The Medici Symposium: Fostering collaboration between MMS and MSPGH

The Melbourne Medical School Research Symposium celebrates and showcases high quality research across a wide range of disciplines and is open to all staff and graduate research students in the School.

Medici-Symposium-2023

(L-R) Dr Ken Pang, Department of Paediatrics, Dr Hui Yin Lim, Department of Medicine, Dr Ye Tian, Department of Psychiatry, Professor Nicola Lautenschlager, Head of the Melbourne Medical School, Dr Romy Walker, Clinical Pathology, and Associate Professor Zhichao Wu, Department of Surgery.   (absent: Dr Jesse Zanker, Department of Medicine – Royal Melbourne Hospital).

Held on 15 November at the Woodward Conference Centre, the 2023 Symposium focused on fostering collaboration between the Melbourne Medical School (MMS) and the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health (MSPGH). The Symposium explored how research groups within the two schools can effectively work together with a view to stimulating future grant submissions and other collaborative activities.

This year’s Symposium highlights included:

  • A keynote presentation by Professor Nancy Baxter, Head of the School of Population and Global Health, highlighting the importance of purposeful and impactful collaboration that moves beyond a transactional relationship towards one with a deeper understanding and respect.
  • Presentations from Associate Professors Chris Schilling and Jennifer McIntosh (MSPGH), and Professors Jane Pirkis (MSPGH) and Elif Ekinci (Department of Medicine). Each presentation showcased different established collaborations involving researchers from both schools.
  • Quick fire pitches for new collaborations from Professors Richard Saffery (Department of Paediatrics), Cathy Vaughan (MSPGH), Eugenie Kayak (Department of Critical Care), Julia Brotherton (MSPGH), Associate Professor David Read (Department of Surgery), and Dr Bridget Bassilios (MSPGH).
  • The presentation of certificates by Professor Nicola Lautenschlager, Head of the Melbourne Medical School, for the winners of the 2023 MMS Student and ECA Publication Prizes and the awards for Outstanding Graduate Research Supervision by Honorary Staff.
  • Presentations from Shaie O’Brien (MISCH), Dr An Duy (MSPGH), Dr Kit Huckvale (Centre for Digital Transformation of Health) and Dr Jon Gooi (MRFF, University of Melbourne) on navigating further resources and support for future research collaborations.
  • Live illustrations by Jessamy Gee (Think in Colour) captured key points and ideas, keeping participants engaged and informed.

Medici-Symposium-live-illustration

Live illustration by Jessamy Gee (Think in Colour).

To find out more about the symposium or to get involved in research support initiatives in the School, please contact the MMS Research Support team: mms-research@unimelb.edu.au.