New York based, Dr Christine Gockel joined BioMed North on a part-time basis in January 2006 as an IP Commercialisation Professional, and in January 2007 joined the team full time. She brings a background in Medical Research, Business and Project Management to this role. She will be liaising on our behalf with international biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies to establish commercial interest in products/inventions and facilitate licensing and research and development agreements.

Dr Gockel's own research interests include cardiovascular health, immunisation project development, and investigations into hemochromatosis disease. In 2001 she received her PhD in Medical Science from the University of Newcastle, Australia for work in discovering the effectiveness of transcutaneous immunisation as a novel and non-invasive method for inducing immunity. In that year she was also selected as a Finalist for the Young Australian of the Year Award.

She is the author of seven publications which have featured in peer-reviewed, international publications including FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, Infection and Immunity, Immunology, Reproductive Immunology, Molecular Immunology, American Journal of Reproductive Immunology and Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine.

Dr Gockel previously worked as Manager, Cardiovascular Health Clinical Support for the National Heart Foundation of Australia Queensland Division; Production Scientist for the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Australia; as Research Assistant Professor for the State University of New York; and as Research Scientist at the University of Newcastle, Australia.