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UNE fosters world network of young geneticists

February 18, 2005

Several young scientists and postgraduate students from Malaysia and New Zealand have travelled to Australia to take part in this year’s Animal Breeding Summer Course at the University of New England.

The UNE course, now in its fourth year, has become known around Australia and throughout the world as a source of current information on animal genetics at an advanced level, and a meeting place for young geneticists. This year’s course focused on breeding objectives, scientific writing skills, and the analysis of genetic data.

Fifty-six people of many nationalities, some of whom are working towards PhD degrees at UNE and other Australian universities, attended the two-week course beginning on Monday 7 and ending on Friday 18 February.

“UNE is the only university in Australia to teach coursework in animal genetics at PhD level,” said the course coordinator, Associate Professor Julius van der Werf from UNE’s School of Rural Science and Agriculture. “The popularity and effectiveness of the Summer Course confirm UNE’s role as a ‘centre of excellence’ in teaching animal genetics at this level.”

“It’s important for all young scientists to start networking,” Dr van der Werf explained, “and this course, based on a European model, is designed not only to communicate the latest developments in breeding practice and genetic theory, but to facilitate networking at both national and international levels.

“With the enormous growth in the amount of genetic data available, and the continual development of new tools to store and analyse it, young geneticists need to be able to ‘talk the same language’ in discussions and collaboration.”

Three UNE geneticists (Dr van der Werf, Professor Brian Kinghorn and Professor John Gibson) were joined by Emeritus Professor David Lindsay from the University of Western Australia and Dr Arthur Gilmour from NSW Agriculture in presenting the course. Sang Hong Lee from UNE’s School of Rural Science and Agriculture was co-organiser of the event.

The Armidale Animal Breeding Summer Course is sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation and Meat and Livestock Australia.


Media contact: Associate Professor Julius van der Werf, School of Rural Science and Agriculture, UNE (02) 6773 2092 or Jim Scanlan, Public Relations, UNE (02) 6773 3049.
Photographs are available. Please contact Jim Scanlan on (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at February 18, 2005 03:24 PM