The Otago School of Medical Sciences held its annual Awards ceremony on Wednesday 27th January in the Hunter Centre. Over 100 academic and general staff and students attended the ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the 2009 year.
Professor Helen Nicholson (Dean, OSMS) and Associate Professor Catherine Day (Associate Dean for Research) highlighted the achievements of the School during 2009 and noted that the School continued to attract significant external research funding (>$22.5M in 2009). $9.5M of this funding was awarded by the Marsden Fund and $5.8M by the Health Research Council, with FRST, Lottery Health and the Neurological Foundation also contributing significant amounts.
A total of 19 certificates were awarded to recognise the significant achievements and contributions of 2009. A full list of these certificates is available here.
This year, for the first time, awards were made to acknowledge the contribution of academic staff to teaching programmes in the School. The OSMS has more than 2,000 EFTS, 223 of which are postgraduate research EFTS. The number of PhD enrolments continues to steadily increase and in 2009 almost 140 students were enrolled in PhD studies in the School.
The major award recipients for 2009 were:
Professor Gerald Tannock 2009 OSMS Distinguished Researcher of the Year
Gerald Tannock has been at the University of Otago since 1974 and since then he has established himself as a world leader in research into gastrointestinal bacteria. His international standing was recognised in 2002 when he was elected as Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, one of only 2 New Zealanders to have achieved such an honour. The Academy recognises individuals who have demonstrated scientific excellence, originality, leadership, high ethical standards, scholarly and creative achievement.
Two strains of lactobacilli characterised by Professor Tannock were selected for inclusion in the International Genome Sequence Project in 2005, a testament to the credibility of his research on the international stage. He continues to undertake groundbreaking research into the bacterial communities of the gut of humans and animals and produce many high quality publications. He has significant funding from Marsden, FRST and NIH and is a PI in the Riddet CoRE.
In recognition of the outstanding contribution to research on gut microflora both nationally and internationally for more than 30 years Professor Gerald Tannock is the recipient of the OSMS Distinguished Researcher Award for 2009. Professor Tannock will receive an award of $5,000 to support his research.
Professor Andy Mercer 2009 OSMS Best Paper Award
Min Mo, Stephen B Fleming, Andrew A Mercer, Cell cycle deregulation by a poxvirus partial mimic of anaphase-promoting complex subunit 11, PNAS, 2009 Vol.106 (46), 19527-19532
This paper describes a new way that viruses use to coerce host cells, allowing their replication. This is an "all-Otago" piece of work published in the November 2009 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Professor Mercer will receive a $5,000 to support continuing research.
Mr Richard Easingwood 2009 OSMS Research Support Staff Member Award (Individual Research Laboratory)
Richard is a longstanding member of the Otago Centre for Electron Microscopy. He continues to make a significant contribution to the success of research projects, maintenance and repair of equipment, the development of new ideas and the general ethos of the Centre. Mr Easingwood will be awarded a bonus to recognise this contribution.
Ms Sue Deans 2009 OSMS Distinguished Research Support Staff Member Award
Sue began work as a technical trainee in the Department of Physiology on 1 February 1982 and in the ensuing almost 28 years has risen to become the technical manager in the Department. This position includes a variety of roles including planning and leading the teaching support, supporting the running of Emtech and being the sole departmental contact for Property Services and playing a pivotal role in the Space Committee.
Anyone who knows Sue will realise that she fulfils her roles in an excellent fashion and I thought the best way to demonstrate this is to read you some comments from her academic and professional staff colleagues.
“Sue is a team player and a loyal member of the department. She exhibits excellent organisational skills, people skills and leadership skills an is a good communicator and listener.”
“Sue Deans’ service to the Department over the years exemplifies the commitment to which we should all aspire in our work. If there was a “face” of collegiality in the University that face would be Sue Deans.”
“Most importantly, Sue is a leader in the Department and she leads by example, with an incredible work ethic and an immense pride in the quality and accuracy of her work.”
Ms Deans will receive a bonus to recognise her outstanding service to the research and teaching environment in the Department of Physiology.
Dr Stephanie Constantin: Postdoctoral Fellow Poster AwardThe Postdoctoral Fellows held a poster evening in December 2009 and Dr Constantin's poster was chosen as the winner. Dr Constantin will receive $500 to support attendance at conferences.
Mr Tony Zaharic: Distinguished Teaching Fellow/PPF for 2009
Tony is an outstanding teacher as evidenced in the continuing recognition by OUSA to rank him in their top 10 lecturers over four successive years, twice in number 1 position. No other lecturer that we are aware of has achieved such sustained recognition. His citations refer to more than just oratory and ability to explain difficult concepts; they also peak of his willingness to personally answer students’ constant and demanding enquiries (and we are talking of 1200 BIOC 192 and 230 BIOC 230 students). There is no doubt that Tony is regarded by students and colleagues alike as knowledgeable, caring, dedicated and hugely enthusiastic –indeed one may say charismatic!
Mr Zaharic will receive an award of $2,000 for professional development in recognition of his outstanding contribution.
Dr Mary Thompson: Distinguished Academic Teacher for 2009
Since her appointment in 1975 a Lecturer in Biochemistry Mary has worked tirelessly towards the cause of high quality teaching in metabolic biochemistry for both science and medical students. An acknowledged expert in general metabolism, Mary has shouldered the burden of curriculum development and adaptation to a variety of imposed changes for this important area of biochemistry. Over this time Mary has not wavered in her determination to develop courses that maintain high standards of scholarship, incorporate research findings, stimulate students and assess students’ reasoning ability through examination questions that involve interpretation of novel data. Her ability to build up diagrams of metabolic pathways layer by layer in an interactive manner is legendary! All of these contributions including her teaching ability and enthusiasm demonstrate her leadership and innovation in course development. Mary’s services to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching over 34 years have been invaluable and she is held in high respect by all her colleagues.
Dr Thompson will receive an award of $2,000 for professional development in recognition of her contribution.
article. The winning photograph (pictured) from our previous competition (in 2008) was entitled "Tin Spheres" and was submitted by E Girvan of the Department of Anatomy & Structural Biology. 
OSMS Photo Comp2010.doc
09/10 were Johanna Cheer and Nick Milne from Victoria University of Wellington and Nathalie Saurat, Julia Prier and Xyon-Xhi Tan from the University of Otago. The students have now completed their scholarship and you can read about their experience 
