Australian Scientific Event in Washington

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the largest and most prestigious membership organization of scientists in the United States. During the AAAS annual meeting in Washington this week, the embassy of Australia sponsored a dinner for science journalists which allowed an opportunity to meet prominent Australian scientists currently in the US, as well as some of the Australian journalists who came to report on the meeting. Niall Byrne, creative director of Science in Public, pointed out that many science and technology developments over the past decade have been the work of Australian scientists. In fact Australia ranks among the top ten nationalities of co-authors on scientific papers in US journal articles in science and engineering.

For example, Australians have led a number of innovations in medicine now in routine use. An Australian general practitioner discovered that a bacteria was a major risk factor in the development of both ulcers and cancer of the stomach. Australian physicians and scientists developed the so-called “bionic ear” or cochlear implant which is the first computerized device implanted in the human brain. The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, the first vaccine to protect against cancer, was developed in Australia. It is now administered to children in the US to protect against genital warts and genital cancers in adulthood.

Charles Sneiderman MD PhD for AudioVideo News and IRN-USA Radio

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