Media Release

Monday, 30 June 2003

Young Adelaide scientists have a chance to win $3500 in prizes in this year's Young Investigator Award.

Now in its fourth year, the Young Investigator Award was established at the Women's and Children's Hospital to recognise the excellent work of young researchers and their ability to communicate that work to the wider community.

This year, the award has joined forces with the University of Adelaide, offering even more young researchers the opportunity to enter.

The winner receives a prize of $1000 plus the BioInnovation SA Conference Prize of $1500, and will become the "Young Investigator of the Year".

The award is offered to researchers at the Women's & Children's Hospital as well as researchers at the University of Adelaide and the Child Health Research Institute whose work deals with women's, children's or young people's health.

Applicants must either be studying for a higher research degree or have been awarded that degree not more than 12 months before the closing date.

To become Young Investigator of the Year, applicants go through a rigorous judging process. Initially they are judged on the excellence of their scientific research by a panel of senior researchers. From there, three finalists present their research in "lay speak" to a panel of media judges and a large general audience at the award night.

Previous winners are:

2002: Karen Lower (Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics) for research into the genetic basis of intellectual disability;

2001: Erin Symonds (Gastroenterology) whose work involves breath testing in animals and humans for diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders;

2000: Taher Omari (Neonatology and Gastroenterology) for research into reflux and feeding difficulties in babies and infants.

The 2003 award night will be held on November 14. Applications close on August 5.

Full details can be found on the Young Investigator Award website: www.health.adelaide.edu.au/yia2003/

The award is sponsored by: WCH Foundation (silver sponsor), University of Adelaide and BioInnovation SA (bronze sponsors), Child Health Research Institute and Invitrogen life technologies (sponsors).