BMC Symposium 2021

The Brain and MInd Centre's fifth annual symposium on the 4th and 5th of November brought together 300 members of the wider research community to hear Honours and higher degree research students, early and mid-career researchers speak alongside distinguished leaders in research and policy.

Commencement addresses delivered by Professor Mark Scott, AO, the University of Sydney Vice Chancellor and Principal, and the Hon. Julia Gillard, AC, 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the Chair of the Wellcome Trust and Chair of Beyond Blue, set the tone for two days of presentations across the translational pathway.

Cited several times throughout the scientific presentations, Ms Gillard's address provided a call for communities to embrace "...evidence, data and knowledge translation in providing outcomes that make a tangible difference in people's lives." Both Ms Gillard's and Professor Scott's addresses highlighted the power of multidisciplinary, collaborative researchers and lived experience in creating impact.

"From the outset, it is important to keep central the commitment to working with those with lived experience.... it is the foundation to your work."

                                                                                The Hon. Julia Gillard

300 people registered to attend the online webinar to hear the latest in brain and mind research, as well as speakers' considerations on the theme: Lost in Translation: How can we harness the power of scientific enquiry for future health.

The theme aimed to capture the diversity of thinking required for truly translational, people-centred research with a program of speakers representing discovery science, clinical research and policy, featuring 22 presenters including:

• Guest keynote presentation by Professor Sarosh Irani, the University of Oxford Autoimunology Group
  
• Brain and Mind Centre keynote sessions with Professors Yun-Hee Jeon, Iona Novak and Jakelin Troy
• 14 early and mid-career researchers presenting current work
• A panel discussing dementia research in the context of translation with Dr Rebekah Ahmed, Prof. Kirrie Ballard, Dr Eleanor Drummond, A/Prof Fiona Kumfor and Dr Jane Thompson.

Follow the links below and to the right to see the full list of speakers and watch the presentations. With special thanks to the efforst of the 2021 symposium organisers Dr Anand Gururajan, Associate Professor Fiona Kumfor, Dr Sudarshini Ramanathan and commitee chair Professor Leanne Togher.

The poster competition recieved a rcord number of entries this year.  Of the 40 submissions, we inivted the 15 top-scoring posters to present in a lightning presentation round. The high standard was a great showcase of the talented cohort of Honours, HDR and early career researchers.

To watch the presentations, browse the Youtube playlist here.

The full poster booklet can be viewed and downloaded here.

Congratulations to the three category winners:

• Summer page (Honours)
• Susan Lin (HDR)
• Dr Marshall Dalton (ECR)