Organisational Background

The first Australian Genome Conference was held in 1979 in South Australia at Martindale Hall (the site of the infamous Picnic at Hanging Rock). The meeting was organized by Julian Wells and attended by about 35 people including Ken Reed, Gerry Both, Sue Clark, Liz Dennis, Rob Richards, Richard Harvey and Paul Kreig. In the following years the meetings were held in the Eden/Bega, region of southern NSW, generally at camping grounds. These relaxed and informal meetings are remembered fondly, with butchers paper and marker pens for presentations, and the occasional interruption of scientific sessions to chase a passing school of fish.

The meetings then moved to Lorne, initially in a joint conference with Lorne Proteins (the first Genome component organised by Michael Hynes, Dave Kemp and Dick Wettenhall) and started again with most participants camping in tents or on the beach. In Sue Clark’s words: “The science was exciting as in these early days of molecular biology there was clearly a buzz and a gregarious and bright young group of Australian Scientists contributing to this field.”

Since the early days, the conference has not always been held at Lorne. In 1999 the Human Genetics Organisation held their annual conference in Brisbane, so Lorne Genome was not held that year. In 2005 the conference was held on Phillip Island due to renovations of the Erskine resort.

In 1991 the Board of ‘Genome Conference Incorporated’, was established to ensure the continuation of an Australian Genome Conference.

The principal aim of the Board is: To organise and conduct an annual conference called “The Genome Conference”.  The purpose of the conference is to study, discuss and consider various aspects of genome organisation, gene expression and gene technology (loosely defined as “molecular genetics”, but taken to also include many other disciplines such as molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, development biology and others (hereinafter referred to as “molecular genetics”).

In 2012/2013, the Board of Lorne Genome is:

President: Alex Andrianopoulos
Treasurer/2013 Convenor: Archa Fox    
Vice President/Secretary: Vincent Harley
Public Officer: Ian Dawes
Other members:
Thomas Preiss, Ross Hannan, Jörg Heierhorst

The Scientific Advisory Council for the Lorne Genome Conference is: