Woodside provided its second $23,000 for neural research. The three $3500 recipients of the Woodside Neurotrauma PhD Excellence Awards were:

1. Kirsty Dixon - School of Anatomy & Human Biology, UWA, and James Cook University

Supervisors: Dr Rachel Sherrard, A/Prof Fitzpatrick.
Project: Post-lesion transcommissural olivocerebellar reinnervation provides functional recovery in the neonatal Wistar rat.

2. Michelle Byrnes - Schools of Psychology at UWA, Curtin and CNND (Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Diseases)

Supervisors: A/Prof Andrew Page, A/Prof Geoff Hammond, Janet Beilby, A/Prof Gary Thickbroom, Prof Frank Mastaglia.
Project: Fluency and Confidence: A holistic approach to the treatment of Aphasia and Stuttering.

3. Jana Vukovic, School of Anatomy & Human Biology, UWA

Supervisors: Dr Giles Plant, Prof Alan Harvey, Dr Sam Busfield.
Project: Role of the glycoprotein - T16 (fibulin-3) - in the olfactory ensheathing glia.

The five $2500 recipients of the Woodside Neurotrauma Vacation Scholarships were:

1. Aygul Abzalov - School of Biomedical & Chemical Sciences, UWA

Supervisor: Dr Peter Arthur.
Project: Developing a method to measure oxidative stress in cultured neurons.

2. William Kien Hin Wong - School of Animal Biology and School of Anatomy & Human Biology, UWA

Supervisors: Dr Jenny Rodger and Dr Rachel Sherrard.
Project: Detecting ephrin-A2 and ephrin-A3 on cells in the rat cerebellum and assessing the role of interactions between these molecules in establishing connectivity following a cerebellar lesion.

3. Lucy Millar - Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, UWA

Supervisors: Dr Dylan Edwards, A/Prof Gary Thickbroom and Prof Frank Mastaglia.
Project: Exploring paired pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a method to modulate brain plasticity and improve recovery following brain injury.

4. Renae Happs - School of Animal Biology, UWA

Supervisors: Dr Lisa Tee, Prof Sarah Dunlop and A/Prof May Lai.
Project: Assessing the effects of gene therapy to reduce retinal neovascularisation and improve retinal morphology in a transgenic mouse prone to blindness.

5. Lachlan Walsh, School of Animal Biology, UWA

Supervisor: Dr Jenny Rodger.
Project: Developing a live imaging protocol for visualising the outgrowth of neurites from retinal ganglion cells in a retinal explant culture.