Calum Drummond AO

The latest research from my lab is now online. Led by the PhD student Mengqi Hu we asked Australian stem cell researchers about their experiences using stem cell registries. Pluripotent stem cells can be made from any of us, and have the unique ability to grow in the laboratory continuously as a cell line. These pluripotent stem cells can also differentiate into the tissues of the human body, providing researchers with simplified models to study how diseases impact human organs. Stem cell derived tissues are used to screen the safety and efficacy of drugs, confirm the role of certain genes/mutations in rare diseases, and also to help us understand how our bodies form and function. By speaking with the stem cell community, we estimate that there are over a thousand pluripotent stem cell lines that have been made from Australian donors, but only ~300 Australian lines are registered. Registries such as hPSCreg.eu assign a unique digital identifier to a stem cell line, which is accompanied by detailed information on how the line was made, and what the ethical provenance of those lines are - what the donors have consented to for downstream use. Most of the Australian lines that we found in hPSCreg.eu were only partially registered. This means that most stem cell lines made in Australia are hard to find - and key information about how the lines were made, or their ethical provenance may not be included in the original publication. Digital identifiers also help link together data derived about a stem cell line, which helps confirm the identity and characteristics of the cell line, and helps collate the applications that these lines have been used for. We were surprised to learn that registration isn't a very common practise here in Australia - as most of us rely on publication as the means to share our ideas and the resources that we generate, including pluripotent stem cell lines. Registration requires time and effort and the forms aren't easy to navigate, so we will use the information from these interviews to design ways to make it easier to register Australian pluripotent stem cell lines in the future. Thanks to Dan Santos, Edilene Lopes McInnes, Dianne Nicol, Joan Leach and Rachel A. Ankeny, FASSA who are part of the MRFF funded project Enabling Openness in Australian stem cell Research, and the hPSCreg.eu team Andreas Kurtz, Nancy Mah and Sabine Müller for collaborating in this research.

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"As Dr Dr John H Howard explained earlier in this series: ‘In 2019, Australian higher education expenditures on R&D amounted to 37.1% of national research investment (compared to 24.8% in 2008), with business contributing 53.0% (down from 62.8% in 2008) and government 9.9% (down from 12.4%)’" writes Cori Stewart from ARM Hub (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing). "But the fact is, regardless of where the investment has come from in the past, leadership is required to address the misalignment in capability that we are faced with. "Without purposeful change, Australia’s economic, business and talent drain challenges will become further entrenched and opinions more polarised as to what the role of publicly funded R&D should do and how success is measured." #manufacturing #australianmanufacturing #auspol #researchanddevelopment #economics

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It was great to hear, first hand, how important #agtech innovations and. start-ups are to feeding productivity in the regions, as is the growing renewables sector.

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The latest ACODE Australasia Whitepaper has been published, examining perspectives and readiness when it comes to AI and data governance in Australasian higher education institutions. Thanks to Ratna Malar Selvaratnam EdD SFHEA for your leadership on this one and to all who contributed. Benchmarking is important generally, but this area is particularly dynamic. It will be so interesting to reflect back in years to come! #leadership #benchmarking #datagovernance #genAI #highereducation #ACODE

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Excellent submission from Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) on how research funding can drive gender equity! Funders have a lot of power in shaping what sort of research gets funded and who does that research. It's time for funders to be not only more gender-aware but to use their funding levers to advance equity.

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One of the advantages to working with international collaborators, is that you wake up in Australia and there has been a wonderful announcement in a different time zone! It seems that one of the top higher education journals @TeachinginHE has awarded the Editor's Choice Award for our recent article: The politics of student belonging: identity and purpose: The Committee commenting that our international study on student 'belonging' "offers a way to rethink a significant area of the literature on teaching in higher education" In this article we essentially argue that “the notion of belonging should be handled with criticality and care”. It seems this work has resonated with a broad audience as whilst only published at the end of last year, it is already having some impact, if you wish to read, available here: https://lnkd.in/gAbPxBv3 Wonderful working with Rola Ajjawi and @Karen Gravett - the absolute dream team! We have built upon this research and have plans for further investigations on a global scale so watch this space! Charles Sturt University Mark Evans, Charles Sturt Research #equity #Highereducation #studentbelongingandsuccess

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La Trobe University’s PhD study with an industry focus is open for applications now. 31 October 2024 is the application close date for Australian domestic applicants. If your companies or organisations have challenges in the following areas, don’t hesitate to reach out to me ([email protected]), and we can discuss the co-fund opportunities between your companies/organisations and La Trobe University and the PhD training (studies) of your employees at La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University. To address your business challenges facing your company/organisation, the prospective PhD student can be your existing employee or a publicly recruited student currently outside your company/organisation. 1. Decarbonisation and circular economy in transport, logistics, and supply chain, particularly in data-driven carbon emissions accounting and reporting, fleet electrification, and investment on green technologies. 2. Digitalisation and investment on and adoption of digital technologies to transform your logistics, supply chains, and value chains, including a wide range of #Industry4.0 technologies such as cloud computing, AI & machine learning, digital twins, blockchain, big data analytics, Internet of thing (IoT), etc. FYI, see the worldwide "lighthouse" companies and inspiring stories on digital transformation published by World Economic Forum: https://lnkd.in/gWdTNa2g Australian Maritime Safety Authority Ports Australia Shipping Australia Limited Australian Logistics Council Australian Trucking Association Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia (SCLAA) Logistics Bureau | Supply Chain & Logistics Consultants Port of Melbourne ANL Auspost Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon DHL

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In negotiating with both sides of politics on the future settings for this critically important sector, we need to ensure international education is recognised for its important role in our economy, our soft diplomacy and the experience of our students. #ITEC24Conference Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia Universities Australia

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🚀 Innovation and technology thrive on strong, engaged partnerships between industry and university science—relationships that drive progress, tackle real-world challenges, and inspire new ideas. The latest issue of Australian University Science magazine (https://lnkd.in/gbqRtPaa) shines a spotlight on these vital collaborations, showcasing how university science is working with industry to fuel groundbreaking advancements and shape the future. 🌏In this issue, we’re proud to feature a foreword by Attila Brungs, Vice-Chancellor of UNSW (https://lnkd.in/gmnPaYz4), who highlights the critical role universities play in creating a pipeline of skilled talent and fostering partnerships that benefit both sectors. Through shared goals, innovative models, and resilient relationships, universities and industry together are making an impact across Australia and beyond. Take a look at the latest stories and insights from around the country, where the power of collaboration between university science and industry is shaping the landscape of tomorrow. Read it now and be inspired! #ACDS #UniversityScience #ScienceAdvocacy #ResearchInnovation #Science #STEM Australian Government Department of Education Department of Industry, Science and Resources Science & Technology Australia Australian Research Council Ed Husic MP Jason Clare MP Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering The Australian Academy of Science Cathy Foley Universities Australia Innovative Research Universities (IRU) Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN Universities) Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight

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Building a stronger economy to deliver a better future for all Australians requires the creation of new knowledge and skills. Universities are central to this task – providing the highly skilled workers and the research and development to guide Australia through both challenges and opportunities in the coming decades. From breaking ground on infrastructure and building energy projects to mastering new technologies and adding new industries to our economic mix, universities have a key role to play. We welcome the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s acknowledgement of Australia’s universities and the need to open the door to a university education for more Australians, which will underpin our future prosperity. Our graduates and our researchers hold the skills, knowledge and ideas that will continue to power the economy, spur Australia’s productivity and define Australia’s success in the coming decades. The Australian Universities Accord final report includes a series of recommendations to underpin the expansion of university teaching and research and we urge the government to commit to these reforms that will support our sector to continue delivering for the nation and our people.

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Extraordinary presentations, panels, and discussions at the Engineering Practice Research Summit on ensuring sustainable engineering capability at University of Melbourne and Engineers Australia. In program order: Joseph West Bernadette Foley James Trevelyan Greet Langie Helen Fairweather Sally G. Alan Goodridge Iven Mareels Francis Norman Nee Nee Ong Enda Crossin Rob McHenry Brice Shen Juliana Kaya Prpic Susan Beetson Craig Cowled Josh Loyd Naomi Bury Maharti Triharta Jolanta Szymakowski Peter Cebon Peter Briggs Claire Dixon Elisa Lumantarna Les Dawes Andrew Valentine Shannon Rios Josh Burridge Melinda Sung Charlotte Wang Some emerging themes from days 1 and 2: Indigenous values, saying no when it is necessary to stand up, communicating for the long term, building relationships, project management, understanding value, teaching and development, engineering roles and student identities, engineering processes, reflection, sustainable careers, inclusive workplace culture, working in technical innovation, working in diverse teams. Day 3 will be on AI, workforce, identity, and next steps. https://lnkd.in/gSXA5jeE, /initiatives/engineering-practice-research-summit

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🔋 Exciting news in battery innovation! A groundbreaking project to enhance lithium-ion battery safety. With an Industry Laureate Fellowship and $3.6M funding, UTS Distinguished Professor Guoxiu Wang’s team is replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with non-flammable gel polymers. This advancement aims to mitigate fire risks and improve battery performance. Collaborating with industry leaders, the project focuses on developing high-performance, fireproof batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Such innovations are crucial for a sustainable future, driving progress in energy storage and electric transportation. The potential applications of these safer batteries are vast, from powering homes to propelling the next generation of electric vehicles. As the world moves towards greener alternatives, such innovations are essential for achieving long-term sustainability goals. For more details on this transformative project, check out the full story: https://lnkd.in/gAwEiQE9 #iamparthi

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Leadership capability 'blobs' and horizon thinking for a 'shifting world', a 'messy future'. 👉 More innovative findings from the authors of the 2025 Skills Horizon report plus.sydney.edu.au/horizon. 👉 Sandra Peter and colleagues capture leadership skill 'blobs'. 👉 I think of them as leadership capability clusters. 👉 Powerful capability combinations to navigate future uncertainties with leadership curiosity and resilience. 👉 Thinking through complexity includes: self-leadership, probabilistic thinking, humanities thinking, unlearning outdated approaches, managing through complexity, futures thinking (source: Peter et al., 2024, p.61). 👉 Check out the other 3 'blobs'. A rich checklist for leaders and governing boards navigating 'compounding complexities' of today and tomorrow. #HigherEducation #Leadership #Governance #TertiaryEducation #HorizonThinking #FuturesThinking

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The new Standards for RTOs have now been published. Join me next week at the Standards for RTOs 2025 Webinar. https://lnkd.in/gRdK93Ur

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Free workshop - Learn how to turn your initial concept or lab prototype into a well-defined, robust proof-of-concept device

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Appropriate home automation can absolutely enhance dignity, inclusion, and safety. So excited this research supports what I've experienced first hand in clinical practice.

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A commitment to social justice is certainly what attracted me to UoN.

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