Author: Koshala Shanmugakumar

Are you involved with research in the WA health system?  Then be sure to sign up to the Research Governance Service (RGS).

The RGS is a collaborative, one-stop information technology system for both researchers and research administrators.

As a registered user you will be able to:

• network
• approve research projects
• hear about research-related events, training and information
• receive quarterly newsletters with research-related updates.

As an RGS-registered researcher you will also be able to add your profile to the publicly-available Investigator Speciality List, enabling potential sponsors and collaborators to get in touch with you.

You can also use the Project Search function to find other research projects in your area of expertise or track down particular researchers working at specific hospital sites.

For more information or to join the other 2500 registered users, visit the RGS.

If you are already an RGS user and need assistance email RGS.Support@health.wa.gov.au

The Data Linkage Branch now offers a tailored workshop for researchers and other applicants interested in applying for linked data. Both new and experienced researchers can benefit from the workshop, which covers these core essentials:

•      the data linkage process

•      the preparation of data

•      the datasets available to researchers

•      ethical considerations

•      the application process

There are five dates scheduled throughout the year:

 ·         21st of March at the University of WA

 ·         15th of May at Curtin University

 ·         11th of July at the Department of Health

 ·         19th of September at the Telethon Kids Institute

 ·         6th of November at the Department of Health

 Full details, including the course flyer and booking information, are available on http://www.datalinkage-wa.org/applicant-workshops-applying-using-linked-data>.

The workshop can be booked through Eventbrite

We are pleased, and very excited, to invite SPARK Co-Lab Design alumni, mentors, speakers and the wider Accelerating Australia community to join SPARK Co-Lab at the official launch of the Actuator seminar series.

The Actuator will be a weekly lecture series delivered free of charge, designed to enable the next generation of medical innovators. It will do this by providing medical researchers and early-stage entrepreneurs who already have great ideas with support, tools and know-how to commercialise their products through information sharing, mentorship and networking delivered and facilitated weekly by experts from across Australia and internationally.

The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Perth Lisa Scaffidi will provide opening comments to officially launch the lecture series, in recognition of the funding and support for the Actuator Series being provided by the City of Perth as part of their ongoing commitment to the life sciences sector in Perth and across Western Australia.

SPARK Co-Lab’s Celine Royet will then host an interactive panel featuring three of SPARK Co-Lab’s recent success stories, Perth-based start-ups NiMO, Biacorand Iris Biomedical, as well as more established companies including OncoRes and Resonance Health, who will speak about their experiences on the journey from identifying unmet medical needs to starting a company to solve these problems. To close the event, Kevin Pfleger, chair of Accelerating Australia will speak about the strength and diversity of the biomedical innovation ecosystem in Perth and across Australia.

Light refreshments and networking will follow, giving attendees the chance to talk further with the evening’s panellists and presenters.

Please see Actuator Schedule for the upcoming programs.

Click here to register.

SKTT-poster WAHTN May 2018 WAHTN is delighted to host the Scientist Knowledge Translation Training workshop 2018 by Melanie Barwick and Tamika Heiden on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 May 2018.

The course is appropriate for scientists (basic, clinical, health services, population health) as well as educators, clinicians and KT professionals (e.g. KT Specialists, KT Managers, Knowledge Brokers). While the focus is on health, the material is highly relevant to individuals working in other sectors. The SKTT™ course is intended for anyone who has an interest in :

• Sharing research knowledge with audiences beyond the academic community

• Increasing the impact potential of their research

• Building practical KT planning skills Course Content Learning Objectives Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Define KT and related terms

• Describe the relevance of KT in their context and role

• Identify strategies for sharing evidence with and engaging multiple knowledge user audiences

• Use KT planning tools and resources to develop a KT plan (e.g. KT Planning Template©, KT Game©)

Places are limited and registration will be confirmed on a first come first served basis.

Please register using the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/UEKJ

Genetic and Rare Disease Network, the Western Australian Health Translation Network, the Western Australian Register of Developmental Anomalies and Rare Voices Australia hosted the Rare Disease Day Symposium 2018 on the 28 February 2018.

The symposium commenced with welcome remarks by the Hon Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC. A range of presenters talked about rare disease research from a patient, scientific and medical perspective and the event was concluded by the Honourable Roger Cook MLA, Minister for Health, Western Australia.