IN THIS ISSUE
From the Executive Director
Industry News
In the Media
Profile
International Visitors
Participate in Research
Call for Papers
New Staff
Congratulations
Reports and Resources
NICM Projects
Recent Publications
Events
From the Executive DirectorOur calendars at NICM have been in overdrive, with a flood of activity from international and national conferences; government consultations; Higher Degree Research students commencing; April graduation ceremonies; and of course, lots of fantastic research and work being published.
NICM congratulate the newly appointed Chair at Universities Australia, Professor Barney Glover, who will carry out his new duties alongside his role as Vice-Chancellor and President of UWS.
In May, the Australian federal government announced its 2015/16 budget. We welcome the positive news and investment of $10 million into the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) in 2015 and $400 million over the next four years. It was stated in a joint ministerial release that “the Government will separately establish an expert advisory board to provide advice on the medical research strategy and priorities to inform how annual distributions from the MRFF are to be spent.” We would hope to see research into complementary medicine represented within the new advisory board.
It was also very pleasing to hear about the further commitment of funding – $159 million over the next four years – to health and medical research with the re-election of the Baird Government in NSW. NICM congratulates the re-elected Baird NSW Government and welcomes the re-appointment of the Hon Jillian Skinner MP as Minister for Health, the appointment of the Hon Pru Goward MP as Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Medical Research, Assistant Minister for Health, Minister for Women, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and the appointment of the Hon Victor Dominello MP as the new Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation.
Medical research and funding has definitely been a topical conversation of late. In recent weeks, there has been a lot of media attention and debate about philanthropic and industry support in research specifically focused in complementary medicine, arising in part from the University of Sydney and Blackmores announcement of $1.3 million donation to fund a Chair in Integrative Medicine and support independent complementary medicine research.
NICM supports and commends the announcement as it will increase Australia’s capacity to undertake scientific research into complementary medicine and help build the evidence-base in our field. We look forward to discussions with the new Chair around challenges for the sector and future collaborations with the University of Sydney that draw on our respective institutional strengths to address sector priorities.
In this edition Judy Jacka, from the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNT), speaks eloquently about why such new initiatives in building research capacity in this country are so important, and how industry and philanthropic support is vital for increasing the evidence-base and the safety, quality and efficacy of complementary medicines.
As referenced in the 2013 McKeon Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research, private research funding from industry and philanthropic sources has always been a substantial and important contributor to health and medical research. Effective health and medical research depends upon industry and philanthropic funding, with most medical research institutes accounting for at least 29 percent of their funding sources from private funding.
Support from private funding that is well managed, ethical, and unencumbered boosts our national capability to deliver better health and wellbeing through research and ensures Australia continues to produce some of the world’s best scientific and medical researchers.
The JFNT, Marcus Blackmore, Nigel Pollard and Eng Liang of Soho FIordis International and Mark Bisset of Catalent are all true friends of the sector and leaders in support for complementary medicine research and NICM’s mission, of which we are all, deeply grateful for.
I hope you enjoy this edition.
Professor Alan Bensoussan
19 June 2015
INDUSTRY NEWS
Large turnout at ICCMR Congress: The 10th annual International Congress of Complementary Medicine Research – ICCMR 2015 – was held in May at Jeju Island, Korea. Hosted this year by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), the congress attracted more than 580 delegates, speakers and sponsors from 25 countries, including several representatives from NICM. The event focused on “Inspiring future healthcare: the innovative role and sustainable development of traditional and integrative medicine.”
NICM PhD candidate awarded Best Oral Presentation
Congratulations to NICM PhD candidate, Mike Armour who was awarded Best Oral Student Presentation at the ICCMR congress. Candidate’s abstracts were evaluated before and during the congress with assessment based on the creativity, presentation capability and scientific influence. The awards are designed to encourage future leaders to present exceptional studies and research outcomes internationally.
In his twenty minute address, Mike discussed results from a small clinical trial conducted in New Zealand which focused on how Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture treatment changed women’s attitudes to their menstrual cycle and normality of pain and other symptoms.
Mike’s PhD project examines how acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods) is delivered in the community and investigates how changing different components of acupuncture dosage effects pain and dysfunction in primary dysmenorrhea.
Primary dysmenorrhea affects at least half of all women at some stage during their reproductive life. Due to its prevalence many women feel that period pain is a normal part of the menstrual cycle, this is often reinforced by views from friends, family and other medical professionals.
New framework helps evaluate and integrate Traditional and Complementary Medicine
NICM’s Dr Jennifer Hunter and Adjunct Professor Lesley Braun introduced the Integrative Medicine Decision Toolkit in the translational research and health policy pre-congress workshop at this year’s ICCMR Congress. The newly developed toolkit provides a practical framework that encourages a comprehensive, systematic assessment of an intervention to determine under what circumstances to integrate a Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) intervention or service.
Dr Hunter says the toolkit was developed in response to the challenges facing healthcare decision makers when evaluating T&CM.
“Clinicians and health services managers who are responsible for deciding whether to integrate a therapy into their service, and those developing health policy and clinical guidelines would benefit from using this tool,” said Dr Hunter.
“The framework is intended to assist healthcare professionals in deciding when and how a complementary medicine product or therapy might be integrated into conventional healthcare.
“The toolkit allows the direct comparison of otherwise diverse therapies, often with different types and quality of research supporting their use,” she said.
As part of the interactive workshop, case scenarios allowed participants to compare different approaches when deciding to integrate a therapy into a healthcare service.
“Participants were asked to make a decision based on information provided about the safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness of a therapy. Participants then used the Integrative Medicine Decision Toolkit to reappraise their recommendations and present their findings and feedback about the tool,” said Dr Hunter.
“It was very well received, over 40 delegates participated in the workshop, and many were eager to be involved with the ongoing development of the toolkit,” she said.
NICM will conduct a further workshop in Melbourne as part of the Australian Integrative Medicine Association conference in July.
Emphasis on Intergrative Health at WHO expert consultation
During the ICCMR congress, the World Health Organisation (WHO) consulted with an international panel of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) experts to help pinpoint critical issues and challenges in integrated health service delivery. The participants on the panel, which included NICM, fellow international researchers and government officers also discussed and identifed effective ways for T&CM integration with national health systems.
Dr Vivian Lin, Director, Division of Health Systems, WHO-WPRO, chaired the discussion, in which four main themes were raised by the panel: the importance of patient safety; the diversity of integration and regulatory models in countries; the need to address cultural barriers; and broadening the notion of appropriate research evidence.
The importance of recognising indigenous medical systems, including Indigenous Australians was also acknowledged. Participants also agreed and recommended that the WHO should continue to facilitate intra- and inter-country discussions and learning about the appropriate integration of T&CM into national health systems. From the meeting and consultation four priority action areas were identified: information; regulation; education; and integrated service delivery models – where the WHO could support pathways to integration in Member States.
NICM contribute to federal discussion on Industry Growth Centres
The Minister for Industry and Science established late last year five Industry Growth Centres (IGC) as part of the new industry policy direction and Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.
NICM has been participating in the Government’s consultation phase of the ICG, specific to the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre and the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre. NICM welcomed the opportunity to discuss how the Government may support a strong, research-based and innovative complementary medicine sector, with the potential to deliver high quality and effective products around the world.
Expert Review of Medicines and Medical Devices Regulation
As part of the Federal Government’s Expert Review of Medicines and Medical Devices Regulation, submissions were called for in response to the Panel’s Discussion Paper on Complementary Medicines.
NICM responded encouraging greater investment in complementary medicine research and strengthening evidence-based practice. We believe that improving the TGA regulation will boost local manufacturing and export opportunities as well as health outcomes. NICM’s submission can be read here, on the Australian Government’s Department of Health website.
On 15 May, NICM met with the three Review Panel members: Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom AO (Chair); Mr Will Delaat AM; and Professor John Horvath AO. The Review Panel was receptive to NICM’s recommendations for regulatory reform, while acknowledging the complexity of the issues raised.
The Review Panel’s report is due to be delivered to the Health Minister mid-2015.
ABC welcomes Bensoussan to Advisory Board
The non-profit American Botanical Council (ABC) has appointed 13 new expert members to its advisory board, including NICM Executive Director, Professor Alan Bensoussan.The appointment represents ABC’s continued goal of expanding its international relationships and educational impact. The new members will bring their perspectives and experiences from numerous scientific fields related to the study of medicinal plants, including ethnobotany, pharmacognosy, phytotherapy, pharmacy, organic and biochemistry, natural products research, and more.
“We are deeply grateful to these highly qualified new members of the ABC Advisory Board for their willingness to engage formally with ABC and help us promote our non-profit educational mission,” said Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director of ABC.
“These people constitute some of the leading experts in their respective fields and their active association with ABC will help ensure the high quality, accurate, and reliable educational information for which ABC is known.”
Health professionals explore the diverse nature of Chinese medicine at the AACMAC
Expanding the possibilities of Chinese medicine in contemporary healthcare was the theme at this year’s Australasian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Annual Conference (AACMAC), held at the Adelaide Convention Centre in May. The three-day conference included an engaging and clinically relevant academic program with highly regarded speakers, including NICM’s Dr Sue Cochrane and Professor Caroline Smith.Dr Cochrane’s address focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine and the healthcare system in Australia, while Professor Smith presented an abstract which discussed the views of patients and acupuncturists from a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture as an adjunct to in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“The conference is the peak annual convention of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine professionals in the Asia-Pacific region, and continues to be the largest annual gathering of practitioners in our field in the southern hemisphere,” said Professor Caroline Smith.
“It provided a great opportunity to network and catch up with research collaborators and international colleagues, as well as talk with new students interested in studying complementary medicine.
IN THE MEDIA
Chinese medicine and cancer research overview
SBS World News recently aired a segment about the $1.3 million research deal between Sydney University and Blackmores. Professor Alan Bensoussan was featured in the segment defending the agreement saying that without industry funding important research in the field couldn’t go ahead.Professor Bensoussan discussed how research into complementary medicines required more funding than the tax-payer or government is able to provide. He further explained how university protocols, guidelines, and research ethics committees are in place to ensure the independence and integrity of research. Watch the segment.
In March, the Weekend Post, CairnsEye reporter, Claudia Liebenberg wrote a feature article on complementary medicine and its place in modern healthcare titled Many Roads to Health.NICM’s Professor Alan Bensoussan is featured throughout the piece, and provides insight and comment about the strong regulative system for complementary medicine in Australia under the TGA; how complementary medicine works in collaboration with conventional medicine and integrative care; and advice for people wishing to purse complementary medicine, such as talking with your GP and using evidence-based complementary medicine.
The feature also discusses NICM’s clinical trials and pre-clinical research and how NICM “is currently working to provide hard science to many wellness approaches” – referencing herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, and mind body therapies such as yoga.
PROFILE
Judy Jacka’s long-running experience in the field of natural therapies and complementary medicine has led her to a role that she believes will help secure the future of this form of healthcare: philanthropy.
Ms Jacka is Vice Chairperson of the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNT). The governing board also includes four other graduates from Southern School of Natural Therapies – Deborah Schnepper (Chairperson), Sandra Dillon (Secretary and Treasurer), Enna Szmulewicz, and Pauline McCabe. Together they help choose worthy recipients for research funding from the Foundation as well as promoting awareness and understanding of natural therapies.
During the span of Ms Jacka’s career, the public image and political climate for natural therapies has undergone significant changes – the most obvious being a dramatic rise in public awareness. However, political support for natural therapies has wavered during this time and Ms Jacka is resolute that providing ongoing support for evidence-based research is crucial to the survival of complementary medicine.
“I’ve been involved in this field for nearly 45 years and when I first went into practise I had to explain to people why it wasn’t a good idea to eat white bread, white sugar, and have meat three times a day,” Ms Jacka said.
“Whereas now, most people know that those things can cause problems. There have been huge changes in people’s general lifestyle. When I was first involved, probably only one in 10 people were aware of complementary medicine; now 70 per cent of people use natural therapies.”
Despite this growth in public awareness, academic support for the place of complementary medicines in universities, as well as political sentiment, has not always favoured natural therapies. Ms Jacka believes that philanthropy is one key to resolving this situation.
“The Jacka Foundation sees philanthropy as a practical benevolence, diverting finances or money to those in need – in this case, those who are providing research into complementary medicine,” Ms Jacka said.
“This follows the Foundation’s interests and our need to promote complementary medicine and research in whatever way we can, whether it’s the type of gift that we’re giving to NICM or providing scholarships – we’re inspired to explore different avenues related to complementary medicine.
“We are often burdened by the claim that we have no proof that our remedies work, so that’s why we’re so interested in demonstrating evidence-based medicine.
“The more that organisations like JFNT are able to support research into complementary medicine, the better known and accepted it will become. Scientific research is crucial to building the evidence and demonstrating to the government and the public that complementary medicine is here to stay – and that it’s a good industry in which to invest.”
Philanthropic support from organisations like the JFNT, private donors and industry are a vital lifeline for research funding.
“If there was no private support in the form of donations, bequests and grants, research into complementary medicine would be limited and related research organisations would struggle, or possibly cease to exist,” she said.
JFNT’s main criterion for the institutes and people it supports is the ability of these bodies to demonstrate a reputable research background.
“One of the reasons we selected NICM was that it had already achieved good ‘ranking’ in important research areas, and we felt that it was at the forefront of research in complementary medicine.
“It’s also crucial that the areas of research covered by an institute are important and beneficial to the general public, and regarded as significant by the government.
“We’re very happy with NICM’s direction and the interesting links that have been made with the Chinese government in the health area, plus the type of research undertaken by NICM.”
Ms Jacka also highlighted registration of natural therapy graduates as a way to reinforce the legitimacy of the field.
“Registration benefits universities, research institutes, consumers and patients,” she said.
“Healthcare should include government recognition of graduates who successfully undertake suitable courses.
“It is important that well-educated graduates are able to be registered if they are to practise as primary contact physicians.”
Ms Jacka said that one of the strongest things working in the favour of complementary medicine is support from the public and ongoing improvements in education.
“For instance, on the issue of a proposed standard for vitamins and minerals in 1981, when we could have been supressed by government legislation, we appealed to the public on the basis of the right to choose in healthcare. Politicians reported that they received more letters from the public on this issue than any other issue since federation.
“An exciting area for the future is increased education on lifestyle and wellbeing in schools, married to research involving complementary medicine.
“Children learn about many things, but it’s amazing that something as important as their basic anatomy is not taught in primary school. I think they would be quite interested in knowing the positions and function of their kidneys and liver. In the future, training in wellbeing and healthy lifestyle will probably feature in all school curriculums,” Ms Jacka said.
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
Professor Zhong Li, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Earlier in May, NICM hosted Professor Zhong Li from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Professor Li spoke about the role of Chinese medicine in the treatment of cancer.
Professor Li is a well-known oncology specialist in Chinese Medicine in Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital. The Professor has long been engaged in treatment of cancer with Chinese Medicine, in particular the prevention of cancer metastasis and recurrence. Professor Li’s work has resulted in four books and numerous publications and he was recently elected as the China National Secretary-General of Chinese Medicine in Oncology.
PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH
Depression in Pregnancy: Did you know that depression in pregnancy is actually quite common? Approximately 10 – 15 per cent of pregnant women experience depression and this may continue post-birth.
NICM is seeking participants for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture as an additional therapy to standard care for the treatment of depression in pregnancy.
The study is open to pregnant women aged 18 years or older identified as mild to moderately depressed by the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) at under 24 weeks gestation.
For further information about the study, please contact Principal Investigator, Simone Ormsby by email: [email protected] or by phone on 0414 476 711.
Human Research Ethics Committee Approval: The study has been approved by the South Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee – HREC/14/LPOOL/400, SSA -14/228, 02 8738 8304, [email protected]
Call for Papers
Abstracts will soon be called for the upcoming Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Natural Products Symposium to be held on Friday, 2 October 2015. The symposium will be hosted by NICM at the UWS Campbelltown Campus. Further information about the event and call for abstracts will be available on the RACI and NICM websites.
New Students
We welcome to our NICM team, four new Higher Degree Research students, Afia Akhtar, Emily Yang, Hardik Ghelani and Kylie Barr. The students’ research projects will investigate interventions such as Tai Chi, Yoga and natural products to treat varying conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular function and kidney disease. To learn more about their research projects click here.
L to R : Afia Akhtar, Emily Yang, Hardik Ghelani, Kylie Barr
Congratulations
Congratulations to UWS Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Barney Glover, on his new appointment as the Chair of Universities Australia. Professor Glover was elected unopposed and commenced his new position on 19 May 2015, alongside his role as Vice-Chancellor at UWS.
The outgoing Chair, Professor Sandra Harding, offered her congratulations to Professor Glover as her successor.
“Professor Glover will make an outstanding Chair of Universities Australia. In his career Professor Glover has demonstrated a deep knowledge and executive leadership role in research and a passionate commitment to encouraging broader participation in higher education,” said Professor Harding.
“Indeed the University of Western Sydney is something of a microcosm of contemporary Australia with its hallmark diversity, inclusiveness and determined aspiration to improve the world. Professor Glover has been very much a part of that thrilling progression to wider participation in higher education, of which we are all proud,” Professor Harding said.
Universities Australia is the peak body representing the Australian university sector, both nationally and internationally. The body plays an important role in building the social and economic capital of Australia, through higher education, research that makes a positive contribution to society, and regional, national and global engagement.
Graduation is an important milestone for all students, ceremonies are steeped in centuries of history and tradition and it is a time for students to reflect on their achievements and celebrate with friends, family, UWS staff and all those who have supported them through their studies.
We are delighted to congratulate NICM’s two recent Higher Degree Research Graduates, Mariam Jarouche (PhD) and John Truong (Master of Science).
Mariam’s thesis and project involved developing and validating a practical method for the quality assessment of a complex herbal formulation described in the Chinese Pharmacopeia, in addition to evaluating variations observed in the concentration of monitored bioactive components.
“Current quality control of herbal medicines mainly focus on safety concerns; there is mandatory testing for herbal identity, pesticides, heavy metals, bacterial contamination and toxic components if an herb has been known to contain it. There is no requirement to quantify putative active components unless the supplier makes a label claim,” said Mariam.
“Therefore, while there is no concern about safety, the consumer is mostly uninformed about herbal quality regarding the amount of putative active components.
“The overarching objective of my thesis was to demonstrate how to estimate the quality of herbal formulation described in the Chinese Pharmacopeia.
“NICM has underpinned my growth as a scientific researcher and provided me with the framework to pursue a profession in research,” she said.
Like many biomedical science graduates, John was unsure of which career path to pursue given the broad discipline, but says he was always interested in research.
“I have always held fascination with research, particularly in regards to human health. Completing a Master of Science program has given me the opportunity to develop grounded research skills and knowledge necessary to fulfil my interests,” said John.
“Studying with NICM has provided a warm environment of a close-knit group of staff and students with shared research interests and values, backed by fantastic supporting admins. I’m currently pursuing various analytical and biomedical roles that reflect my skills and interests,” he said.
L to R: John Truong, Professor Alan Bensoussan and Mariam Jarouche
NICM’s early-career researchers ‘Talk Science’ at FameLab
NICM’s early-career researchers, Genevieve Steiner and Dr Jennifer Hunter were selected to present their research at the FameLab state finals, held on the 24 March at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.
FameLab, the British Council’s international science communications competition, aims to uncover, develop and mentor the best new science and engineering communicators in the world.
Presenting live on stage, each researcher spoke for three minutes, adhering to FameLab’s special rules of ‘No Powerpoint! No lab coats! No jargon!’ – encouraged in their place are props and theatrical thinking.
Genevieve presented her research in cognitive neuroscience and her particular interest in learning and memory, and the detection and treatment of mild cognitive impairment, which may later lead to dementia.
Jennifer discussed her passion and interest in developing models for the integration of well-evidenced complementary medicines and treatments into mainstream healthcare.
To hear more about their work and presentation, watch their short video.
Reports and Resources
New research confirms efficacy and safety of chondroitin sulphate for osteoarthritis
The Cochrane Library has published a review on chondroitin sulfate confirming its efficacy and safety in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). The conclusions reveal that the patients treated with chondroitin sulfate present a statistically significant and clinically relevant improvement of pain and functional capacity versus placebo.
The Cochrane Review of 9,110 people across 43 randomised controlled studies revealed that chondroitin sulphate (alone or in combination with glucosamine):
May improve pain slightly in the short-term (less than 6 months);
Improves knee pain by 20 per cent in slightly more people;
Improves quality of life slightly as measured by Lequesne’s index (combined measure of pain, function, and disability);
Has little or no difference in adverse and serious adverse events versus other agents; and
Slightly slows down the narrowing of joint space on X-rays of the affected joint.
A degenerative joint disease, OA is the most common form of arthritis in Australia, affecting approximately 1.9 million Australians.[1] OA can affect any joint, and occurs when the cartilage that cushions the joints breaks down with use, leading to pain, swelling and difficulties moving the joint.
The Australian Self Medication Industry (ASMI) says the benefit of chondroitin sulphate in osteoarthritis is its role in strengthening connective tissue, such as cartilage, to help slow the degradation of this cushioning.
“Chondroitin is thought to work by stopping the degradation of cartilage and restoring lost cartilage. This can help slow the progress and help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis,” said Steve Scarff, Regulator and Scientific Affairs Director at ASMI.
“Evidence about the efficacy and safety of complementary medicines is important so that consumers can be confident of the claims made about them. This Cochrane Review is a great way of making sense of a large number of studies, helping consumers and other stakeholders to understand the benefits of chondroitin sulphate in osteoarthritis,” said Mr Scarff.
Source: Cochrane Library and ASMI
[1] Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria, 2013. A problem worth solving. Elsternwick: Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria
New website to connect patients to clinical trials
The Federal Government has launched a new website to help patients connect with clinical trials.
Minister for Health Sussan Ley and Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane said it will be easier for patients across Australia to take part in innovative medical research.
All clinical trials displayed on the new website are registered with the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). This includes all trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov that have a recruitment site in Australia.
Mbabaram medicinal plants project
NICM will be receiving Indigenous ethnobotanist Gerry Turpin and a small number of Indigenous Mbabaram Land Managers from Far North Queensland as part of the Mbabaram medicinal plants pilot project. The group will be visiting in August to meet with NICM researchers, and see the processes involved in the laboratory screening of the medicinal plants, with which NICM is assisting the community to investigate the plants’ bioactive potential. To learn more about Gerry Turpin and his work, watch the short video.
Since our last newsletter, NICM researchers have been busy, as can be seen by a selection of their latest papers published in academic journals.
Alan Bensoussan and colleagues developed the Herb MaRS criteria, a system of quality assurance of complex herbal medicines. 1
Tina Razmovski-Naumovski and colleagues published two papers on findings from an investigation of two Pueraria species. 2,3
Suzanne Grant, Caroline Smith and colleagues examined the quality of acupuncture in cancer related fatigue.4
Lesley Braun published the second edition of her book Herbs and natural supplements: An evidence-based guide. 5
Michael de Manincor is finalising his PhD thesis, and published the results of his study into yoga interventions for reducing depression, anxiety and improving well-being. 6
Full citations:
1 Bensoussan A, Lee S, Murray C, Bourchier S, van der Kooy F, Pearson J, et al. Choosing chemical markers for quality assurance of complex herbal medicines. Development and application of the Herb MaRS criteria. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2015. DOI: 10.1002/cpt.100.
2 Wong KH, Razmovski-Naumovski V, Li KM, Li GQ, Chan K. The quality control of two Pueraria species using Raman spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares analysis. J Raman Spectrosc. 2015;2015. DOI: 10.1002/jrs.4652.
3 Wong KH, Razmovski-Naumovski V, Li KM, Li GQ, Chan K. Comparing morphological, chemical and anti-diabetic characteristics of Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Puerariae Thomsonii Radix. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015;164:53-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.050.
4 Grant SJ, Smith CA, Ac L, de Silva N, Su C. Defining the quality of acupuncture: The case of acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue. Integr Cancer Ther. 2015:1-13. DOI: 10.1177/1534735415572879.
5 Braun L, Cohen M. Herbs and natural supplements: An evidence-based guide. Churchill Livingstone; 2015.
6 de Manicor M, Bensoussan A, Smith C, Fahey P, Bourchier S. Establishing key components of yoga interventions for reducing depression, anxiety and improving well-being: a Delphi method study. BMC Complem Altern M. 2015. (in press)
Two talks from two very different researchers. Dr Genevieve Steiner explains what the National Institute of Complementary Medicine is doing to test if Chinese Herbal Medicine can offer an effective treatment for people living with dementia. Dr Alice Williamson discusses the Open Source Malaria (OSM) consortium that encourages collaboration between scientists across the globe.
WHEN: Wednesday 8 July 2015 from 6pm to 7pm
WHERE: Ultimo Community Centre, 40 William Henry Street, Ultimo.
COST: Free
MORE INFO: website Phone: 02 9265 9333
RACI Symposium
NICM is pleased to host this year’s RACI (Royal Australian Chemical Institute) Symposium, which will be held on Friday, 2 October 2015 at the School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney Campbelltown Campus.
Further details to be announced soon.
Upcoming Conferences
Healthplex and Nutraceutical China 2015, 24-25 June (China)
World Nutraceutical Conference and Expo, 13-15 July (USA)
AIMA Annual International Integrative Medicine Conference,17- 19 July (Melbourne)
Informa Health Insurance Summit, 28-29 July (Sydney)
3rd International Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicine, 3-5 August (UK)
Consortium for Globalization of Chinese Medicine (CGCM), 18 – 20 August (London, Canada)
ADMA Annual Conference,10 – 11 September (Brisbane)
World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies, 26-27 September (Canada)
World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 28 September – 3 October (Germany)
RACI Symposium, 2 October (NICM, UWS)
UWS Research Week, 26-30 October (Sydney)
ISAMS Annual Conference, 2-4 October (NZ)
2015 ASMI AGM, Annual Conference and Diamond Awards,11 November (Homebush)
2015 NICM Complementary Research Symposium, November (Sydney)
Global and National Health Awareness
21 June: International Day of Yoga – Worldwide – United Nations
12-18 July: Diabetes Awareness Week – Nationwide – Diabetes Australia Limited
20-26 July: National Pain Week – Nationwide – Chronic Pain Australia
3-9 August: Healthy Bones Action Week – Nationwide – Dairy Australia
3-9 August: Natural Fertility Awareness Week – Nationwide – The Ovulation Method Research & Reference Centre of Australia Ltd
9 August: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People – Worldwide – United Nations
University of Western Sydney
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Tel: +61 2 4620 3284
Email: [email protected]
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