Under the leadership of Dean Professor Richard Hays, 2011 was a busy year for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine with many new academic staff being recruited, particularly in the areas of Medicine and Exercise Science/Physiotherapy. This increase in the number of research active staff combined with further large increases in the number of Higher Degree Research students during 2011 will set up our Faculty for even greater success in research over the coming years.

After the success of the Faculty in the 2010 Excellence in Research in Australia (ERA) where we obtained a ranking of “world standard or above” in two areas (Clinical Sciences and Medical Sciences), 2011 was a gap year where we worked towards the next assessment timetabled for the autumn of 2012. Our output since the last ERA has continued to grow dramatically and we can look forward to the next national research assessment with confidence. Also, with the growth in the field of Human Mobility and Exercise, we will be able to add a third submission to the ERA in 2012.

Although a small institution, in some areas we compete at an international level and our reputation continues to grow. HSM researchers collaborate internally, but also have developed strong ties with external collaborators, securing important national and international grants to support innovative projects that span across disciplines and translate bench top research to the bedside. A few of our 2011 research grant successes include:

• Professor Chris Del Mar received a donation of $135,000 from A.B & S.E Shepherd.
• Associate Professor Scott Wearing received $72,900 for a project titled ‘Understanding Tendon Response to Sport and Exercise’.
• Associate Professor Bon Gray obtained an international competitive grant from the “World Anti-Doping Agency” to work on the research project entitled ‘Application of transcriptional and proteomic profiling to the detection of recombinant human Growth Hormone (rhGH)’. The total value of the award is US$300,000.

In 2011 the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine collaborated with other Bond Faculties and Institutes through participation in 3 University Research Centres:

• Bond University Research Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Science (BURCHESS)
• Clem Jones Research Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Therapies
• Centre for Research in Evidence Based Practice (CREBP)

The Faculty has also established formal research groups and centres to draw together specific expertise for particular areas of research including:

• Urology Group
• Health Professional Education
• Population health and Neuroimmunology Unit