SPG is active in promoting communication and networking among protein chemists based in Sydney and its near neighbours. The committee regularly organise one day meetings around 1 or 2 themes. During the year student prizes are also awarded to encourage young reseachers.

One of the SPG's main focuses is to design stimulating one day meetings around the major international meetings held in Australia by bringing together visiting international speakers and local speakers who can contribute to the theme of the meeting.

The SPG committee is also particularly committed to providing opportunities for our student members/young scientists and our annual Thompson Prize night in November caps off the SPG calendar. In addition to the Thompson Prize, which is awarded to the best 10 minute presentation by a young scientist, our corporate sponsors contribute two Lorne Travel Scholarships. The SPG also sponsors one student travel scholarship to enable attendance at the annual meeting of the ASBMB. Members and the Sydney protein community as a whole should be proud with the knowledge that two of our 1997 prize winners, Rosie Santangelo (Westmead, Thompson Prize) and Timothy Tan (Westmead, Lorne Travel Scholarship) went on to win poster prizes at the 23rd Annual Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function in February 1998.

The SPG continues to grow due to the contributions from our committee and the tremendous support from our corporate sponsors.