BioForum – Our Mental Health Epidemic: The Need for Innovation in Treatment
August 4 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm AEST
This event will be held virtually only.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Despite an ever-increasing number of Australians experiencing debilitating mental illnesses, there has been little innovation in mental health treatment options over the last 5 decades.
With a new approach desperately needed, attention is now being paid to the potential role of psychedelic medicines as aides to psychotherapy for a wide array of conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction. The Australian Government has recently demonstrated its support of these breakthrough therapies with a $15 million grant to kick start clinical trials.
This keynote session will discuss the science and data around psychedelic medicines and the exciting work that is currently being done in this space. We will examine the evidence for psychedelic-assisted therapy, investigate its potential applications, and learn about pre-clinical research and animal models currently being developed in Victoria. You will also learn about how the current policy and regulatory environment affects the work.
It will be hosted by the BioMelbourne Network.
Details:
Date (AEST): Wednesday 4 August 2021
Time (AEST): 4:00pm – 5:30pm Presentations and Panel Discussion
Live stream: Zoom Webinar. A link to join the event will be shared via a confirmation email 24-48hrs prior to the event.
Contact:
BioMelbourne Network
Phone: +61 3 9667 8181
Email: info@biomelbourne.org
This event is sponsored by the State Government of Victoria, DJPR.
The Presenters
Tania de Jong AM
LL.B (Hons), GradDipMus
Co-founder Mind Medicine Australia, Founder Creative Universe, Creativity Australia, The Song Room & Creative Innovation Global
Tania de Jong AM is the co-Founder and Executive Director of Mind Medicine Australia. She regularly presents on psychedelic-assisted therapies, mental health and wellbeing at major conferences and events around the world and to Governments, regulators, clinicians, philanthropists and the general public.
Tania is one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs and innovators developing 6 businesses and 4 charities including Creative Universe, Creativity Australia and With One Voice, Umbrella Foundation, Creative Innovation Global, Pot-Pourri and The Song Room.
Tania was named in the 100 Women of Influence, the 100 Australian Most Influential Entrepreneurs and named as one of the 100 most influential people in psychedelics globally in 2021. Tania’s TED Talk has sparked international interest. Tania has garnered an international reputation as a performer, speaker, entrepreneur and a passionate leader for social change. Her mission is to change the world, one voice at a time!
Peter Hunt AM
B.Com, LL.B
Founder & Chair of Mind Medicine Australia
As an investment banker Peter Hunt AM advised local and multi-national companies and governments in Australia for nearly 35 years. He co-founded one of Australia’s leading investment banking advisory firms, Caliburn Partnership and was Executive Chairman of Greenhill Australia. Peter was a member of the Advisory Panel of ASIC and chaired the Vincent Fairfax Family Office.
Peter is an active philanthropist involved in funding, developing and scaling social sector organisations which seek to create a better and fairer world. He is Chairman of Mind Medicine Australia which he established with his wife, Tania de Jong, in 2018. He regularly presents to Governments, regulators, clinicians, philanthropists and the general public on psychedelic-assisted therapies and the legal and ethical frameworks needed to ensure these treatments can be made accessible and affordable.
He founded Women’s Community Shelters in 2011. Peter is a Director of The Umbrella Foundation. Peter also acts as a pro bono adviser to Creativity Australia. He was formerly Chairman of So They Can, Grameen Australia and Grameen Australia Philippines.
Peter was made a member of the General Division of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2010 for services to the philanthropic sector.
Dr Paul MacLeman
MBA, BVSC, GRAD DIP ENG (TECH MGT), GRAD CERT ENG (PROCESS DESIGN), GAIDC
Paul has over 25 years’ experience across all phases of the life sciences sector. With a career-spanning veterinary practice, pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, biotechnology, diagnostics and finance, Paul has expertise in capital raising, business development, technology commercialisation, and sales and marketing globally.
He has founded life sciences start-ups in the biologics area and worked in investment banking focusing on the analysis and financing of technology companies. Paul has previously and currently serves as Chairman, Director and/or CEO of several VC funded, ASX, NASDAQ, CSE and TSX listed companies in the life sciences, security and material sciences. This has numerous public and private funding rounds, IPOs and RTOs. Paul serves on a number of NFP and government advisory roles.
Prof Arthur Christopoulos
BPharm, PH.D, FAA, FAHMS
Arthur Christopoulos is Professor of Analytical Pharmacology, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Director of the Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, Australia. Prior to his appointment as Dean, he was a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the NHMRC. His work focuses on novel paradigms of drug action at G protein-coupled receptors, the largest drug-target class for current medicines, and has been applied to fundamental and translational studies encompassing neurological and psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and chronic pain.
Professor Christopoulos has over 340 publications, including in leading journals such as Nature, Science and Cell. He has also been the recipient of multiple major national and international awards. Since 2014-present, Clarivate Analytics have named him a Highly Cited Researcher in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and in 2021 also named him a Highly Cited Researcher in Biology & Biochemistry. In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and in 2021 was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.