Immunisation forum a focus of Medical Research Week

A public forum on the pros and cons of immunisation will be a highlight of Medical Research Week from May 28 to June 5, being organised by the Australian Society for Medical Research.

Dr Nigel McMillan of the University of Queensland's Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research said the forum on Sunday, May 30 at 1.30pm at the Sciencentre would give parents a chance to hear both sides of the argument and ask questions.

Speakers will be University of Queensland Professor of immunology Ian Frazer, a father of three vaccinated children; and Greg Beattie, the author of Vaccination: A Parent's Dilemma and father of seven unvaccinated children.

"ASMR Medical Research Week provides opportunities for the general public, school children, students, politicians, industry and the scientific community to be informed and entertained," Dr McMillan said.

Queensland events include:
Sunday May 30 and Monday May 31: 10am-5pm, AMRAD-ASMR Medical Research Week Expo at the Sciencentre. This includes free entry to the entire Centre (normally $25 for a family). The expo will highlight the latest medical breakthroughs in Queensland and provide people with a chance to talk to researchers about subjects including cancer, asthma, and osteoporosis. It will include displays from all major medical research groups in south-east Queensland. Other highlights include:

o Dr David Carey (Institute of Nutrition and Metabolism, PA Hospital) will perform bone heel ultrasound to demonstrate how to check for osteoporosis.
o Prof Tom Marwick (Dept of Medicine, University of Queensland) will have an artery doppler radar to demonstrate how his research team measures artery thickening.
o Children will be able to infect a giant cell with "viruses" and then take home their own virus to build.

On Monday, May 31, there will also be a careers day at the Sciencentre for Year 10 to 12 students with a talk at 10.30am on careers in medicine and medical research.

On Wednesday June 2: the AMP-Queensland Biomedical Research Awards will be announced at the Bancroft Centre, Queensland Institute of Medical Research at a 6pm function.

On Friday June 4, at 7pm, the ASMR Medical Research Week dinner will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

For further information, contact Nigel McMillan on 07 3240 5387 or 0414 870 921or visit the web site: http://www.uq.edu.au/~mdnmcmil/ASMRQld.htm.