New Lumen out this month

Alumni

Millions of people from around the world will have the opportunity to benefit from cutting-edge research into stem cells being conducted by University of Adelaide researchers.

In the latest issue of Lumen, the University's alumni magazine, Associate Professor Simon Koblar from the Centre for Stem Cell Research explains how stem cells from teeth may help repair stroke-damaged brains.

Preliminary data show promising results, with adult dental pulp stem cells demonstrating a natural ability to produce neurones for brain repair. This research is advancing at an incredible pace and will be the focus of a Research Tuesdays presentation by Assoc. Prof. Simon Koblar on 8 December. More details can be found at www.adelaide.edu.au/researchtuesdays/

The Summer 2010 edition of Lumen also demonstrates the impact of our graduates' work around the world in many other fields.

Dr Mara Warwick is using her engineering knowledge to help rebuild provinces in China shattered by the 2008 earthquake; robotics expert Zoz Brooks is drawing on his computer science degree to close the gap between humans and machines; and anthropology graduate Christie Lam is using her education to transform the lives of a small Nepalese village community.

Another graduate profiled in this issue is University Medallist and Classical Studies researcher Dr Meaghan McEvoy, who is forging an impressive academic career around the imperial politics of the late Roman Empire. Meaghan has recently won a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford, where she also completed her PhD.

Dr Graham Lyons from the Waite Campus proves that a small amount of money and a little knowledge can make a life-changing difference to poorer communities. The agricultural researcher has recently returned from the Solomon Islands where he implemented a $140,000 program to encourage villagers to grow sweet potatoes and other coloured vegetables. This simple food source is helping to boost immunity and curb major nutritional deficiencies in the Pacific Island region.

Also featured in the Summer edition are details of a new national program to recruit the country's best university graduates to teach in Australia's most disadvantaged schools. One of our own alumni, Matthew White, has been headhunted to help drive this initiative.

Lumen is published twice-yearly and distributed to 60,000 members of the University's alumni community. If you would like to be put on the mailing list to receive the magazine, please email: alumni@adelaide.edu.au

Lumen can also be read online at: www.adelaide.edu.au/lumen

Story by Candy Gibson