News Archive
Student successes at the Australasian Society for Immunology awards
Students from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology enjoyed success at the recent Australasian Society for Immunology (ASI) conference in Perth, Australia.
PhD student Sandeep Gupta (AgResearch and co-supervised by Professor Frank Griffin) won the Graham Jackson Memorial Prize for Mucosal Immunology. The Graham Jackson Memorial Prize for Mucosal Immunology is awarded to a research student or postdoctoral investigator for the best oral presentation in the area of Mucosal Immunology at the ASI SIG Mucosal Immunology Workshop/Symposium.
Fourth year students Julia Prier and Andrew Highton (both supervised by Dr Roslyn Kemp) were awarded ASI travel awards to present their work at the ASI conference. Julia was also awarded a Webster Centre for Infectious Disease Postgraduate Travel Grant to attend the meeting.
High schools outreach programme
Dr Judith Bateup recently visited James Hargest High School in Southland and Fiordland College in Te Anau as part of our High School outreach programme. The year 11 and year 13 classes enjoyed a hands-on programme looking at the “unseen world” of microorganisms on their teeth. This programme uses high-powered oil-immersion microscopy that is usually not available in secondary schools. As part of the outreach programme last year Judith visited schools in the Central Otago region and next year North Otago schools are on the agenda.
If you are interested in learning more about our high school outreach programme, please contact Judith Bateup
Professor Frank Griffin awarded the Pickering Medal
Microbiology and Immunology's Head of Department Professor Frank Griffin has been awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand's Pickering Medal, the country's top award for achievement in technology - the first time this has been won by an Otago University researcher. To read more...
Awesome Teacher !!!!
Our own Dr Heather Brooks has again scooped the award for 'Best Lecturer' in both the MED 2 and MED 3 teaching awards. She also gained an award for 'Best Innovation in Teaching" for a quiz where the students test their knowledge against the teacher. Our demonstrators Anthony Wade and Wenzel Czepluch also picked up the award for the 'Best Lab Demonstrators'.
Sandy Smith Scholarship Successes
Congratulations to Sarah Saunderson, Jenny Robson and Estelle Baker for funding success in the Sandy Smith Scholarship round for 2010.
Microbiology and Immunology building re-commisioning, unveiling of previous heads of department portraits and website launch
After some 800 days of construction the Microbiology and Immunology building was officially re-commissioned in a ceremony on Friday July 9th 2010.
A building blessing was given by Huata Holmes and the event also was a chance to unveil the portraits of two previous heads of department (Professor David Jones and Professor Sandy Smith) and to celebrate the launch of the new Microbiology and Immunology website.
Approximately seventy people gathered to take part in the event including past and present members of the Department and their families, various University dignitaries and the many people involved in the projects.
Photos courtesy of Allan Clark
Dr Michael Berney awarded the Swiss Society of Microbiology Encouragement Award 2010
Congratulation to Michael on receiving the SSM Encouragement Award which 'is given to young investigators in the field of microbiology for achievements that are outstanding in terms of their originality and particular scientific value."
http://www.swissmicrobiology.ch/Framesets/fr_ssm_award.htm
2010 OSMS photo competition
Congratulations to Htin Lin Aung for receiving a highly commended award in the 2010 Otago School of Medical Sciences photo competition. Htin is a PhD student in Professor Greg Cook's lab. For more information on the competition and other winners of the competition click here
"Surface tension" Htin Lin Aung
New Zealand's International Science Festival
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology joined other Departments at the University of Otago Expo “Otago Feeds the Mind” that was held July 9th and 10th in the St David St Lecture theatre complex.
The Microbiology and Immunology stand was organised by Judith Bateup with Zabeen Lateef. Our stand looked at microbes as food production factories as microorganisms are involved in the production of foods ranging from beer and bread to sauerkraut and soy sauce. Our stand also looked at probiotics and whether probiotics provide health benefits.
The University of Otago Expo was part of the International Science Festival that ran from July 6 - 11, 2010.
Year 11 Students Attend Microbiology Workshops
During the last three weeks, 400 year 11 students from around Dunedin have been visiting the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The students have been participating in a Microbiology workshop and have been gaining an appreciation of the "unseen" world of microorganisms.
May Graduation Ceremonies
Congratulations to all those that graduated in the May graduation ceremonies! Some of our 18 BSc, MSc and PhD graduands and their families joined us on May 8th for a morning tea to celebrate the graduands achievements.
2010 Otago School of Medical Sciences (OSMS) Photography Competition
The biennial OSMS photography competition is currently running. The competition looks for photographs that illustrate the “Science as Art” theme and the photos can be scientific work being undertaken at Otago or equally a photo taken while out mountain biking.
Photos need to be taken by staff or students of the OSMS and prizes will be awarded for the best entry from a member of the academic staff, general staff and students. There will also be a prize for the best overall photograph.
Each category winners will receive a framed version of their image and a bottle of wine. The overall winner will receive, in addition, book tokens to the value of $100.
All photographs will be on display in the Art Society Rooms, Dunedin Railway Station, during the NZ International Science Festival - July 2010.
Entries should be sent to Mrs Susan Butt. The closing date for the competition is May 14th, 2010. If you would like to take part in the competition, entry forms can be found on the OSMS website »
Entires are now closed for the competition.
Bath-time ducky 'very yucky'
Ever wondered what else was on your youngster’s bath-time toys? An Otago Daily Times reader did and here’s what they found with the help of Professor John Tagg - click here to read the article »
Otago develops new non-invasive test to gauge success of kidney transplants
In a world first, Dr Alex McLellan and his team have developed a quick, simple urine test to detect kidney transplant rejection. The finding was published in the international journal Transplantation in February.
For more on this story visit the University of Otago news article »
Otago School of Medical Sciences Annual Awards Ceremony
Microbiology and Immunology researchers were recognised in the Otago School of Medical Sciences (OSMS) Annual Awards Ceremony held January 27th, 2010 »
Professor Gerald Tannock was named 2009 OSMS Distinguished Researcher of the Year
Gerald was awarded the 2009 OSMS Distinguished Researcher of the Year award in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to research into the gastrointestinal microflora both nationally and internationally for more than 30 years.
Professor Andy Mercer was awarded the 2009 OSMS Best Paper Award for his team’s article in the November 2009 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This all-Otago paper describes a new way that viruses use to coerce host cells, allowing their replication.
Min Mo, Stephen B. Fleming, Andrew A. Mercer “Cell cycle deregulation by a poxvirus partial mimic of anaphase-promoting complex subunit 11.” PNAS. 2009. Vol. 106 (46), 19527-19532.
If you would like to read the paper please click here »
Julia Prier (3rd year student) awarded Proudfoot Prestige Scholarship in Experimental Science
Congratulations to Julia Prier, a summer student working with Dr Roslyn Kemp, who won the Proudfoot Prestige Scholarship in Experimental Science.