Contact: Tim Gehret
843.792.2626
May 8, 2007
CHARLESTON -- On Wednesday an Australian premier will visit the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to sign an agreement as a part of the Sister-State Memorandum of Understanding established in 1999 between Queensland and South Carolina. The purpose of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie's visit is to formally establish collaboration between the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland and MUSC's Neuroscience Institute. While in Charleston, Beattie will tour the MUSC campus and receive a firsthand glimpse of the biomedical research being performed here.
QBI was established in 2003 to discover the fundamental mechanisms regulating brain function. Under the direction of Professor Perry Bartlett, QBI is a leader in neuro-imaging and the development of advanced technologies. QBI is in the process of building a comprehensive program of research aimed at promoting optimum brain function and developing new therapeutic strategies to treat the avalanche of neurological and mental illnesses in their community.
The MUSC Neuroscience Institute, directed by Mark Kindy, Ph.D., exists to create a nationally-known center of neuroscience research, education and treatment by facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration in the South Carolina neuroscience community. The primary focus of the Neuroscience Institute is to bridge the gap between the basic sciences and clinical sciences and provide South Carolina with the needed resources to treat and potentially cure neurodegenerative disorders.
"This is a great opportunity for MUSC and the University of Queensland to combine their individual expertise in neuroscience to identify the mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative disorders and develop potential therapeutics," said Kindy.
During his visit, Premier Beattie will receive a Presidential Merit Award from MUSC President Raymond Greenberg, M.D., PhD.
Background
The relationship between Queensland and South Carolina began during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when Beattie, then a leader of Queensland's parliament, visited the state and was struck by the similarities between South Carolina and Sydney. After being elected premier in 1998, Beattie remained so impressed with South Carolina's commerce, education, and culture, that he proposed the idea to then Gov. Jim Hodges of a Sister-State relationship. On May 13, 1999, a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the two governments. The agreement focuses on cooperative efforts in the areas of education, technology, science, economic development, tourism, culture, health, and sports. An additional MOU between the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Queensland State Development Department also was established at that time. Since the initial 1999 visit, more than seven delegations from Queensland have visited South Carolina. South Carolina sent a delegation in August 2000 to Queensland to further the Sister-State agreement. Additional MOU's in the areas of tourism, college/university tourism student exchange, education, and educational media have been signed. Other MOU's are anticipated as the relationship grows and ventures into different areas of interest.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 10,000 employees, including 1,300 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.3 billion. MUSC operates a 600-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
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