National Committee for Biomedical Sciences

The National Committee for Biomedical Sciences (NCBMS) fosters the biomedical sciences in Australia, links the Academy to Australian biomedical scientists and relevant scientific societies, and links Australian and overseas scientists, primarily through the unions of the International Council for Science (ISC).

The NCBMS also provides input into relevant submissions or responses from the Academy and meets with grant funding agencies to discuss items of interest to the biomedical sciences community. The committee also supports the work of the Biosciences Education Australia Network (BEAN) and in 2022 will publish a discussion paper regarding changes to tertiary bioscience teaching since the pandemic and future directions.

Bioscience 2030: recommendations for future curriculum

Governance

• Terms of reference (PDF, 216 KB)

Related groups and organisations

• Biosciences Education Australia Network (BEAN)

International unions, committees and programs

• International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)
• International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB)
• International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX)
• International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR)
• International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS)
• International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB)
• International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS)

Corresponding scientific organisations

• Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS)
• Australasian Society for Immunology (ASI)
• Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT)
• Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology
• Australian Physiological Society (AuPS)
• Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
• Australian Society for Biophysics (ASB)
• Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM)

Members

• Chair: Professor Philip Poronnik
  • The University of Sydney, Biomedical Sciences (Educational Strategy), School of Medical Sciences
  • Research expertise: Biomedical sciences
• Committee member: Dr David Cook
  • The University of Sydney, Deputy Dean of Medicine, Academic Lead, University of Sydney Westmead Initiative, and Academic Lead, Health Precinct Redevelopment
  • Research expertise: Cell physiology
• Committee member: Professor Aleksandra Filipovska
• The University of Western Australia, Senior Principal Research Fellow, UWA Centre for Medical Research (affiliated with the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research)
• Research expertise: RNA biology, RNA-binding proteins, mitochondrial diseases
• Committee member: Professor Dale Godfrey
• The University of Melbourne, Department of Microbiology, and Immunology
• Research expertise: Life sciences & biomedicine, immunology, NKT cells
• Committee member: Professor Susan Howitt
• Australian National University, Research School of Biology
• Research expertise: Transporters function and molecular mechanisms
• Committee member: Professor Janet Macaulay
• Monash University, School of Biomedical Sciences
• Research expertise: Threshold learning outcomes, innovative design, student engagement
• Committee member: Professor Pauline Ross
• The University of Sydney, Associate Dean (Education), Professor of Biology and Education Strategy
• Research expertise: Biology educators
• Committee member: Professor David Alan Williams
• University of Melbourne, Department of Anatomy and Physiology
• Research expertise: Cell-to-cell communication
• Committee member: Professor Sharad Kumar
• University of South Australia, Chair of Cancer Biology, Research Professor of Cell Biology
• Research expertise: Molecular mechanisms of disease
• Committee member: Professor Sandra Cooper
• University of Sydney, Co-Head and Scientific Director of Kids Neuroscience Centre at the Children’s Hospital
• Research expertise: Identify the genetic basis and mechanism of disease in children