Professor Alan Trounson

Australian Professor Alan Trounson who helped derive some of the earliest human embryonic stem cell colonies in the late-1990s and widely regarded as the country’s top stem cell scientist, has accepted to take the role of president of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine later this year and thus is leaving the country.

The internationally respected director of Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories is the latest in a growing list of senior medical researchers who have joined the brain drain overseas for better wages and greater opportunities. With a $US3 billion budget, the program is the largest research effort in the world devoted to human embryonic stem cells, which many scientists believe can help develop therapies for diseases such as Parkinson’s.

“It doesn’t get bigger than this,” Professor Trounson told The Sunday Age yesterday. “This is the biggest job in stem cells in the world. It is a fantastic opportunity to be able to help … make stem cell therapies a reality.”

Australia’s scientific community yesterday praised the pioneering work of Professor Trounson and said his appointment would leave a “hole” here.

“I’m sure California would be extremely happy to have attracted such a prominent international figure,” said Bob Williamson, chairman of the National Committee for Medicine at the Australian Academy of Science and professor of medical genetics at Melbourne University. “That said, we have now lost three or four of the very best stem cell scientists from Australia.”

State Government spokesman Cameron Scott said it was no surprise other countries were interested in Victoria’s medical research expertise.

“Victoria is home to some of the best medical researchers in the world,” he said.

Link