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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 1d

Today is the last day to make a submission! You don't have to fill in the survey l, you can just upload a letter or even a video

🫵🏻Advocate for fundamental research👊🏻

@nhmrc.bsky.social need your feedback to develop the best strategy for the future of Australian medical research

Link in the 🧵

Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Dear Everyone, I've read the #NHMRC draft strategy and I have notes ...

So I'm going to...🧵🤔🧵😱🧵😵‍💫🧵🙏🧵🧵🧵
This is a repost from X because you all need to know!

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

@nhmrc.bsky.social

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Everyone listen to A/Prof Sam!

A/Prof Sam Stehbens PhD (She/Her) @samstehbens.bsky.social · 2d

This is so disappointing. Fundamental **aka DISCOVERY ** science underpins training of the next generation of scientists, irrespective of if they go into translation labs or not. Failure to support it = turning off the tap. No discoveries, nothing to translate. Weak workforce #NHMRC

Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

My major note? It completely leaves out fundamental research as a priority 🤯

Which is wild, #NHMRC’s job is to "support the highest-quality research, from 👉BASIC science👈 through to clinical, public health and services research" (NHMRC Corporate Plan: nhmrc.gov.au)

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

If you care about the future of Australian health + innovation, please make a submission to #NHMRC

⚔️Protect🛡️discovery science 🔬🧪🤯
🌟Make it a priority and fund it properly🌟

Submissions due this Wednesday, 8th of October: consultations.health.gov.au/health-economi…#ValueFundamentalSciencece

https://consultations.health.gov.au/health-economi…

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Australia has a vibrant, brilliant discovery science community. It deserves to be nurtured, not left to starve while everything is rebranded “translation.”

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

So what changes do I suggest?

🌟Add a specific goal for discovery/basic science

🌟Guarantee a ring-fenced % of funds for it

🌟Block funding for institutes so scientists aren’t living grant to grant

🌟Ensure national platforms are accessible beyond home institutes

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Don’t get me wrong, I love translational research, I hope my research will one day be translated

I want to see a #NHMRCStratergy that ensures there's Australian grown discoveries to be translated for better health outcomes for all Australians 🌏🇦🇺

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

If we cut discovery science, we cut these returns

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

And let’s be clear, funding discovery research is not charity, it's not just about keeping weirdos like me off the streets, IT PAYS FOR ITSELF

AAMRI/KPMG found that every $1 invested in Australian medical research returns $3.90 to the economy

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

👏Translation 👏dries up 👏if you stop feeding 👏the pipeline 👏of discovery👏

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

In the 1990s–2000s, Japan and the UK shifted funding away from basic research

Their biomedical sectors became reliant on discoveries made elsewhere, and despite big translational investments💰, patent returns and innovation declined (OECD 2016: bit.ly/3UwzMrv) 💸💸💸

bit.ly

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

You think I’m being dramatic 🎭, but it’s happened before:

OECD’s Science, Tech & Innovation Outlook (2016) found that when countries shifted funding from basic to short-term translational research, high-impact papers and patents declined 👇⏬📉⬇️

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

The discovery of #GMCSF and #IFNε didn't stem from translational projects, hey came from years of scientists chasing fundamental questions

Under the #NHMRCDraftStrategy, research like this will be sidelined… and the next life-changing therapy could be lost before it even begins

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Another example, close to the #HudsonInstitute’s ❤️ is the discovery of #IFNε, an antiviral cytokine found almost exclusively in the female reproductive tract

Long overlooked, IFNε is now known to play keys role in protection from #ovariancancer and progression of #endometriosis

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

A fun example of this (which is highlighted in the draft strategy) is the discovery of #GMCSF

GM-CSF is now standard care in cancer and bone marrow transplants, but started out as Prof Don Metcalf making a PhD student look for cool new proteins in human urine...

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Every goal in the #NHMRCdraftStratergy: #translation, #patents, #AI, #resilience, all depend on novel discoveries made through years (sometimes decades) of curiosity driven research 🧪🔬🧫

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

My major note? It completely leaves out fundamental research as a priority 🤯

Which is wild, #NHMRC’s job is to "support the highest-quality research, from 👉BASIC science👈 through to clinical, public health and services research" (NHMRC Corporate Plan: nhmrc.gov.au)

nhmrc.gov.au

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · 2d

Dear Everyone, I've read the #NHMRC draft strategy and I have notes ...

So I'm going to...🧵🤔🧵😱🧵😵‍💫🧵🙏🧵🧵🧵
This is a repost from X because you all need to know!

#NHMRCdraftStratergy #Ihavenotes #ValueFundamentalScience

@nhmrc.bsky.social

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 26

Gentle reminder, abstract submissions and registrations close TODAY
Don't miss out on the most exciting event of the winter (assuming you're a fan of immune cells...)

Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

📢✨Melbourne Zoo will have more than just adorable wildlife this July... it will also be hosting some of our leading immunologists 🧬🦠🐅

Register by the 26th of May to join us in hearing from our amazing invited speakers as highlighted in this 🧵!

immunology.org.au/events/ASI-V...

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

And more to come!

Register: www.immunology.org.au/events/ASI-V...

ASI VIC TAS Branch Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

The ASI Victorian and Tasmanian Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 is taking place 24th - 25th July at Melbourne Zoo. As always, it ...

www.immunology.org.au

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

Professor Si Ming Man, CSL Centenary Fellow and NHMRC Leadership Fellow (ANU), focuses on how innate immune activation protects us from infections and toxins. Prof Man will illuminate his latest findings on innate immune sensing of danger signals and cell death.

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

Professor Kate Schroder, leader of the Inflammasome Lab at IMB (UQ) and a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, will excite your academic and practical imagination with TWO talks—on her favourite inflammasomes and her path through academia and industry.

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

Professor Di Yu, Chair in Paediatric Immunotherapy and inaugural Director of the Ian Frazer Centre of Children's Immunotherapy Research. A passionate immunologist, Prof Yu will delight you with insights into how diet shapes our immune system and overall health.

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

Dr Deborah Burnett, award-winning immunologist and UNSW Scientia Senior Lecturer, recipient of the Premier’s Prize for Early Career Researcher of the Year (2023), will explore how germinal centre control shapes cross-reactive antibody responses in protective immunity and autoimmune disease.

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

Prepare to be captivated by Professor Elizabeth Hartland AM (Director and CEO of Hudson Institute of Medical Research) as she delves into the fascinating interplay between intracellular bacteria and cell-intrinsic immunity.

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Sophia Davidson @sciencesophie.bsky.social · May 25

A/Prof Ashley St. John runs the Laboratory of Immunity and Immune Pathology in the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases (Duke-NUS Medical School).
Join us to hear about her exciting new research on the myeloid populations that protect the foetus from congenital infection

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