The Annual NARF Symposium

Call for nominations for the 2008 NARF Symposium Speakers

The 2008 annual NARF symposium will be held on November 17th, 2008 at the Brisbane Convention Centre during the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress. The symposium will be chaired by Dr Rohan Teasdale and co-chaired by Associate Professor Alpha Yap and will showcase research by three current NHMRC Fellows of outstanding caliber. The NARF Committee encourage NARF members, at all Fellowship levels, to self-nominate to present their research at this symposium. To nominate, please email the following to the NARF National Secretary, Dr Kay Double (k.double@unsw.edu.au) by Friday, August 1st, 2008:

Title of proposed presentation;
An abstract of a maximum of 300 text words prepared according to the abstract guidelines of the AHMR Congress (ahmrcongress.org.au);
A statement of the benefits of your Fellowship to the research program;
A one-page CV;
Fellowship level.

Members invited to present their work at the symposium will receive $350 towards travel and registration costs. The successful applicants will be expected to submit their abstract to the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress by the abstract submission date of Friday, August 15th, 2008.

The 2008 NARF Annual General Meeting will be held immediately preceding the symposium and the annual NARF dinner will be held that evening to allow NARF members an opportunity to socialise.

For a printer friendly rtf document of this information click here.

The NARF Post-Doctoral Investigator Award 2008

NARF announces their annual award which recognizes outstanding independent health/medical/biomedical research achievements by an Australian postdoctoral researcher at an early stage of their career. The intention of the Award is to recognize such achievement and to encourage the career aspirations of young Australian investigators in health/medical/biomedical research.

The NARF Postdoctoral Award for 2008 is AUD $1500

Plus full registration for the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress 2008 where the Awardee will be invited to speak within the NARF Symposium.

The Awardee will be notified by August 15st 2008 and the awardee will be announced at the NARF Symposium at the fourth Australian Health and Medical Research Congress in Brisbane on November 17th, 2008. The winner will be required to register and to submit an abstract for the AHMRC and will give a presentation of their work at the NARF Symposium.

For Information on how to apply please click here.

NHMRC Project Grant Response Times

Recently the NARF President Professor Phillip Robinson discussed the concerns of NARF members regarding this year’s shortened Project Grant Response time of seven calendar days with Dr Elim Papadakis, the Executive Director of the Research Investment Branch of the NHMRC. Dr Papadakis and the NHMRC were able to response to the concerns of NARF members by changing their policy regarding project Grant Response time for this year from seven calendar days to seven working days. External assessments and questions to Project Grant Applicants will be sent between approximately June 16th and July 4th 2008.