I first met Norman and Kate in the early 1980’s when they came to work with Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe and myself at CSIRO Wildlife and Rangelands Research, Canberra, Australia, on the development of the brain and blood brain barrier of the pouch young of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii. This proved a very successful and productive collaboration with Norman and Kate visiting several times over the next few years – perhaps our times together in some way influenced their decision to come to Australia in the late 1990’s! I have extremely fond memories of visiting them for 3 months at the University of Southampton in 1989 to undertake a reproductive hormone study of induced ovulation in the South American opossum, Monodelphis domestica. Norman and Kate, Krystyna and Peter were great hosts and collaborators!
In the last few years, since their move from University of Tasmania to University of Melbourne, we have commenced another fruitful collaboration, this time using the tammar wallaby as a model bipedal species for studies of spinal cord injury. We have achieved some interesting and valuable results (though no-one wants to fund it!).
Norman sets high scientific standards for himself and those around him – and loves a good wine, juicy steak and a chat about politics! May there be many more years to enjoy the scientific and other discussions!
Lyn Hinds,
CSIRO Health and Biosecurity
Canberra