Newsletter #12.      AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR BIOPHYSICS

WELCOME to the last ASB electronic newsletter for 1996.

On behalf of the ASB Executive and our state reps, we wish everyone a Merry
Christmas. Enjoy the break.

Please visit our WWW site and send me your comments. It is continually
evolving and I thnk those of you who have commented recently. I hope you
notice the changes over the next few days. The web address is:
http://www.anatomy.su.oz.au/ASB/

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ITEM 1. The FASTS Council Meeting in Canberra, November 20, 1996.

I attended the FASTS Council meeting in Canberra on November 20. Martyn
Evans, the shadow minister for science was there and spoke before lunch. He
is from South Australia, a science graduate and gave an impressive and
thoughtful talk. Perhaps it is the lack of pressure in the opposition, but
I thought he had a good grasp of the needs of the science community. I was
impressed.

Peter McGauran spoke after the lunch break. He discarded his prepared
speech and proceeded to give a view of science which led me to believe that
he feels that all is well with science. "Tell me if I am wrong!" he said to
an  incredulous group of presidents. I think we as working biophysicists
should do just that.

I would like to form an email forum whose task it would be to highlight the
shortcomings and deficiencies in the current Government programs as well as
to congratulate McGauran where he has got it right. If you are interesting
in participating please email me and I will set it up. FASTS has set up a
similar set of committees and we can pass on our comments to them for
action in Canberra. Our email group could also report through the Academy's
National Committee for Biophysics.

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The following is a summary of the FASTS Council meeting which I pass on
from  FASTS.

FASTS Council
Both Minister Peter McGauran and Shadow Minister Martyn Evans sparked
vigorous discussion when they addressed Council on November 20.
Representatives of Member Societies were able to question them directly on
a whole range of issues.

The meeting was surprised to hear the Minister's perception that basic
research was well-funded and thriving in Australia. The Board is preparing
a submission to acquaint the him with the real picture and the real
importance of basic research.

FASTS has written to the Minister for Education Senator Amanda Vanstone to
ask her when the review of the Higher Education system will begin.

The Review was announced on August 9 when the Minister made a pre-Budget
statement, ostensibly to clear up a confusing situation in the Higher
Education sector.

Since then the situation has worsened. The sector is simultaneously
grappling with savage funding cuts, the proposed differential HECS
allowance, and mounting industrial trouble over claimed salary increases.
Confusion and uncertainty reign.

All notions of strategic planning seem to have gone out the window, to be
replaced by a market-driven "reform" of the Higher Education system.
Science departments have been closed or amalgamated as university
administrators scramble to balance their budgets, and FASTS is concerned
that these actions do not prejudice the gains of the past two decades.

Clearly, the universities need a sense of purpose and direction. They need
to know what the universities are expected to do and what sort of funding
is available to them.

Science is particularly vulnerable in this climate of uncertainty. Science
departments can be expensive to run, and the benefits lie beyond the
time-horizon of most of the people who make policy decisions.

It's time to set a clear and steady path for Higher Education, and it's
time for Minister Vanstone to announce the terms of reference for her
Review.

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ITEM 2: Frances Separovic had a position available.

Post-Graduate Research Scholarships: Biophysical Chemistry

Ion Mobility in Polymer Gels
Structure of Modified Ion Channels

Positions are available for PhD and MSc research in the field of nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) applications in Biophysical Chemistry.

Projects include:
(i) the use of NMR techniques to determine ion binding sites and ion mobility
in polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and polyethyleneoxide (PEO) lipid conjugates;
(ii) determination of the structure of modified ion channels, using NMR to
study the mechanism of ion channel gating.

These projects will involve collaboration with a multidisciplinary team from
the Cooperative Research Centre for Molecular Engineering and Technology
working on the development of biologically based sensors. Each project will
involve interaction with University, CSIRO and industry based researchers.

Research Scholarships:
Candidates should have a Bachelors degree with H1 or H2A Class Honours. A
background in physical chemistry, biophysics or biochemistry would be highly
desirable. Supplementation of $5,000 pa for successful Australian Postgraduate
Awardees will be considered by award of a Pacific Dunlop Scholarship for up to
3 years.

Enquiries and applications (including a resume, academic record and names and
addresses of two referees) should be directed to:
 Assoc. Professor Frances Separovic
 School of Chemistry
 University of Melbourne
 Parkville  VIC  3000
  Australia
 ph: 03 9344 6464  fax: 03 9347 5180
 email: f.separovic@chemistry.unimelb.edu.au