Professor Stephen Opat |
Professor Opat’s research aims to improve
outcomes for patients with lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and to
achieve these ends he has employed a number of strategies.
“The Lymphoma and Related Diseases Registry
(housed within Monash University’s, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive
Medicine) enables haematologists across Australia and New Zealand to monitor
access to care; benchmark outcomes nationally and internationally; explore
variation in practice; and act as a resource for clinical trials,” said
Professor Opat.
As Director of the Monash Haematology
Clinical Research Unit, Professor Opat has also been principal investigator in
over 40 studies in lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
“Monash Health has been a major contributor
to the development of numerous compounds for the treatment of malignant and
non-malignant blood disease, and our Unit is engaged in all aspects of clinical
research, from first in human to large international phase III studies.”
Professor Opat said the Unit’s outstanding
success is in no small part due to its managers Micheleine Uhe and Jeanette
Gamgee, and their dedicated team of trial personnel.
Another research interest of Professor Opat’s
is improving the understanding of lymphoma biology to facilitate the rational
application of targeted therapy.
“The Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance
Lymphoma flagship is a collaborative effort to improve outcomes for patients
with poor-risk non-Hodgkins lymphoma through gaining an understanding of the
genetic lesions involved in the malignant transformation of lymphoid cells,”
said Professor Opat.
“Our collaborative project involves genetic
sequencing of tumour DNA coding regions to identify genetic variants that may
help guide treatment.”
Professor Opat said he is extremely proud of
his attachment to both Monash University and Monash Health and sees his
academic promotion as an acknowledgement of the hard work and achievement of
Monash Haematology.
“We often 'hit above our weight' but have a
lower profile than the more established high profile institutions.”
Beyond haematology, Professor Opat’s other
passion is road cycling. He is about to
embark on a six day cycling adventure in Kyushu, Japan to raise money for the
Leukaemia Foundation to support patients and research in blood cancer.
“It beats shaving my head—and if anyone wants
to sponsor me they can do so here: https://tinyurl.com/zldjwqe,” said Professor Opat.
Professor Opat is President, Haematology
Society of Australia and New Zealand; Chair, Steering Committee, Lymphoma and
Related Diseases Registry; and Chair, Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance
Lymphoma Flagship.
Nice to read it !
ReplyDeleteRegards
Mir Mohammad Ali Khan