CQUniversity will be prominent at the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress at Adelaide Convention Centre from November 25-28, with some of our academics playing leading roles...

Sleep and fatigue specialist Associate Professor Naomi Rogers will attend in her capacity as President of the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), which is a key convenor for the congress.

L-R Congress participants Naomi Rogers, Lee Di Milia and Bronwyn Fredericks

Dr Rogers was ASMR's first ever director (and now president) elected from outside a capital city, in the organisation's 51-year history. During the congress, she'll be confirming to members that next June's ASMR Medical Research Week® tour of national capitals and the National Press Club by the ASMR medalist will for the first time incorporate an event in Rockhampton.

"This broadening of ASMR activities and support for health and medical researchers in regional centres recognises the growing volume of high quality research being undertaken in regional locations, as well as the desire of researchers based at regional universities and research institutes to be active members of ASMR and interact with other members of Australia's vibrant health and medical research sector," she says.

Meantime, CQUniversity researcher Prof Lee Di Milia will present an Adelaide congress session based on his recent paper published with Assoc Prof Rogers and Swedish researcher Torbjorn Akerstedt. The presentation will be based on findings from one of the few studies to examine the effect of working night shift and long-distance commuting.

Sleepiness, Long Distance Commuting and Night Work as Predictors of Driving Performance identifies seven variables as significant predictors of lane crossing, with the strongest being acute sleepiness, followed by driving more than 150km, obtaining less than 10 hours sleep in the previous 48 hours, driving after night shift, being less than 43 years old, and using a mobile phone during the journey.

Another CQUniversity academic, Professor Bronwyn Fredericks will also be involved in the Adelaide congress as a speaker for the Indigenous Health Forum focused on Better Health Outcomes for Mums and Bubs. Prof Fredericks is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) and the BMA Chair in Indigenous Engagement at CQUniversity.

Congress details are via the http://www.ahmrcongress.org.au/ link.

Organisations participating include: ACCG and ProbeNet - Australian Colorectal Cancer Group and Australian Oesophageal Cancer Group; ASSCR - Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research; APC - Australasian Pancreatic Club; ASMR - Australian Society for Medical Research; MEPSA - Molecular and Experimental Pathology Society of Australasia; ANZBMS - Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society; ASA - Australasian Sleep Association; ASHM - Australasian Society for HIV Medicine Inc; AVBS - Australian Vascular Biology Society; ESA - Endocrine Society of Australia; CSANZ and ISHR - Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand and International Society for Heart Research; NARF - National Association of Research Fellows; SRB - Society for Reproductive Biology; TSANZ - Transplantation Society of Australia & New Zealand