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HIGH FLYERS TACKLE EMERGING DISEASES AND BIOSECURITY
18 October 2004

FIFTY of Australia's brightest young minds gather tomorrow (Tuesday 19 October) to brainstorm solutions to national biosecurity threats from diseases affecting humans, animals, plants and aquatic organisms.

The 2004 High Flyers Think Tank entitled Emerging Diseases – Ready and Waiting? will target Australia's preparedness to deal with the increasing threat of new diseases in today's world of increased global trade, tourism and bioterrorism.

The Think Tank, hosted by the Australian Academy of Science as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, aims to bring together early to mid-career researchers from a broad range of science, technology, communication and social science disciplines.

Academy President Dr Jim Peacock is also one of the first of three scientists appointed to Biosecurity Australia's Eminent Scientists Group, recently formed to strengthen the import risk analysis process. He says delegates at this year's High Flyers Think Tank will brainstorm novel applications of their research to improve biosecurity preparedness, surveillance, diagnostic procedures and enhanced ability to control and eradicate exotic diseases.

'It is very appropriate that Queensland has been chosen to host this year's Think Tank,' he said.

'Government agencies like the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries have had to deal with the recent citrus canker outbreak, giant African snail incursion, fire ants and the constant threat of foot and mouth disease coming down from neighbouring Asian countries to the north.'

'Diseases are not restricted to the territorial species. Mass fish kills across the southern coastline caused by a herpes virus in the late 1990s severely affected in-shore fishing industries across three Australian seaboard states.'

Dr Peacock said wonder drugs such as antibiotics are increasingly coming under pressure from the development of drug-resistant strains of pathogens, while emerging diseases of humans originating from animals are also on the rise.

'Last year the world threat from the deadly SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) had authorities struggling to contain the spread of the disease. This outbreak also had a major impact on the global economy, especially tourism,' he said.

'With the avian influenza virus again causing deaths in South-East Asia, the time is right for a multidisciplinary approach to biosecurity by pooling the skills and enthusiasm of fresh young talented minds.'

The High Flyers Think Thank also allows young professionals to hear from some of the nation's eminent experts, including:

• Professor Mark von Itzstein, Executive Director and Federation Fellow, Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University
• Professor Aileen Plant, Head, Centre for International Health, Deputy CEO CRC for Biosecurity
• Dr Martyn Jeggo, Director, Australian Animal Health Laboratory
• Dr Gardner Murray, Australian Chief Veterinary Officer
• Dr John Manners, Deputy CEO, CRC for Tropical Plant Protection
• Dr Brian Jones, Principal Fish Pathologist, Department of Fisheries, WA.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Assistant Director-General of Biosecurity, Dr Kevin Dunn, said he welcomed the opportunity for his department to co-sponsor this event.

'This is a wonderful opportunity and will provide a fertile environment for information sharing and across-discipline innovation,' he said.