Fulbright Fellow Michael Fahey travels to US to promote better outcomes for Cerebral Palsy

Dr Kruer and Assoc. Prof Michael Fahey

SCS Associate Professor Michael Fahey has spent the past three months at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix as a Fulbright Fellow where he has cultivated relationships with institutions across the U.S. to help advance the work and understanding of cerebral palsy and genetics.

Monash University’s Fulbright scholar aiming for personalised treatment for cerebral palsy

Associate Professor Michael Fahey

Associate Professor Michael Fahey from Monash University’s School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS), has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to better understand the neurology and genetics in people affected by cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy research receives funding boost from MRFF

Last Saturday, Professor Euan Wallace, Associate Professor Michael Fahey, Dr Tim Moss and Dr Stacey Ellery attended the Grace Gala ball in Sydney to accept a cheque for $2 million from Australia's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), to the Cerebral Palsy (CP) Alliance research foundation.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome in a Twin Pregnancy Complicated by a Complete Retraction

Michael Fahey et al. published in Genes.

Father defends Victorian medicinal cannabis program as kids drop out

Michael Fahey reported on ABC Online.

High-level mobility training benefits people with neurological impairment

Ms Tanja Spencer

A world-first study at the Monash Health Translation Precinct (MHTP) evaluating high-level mobility training in people with a neurological impairment has revealed the benefits of interventions.

Led by Monash Children’s Hospital physiotherapist Ms Tanja Spencer and Associate Professor Michael Fahey from Monash University’s Department of Paediatrics, the study was published last month in Brain Injury.

Neurological impairments such as acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury and cerebral palsy are a leading cause of disability worldwide.

Although many people with a neurological impairment can walk unaided, they still identify difficulty with high-level mobility skills.

“High-level mobility skills include activities beyond independent walking, such as running and jumping,” Ms Spencer said.

“Importantly, these skills facilitate participation in community life, sports and employment, and are therefore worthy of targeted intervention.”

Ms Spencer said the study is the very first systematic review to evaluate the emerging literature regarding high-level mobility interventions in people with a neurological impairment.

“Our findings provide evidence to support the role of various interventions in safely improving high-level mobility skills for a wide range of neurological diagnoses and participant ages,” Ms Spencer said.

Associate Professor Fahey said people with neurological impairment are often discharged from rehabilitation once they have achieved safe, independent ambulation and face challenges such as lack of funding for, and access to appropriate programs that address high-level mobility. 

“This study shows that clinicians can reasonably implement high-level mobility interventions in ambulant people with a neurological impairment, who have goals to do more than walk over level surfaces,” Associate Professor Fahey said. 

The research team is hopeful the systematic review will encourage physiotherapists to support their clients with a neurological impairment in pursuing their goals of returning to or improving their running, and sports participation. 

Ms Spencer has recently completed her Masters of Philosophy through Monash University’s Department of Paediatrics.

This research was initiated after a Running Group offered through the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service at Monash Children’s Hospital yielded positive results for children with neurological impairments.  An Emerging Researcher Fellowship from Monash Health allowed Tanja to finalise this systematic review and undertake a randomised controlled trial comparing the Running Group to usual care.  The results of that study have been widely presented at national and international childhood disability conferences and are currently being reviewed for publication.

Systemic and transdermal melatonin administration prevents neuropathology in response to perinatal asphyxia in newborn lambs

Suzie Miller et al. published in the Journal of Pineal Research.

Read article here.

Effects of umbilical cord blood cells, and subtypes, to reduce neuroinflammation following perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury

Suzie Miller et al. published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

Read article here.

Systematic review of high-level mobility training in people with a neurological impairment

Tanja Spencer, Michael Fahey et al. published in Brain Injury.

Read article here.

Family's joy as baby with mystery genetic condition finally goes home

Michael Fahey on Channel 7 News.

Watch story HERE.

The Beneficial Effects of Melatonin Administration Following Hypoxia-Ischemia in Preterm Fetal Sheep

Tamara Yawno, Suzie Miller et al. published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Read article here.

Ganaxolone: a new treatment for neonatal seizures

Tamara Yawno et al. published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Read article here.

Early, Accurate Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Cerebral Palsy: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment

Michael Fahey et al. published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Read article here.

Early, Accurate Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Cerebral Palsy Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment

Michael Fahey et al. published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Read article here.

Fetal brain injury in complicated monochorionic pregnancies: diagnostic yield of prenatal MRI following surveillance ultrasound and influence on prognostic counselling

Michael Fahey, Stacey Goergen et al. published in Prenatal Diagnosis.

Read article here.

Perinatal Brain Injury As a Consequence of Preterm Birth and Intrauterine Inflammation: Designing Targeted Stem Cell Therapies

Madison Paton et al. published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

Read article here.

Comparison of preterm and term equivalent age MRI for the evaluation of preterm brain injury

Atul Malhotra et al. published in the Journal of Perinatology.

Read article here.

Detection and assessment of brain injury in the growth restricted fetus and neonate

Atul Malhotra et al. published in Pediatric Research.

Read article here.

Seizures in Children With Cerebral Palsy and White Matter Injury

Michael Fahey et al. published in Pediatrics.

Read article here.

Optimizing bone health in cerebral palsy across the lifespan

Anne Trinh et al. published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.

Read article here.