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Tuesday 27 October 2015

Rickshaw run - 2500km across India for Monash Children’s Hospital

The mighty Rickshaw, with a top speed of 55km/h (downhill)
Although the “Rickshaw Run” has been described as the least sensible thing to do with two weeks, six Monash medical students couldn’t think of anything better than driving a glorified lawn mower across India to raise money and awareness for charity.

In two teams, students from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) will set off on 1 January 2016 from Cochin in the south of India and travel 2500km to Jaisalmer in the north on the adventure of a lifetime.
The team: Emma, Daniel, Ryan, Ali, Annie and James

"We aim to raise $4000 for Monash Children's Hospital and the Rickshaw Run's official charity, CoolEarth," said team member and Year 3 MBBS student Ali Groves.

"Monash Children’s Hospital is a charity we are all incredibly passionate about, as we have seen the wonderful work of the staff at Monash Medical Centre and also the obvious need for the upgrade of resources which will come with the opening of the new hospital in 2017."
Ali with one of the tiny
Monash Children’s Hospital patients

For more information and to follow the teams' adventure, ‘like’ them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rickshaw2016.  

To donate, go to http://ow.ly/TEtmm.           

All donations are greatly appreciated. 


Monash welcomes Janssen to lupus research collaboration

Outcomes for lupus patients will continue to improve as a result of a new collaborator joining the Monash lupus research group at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS).
The global biopharmaceutical company Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Janssen) will participate in the Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) Study, an international, multi-centre study investigating whether attaining LLDAS is associated with improved outcomes in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
Janssen joins existing collaborators, UCB Biopharma SPRL  and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to fund research led by Professor Eric Morand, Head of SCS and Head of Rheumatology at Monash Health, to develop and validate treatment targets in lupus.
“Our research will validate for the first time a treatment target in lupus,” said Professor Morand.  
In the Monash-led study by the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration (APLC), investigators have devised a new way to simply measure responses to treatment in lupus.
“This funding will support the APLC validation of this method, and when validated, we expect our treatment target will be used in clinical trials and in clinical practice to drive better outcomes for patients,” added Professor Morand.
Since recruiting their first patient more than two years ago, the LLDAS study has recently achieved their first milestone—1873 patients have been enrolled and their baseline data has been collected, cleaned and analysed. 
The research team is now focussed on achieving their next milestone, collecting the longitudinal data of this same cohort of patients.
Professor Morand said that this study will create one of the largest data sets on lupus patients ever collected.
“This data has a huge number of other potential uses in research that will be of interest to academics, clinicians, patients, government and industry,” he added.
The first stage of this important research study was published last week in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the leading journal in the field of rheumatology.  

TRF update

Unfortunately, due to circumstances entirely beyond the control of Capital Planning, ALL anticipated relocations into the new TRF have been placed on hold for two weeks.

That is, ALL moves scheduled to begin on the 4th November will NOT begin until Monday 23rd November 2015 and ALL moves beginning on the 9th November will NOW begin on the Wednesday the 25th November 2015.

Staff liaising with Steve B directly on matters relating to relocation are to continue planning for the move with the NEW dates in mind.  That means, relocation documentation still needs to be submitted to me as soon as they are completed and BEFORE your scheduled move. 

Those staff liaising with 3rd party technicians will obviously need to contact them with the revised times. 

Mark Montgomery from Kent Relocations, and Steve will liaise with you closer to the rescheduled move dates with seminar details, where staff will be issued with colour coded stickers. Further, Mandatory training dates will be posted closer to relocation with those staff relocating into the TRF needing to complete training before they are allowed to operate in the new facility.

On behalf of the capital planning team we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this has caused as some groups were beginning to wind down operations.

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact Steve Bouralexis (steve.bouralexis@hudson.org.au)


SCS staff meeting date to be rescheduled

The SCS staff meeting is no longer scheduled for 29 October.  New date to be advised.


SCS calendar news - subscribe now!!

Did you know that SCS events, lectures, seminars and more are scheduled in the SCS calendar?  You can subscribe to our calendar, ensuring you will receive invitations and never miss another event or meeting.

Just click on any of the scheduled events and you can easily add it to your own calendar.

The SCS calendar is on the front page of SCS eNews: (scsenews.blogspot.com.au). You can also add the SCS calendar to your list of calendars by clicking on the +Google calendar button.

Please ask Katherine (katherine.greenberg@monash.edu) or Vithya (vithya.premkumar@monash.edu) if you have any questions.

Click on the events listed below, to find more details about each event.
What's on for the week (27-31 Oct)
Tue 27/10/2015 01:30 PM CiiiD seminar: Identification of therapeutic biomarkers and T-cell based immunotherapy (CAR-T) for gastric cancer
02:00 PM Postgraduate Student Open Forum #3
03:00 PM  Workshop - Developing your CV
Wed 28/10/2015 12:00 PM Accepting and Managing Your NHMRC Funding - MRO Webpage and Information Session
Thu 29 & 30/10/2015 10:00 AM Animal Use in Research & Teaching
01:30 PM ANZAC Nurses Exhibition 
Sat 31/10/2015 05:00 PM Deadline: Monash University Scholarship Applications








Forthcoming events (3-17 Nov)
Tue 03/11/2015 01:00 PM CiiiD Seminar Series
Wed 04/11/2015 11:00 AM SCS Postgraduate Student Open Forum #3
Thu 05/11/2015 09:00 AM FRLP Module 8 - Project Closeout (ECRs)
Mon 09/11/2015 12:00 AM ECR symposium
Tue 10/11/2015 01:00 PM CiiiD Seminar Series
Fri 13/11/2015 03:00 PM SCS staff meeting followed by drinks
Tue 17/11/2015 01:00 PM CiiiD Seminar Series

Special CiiiD seminar TODAY - “Identification of therapeutic biomarkers and T-cell based immunotherapy (CAR-T) for gastric cancer”

Prof Jie Liu
The CiiiD seminar today will be presented by special speaker to the Hudson Institute, Prof Jie Liu who is Director of the Department of Gastroenterology of the Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, China.

Prof Liu will be presenting on the “Identification of therapeutic biomarkers and T-cell based immunotherapy (CAR-T) for gastric cancer”.   Please see the flyer attached for more information.  Please note his seminar begins at 1.30pm.

Prof Liu is available for meetings following the conclusion of his seminar at 2.30pm.  Please contact Dr Liang Yu (liang.yu@hudson.org.au) for more information or Dr Rebecca Smith (rebecca.smith@hudson.org.au) for appointment times.




Grand Rounds- Haematology 28 October: “Medical Device-Induced Thrombosis”

Unit: Haematology                  
Presenter: Noel Chan                                     
Topic: “Medical Device-Induced Thrombosis”
        
Date: Wednesday 28 October 2015
Time: 12.30pm to 1.30pm

Venue: Main Lecture Theatre, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

Technical Seminar: Friday 30 October 2-3 pm " “Preparing Clinical Research Samples for Future Use: Innovative Methods for Working with Limiting and Compromised Samples in the context of BiobankingBest Practices"

Friday 30 October  2-3pm  Board Rooms Level 3, Hudson Institute
Presented by Dr Andrew Brooks

Flyer with details here.

Time is Running Out: Register Today for ASN Kidney Week 2015

5 Days Left: Register Today for Kidney Week 2015

Time is running out to register online for ASN Kidney Week 2015. Join ASN and more than 13,000 other kidney professionals from across the globe at Kidney Week 2015 in San Diego, CA, November 3-8. Online registration closes at midnight EST on Wednesday, October 28. 

Register today!

Monash University Sports Nutrition Symposium, past present and future (TOMORROW)

Karen Inge
The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Monash University are hosting a short Sports Nutrition Symposium to honour over two decades of Sports Dietetics in Australia as well as Karen Inge, a key individual responsible for its growth.

28th October 2015, 2 - 4pmRotunda Room R2, Clayton Campus, Monash University

Programme Outline:
2:00-2:30: From Then to Now - Key changes in sports nutrition (Helen O'Connor). 
  
2:30-3:00: Translational approach - How changes have informed practice (Alan McCubbin).
  
3:00-3:30: ‘Inspiring Change’ (Lorna Garden and Helen O'Connor).
  
3:30-4:00: Sport & Exercise Nutrition & Dietetics at Monash (Ricardo Costa)

While experienced in all areas of nutrition, Karen Inge is widely recognised for her groundbreaking work in sports nutrition in Australia. As the first dietitian appointed to an AFL Club, Karen's sports nutrition work culminated in her roles as a founding member and then President of Sports Dietitians Australia.
She was the first dietitian to be made a Fellow of Sports Medicine Australia and is an inaugural Fellow of Sports Dietitians Australia.

WEHI Centenary Seminar Series: Dr Eric Betzig - Monday 9 November 2015

As part of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute's centenary celebrations, throughout 2015 they will host seminars by prominent international figures in the fields of cell signalling, haematology, cancer and immunology. 

On 9 November, WEHI will host Dr Eric Betzig from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, USA.

Date:  Monday 9 November, 2015
Time:  12:00 -1:00pm
Topic: Imaging life at high spatiotemporal resolution


Please refer to attached flyer for further information.


Monash/Alfred Quality Improvement: Measurable and Immeasurable, challenges for the Generalist - Seminar 13 Nov


The School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine's Centre of Research Excellence in Patient Safety (CREPS) is hosting a seminar in November.

​Th​e​ seminar is designed to address the challenges involved in evaluating and improving the quality of care that we provide for complex, often elderly, medical patients. ​

Title: Quality ​I​mprovement: Measurable and Immeasurable, challenges for the Generalist 
Organiser: Centre of Research Excellence in Patient Safety (CREPS), Monash University, The Alfred and Department of Health and Human Services
Date: Friday ​13 November 2015
Venue: The Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP) Lecture Theatre, 75 Commercial Rd, The Alfred, Melbourne Vic 3004
Cost: $150 trainees and allied health / $295 general rate*
*A 20% discount applies to Monash University staff and students with payment via internal transfer. Email cost centre, fund source and delegate name/s to crepatientsafety@monash.edu.

This seminar will appeal to:
  • General Medical Physicians
  • Geriatricians
  • General Practitioners
  • General Medical and Geriatric nurses
  • Aged care nursing leadership
  • Emergency medicine and nursing staff
  • Pharmacists
  • Allied Health Practitioners
  • Hospital administrators
  • Victorian and Australian Department of Health Managers
  • Hospital inreach/outreach teams and residential care leadership

Background: Elderly medical patients with multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy are amongst the most frequent users of our public hospitals. There are many challenges for patients as well as providers to ensure that they receive the best possible care appropriate for their wishes and needs. The complex interaction of medical issues, syndromes of ageing and the frequent accompaniment of disability, frailty and psychosocial issues necessitates especially careful two-way communication between patients and their families and their interdisciplinary care teams. Involvement of many staff increases the likelihood of error, mixed messages or miscommunication.

Despite elderly complex patients constituting the largest patient group in our public hospitals we have few mechanisms for robust evaluation of the quality of their care or the effectiveness of our efforts to improve it. New approaches are required that allow us to readily understand and manage this complexity, match the resources we provide with their needs and readily identify and evaluate opportunities for improvement. This seminar draws speakers and audience from a range of disciplines to help address this challenge.
Keynote ​P​resenters​:​ include Mr Mike Davidge (NHS Wales) and Mr Paul Plsek (DirectedCreativity.com). 
​ ​
In the early 1980’s Mike was jointly responsible for creating the first national performance indicators in England and between 1986 and 1992 pioneered reduced waiting times in England and Wales.
​ ​
Paul is an internationally recognised consultant on innovation in complex organisations.
 
Contact: Catherine Pound Ph: +61 3 9903 0891 / Email: crepatientsafety@monash.edu 
Payment and flyer details: please visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/sphpm/creps/seminars.html

​Please refer to the attached flyer for further information, including the seminar program.​





SCS medical students excel in Occupational Medicine and John Desmond Exam

Winning students
Nathaniel, Louisa and Barry
School of Clinical Sciences' (SCS) medical students have again dominated in the Faculty's prestigious John Desmond Prize–for the second consecutive year taking first prize.

Congratulations Nathaniel Lizak (MMC) and Louisa Thong (Casey) who shared FIRST prize, each receiving $500.

Barry Kweh (MMC) placed equal THIRD and received $200, sharing his prize with four other Year 3 students across other clinical schools.

Held in early October, the John Desmond Exam examines students on their workshops and tutorials in Occupational Medicine as a component of Theme Teaching.

The John Desmond Prize is donated by Drs Robyn Horsley and Peter Desmond in honour of their late son, John Desmond, who died in infancy.  Robyn practices in Occupational Medicine as a speciality and finds it to be a family-friendly and diverse area of Medicine.

This year the donors kindly agreed to increase the prize pool from $1500 to $2000 so that the prizes could be evenly distributed.

Due to the number of winners there is no second prize awarded in this instance. Congratulations to all winners.

Library Focus series / MBio / BMS Phd training program


The next Focus series workshops will be held on 4-5 November at Hargrave-Andrew Library.

Attached here is a one-page description of the program. Students can book via the link here.



Writing Your Literature Review Workshop for SCS Graduate Research students

We would like to invite SCS students to attend a tailored workshop on Writing Your Literature Review, delivered by Dr Davina Dadley-Moore.  This workshop is designed specifically for first-year science and medical PhD/Masters students. If you have not begun to write your literature review, have begun but are struggling, or would like to develop your writing skills and confidence, this workshop is for you. This is an interactive workshop that will involve activities, and you will have the opportunity to look at your own writing and learn how to improve it.

Topics covered in the 3 hour workshop
Part 1: The Big Picture
What is a literature review?
Why write one?
How do you start?
Main tasks in writing your literature review
Story and structure
Components other than text (references, figures and tables)

Part 2: Important Elements of Scientific Writing
Introductions and conclusions
Signposts
Paragraph structure
Scientific phrasing

Funding Opportunity: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Requests Letter of Intent

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is requesting applications for the following opportunity:
Discovery and Development of Immune Tolerance Delivery Systems for Antigen Specific Therapies in Type 1 Diabetes
November 16, 2015 - Announcement Introduction and Public Q&A
December 3, 2015 - Letter of Intent Deadline
January 19, 2016 - Notification of Full Proposal Invitation
March 2, 2016 - Full Proposal Deadline
July 2016 - Response to Applicant
September 2016 - Earliest Start Date

Please reference the RFA for more information.

Monash contributions to ARC Centres of Excellence

Monash Contributions
Last week, the Group of Eight ​(Go8) ​Deputy Vice Chancellors (Research) met and unanimously agreed to a 4:1 return on cash investment for this round of ARC Centres of Excellence. This is a revision to the in-principle support provided at the time of the Expression of Interest submission, but reflects the economic realities of the sector.

Prof Pauline Nestor, Senior Vice-Provost and Vice-Provost (Research) and has advised that the Office of the Vice-Provost (Research) will contribute up to one third of the total Monash cash contribution with the balance to be shared between Faculty (1/3) and School/Department (1/3). 

E.g. If Monash is to contribute $75K p.a. for a $300K p.a. return, then Central will contribute 1/3 ($25K p.a.) and 2/3 ($50K p.a.) will need to be contributed from the Faculty/School.

Monash Certification of Funding Form (attached here)
Centre Directors (for Monash-led bids) and lead Monash CIs (on non-Monash-led bids) are requested to submit the completed and endorsed form to arc@monash.edu by:
Monash-Led bids: 18 November 2015
Non-Lead bids: 25 November 2015
Statements of support
Monash-led bids: Please submit the text of the Statement of support from the Administering Organisation  (7000 characters max) to arc@monash.edu for endorsement by Prof Pauline Nestor by 9am, 9 December 2015. 
Non-Lead bids: Please submit Monash support letters for signing by Prof Pauline Nestor, PVC(R) by 9am, 9 December 2015 to arc@monash.edu.

Important Dates for Monash-Led bids:
CE17 Full Proposal
MRO close date
ARC close date
Proposal closing date
9am 7 Dec 2015
5pm 16 Dec 2016

​All queries should be directed to the ARC Pre-award Team at MRO (arc@monash.edu).​

Defense Medical Research Program Announcement

RE: Department of Defense (DoD), Defense Health Program (DHP), Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, Defense Medical Research and Development Program - Defense Medical Research Program Announcement

The JPC-8/CRMRP is one of six major DHP core research program areas within the DHP DHA RDA Directorate and is administered with oversight from JPC-8, which consists of Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD medical and military technical experts relevant to the program area. 

The JPC-8/CRMRP focuses on innovations to reconstruct, rehabilitate, and provide definitive care for injured Service members. The ultimate goal is to return the Service members to duty and restore their quality of life. Innovations developed from JPC-8/CRMRP-supported research efforts are expected to improve restorative treatments and rehabilitative care to maximize function for return to duty (RTD) or civilian life. The interest is in medical technologies (drugs, biologics, and devices) and treatment/rehabilitation strategies (methods, guidelines, standards, and information) that will significantly improve the medical care provided to our wounded Service members within the DoD health care system. Implementation of these technologies and strategies should improve the rate of RTD of Service members, the time to RTD, clinical outcome measures, and quality of life, as well as reduce the hospital stay lengths, clinical workload (patient encounters, treatments, etc.), and initial and long-term costs associated with restorative and rehabilitative or acute care.

Integrated Sciences and NuGEN NGS Grant Program Information

Integrated Sciences and NuGEN in partnership with MHTP Medical Genomics Facility are pleased to offer a Next-Gen Sequencing Grant to facilitate translational research.

This grant provides the chance for you to utilize one of NuGEN's innovative NGS technologies (either RNA-Seq Targeted Transcript Depletion or DNA Target Enrichment) in conjunction with the extensive experience of the MHTP Medical Genomics Facility to facilitate an entire NGS project for up to 16 samples (valued at up to $10,000). For more information, please refer to the attached flyer in this email or click here.

Applications for this NGS Grant are available online here and the deadline for submission is 30 October 2015. A scientific review panel will decide the winning project by 6 November 2015.

Please feel free to contact Dr Hamilton Fraval (hfraval@integratedsci.com.au) or ​
​​
Technical Services if you want to learn more about these technologies and their capabilities.

 



The ARC HARRY WINDSOR RESEARCH GRANTS SCHEME

The Australian Respiratory Council (ARC) is seeking to award up to three one-year research grants of approximately $50,000 each in 2016. These grants are named in honour of the late Dr Harry Windsor, a leading Australian heart surgeon who played a key role in ARC for many years. 

Dr Windsor performed the first heart transplant operation in Australia and was a prominent cardiothoracic surgeon at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital. He was actively involved with ARC and its Board from 1955 until his death in 1987.

Postdoctoral Research Officer/Senior Research Officer

The Senior/Research Officer will conduct research in the areas of mammalian sex determination and gonadal development. The position will use state-of the art technologies (genetically engineered murine models, genome-wide approaches) to identify and characterize genes responsible for disorders of sex development, also known as intersex conditions. The position (NHMRC Program grant funded; please visit dsdgenetics.org) will work with support, guidance and mentorship from Professor Vincent Harley, Centre for Reproductive Health.

Further details including copy of position description at http://hudson.org.au/about-us/careers/

Want to join the MMC 5:2 club?

What the? Aaargh!  Summer is coming and you've discovered your dress or shorts have shrunk (they haven't), and you can't afford a new wardrobe!  

If this is you, it might  be a good time to embark on a weight loss journey with like-minded colleagues.  Here at MMC Clayton, we are starting a weight loss support group based on the 5:2 Fast Diet, who will meet fortnightly at the Healthwise Gymnasium.  

Anyone who needs support with reaching their healthier lifestyle goals is welcome to join the group.  The inaugural meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 28 October 1pm at Healthwise Gym, Level 1, MMC Clayton, and will be facilitated by gym instructor, Jade.  Please come and check it out.   You do not need to be a gym member to join this group and attend meetings.

Enquiries to Jin Graham (SCS Wellbeing Officer) via email jinleng.graham@monash.edu.  Also, check out our (work in progress) blog here.

Pressure on hospital beds impacts psychiatric patients

Professor Nicholas Keks, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, says its a problem patients in high risk high security units are being moved to lower security units because there is a pressure on beds. He says its a likely problem in many hospitals across the country as the development of services has not kept pace with patients' needs.   Listen to story here.


Streamlined across ABC radio stations.

Stent Thrombosis in Drug-Eluting or Bare-Metal Stents in Patients Receiving Dual Antiplatelet Therapy CME

Ian Meredith et al. published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Read article here.

The feto-placental unit, and potential roles of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in prenatal and postnatal brain development: A re-examination using the spiny mouse

David Walker et al. published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Read article here.

Inhibition of Transforming Growth Factor-β Receptor signaling promotes culture expansion of undifferentiated human Endometrial Mesenchymal Stem/stromal Cells

Caroline Gargett et al. published in Scientific Reports.

Read article here.

Polymer-free Drug-Coated Coronary Stents in Patients at High Bleeding Risk

Ian Meredith et al. published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Read article here.

A Patent Ductus Arteriosus Severity Score Predicts Chronic Lung Disease or Death before Discharge

Arvind Sehgal et al. published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Read article here.