annual report - O'Brien Institute

Chairman’s Report
Microsurgery Foundation
Chairman
Ronald J Walker, AO, CBE
Our mission is to
financially support
the Bernard O’Brien
Institute of Microsurgery and
the Barbara Walker Centre
for Pain Management and
Research.
The Foundation is a public
company limited by
guarantee, has no share
capital and declares no
dividend. The Foundation
is governed by a Board of
Directors who give their time and expertise to advance its
mission.
Board Members
The Board received with regret the resignations of Messrs
Allan Skurrie and Ivan Deveson, who leaves the Board after
8 years.
I wish to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Mr
Allan Skurrie towards the work of the Foundation over 19
years of dedicated service. In his 8 years as Chairman, he led
the Board with distinction and secured necessary funds to
continue the pioneering work of the Bernard O’Brien
Institute of Microsurgery. Allan’s compassion, wise council
and friendship will be sorely missed.
I thank and congratulate all Directors for their involvement
and contribution during a year in which a number of new
scientific research projects were initiated and the highly
regarded Fellows program continued.
Fundraising
The Transport Accident Commission’s support of trauma
research in the areas of replantation and limb reconstruction
can be directly related to a decrease in recuperation and
rehabilitation periods for accident victims.
The National Australia Bank has generously funded the
Foundation. The Board committed this support to a surgical
fellowship, ensuring that an outstanding young surgeon has
the opportunity to undertake Microsurgery research.
Tattersall’s decision to renew its support and outstanding
commitment by continuing to fund a 5-year surgical
fellowship is welcomed and sincerely appreciated.
A substantial gift received from The Wellcome Trust has
been used to purchase essential specialist equipment for the
nerve research project.
In recognition of support from the Evelyn M Coy Bequest,
the Board established The Evelyn M Coy Scholarship,
directed to supporting a person undertaking their first year of
medical research.
The L.E.W. Carty Charitable Fund has provided research
funds over 3 years for tissue engineering research.
The Pratt Foundation has generously agreed to support our
work. We were delighted that their Chairman, Mrs Heloise
Waislitz, was able to visit and see our work first hand.
The Board is grateful for the substantial, ongoing financial
support received from trusts, benefactors, corporations and
friends. On behalf of the Board I extend to all donors our
heartfelt thanks.
Industrial Hand Injury
We are seeking an equity partner for Mr. Tony Penington’s
research into industrial hand injuries.
Intellectual Property
Rapid changes in biotechnology necessitated a review of our
intellectual property policies and the Board adopted new
policies effective 6 July 1999.
Patents
Our existing patent with AMRAD is being integrated with
The University of Melbourne. We are looking to explore
other avenues for this work.
Tissue Engineering
Tissue engineering is an increasingly important and exciting
area of activity. We have registered a new company, Victorian
Tissue Engineering Centre Pty. Ltd., to assist in development
of this new discipline.
Microsurgery Book
A major project for the Foundation was production of the
Microsurgery Book - a significant publication highlighting
our work.
On behalf of the Board, I congratulate Kyle Young, Nigel
Dawson and Lisa Neighbour from Grey Advertising
(Victoria) Pty Ltd, Steve Blenheim and Elizabeth Grima
from Lancashire Blenheim Design and photographer Paul
Torcello for their creative collaboration.
The Microsurgery Book has already won a number of
prestigious Australian and International awards and will be
used in our marketing and public relations activities.
Younger Group
The Board is delighted that a group of younger people have
agreed to assist us under the leadership of Mr Kyle Young.
We welcome the involvement of Ms Anna Carosa, Mr
Antony Hampel, Ms Rachel Hayes, Mr Richard Chapman
and Ms Joanne Walker. I thank them for their interest in
Microsurgery and look forward to their contribution to the
Foundation’s activities.
Publications
Bernard O’Brien Institute of Microsurgery
Articles published and submitted July 1999-June 2000
Bennett TM, Dowsing BJ, Austin L, Messina A,
Nicola NA, Morrison WA (1999) Anterograde
transport of leukemia inhibitory factor within
transected rat sciatic nerve. Muscle Nerve, 22: 78-87.
Burt JD, Burn AJ, Muzaffer AR, Byrd HS,
Hoban PC, Beran SJ, Adams WP Jr, Kenkel JM
(2000) Total soft tissue reconstruction of the middle
and lower face with multiple simultaneous free flaps
in a pediatric patient. Plast Reconstr Surg.
105: 2440-2447.
Burt JD, Byrd HS (2000) Cleft lip: unilateral
primary deformities. Plast Reconstr Surg 105:
1043-1055.
Cooper T, Savige J, Nassis L, Paspaliaris B,
Neeson P, Neil J, Knight KR, Daskalakis M,
Doery JC (2000) Clinical and autoantibody
associations of antibactericidal/ permeability
increasing protein and antiazurocidin antibodies.
Rheumatol Int 19: 129-136.
Dowsing BJ, Morrison WA, Nicola NA, Starkey
G, Bucci T, Kilpatrick T (1999)
Leukemia inhibitory factor is an autocrine survival
factor for Schwann cells. J Neurochem, 73: 96-104.
Dowsing BJ, Hayes A, Bennett TM, Morrison
WA, Messina A. (2000) The effects of LIF dose and
laminin plus fibronectin on axotomized sciatic
nerves. Muscle Nerve 23: 1356-1364.
Fernandes D, Guida E, Koutsoubos V, Harris T,
Vadiveloo P, Wilson JW, Stewart AG (1999)
Glucocorticoids inhibit proliferation, cyclin D1
expression, and retinoblastoma protein
phosphorylation, but not activity of the extracellularregulated
kinases in human cultured airway smooth
muscle. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 21: 77-88.
Hobar PC, Burt JD, Masson JA, Merritt JA,
Trawnik R (1999) Pericranial flap correction of
superior sulcus depression in the anophthalmic orbit.
J Craniofac Surg 10: 487-490.
MICROSURGERY
FOUNDATION
Knight KR, Messina A, Hurley JV, Zhang B,
Morrison WA, Stewart AG (1999)
Muscle cells become necrotic rather than
apoptotic during reperfusion of ischaemic
skeletal muscle. Int J Exp Path 80: 169-175.
Lazarus B, Messina A, Barker JE, Hurley JV,
Romeo R, Morrison WA, Knight KR (2000)
The role of mast cells in ischaemia-reperfusion
injury in murine skeletal muscle. J Pathol 191:
443-448.
Leong J, Hayes A, Austin L, Morrison W
(1999) Muscle protection following motor nerve
repair in combination with leukemia inhibitory
factor. J Hand Surg (Am) 24: 37-45.
Leong JC, Knight KR, Hickey MJ, Morrison
WA, Stewart AG (2000)
Neutrophil-independent protective effect of rmetHuG-CSF
in ischaemia-reperfusion injury in
rat skeletal muscle. Int J Exp Pathol 81: 41-49.
Lepore DA, Kozlov AV, Stewart AG, Hurley
JV, Morrison WA, Tomasi A (1999)
Nitric oxide synthase-independent generation of
nitric oxide in rat skeletal muscle ischemiareperfusion
injury. Nitric Oxide 3: 75-84.
Lepore DA, Stewart AG, Tomasi A, Anderson
RL, Hurley JV, Morrison WA (1999)
The survival of skeletal muscle myoblasts in
vitro is sensitive to a donor of nitric oxide and
superoxide, SIN-1, but not to nitric oxide or
peroxynitrite alone. Nitric Oxide 3: 273-280.
Lepore DA, Hurley JV, Stewart AG, Morrison
WA, Anderson RL (2000)
Prior heat stress improves the survival of
ischemic-reperfused skeletal muscle in vivo:
role of HSP70. Muscle Nerve, in press, July 2000.
Liu T, Knight KR, Tracey DJ (2000)
Peroxynitrite contributes to the initiation of
thermal hyperalgesia due to partial nerve injury
in the rat. Neuroscience 97: 125-131.
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