NSACEO's Report

Neurosciences Australia is a national network of collaborators in neuroscience research with five members including the States of Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria and the New South Wales Hunter Valley region. NSA administers the National Neuroscience Facility (NNF) and its eight technology Platforms. The NNF was established in 2002 as part of the Commonwealth Government's Major National Research Facilities (MNRF) Program.

During 2006-07 all of NSA's eight Platforms continued to operate successfully. Services provided to the scientific and commercial community have increased the use of the Platforms and the objectives of the MNRF Program are clearly being fulfilled. The Clinical Neurobiology of Psychiatry Platform which was the last to become fully operational is progressing well and now has all its agreements finalised. However, this is the final year of Federal Government support for the Platforms, which will have a major impact on their financial sustainability. It is hoped that the excellent range of services presently available to the neuroscience community through the Platforms will not be curtailed as a result.

The NSA collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has progressed well during the year. The Collaboration Agreement was signed in September 2006 and includes CSIRO, the University of Melbourne, the Edith Cowan University, the Austin Hospital and the Mental Health Research Institute. The project being performed under the Agreement is the AIBL (Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle) Flagship Study of Ageing; a three year project with 1000 participants being recruited for the study. The ultimate goal is to find ways of detecting and preventing the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Looking forward, it is clear that NSA is at a crossroads. With the finalisation of the MNRF funding, NSA's primary source of revenue has been lost. One of my first tasks when coming into the CEO role in November 2006 was to work with the Board to develop a strategic plan to critically evaluate the future directions of the Company. It is apparent that for NSA to be viable it needs to be fully representative of all States, widening its membership to include Institutes as well as State bodies. Additionally, it needs to focus its activities towards the generation of major Australian neuroscience initiatives, and to develop alternative sources of revenue which will underpin the Company's future financial viability. To address these issues, a restructure of the governance and operations of the Company is being undertaken to focus on becoming the national vehicle for funding, co-ordination and implementation of major cross-state neuroscience initiatives in Australia. This will provide an opportunity for the Australian neuroscience community to work together to seek funding for research and clinical areas of major national importance. We have already commenced a process of consultation with key neuroscience opinion leaders around Australia. With support from the Australian neuroscience community, NSA can look for a new way forward in 2007/8.

I would like to thank the Chairman, The Hon Dr Michael Wooldridge for his leadership and the Directors of NSA for their support. I should also acknowledge the inputs of A/Prof William Hart who retired from the CEO role in November 2006.

Dr Andrew Milner