$200,000 brain camera launched at University

Aug 29, 2003

The $200,000 Beta Imager Camera was launched at the University on August 29, marking the end of a highly successful fundraising campaign which was embraced by the Illawarra community.

The "brain camera" will be used by the schizophrenia research group at the University of Wollongong and will be the only one if its kind operating in the Southern Hemisphere.

Don McDonald from The Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD) started recruiting support for purchasing the Beta Imager for the University just over a year ago. The Wollongong Lord Mayor's Schizophrenia Awareness Project Committee recently met the $200,000 target thanks to donations from organisations and individuals from the community.

Mr McDonald spoke at the launch at the University on behalf of NISAD. Other speakers included Stephen Mayers Chairman of the Lord Mayor's Schizophrenia Awareness Project, Professor Philip Ward Scientific Director of NISAD, Professor John Patterson Acting Vice-Chancellor of UOW, Marilyn Mitchell living with Schizophrenia, Barry Wood representing City Coast Credit Union, Mitchell Murphy editor of the Illawarra Mercury, Member for Wollongong Noreen Hay and Wollongong Lord Mayor Alex Darling.