The six ingredients of a 20 year international research collaboration John Newnham School of Women’s and Infants’ Health

Rule Number 1 Have a good idea, or two

Aim: To develop a large cohort of Western Australian children studied from 18 weeks’ gestation to ascertain the relative contributions of familial risk factors, fetal growth, placental development and environmental insults to outcome in infancy and to the precursors of adult morbidity

The Raine Study 1989 – children External funding >$15.3million 121 C1 publications 67 investigators in 18 research groups >72,000 phenotypic data 2.5million SNPs; 100,000 copy number variants 30,000 biological samples Publications

The Raine Study team, 2008

Original Aim: To apply the 200 year knowledge of sheep handling in Australia to medical research, using minimally invasive ultrasound guided procedures to replace/or complement traditional surgical approaches The SWIH International Perinatal Sheep Research Collaboration ongoing

The SWIH International Perinatal Sheep Collaboration 20 years continuous funding from NIH (plus NHMRC and others) External funding >$7 million 80+ C1 publications >300 conference presentations Extensive knowledge transfer Collaborators from USA, Canada, UK, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, China, Malaysia, New Zealand and Eastern Australia

The international sheep research group, 2008

Rule Number 2 Successful research teams are based on mutual benefit and friendship

Rule Number 3 We are all different. Not everyone is suited to be in longstanding team

Rule Number 4 Each member/group in the collaboration needs their own sovereignty

Rule Number 5 If in doubt: Achieve the objective, Maintain the group, Care for personal needs

Rule Number 6 The research group that celebrates together, produces together

Celebrations: Annual scientific days and dinners Logos Annual T-shirts/stubbie holders/hats Inclusive of family members