IMB genetics professor tops world list

Professor Wayne Hall of the Queensland-based Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) has been named as one of the most published authors in his field - the genetics of addiction and mental disorders.

The US based Institute for Science Information named Hall as being in the top 0.5 percent of authors in his field for the last 20 years. Hall, who is director of IMB`s Office of Public Policy as well as professor of Ethics at IMB, has published extensively on the implications of genetics research, especially as it pertains to current developments in cancer and its treatment. He also works on issues thrown up by recent developments in embryonic stem cells and cloning research.

Hall is the one of only 50 Australians on the globally-sourced list, and was quoted as saying the recognition was: "very encouraging and gratifying to find his work in the fields of addiction, mental health and public policy had been so widely cited".

"Essentially, this high number of citations suggests that researchers in this field and its related disciplines are taking more interest, despite it being in a relatively small and specialised niche," he said.

"Publishing in high impact and reputable journals such as Lancet, British Medical Journal and The Medical Journal of Australia has certainly helped the profile of my work and the work we are doing here in Australia."