Jump to Content

Media Release

December 7 2005

Introducing UniSA’s new Head of Research and Innovation

UniSA's new Head of Research and Innovation - Professor Caroline McMillen

Providing research leadership that contributes to the development of the University’s research profile and ensures delivery of its core objectives in research and innovation is the primary role of Professor Caroline McMillen, UniSA’s newly appointed Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President: Research and Innovation.

In particular, Professor McMillen will be working to ensure that targets for the long-term health of research are met through strategies that support and facilitate research and innovation.

A science and medical graduate of Oxford and Cambridge universities, Professor McMillen left her position as Head and Professor of Physiology at the University of Adelaide to take on her new role.

“One of the key drivers for the University in the current climate is the foreshadowed research quality framework and the shift from the traditional focus on research inputs, to the importance of the quality and impact of our research outputs. As we learn more about the final shape of the framework, it is likely that we will have to realign some of our support, funding and strategic processes to meet the challenges of the framework,” Professor McMillen said.

While she sees this as a real challenge for the University, Professor McMillen believes that it is important to keep the culture and values of the institution and to be very clear about what distinguishes UniSA’s research effort from those of other institutions.

“UniSA has a very clearly established research identity, which is about working creatively with partners in industry, government and non-government organisations on issues of real significance; and has been innovative in setting up research concentrations, often around significant problems that require intellectual synergies to develop practical and workable solutions.

“I am committed to ensuring that the strong culture and ethos of this institution and its important partnerships with industry are maintained,” Professor McMillen said.

“The research quality framework is going to be a major focus for the University in 2007 and my goal is to work very hard towards that but to recognise that 2010 is the time when we will realise the important outcomes from strategies implemented from next year,” she said.

As well as leading the research portfolio, Professor McMillen has established an international reputation as a health researcher, attracting more than $11 million in research grants over the past 15 years.

How babies respond to nutrition from their mothers before birth and how the nutritional environment before birth impacts on health after birth has been the focus of a major research program undertaken by Professor McMillen.

Babies born with a high birth weight have an increased risk in later life of obesity and associated health risks including diabetes.

“More women are entering pregnancy with a high body mass index and studies worldwide have shown that heavier mothers generally have heavier babies who grow up to be heavier adults with resultant health risks. There is currently a real concern that the programming of obesity from before birth will result in an inter-generational cycle of obesity,” Professor McMillen said.

While the reasons why being exposed to high levels of nutrition before birth results in adult obesity are unknown, researchers in Professor McMillen’s group are investigating whether exposure to high levels of maternal nutrition influences the development of systems within the brain that regulate appetite to permanently set a pattern of appetite for life.

Biographical information:

Professor McMillen was previously Head and Professor of Physiology at the University of Adelaide. She is Director of a research centre funded by an NHMRC Program Grant for work in the developmental origins of adult health; a key leader of the ARC/NHMRC National Network for Genes, Environment and Development; and the multidisciplinary research cluster “Healthy Development Adelaide”. Professor McMillen has been Chair of ARC and NHMRC project review panels and has extensive experience in national and international research and academic policy and development. Her research has secured continuous ARC and NHMRC funding for more than 15 years. She is currently Chair of a major Commission within the International Union of Physiological Societies – the only Australian commission chair in this peak body.

Professor McMillen took up her position on December 5 following Professor Ian Davey’s retirement in October this year.

Media contact

top^