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Faculty Units, Centres and Affiliated Institutes
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Centre for Health Informatics

The Centre for Health Informatics (CHI) engages in research, development and commercialisation of advanced information and communication technologies for health care delivery. Further information can be obtained at: www.chi.unsw.edu.au

The Centre conducts research and development in 4 broad areas:
  • Evidence-based Decision Support - Developing technologies to provide on-line access to clinically relevant information to support decision making by clinicians and consumers.
  • Clinical Communications - Understanding how communication fundamentally supports the process of health care delivery, its role in producing errors, and how new technologies can be used to improve communication.
  • Home Telecare - uses information, communications, measurement and monitoring technologies to evaluate health status and deliver health care services to the home from a distance to improve clinical outcomes and allow the elderly and the chronically ill to stay at home longer.
  • Evaluation - Assessing the effectiveness of new information and communication technologies in improving health outcomes and delivery.
Postgraduate courses in Health Informatics are offered within Masters degrees in the School of Public Health & Community Medicine.

Centre for Clinical Governance Research in Health

Since 1991, the Centre for Clinical Governance Research in Health has undertaken research and evaluation projects on health sector issues. Its core interest is to investigate issues of policy, governance and leadership in the health sector. The Centre is involved in conducting original research into clinical governance issues, providing a scholarly capability by which to evaluate health sector policies, programs and projects, and contributing to undergraduate medical, postgraduate health services management, and public health and doctoral education. Further information is available at www.med.unsw.edu.au/clingov.

Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity

In 2005 the CPHCE was recognised as an official Research Centre of the University of New South Wales although its constituent research groups (CGPIS, CHETRE and CEPHRIS) have been operating since 1996 in affiliation with the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. The vision of the Centre is to improve the community’s health and wellbeing through a focus on improved primary health care services and development of policies and strategies that address health inequalities. The Centre is committed to intervention research that has an impact on policy and practice. Research falls into three broad streams of work:
  1. Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease
  2. Primary Health Care System Development
  3. Understanding and Intervening to reduce Health Inequalities.
The Centre is also actively engaged in building capacity for research in primary care, particularly through its PHC Research Network (PHReNet) which provides research skills training and mentoring for PHC practitioners and organisations. Further information is available at www.cphce.unsw.edu.au.

Centre for Vascular Research

The Centre for Vascular Research is a multidisciplinary organisation focused on the causation and treatment of occlusive vascular disease and other pathologies with vascular components. This includes projects on angiogenesis in tumour growth and inflammation. The Centre has laboratories in the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the ANU and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University in addition to UNSW on campus and at Prince of Wales Hospital and St George Clinical School. Details of the Centre, structure, group leaders, research directions and opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students are available at www.cvr.net.au.

Children's Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research

Children's Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research is an independent institute affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW. The Institute was established in 1976 and occupies a 5 storey complex at the southern end of the Sydney Children's Hospital as well as a number of labs and offices in a nearby building. With staff numbers exceeding120, including Honours and postgraduate scholars of the University, the Institute undertakes laboratory research on malignant disease in children. Research work is organised into seven programs: experimental therapeutics, molecular diagnostics, molecular carcinogenesis, leukaemia biology, stem cell biology, iron metabolism and chelation and Australian Cancer Research Foundation Drug Discovery Program. The Institute is the only independent medical research institute in the country focusing solely on research into the nature, origin, cause and treatment of childhood cancers (particularly leukaemia and neuroblastoma). Further information is available at www.ccia.org.au.

Garvan Institute of Medical Research

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research has a staff of 280 including 45 PhD and MD scholars. The Institute is structured into six major research programs - arthritis and asthma, bone and mineral, cancer, neurobiology, metabolism and diabetes and pituitary disorders - which are funded through program and Project grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council. Located on the St Vincent's Hospital Campus, the Garvan Institute focuses on the molecular basis of health and disease, integrating a range of basic laboratory based research approaches together with extensive clinical research. Further information is available at www.garvan.org.au.

National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research

The National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR) is recognised worldwide as a leader in HIV/AIDS research. The NCHECR undertakes research into HIV/AIDS that focuses on epidemiology, clinical research and clinical trials, in collaboration with other research centres, government departments, the pharmaceutical industry, community groups, health clinics and general practitioners. The priorities of the NCHECR include surveillance and monitoring of HIV infection and AIDS, epidemiological studies of transmission and disease progression, identification of social and behavioural factors affecting HIV disease and the establishment of Australia as a primary site for clinical trials of HIV therapy. As an extension of its role in HIV/AIDS, the Centre also carries out epidemiological and clinical research into other blood borne viruses, particularly Hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infections. Another significant area is the NCHECR's contribution to international clinical research and provision of research expertise and training to countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Recently the Centre has increased it role in the development and testing of novel vaccines for HIV. More information can be obtained from the Centre's website: www.med.unsw.edu.au/nchecr

National Perinatal Statistics Unit

The National Perinatal Statistics Unit (NPSU) is a collaborating unit of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare based at the University of NSW. The NPSU is located on the Randwick Hospital Campus within the School of Women's and Children's Health. The NPSU maintains national perinatal and reproductive health data collections based upon data supplied by the States and Territories. An assisted conception data collection is also held based upon data supplied by IVF and GIFT Units from Australia and New Zealand. The NPSU in collaboration with States and Territories and various professional, government, non government and consumer groups are involved in the continuing development of national reproductive and perinatal health data systems. The NPSU's objectives are to monitor and interpret national reproductive and perinatal health data, to conduct teaching and research in perinatal and reproductive health and research in perinatal and reproductive health. Further information is available at www.npsu.unsw.edu.au.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) was established at UNSW in May, 1986 and officially opened in November, 1987. It is funded by the Commonwealth Government as part of the National Drug Strategy (formerly, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse). NDARC is situated on the UNSW Randwick campus. The centre is multidisciplinary and collaborates with medical, psychology, social science and other schools of the University, and with other institutions and individuals in Australia and overseas. The overall mission of NDARC is: by research and related activities to contribute to the minimisation of the harmful consequences of alcohol and other drugs used in Australia by increasing the effectiveness of the Australian treatment response to drug-related problems. Further information is available at http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au.

Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute

The Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute is an independent institute affiliated with the University. Since its opening in 1993, it has grown to become one of the largest aggregates of research nationally on the functions and disorders of the brain and nervous system. It has a staff of more than 100. In 2003, it established the Mayne Clinical Research Imaging Centre based on a 3T machine. Major lines of research include human sensation and motor cortex function, balance and movement; autonomic nervous system; nervous system morphology (brain "atlases"); Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neuro-degenerative diseases; macular degeneration and blindness; clinical neurophysiology; nerve and spinal cord injury; child injury; chronic pain; and role of steroids in maintaining or altering functions of the nervous system. For further information visit the Institute's website at: www.powmri.edu.au

Simpson Centre for Health Services Research

The Simpson Centre is a NSW Government funded Research Centre with a strong history of applied research and health service innovation. The genesis of the Simpson Centre was in response to increasing pressure for practical solutions to improve acute services. This has now expanded to include research across traditional boundaries linking acute medical and community based health care delivery. The principal objectives of the Simpson Centre are to: innovate, evaluate research and develop health service systems; disseminate research results and facilitate implementation of validated service innovation. This approach also incorporates examination of cultural and psychosocial factors influencing service delivery and utilisation. Further information is available at www.simpsoncentre.org.au.

Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia

The Skin and Cancer Foundation was established in 1978 and is affiliated with St. Vincent's Hospital. A broad range of clinics is devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, vitiligo and pigmented skin lesions. There is a large dermatopathology service. Clinical trials as well as research in occupational dermatoses and histopathology are pursued. The Foundation provides sunscreen testing and irritancy testing for new products.

The Foundation has a Westmead branch which provides sunscreen testing and irritancy testing for new products as well as being the main centre for dermatological surgery. Further information is available at www.skin.com.au.

Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

The VCCRI was established in 1994 to honour the vision and memory of the late Dr Victor Chang. It is a member of the St Vincent's Hospital Campus. It aims to conduct the highest quality fundamental research into cardiovascular diseases, with a major emphasis on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart muscle diseases. It currently has active research programs in molecular cardiology relating to the mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy and signal transduction; developmental biology, gene regulation and enzyme research; the genetics of cardiovascular diseases; cardiac arrhythmias and mechanics; transplantation biology; vascular bioengineering, and the pathophysiology of cardiac ischaemia and coronary restenosis. Further information is available at www.victorchang.com.au.

Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit

The Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit works in close collaboration with the Rural Clinical School to:
  • promote Medicine to school-age and mature Indigenous students;
  • assist with and advise on the Indigenous Entry into Medicine scheme, including the Pre-Medicine program, a preparation to the medical course;
  • select students;
  • support students throughout their course;
  • develop appropriate curricula (in consultation with Indigenous communities);
  • develop partnerships with Indigenous communities;
  • coordinate teaching in Indigenous Health to all students within Medicine;
  • conduct research into Indigenous Health and assist in building the capacity of others to undertake such research.

Undergraduate Information

Postgraduate Information

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.