| Media Release |
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Melbourne - Boston Medical Research Exchange announced
2 May 2005
Melbourne Lord Mayor Cr John So today awarded the inaugural Melbourne-Boston Research Exchange Fellowship to Melbourne rheumatologist Dr Sharon Van Doornum.
Dr Van Doornum of The Royal Melbourne Hospital will visit Boston during May and June to collaborate with leading experts on research into the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with cardiovascular disease.
The exchange program - designed to support the rising stars of medical research - is a joint initiative of the City of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital as part of the Melbourne-Boston sister city program.
'The first Melbourne-Boston Research Exchange will create an opportunity for two cities renowned for producing high quality medical research to share learning for the benefit of all Victorians,' Cr So said.
'We have been building connections between Melbourne and Boston for 20 years now and sharing ideas in the field of medical research makes sense. Both cities are renowned centres for biotechnology and medical research institutions including The Royal Melbourne Hospital which is Melbourne's longest established hospital and the famous Harvard Medical School in Boston.
'The City of Melbourne is committed to supporting talented emerging researchers across a wide range of medical fields in 2006 and beyond as part of our focus on building Melbourne's reputation as a knowledge city,' he said.
Dr Van Doorman will spend six weeks working with specialists from within Boston's Partners HealthCare organisation.
Plans are underway for a Boston clinician to visit Melbourne under the newly established exchange program in 2006 with an announcement due in late 2005.
More information:
For information about the Melbourne-Boston Research Exchange, contact:
Jeremy Gronow, City of Melbourne Media Adviser: jergro@melbourne.vic.gov.au
For information about Dr Van Doornum's research activities, contact:
Rodney Jackson-Smith, Royal Melbourne Hospital Media Adviser: rodney.jackson-smith@mh.org.au | 
