inequalities.

1. Wise, C and Phillips, K (2013) Hearing the Silent Voices:Narratives of Health Care and Homelessness, Issues in MentalHealth Nursing, 34:5, 359–367.

2. Story, A. 2013. Slopes and cliffs in health inequalities:comparative morbidity of housed and homeless people TheLancet, Volume 382, S93

3. Wood L, Flatau P, Foster S, Zaretzky K, Vallesi S. (2016). Whatare the health and economic benefits of providing publichousing and support to formerly homeless people?, AustralianHousing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).

4. Wilkinson, R and Pickett, K (2009). The Spirit Level: Why MoreEqual Societies Almost Always Do Better. London: Allen Lane..

5. McLoughlin, P and Carey, G (2013). Re-framing the LinksBetween Homelessness and Health: Insights from the SocialDeterminants of Health Perspective. Parity, Volume 26,Issue 10

Associate Professor Lisa Wood, School of Population and Global Health

and Centre for Social Impact, The University of Western Australia

Focus on InequalityThe magnification of health inequalities among people who are homeless; a research and intervention challenge we cannot ignore

Calendarof EventsUpcomingconferences —

46th AnnualScientific Meeting ofAustralasian Societyfor Immunology27 November –1 December 2017Brisbane Convention andExhibition Centre

New Directions inLeukaemia Research2018 Meeting25 March – 28 March2018Brisbane Convention andExhibition Centre

Associate Professor Lisa Wood

August 2017 6

A recent report from the Mitchell Institute estimatedthat 38,000 young Australians left school prior tocompleting Year 12 in 2014. With an increased likelihoodof unemployment, welfare dependency, crime, poorhealth and mental health and their associated costs,the study estimated that this cohort of young peoplewould cost Australian taxpayers approximately $23billion over their lifetime.

Similarly, last year Nature Human Behaviour publishedan article on the Dunedin Study, which has followed1,000 children since their birth in 1972-73. The studyfound that 80% of adult economic burden could beattributed to 20% of the study sample, a groupcharacterised by growing up in socioeconomicallydeprived environments. As adults, this group accountedfor 81% of criminal convictions, 66% of welfare benefits,78% of prescription fills, 58% of nights spent in ahospital bed, smoked 54% of the cohorts cigarettesand 40% of excess obese kilograms.

Both of these studies show that socioeconomicinequality has implications for all members of society.Whether you’re a child struggling to keep up atschool or a taxpayer funding these services, theseissues affect us all. The intergenerational andmultidimensional nature of these issues, along withsiloed government portfolios, make socioeconomicinequality one of the hardest topics to address, butalso one of the most important.

The Dunedin study clearly shows that the pathway torelative disadvantage in adulthood often begins ininfancy, if not before. Children who have more booksin the home, who are read to and who have stronghome education environments arrive at the schoolgates more prepared to take on the challenges offormal schooling. Well-resourced parents can chooseto live in better neighbourhoods, or pay substantialschool fees to ensure their children are surroundedby like-minded peers from similar families. Thesefamilies can invest in other educational opportunities,and on average will place a higher value on education.It’s understandable why families make these decisions,but the end result is a concentration of high-achievingand low-achieving students within schools that allowsome students to flourish in academic hothouses, andothers to struggle in schools where opportunities maybe more limited.

Outside of the school environment, some families areunencumbered by financial stress, disability, unstablehousing or chronic health problems and find it easyto make sure their children show up every day at

school. Others may grapple with multiple issues thatmean regular school attendance becomes a lowerpriority, even with the best intentions. It’s hardly asurprise that the learning gaps between high-SES andlow-SES students, apparent before children evenstart school, continue to get wider throughout theschool years.

Of course, there are plenty of young people growingup in disadvantaged circumstances who do well andwho go on to live happy, fulfilled and successful lives.History is not destiny. However, socioeconomicdisadvantage can provide multiple obstacles along thelife course that can make successful outcomes thatmuch harder to reach.

Schools shoulder much of the responsibility forreducing educational inequality, but it’s clear theycan’t do it alone. Support from health and socialservices that in turn support students and theirfamilies is essential. These sectors also grapple withtheir own similar issues and budget constraints. Ourhealth care system, for example, could have all thebells and whistles, and gold star care supported bygold star medical research, there will be less benefitfor patients who can’t receive that care because theylack access, transport, funding, health literacy orfamily support.

Education reform is hard, but if we continue addressingthe same problems with the same solutions we’ll endup right back where we started. Typically, the approachhas been to figure out ways of making students fitwithin our education system. This approach makessense, since the system works for the majority ofstudents. However, there is a substantial minority forwhom it doesn’t work, and we should be looking atways of adjusting how education is delivered to thesestudents. It may be an expensive undertaking, buteducation reform should be considered an investment.If nothing changes, the cost to society will be fargreater in the future.

Dr Kirsten Hancock, ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and

Families over the Life Course, Telethon Kids Institute

Focus on InequalityInequality is everyone’s problem

Dr Kirsten Hancock

7 August 2017

There is increasing evidence about the impact ofnegative childhood experiences on adult mental andphysical health (for example see CDC AdverseChildhood Experiences research1). This is valuable(indeed prized) information that should guide manycomprehensive interventions. Disappointinglyhowever, there are few concerted or collaborativeefforts to redress the current high rates and impact ofchildhood trauma and adverse experiences.

In Australia, 10–20% of children are exposed tofamily and domestic violence 2, 3 and, of those whoare homeless, just over one quarter (27%) are underthe age of 18 (17% under 12). The immediate impactof trauma on children and adolescents is clear; theyare more likely to display delinquent/dysfunctionbehaviours, have mental health problems, beperpetrators of violence, and have lower educationalachievements.4 Our recent West Australian researchidentified a strong link between post-traumaticstress symptoms, psychological distress anddel inquent behaviours in a smal l sample ofdisadvantaged adolescents.

An underlying factor associated with both family anddomestic violence and homelessness for children isthe family’s socioeconomic status. Even withoutconsidering trauma, discrepancies between the healthof children based on differences in socio-economicstatus are evident from birth. These discrepanciesbecome larger as children get older.5 Vulnerabilityrelated to social determinants provides furtherdisadvantage; for instance those who are socio-economically deprived are less likely to receiveadequate health care, may have to wait longer inthe Australian public health system and to notcomplete treatment programs.

A strong cycle of poverty, poor mental and physicaloutcomes, dysfunctional behaviour, trauma andinadequate care is set in motion which is lifelongfor individuals as wel l as inter-generat ional.Traumatised children often grow into adults withl o w e r i n c o m e s , p o o re r h o u s i n g a n d l o w e reducational attainment, higher alcohol and otherdrug use (and more). In addition to these factorsimpacting their own mental and physical health, theresultant housing, social, income and educationalstatus impact their own children. This is not just acycle but a complex web of disadvantage andsuffer ing. Just addressing one of the factorssupporting the ‘cycling complex web’ is unlikely to

stop this tightly woven structure; it is throughtargeting all (or at least multiple) contributing factorsthat positive shifts are most likely to occur.

How does a society target multiple, complexproblems concurrently? A good place to start wouldbe to establish links between programs and servicesthat are sustainable and genuine. The competitivenature of program funding has led to organisationsbeing protective of their programs and reluctant tow o r k c o l l a b o r a t i v e l y . N e w a p p r o a c h e s t ocollaborating which assist with gaining and sustainingfunding whilst strengthening interventions arer e q u i r e d . We a l s o n e e d a s h i f t i n s o c i e t a lunderstanding about the impact of trauma onbehaviour as well as the strength of, and difficultyin stopping, the poverty cycle. Most importantly,we must increase support and compassion for thepeople caught up in a terrible ‘state of affairs’ thatusually begins at birth. Most services whose primaryrole is assisting disadvantaged children and familieswork through a t rauma- informed lens ; theyunderstand the cycle and its viciousness, they offers u p p o r t t h a t i n c l u d e s c o m p a s s i o n a n dunderstanding. This understanding must expandinto all areas of our society. We urgently requirepeople in education, justice, health, policy andbeyond to make decisions and take action based onknowledge about the cr it ical role that socialdeterminants play in our society and the viciouscycle that is so hard to break.

1. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html

2. Carlson, B. E. (2000). “Children exposed to intimate partnerviolence research findings and implications for intervention.”Trauma, Violence, & Abuse 1(4): 321–342.

3. Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health andParenting Research Centre (2013). Approaches TargetingOutcomes for Children Exposed to Trauma Arising from Abuseand Neglect, Australian Government Department of Families,Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

4. Nemeroff, C. B. (2016). “Paradise lost: the neurobiological andclinical consequences of child abuse and neglect.” Neuron89(5): 892–909.

5. CSDH (Commission on Social Determinants of Health) 2008.Closing the gap in a generation: health equity throughaction on the social determinants of health. Final report of theCommission on Social Determinants of Health. Geneva: WHO.

Dr Karen Martin,Research Assistant Professor, School of Population Health,

University of Western Australia

Focus on InequalityChildhood change: disconnecting the complex web ofdisadvantage through societal understanding and compassion

Dr Karen Martin

August 2017 8

ASMR MRW® week is a flagship activity for The AustralianSociety for Medical Research, and a highlight of theAustralian health and medical research calendar.A major focus of the week is to showcase the outcomesand the benefits of health and medical research to theAustralian public.

This annual and national event occurred during thefirst full week of June (June 1 – June 9, 2017) andfeatured the ASMR medallist tour, public outreachevents (including Science in the Cinema events, Dinnerswith Scientists and Science Trivia Nights); career eventsfor primary school, high school and tertiary students(including career expos, school visits and an onlineschools quiz); and academic events including scientificmeetings and professional development programsfor junior and senior medical researchers. The rangeand reach of these events continues to grow every year.

This year, the Society awarded the ASMR Medal toProfessor Richard Wilkinson, a scientist, author andadvocate of health and medical research, and inparticular health equality. Throughout ASMR MRW®,Professor Wilkinson shared his findings that economic

inequality is the key driver for numerous health (andsocial) problems in developed countries such asAustralia. He addressed audiences at Gala Dinnersacross the country and at the National Press Club inCanberra. The ASMR medallist tour promoted debateand discussion amongst scientists, politicians and thepublic, and this year attracted a strong media interest.

Dur ing ASMR MR W® we a lso celebrated andacknowledged the breadth of talent amongst thehealth and medical researchers of Australia. We hostedstudent and early career researcher conferences andnetworking events in many of our capital cities whichprovide a fabulous opportunity to share newdiscoveries and developments but also for conversationand collaborations between researchers young andold. Our generous sponsors enabled us to provideprestigious and nationally-recognised awards to manyoutstanding researchers that will be valued andcherished for many years to come.

As the public’s ability to search for and find informationabout health and medicine on the internet increases,we are reminded of the importance of sharing ourhealth and medical messages in an accurate, accessible,but also understandable way. Through our outreachactivities including Science in the Cinema, Dinner witha Scientist, and Science Trivia Nights we engaged thepublic in an evidence-based way on topics rangingfrom neurological disorders such as concussion andmotor neurone disease, to genetics and the ethics ofgenetic manipulations, and cancer immunotherapy.

ASMR is future-focused as we work towards asustainable health and medical research sector. Partof this commitment is to inspire the next generationof health and medical researchers for Australia and theWorld. We do this via our National School Quiz whichachieved more than 1000 entrants this year, and byhosting or partaking in multiple career days or exposin each of the states.

The ASMR Board whole-heartedly thanks the stateand regional branches for their motivation andcommitment to bringing these events to life eachyear. We appreciate the hours spent planning,organising, delivering, reviewing and renewing. Weacknowledge the support of our more seniorresearchers who deliver plenary lectures, keynoteaddresses, join panel discussion, judge awards, or hostour Gala Dinners as MCs. Finally, we thank ourmembership for participating in our events therebystrengthening our voice and message.

We trust you enjoyed ASMR MRW® 2017.

Dr Demelza Ireland,ASMR Director, ASMR Medical Research

Week® 2017

ASMR MRW® 2017 Report

Deputy Premier of Western Australia

Roger Cook with the WA Best Clinical PhD

Award Winner Karen Redhead

ASMR President Daniel Johnstone, ASMR Medallist Richard Wilkinson

and ASMR Director Matt Dun

Professor John Mamo, Curtin Univesity

with the WA Best Basic Science PhD

Award Winner M. Christian Tjiam

9 August 2017

It is now time to register for the 56th ASMR NationalScientific Conference (NSC) to be held in Sydney, atthe Charles Perkins Centre, from November 14thto 15th, 2017. Entitled “Science and Survival —equipping you with the tools to further yourresearch career”, the 2017 NSC has an exciting newformat with both scientific sessions and very uniqueprofessional development workshops for early andmid-career researchers from all fields of Health andMedical research.

We are proud to announce the highlights of our lowregistration cost and high value conference includingthe unique sessions below:

Inside the scientist studio or “becoming PeterDoherty” is a rare and in-depth interview with Nobellaureate Peter Doherty, who will share his journey andinspire our current generation and yet to come talentedHMR leaders. Professor Peter Doherty will beinterviewed by the multi-award winning producerand broadcaster Dr Norman Swan, also producerand presenter of the ABC Radio National’s Health Report.In addition, the ASMR will launch the Peter DohertyLeading Light Award to recognise the outstandingcontributions of Australia’s mid-career researchers.

The Politics of Promotion session will provideinvaluable insights into the intricate and necessaryjourney to Associate Professorship.

The Mock GRP session will feature all the elements

of a grant review panel (GRP) and the perspective of

a narrator will unravel the myth around GRPs.

The ASMR Signature Networking and MentoringBreakfast is a unique opportunity for students in

particular to share their concerns and ask questions

to experienced mentors.

Finally, the NSC will showcase scientific research

excellence and we will hear from eminent scientists.

To note this year:

The Edwards Orator, Distinguished ProfessorJagadish Chennupati from ANU, is a stel lar

nanotechnologist and charismatic leader and mentor

who will inspire our participants. Professor Jagadish

was awarded Companion of the Order of Australia

(AC) last year.

Dr. Bon-Kyoung Koo from the University of

Cambridge will deliver the prestigious Firkin Oration.

He is a worldwide emerging champion in the stem

cell field who will share his journey to the summit.

!!! Abstracts from all fields of Healthand Medical research are welcome!!!Join the NSC this year, this is a fantastic opportunity

to BOOST your career and don’t miss out!

56th ASMR NationalScientific Conference — REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!

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The ASMR invites mid-career researchermembers (who have mainta ined ASMRMembership for at least 12 months prior toapplying) to apply for the inaugural ASMR PeterDoherty Leading Light Award. This awardseeks to recognise the outstanding work of mid-career researchers (5 – 12 year post-doctoral)in Australia. Assessment is based on the impactof a single outstanding publication within thepast 5 years. Applications are open to researchersfrom all fields of health and medical research.

The award is named in recognition of NobelL a u r e a t e P r o f e s s o r D o h e r t y ’s c a r e e rachievements, scientific accomplishments, andongoing support and mentoring of Australia’snext generation of researchers. Professor Dohertywas the inaugural 1998 ASMR Medallist and

continues to inspire the research communitythrough his science advocacy.

Self-nominations and institute-led nominationsare welcome. Each application will include apublication (applicant must be first or last author)accompanied by a 300 word statement of researchimpact, and a two-page curriculum vitae. Thewinner will present a 10 minute seminar at theASMR National Scientific Conference in November2017 and receive a cash prize.

Applications close August 30th 2017.All applications are to be submitted toasmr@asmr.org.au with the subject line:Peter Doherty Leading Light Award. For more information please contactAssociate Professor Joanne Bowen:joanne.bowen@adelaide.eu.au

ASMR Peter Doherty Leading Light Award

August 2017 10

ASMR Research AwardsASMR offers two Research Awards annually. These awards support a

postgraduate student member of the ASMR nearing completion of

their studies or a recently graduated (3 years maximum) postdoctoral

member to undertake a short period of research in a laboratory

outside of Australia ($5,000) or in a distal laboratory ($2,000) within

Australia. The award specifically excludes support for conference

attendance and travel for an extended period of postdoctoral studies.

Applicants for these awards must have been members of the ASMR

for at least 12 months immediately preceding the year in which the

Award application is to be considered.

Application forms available at https://asmr.org.au/research-awards/ Applications close 29th September, 2017

It is with deep sadness that I announce the passingof a very good friend of the Society.

Mr Malcolm Samuels, the larger than life Proprietorof Management Services-4-U Pty Ltd was, since 1995,the Attache Accounting Software Consultant to theSociety. He died in May at the age of 82, only two weeksafter having solved a knotty accounting problem forus. Malcolm was a rare human being who embracedlife with contagious enthusiasm. He presided over theinstallation of software updates, supervised financialyear roll-overs, designed reports and systems to suitour needs, rescued us after hardware failures and gaveinvaluable advice.

A seasoned traveller and raconteur, I believe he hadbeen to every corner of the globe during his long lifeand had something to say or advice to give on everyprobable or improbable destination. Semi-retired,Malcolm kept looking after three or four favouredclients of which ASMR was one. He charged us verylittle for the outstanding service provided and we areindebted to him.

He touched my life; it was a privilege to know him andwhen his memory pops into my head, I will smile.

Cath West, Senior Executive Officer andChief Financial Officer, ASMR

Obituary — Mr Malcolm Samuels

11 August 2017

ASMR Directors 2017Executive DirectorsDr Daniel Johnstone

— PresidentDr Roger Yazbek

— Honorary Treasurer/ Membership/President-Elect

Dr Emma Parkinson-Lawrence— Sponsorship

Professor Gilda Tachedjian — Executive Director

Associate Professor Phoebe Phillips — Honorary Secretary

DirectorsAssociate Professor Joanne Bowen

— Professional DevelopmentDr Matt Dunn

— MediaDr Bree Foley

— Newsletter EditorDr Demelza Ireland

— ASMR Medical Research Week® Dr Jordane Malaterre

— NSC 2017Dr Shyuan Ngo

— Communications

Executive OfficeCatherine West

— Senior Executive and Chief Financial Officer

Priscilla Diment— Administrative Assistant

ASMR State BranchConvenorsDr Siva Purushothuman

— New South Wales ConvenorDr Lena von Schuckmann andDr Gregor Tevz

— Queensland ConvenorsDr Phillippa Taberlay andDr Brad Sutherland

— Tasmania ConvenorsMiss Kiera Flynn andDr Brooke Harcourt

— Victoria ConvenorsDr Belinda Brown andDr Sonia Fernandez

— Western Australia ConvenorsDr Ian Johnson

— South Australia ConvenorDr Farzaneh Kordbacheh and MsNilisha Fernando

— ACT ConvenorsDr Nicole Ryan

— Newcastle Convenor

ASMR Affiliate MembersANZAC Research Institute

Australasian College for Emergency Medicine

Australasian College of Dermatologists

Australasian Faculty of Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine

Australasian Gene Therapy Society Inc

Australasian Neuroscience Society Inc.

Australasian Sleep Association

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunologyand Allergy

Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc

Australasian Society for Immunology

Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases

Australasian Society of Clinical andExperimental Pharmacologists andToxicologists

Australian and New Zealand Association ofNeurologists

Australian and New Zealand Bone & MineralSociety

Australian and New Zealand College ofAnaesthetists

Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society

Australian and New Zealand OrthopaedicResearch Society

Australian and New Zealand Society for BloodTransfusion

Australian and New Zealand Society ofNephrology

Australian Atherosclerosis Society

Australian College of Nursing

Australian Diabetes Society

Australian Medical Students’ Association Ltd

Australian Physiological Society

Australian Rheumatology Association

Australian Society for Biochemistry andMolecular Biology Inc

Australian Society for Parasitology

Australian Vascular Biology Society

Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute

Bionics Institute of Australia

Brain and Psychological Sciences ResearchGroup

Burnet Institute

Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand

Children’s Cancer Institute Australia

Children’s Medical Research Institute

Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research

Ear Science Institute Australia

Endocrine Society of Australia

Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD)

Fertility Society of Australia

Haematology Society of Australia and NewZealand

High Blood Pressure Research Council ofAustralia

Human Genetics Society of Australasia

Hudson Institute of Medical Research

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation

Institute of Mind & Behavioural Sciences

Kolling Institute of Medical Research

Lions Eye Institute Limited

Mater Research Institute

National Association of Research Fellows

Nutrition Society of Australia Inc.

Opthalmic Research Institute of Australia

Paramedics Australasia

Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand

Queensland Eye Institute & Prevent BlindnessFoundation

Menzies Health Institute Queensland

Royal ANZ College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Royal Australian and New Zealand College ofRadiologists

Royal Australian and New Zealand College ofPsychiatrists

Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Royal Australian College of GeneralPractitioners

Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

Society for Free Radical Research (Australasia)

Society for Reproductive Biology

Society of Mental Health Research

Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand

Transplantation Society of Australia and NewZealand

University of Queensland —DiamantinaInstitute

Westmead Millennium Institute for MedicalResearch

ASMR Associate MembersArthritis Australia

Australian Red Cross Blood Service

Australian Respiratory Council

Clifford Craig Foundation Limited

Foundation for High Blood Pressure Research

Haemophilia Foundation of Australia

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Kidney Health Australia

Lupus Association of NSW

McCusker Alzheimer’s Research Foundation

Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc

National Heart Foundation of Aust

Scleroderma Association of NSW Inc

Queensland Government

William Angliss Charitable Fund

ASMR Supporting MembersCSL Limited

Research Australia

Wiley Australia