Australia honours Bernstein
for his work in health research
On June 6,
during Medical Research Week,
Dr. Alan Bernstein received the 2001 Medal from the
Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR)
| On June 6, Michael Woodridge, Australia's Minister of Health, awarded Dr. Alan Bernstein the 2001 Medal of the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR). In its mandate, the ASMR seeks to "foster excellence in Australian health and medical research, and to promote community understanding and support for health and medical research in Australia." Last year's ASMR recipient was Dame Bridget Ogilvie, former Director of the United Kingdom's Wellcome Trust -- the world's largest medical research charity. Below is a transcript of the acceptance speech delivered by Dr. Bernstein. In this speech, Dr. Bernstein acknowledges the efforts of past recipients, such as Dame Ogilvie, but primarily addresses Canada's and Australia's need to forge a united front in the ground-breaking revolution of health research. It's a theme that recurs throughout his talk, as both the ASMR and CIHR share common goals in fostering research excellence. Proclaiming this century the "bio-century," Dr. Bernstein talks about potential benefits of using stem cells in the fight against a variety of diseases; including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. He also argues that by understanding the genetic underpinnings of disease, scientists will be able to develop more effective drugs. Thanks to continued financial support from the Government of Canada, Dr. Bernstein surmises that CIHR-funded researchers may very well be able to develop these drugs and this will, in turn, lead to the best health for citizens all over the world. |