Core Facility Professional Development Conference

Register here for the conference and/or dinner

Conference delegate registration includes all program sessions except the optional conference dinner.

Day delegate rate $130 per person incl. GST. The day delegate rate includes both days of the conference.

Conference dinner (optional) at Hillstone, St Lucia, on Monday 28 October

Day delegate conference dinner rate $70 per person incl. GST

Non day delegate conference dinner rate $100 per person incl. GST 

- For bulk registrations, please contact Karen Hendrickson to facilitate offline registration and invoicing - no additional discount is available. 

- If you need to split a payment, for example if your employer is paying for the conference and you are paying personally for the conference dinner, you will need to do two separate transactions. 

- A tax invoice/receipt will be downloadable, and emailed, on receipt of payment.

Should you need to cancel your conference/dinner registration, please notify k.hendrickson@uq.edu.au at your earliest convenience.

Cancellations received before 14 October 2024 will receive a partial refund (amount paid less a cancellation fee of $10 incl. GST per item, per registration). Regrettably, cancellations received after 14 October 2024 will not be eligible for a refund.

Conference Opening - Professor Kerrie Wilson, Queensland Chief Scientist

Professor Kerrie Wilson commenced in the role of the Queensland Chief Scientist on 1 November 2023.

Her distinguished career encompasses roles at QUT, including Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability and Research Integrity), and her tenure as the Executive Director of the QUT Institute for Future Environments.

Professor Wilson is one of Australia’s leading researchers into the science, strategy and policy of conservation. With a track record in key leadership roles and driving collaboration with national and international stakeholders, she will ensure Queensland remains at the forefront of science.

Before joining QUT in 2019, Professor Wilson was the Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and an ARC Future Fellow at The University of Queensland.

She is also an Affiliated Professor in Conservation Science at The University of Copenhagen, a member of the Australian Heritage Council, and previously a member of the Reef 2050 Plan Independent Expert Panel.

Professor Wilson has held leadership positions including Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy Australia and the Australian Natural Sciences Commissioner for UNESCO.

She has received numerous awards, including the Prime Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year, the Australian Academy of Science Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science, two ARC Research Fellowships and an Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Young Researcher.

She holds a Bachelor in Environmental Science (First Class Honours) from the University of Queensland and a PhD from The University of Melbourne, undertaken in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre, based in Cambridge.

Plenary - Dr Kelly Vere MBE

Dr Kelly Vere MBE is the Director of Technical Strategy at the University of Nottingham where she began her career as a junior medical technician in 1999. She now leads an award-winning programme to enable the strategic and professional development of the University’s 700+ technical staff across the UK and Asia. She is a passionate advocate for technical skills, roles and careers in higher education and research and has written for the Guardian, Times Higher Education and Nature.

Kelly founded and leads the Technician Commitment – a sector wide initiative to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for the technical community across higher education and research which currently stands at over 115 institutional signatories and sector supporters. She leads a £5M Research England funded programme ‘TALENT’, awarded to the Midlands Innovation universities to advance status and opportunity for the technical community.

Throughout her career Kelly has created, facilitated and led a number of opportunities for the technical community. These include the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit and Papin Prizes, the Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership, the UK Technology Specialist Network (TSN) and TechxFest. In 2023, it was announced that she will lead the new £5.5M UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy (ITSS).

Plenary - Professor Maria Kavallaris AM FAHMS FRSN

Professor Maria Kavallaris AM FAHMS FRSN is Founding Director of the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine at UNSW Sydney, Head of Translational Cancer NanoMedicine at the Children’s Cancer Institute, Australia. 

Working at the interface of medicine, science and engineering, their innovation in driving interdisciplinary research in cancer nanomedicine has led to industry and clinical linkages for the development of cancer therapeutics and devices. Impact in innovation are recognised through awards including the 2017 Premiers Science & Engineering Award for Leadership in Innovation, 2019 Lemberg Medal, 2021 ANSTO Eureka Prize for Innovative use of Technology, and the 2023 Walter Burfitt Prize from the Royal Society of New South Wales.

In 2020, Maria was named the NSW Woman of the Year.

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Workshop - Maximising Efficiency: Education for Students and Staff Training in Core Facilities

Eva Orlowski-Oliver

Eva Orlowski-Oliver, SCYM(ASCP), is the Research Flow Core Manager at the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Her role involves educating, training, and supporting research staff who utilise flow cytometry technology.

Starting her passion of science during her honours year through the University of Melbourne, it was followed by 7 years working as an RA under Associate Professor Mark Hogarth at the Burnet Institute. Eva found her love of flow cytometry through experiments at the bench and soon moved to working in the AMREP Flow core facility under the guidance of Geza Paukovics. Over 5 years Eva became the Assistant Manager of the core and most recently became the Research Flow Core Manager at the PeterMac Cancer Centre where she is supported by an excellent team of experts, achieving the ISAC SRL Recognition Award.

Eva is deeply committed to continuined education and training of researchers as well as core staff. She is an active member of ISAC (International Society for Advancement of Cytometry) and has made publications in Cytometry A. She actively takes part in the SRL Recognition Program task force and is the SRL Committee Chair. Additionally, she contributes to ACS (Australasian Cytometry Society) workshops, virtual presentations, and conference committees. Eva believes in providing young students with opportunities to explore careers in science, often hosting them for site visits or work experience. 

Eva is always happy to engage in conversations about flow cytometry, SRL management, or the A-League.

Tanya Lennane

Tanya Lennane is the Senior Manager, Research Facilities and Infrastructure at University of Queensland Biological Resources (UQBR) and Translational Research Institute (TRI). She has 34 years’ experience working within the Biomedical Industry. She started her career in 1990 as an animal technician, before then transitioning into reproductive and genetic modification for approximately 11 years. Over the next 23 years Tanya held a variety of management positions at Monash University Animal Research Platform that both incorporated Facility Management and Senior Operational Management of seven animal facilities along with managing a large Reproductive/Genomic Modification Laboratory. Tanya also spent a period of time as a Divisional Head for Monash Animal Research Platform. Her areas of expertise include senior leadership, multifaceted facility management, continuous improvement, relationship management, governance & policy, project management, risk management, stakeholder management, team leadership, management communication, budgeting & planning, strategic planning, reproductive expertise, quality assurance, and service planning.

Workshop led by Dr Lucie Leveque-El Mouttie, Flow Cytometry Manager, Translational Research Institute, and Dr Nigel Waterhouse, Core Facility Manager - Flow Cytometry and Imaging, QIMR Berghofer

Further workshop speakers will be announced soon.

Workshop - Financially sustainable core facilities, now and in the future

Ben Hughes

Ben Hughes is a Bioengineer with extensive hands-on and broad-spectrum experience that is unique in the Australian Biotech arena. He is the Director of Strategic Development, Biologics and RNA Products at Therapeutic Innovation Australia, as well as the interim Director of the National Biologics Facility (NBF) at UQ. Ben brings 20+ years of experience in process development through to commercialisation of biopharmaceuticals (such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines), and a proven track record of developing successful teams and implementing service and quality systems up to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). 

Ben previously worked in a global technical role within contract manufacturing organisation Patheon by Thermo Fisher as well as Head of Manufacturing at both Brisbane and St Louis facilities that produced biologics drug substance for clinical trials through to FDA-approved commercial supply. In the US, he also developed and manufactured cGMP vaccines with Merck and Co, Inc., and supported commercial plasma-derived products with CSL in Melbourne. Ben also has extensive experience in the full value chain of facility and equipment design, start-up and validation activities.  

Dr Leon Scott

Dr Leon Scott is the Director of Research Infrastructure Operations at QUT.  In that role, he is responsible for the development and operation of QUT’s very broad portfolio of research infrastructure including: Biofutures and biorefining, future food, biomedical manufacturing, clean energy, including renewable energy, hydrogen and battery technology, robotics, space technology, horticulture, ecology, creative industries and most things in between. 

Dr Scott has three decades of operational and strategic leadership in research, health and manufacturing facilities; including at The University of Queensland, Queensland Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and now Queensland University of Technology.  In this time, he has collaborated with innumerable research, government and commercial partners.  Dr Scott is passionate about working with researchers and industry to transform innovative ideas into real world impact, and to help create the industries and jobs of the future.

Workshop led by Dr Sarah McAtamney, Senior Research Infrastructure Project Officer, Griffith University, and Dr Leon Scott, Director, Research Infrastructure Operations, QUT

Further workshop speakers will be announced soon.

Workshop- Research Impact

Workshop led by Dr Natalie Jones, Senior Strategic Research Advisor, QUT, and Tom Court, Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships, UQ

Workshop speakers will be announced soon.

Workshop - Connecting CORES with Community; exploring the impact of engagement activities 

Graeme Jones

Graeme Jones is the Managing Director of NewSpec Pty Ltd. Graeme grew up in country South Australia and travelled to Adelaide to complete a Science Degree at Flinders University. He now has over 30 years of sales and management experience in the scientific supply industry ranging from the sales of optics & lasers to light & electron microscopes. In his current role as Managing Director of NewSpec. Graeme is also responsible for sales in Australasia of Hitachi Electron Microscopes.

Graeme is passionate about Outreach and inspiring school students interest in science. As such, he has been a key driver in the Inspire STEM Outreach partnership with Hitachi.

Workshop led by Lorrelle Allen, Research Infrastructure Business Operations Manager, QUT, and Jana Hesketh (Manager Community Engagement and Events), QIMR Berghofer

Further workshop speakers will be announced soon.

Panel Session - Core Career Paths: How do we make changes that are enduring and embedded in workplace culture, policy and systems?

Professor Ute Roessner AM FAA

Professor Roessner AM FAA is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Initiatives and Infrastructure) at the Australian National University and supports cross-university strategic research initiatives and university-scale research infrastructure. In particular, the team provides strategic support and advice to the University’s NCRIS (National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy) investments and coordinates a portfolio of strategic initiatives, each working to address society's most challenging issues.

Professor Roessner AM FAA has a PhD in Plant Biochemistry from the University of Potsdam and the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology. She established a metabolomics platform as part of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics and was instrumental in the setup of Metabolomics Australia and led the University of Melbourne node.

Prior to joining the ANU in 2022, Professor Roessner AM FAA was the Head of School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne. She is a Lifetime Honorary Fellow of the International Metabolomics Society, has been elected to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, been appointed as Member of the Order of Australia, and in 2022 was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

Emeritus Professor Joe Shapter

Emeritus Professor Joe Shapter received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 1990. He subsequently held a NSERC Fellowship at The University of Western Ontario before moving to Australia in 1996 to take up a position at Flinders University. Joe served as Dean of the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, heading the Flinders involvement in both Microscopy Australia and the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). He was the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) at the University of Queensland from 2018 to 2022. He served on the boards of several NCRIS facilities and is now a member of the National Research Instructure Advisory Group.

Dr Nyssa Drinkwater

Dr Nyssa Drinkwater is the Manager of Compounds Australia at the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, Griffith University. Dr Drinkwater is an internationally experienced biomedical research specialist and program manager, with a history working in leading universities, medical research institutes, and commercial organisations.

Following completion of a PhD in drug discovery at the University of Queensland, Dr Drinkwater had a productive research career spanning large academic and industry drug discovery programs in both Australia (Monash University) and the United Kingdom (King’s College London). She transitioned to non-research positions in 2018, taking on a range of professional and management roles including scientific consultancy, communication, commercialisation, and research development (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, UniQuest, and Griffith University).

As Manager of Compounds Australia, she leads the development and implementation of the facility’s strategic and operational strategies to ensure the national facility continues to best enable the biomedical research community. Dr Drinkwater represents Compounds Australia within the drug discovery and compound management sectors, liaising with partners and stakeholders to develop and support new opportunities for Compounds Australia and its Members.

Dr Maria Soliman

Dr Maria Soliman is a research specialist at the Protein Expression Facility (PEF) at The University of Queensland. She earned her PhD in DNA-based vaccine development from The University of Queensland in 2022 and holds a Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry. She joined PEF in June 2022, initially leading the Molecular Engineering Unit for a year. During her tenure, she expanded her expertise by overseeing the Baculovirus/Insect Cells Expression System and recently joined the Purification Team to further broaden her skill set. Her current research focuses on optimizing processes to reduce the time and cost associated with large-scale production.

Paul Collins

Paul graduated from James Cook University, Townsville Qld Australia with a BSc Honours in Chemistry with his focus on Natural products chemistry in marine plants and animals. This gave Paul a well-rounded exposure to using analytical instruments and techniques to elucidate unknown Secondary Metabolites.

After a short stint at the DPI in the National testing of agricultural products for Chemical residues and contaminants laboratory he moved to QIMR to lead the Peptides and Oligonucleotide synthesis unit. This tenure lead Paul to have his first contact with DNA sequencing and the joys of pouring 80cm poly-acrylamide slab gels. Paul brings 25+ years of laboratory management and analytical skills to the Analytical Facility.

With the expansion of QIMR Berghofer into three buildings Paul was offered the position of Analytical Facility Manager and to lead a diverse team to provide services to QIMR Berghofer researchers and research laboratories on the RBWH campus and wider science community. This expansion introduced Paul to Next Generation sequencing and the niche field of transcriptomics which uses RNA transcripts produced by a genotype to provide a link between the genome, the proteome, and the cellular phenotype.

Session led by Adjunct Professor Sach Jayasinghe, Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF)

Panel Session - Industry and External Engagement

Session led by Dr Alisa Becker, Associate Director, Enterprise Research Partnerships, UQ, and Dr Alex Cody,  Acting Manager, Science Development, Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist, Science Division

Further panel speakers will be announced soon.

Panel Session - Organisational Culture

Session led by Associate Professor Kevin Jack, Director, Research Infrastructure, UQ, and Tess Vogts, Core Facilities Manager, TRI

Further panel speakers will be announced soon.

Special thanks to our Sponsors - visit the trade display at the conference to speak with our sponsors one on one.

Diamond Sponsor

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors
    

View the CORES 2024 prospectus

For all sponsorship enquiries, please contact k.hendrickson@uq.edu.au

Venue

The University of Queensland (UQ) at St Lucia, Room 206, Steele Lecture Theatre (Building 3) is accessed via level 2, Global Change Institute (Building 20), Staff House Road, St Lucia.

Visit the UQ Travel page for more Information on getting to our St Lucia Campus by car, bus, train, ferry or active transport.

Link to Google Maps directions to GCI, St Lucia Campus.

Accommodation 

A discounted rate has been negotiated with Essence Suites Taringa. You can view the website and book room/s directly by visiting the Essence Suites Taringa website. To access the special rate, use the discount code Cores24.

UQ St Lucia is accessible from Oaks Brisbane Woolloongabba via public transport, or a 3klm walk across the Green Bridge. You can view rates (no discount available) and availability on the Oaks Brisbane Woolloongabba website.

The Jephson Hotel rates (no discount available) and availability can be viewed on the Jephson Hotel website.