Baby book result

For those who tried their luck in the recent baby book, the results are in:
Alexandra Jasmine Dick (yes, a girl) born 26 November, weighing in at 3.5kg.

The winning bet was placed by father Jonathan, "who over and above his own guesswork, did not have any insider information," according to SCS official bookmaker Nicola Abel.

$20 was also donated to the Monash Children's Hospital.

PhD scholarship success at SCS

Congratulations to the 20 School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) graduate research applicants who successfully secured scholarships in the latest round.

Amongst the successful applicants is our own Dr Vera Golder who received a prestigious Faculty Postgraduate Excellence Award.  The highly competitive award is offered to the Faculty’s top eight scholarship recipients who demonstrated outstanding academic merit and research potential.

Record attendance at emergency medicine conference

Dr Egerton-Warburton

Monash Emergency clinicians and researchers were well represented at the highlight of the Australasian Emergency Medicine scientific calendar, the 2014 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) annual conference last week, with a record 999 delegates attending the event in Melbourne.

Conference scientific convenor and Director of emergency medicine research at Monash Medical Centre, Dr Diana Egerton-Warburton presented two sessions on alcohol harm that attracted significant media attention.

Dr Egerton-Warburton also presented a paper on Monash Health’s “Just Say No to Just in case cannula" policy.  This successful change initiative at Monash Medical Centre has demonstrated at 20% absolute reduction of PIVC insertion as well as a reduction in PIVC associated staph bacteraemia rates.

Monash medical students broaden their experience at The Valley Private hospital

In an exciting new initiative, The Valley Private hospital (TVP) will host select Monash final year medical students as part of their learning experience from next year.

The collaborative agreement between public and private hospital systems will allow Monash students to undertake an elective rotation at TVP for the first time.

“Our students will receive exposure and be involved with the entire patient experience at TVP,” said Associate Professor Chris Wright, Academic Director of Clinical Programs.

Monash research to improve survival rates of premature babies

Dr Nold

MIMR-PHI Institute and Adjunct School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) researcher Dr Claudia Nold has been awarded a prestigious Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship in the charity’s latest funding announcements.

A pharmacist by training with broad expertise in cytokine biology, inflammation and immunology, Dr Nold will use the project funding to further her research into interventional immunology in diseases of the neonate.

“High mortality and morbidity in premature babies largely arises from three diseases that modern neonatology struggles to prevent or treat,” said Dr Nold. “I plan to examine their molecular mechanisms to pave the way to therapies.”

2015 Scientific Mobilisation Program - Travel grant opportunity for French collaboration

The Australian Academy of Science (AAS) and the Embassy of France in Australia have released a call for applications for the 2015 Scientific Mobilisation Program from candidates who are conducting a research project involving at least one French scientific or technological partner. This travel grant will cover the expense of one economy return airfare from any Australian capital city to a major airport in France (to depart from mid March 2015), and stay for a maximum of 28 days. Preference will be given to early career researchers. For further information including eligibility requirements and how to apply please visit http://www.ambafrance-au.org/2015-Scientific-mobilisation. 

Closing date is  9am, Monday 19 January 2015. Results will be announced January - early February 2015.

2015 Platform Access Grants (Round 2) - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - closing date 27 March 2015

The Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences is pleased to announce a call for applications for a second round of Platform Access Grants (PAG) for funding commencing in 2015. The timing of this round has been offset by 6 months from the PAG scheme administered under the Strategic Grants Scheme (SGS 2015).

We invite proposals from individuals or small teams (max. 3 members) requesting Service Fees to access Monash Technology Research Platforms (including Biostatistics and Bioinformatics), or to purchase Products of these platforms.  Grants of up to $15,000 will be available for this purpose.  Please note that the “Service Provider” does not have to be a collaborator on the grant, and if they are not, they must not be listed as a Chief Investigator.  

Registrations and applications for the 2015 PAG scheme are NOW OPEN at:  

https://monash.fluidreview.com/

Monash ECF and CDF Incubator Programs - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominations are open for the Monash Early Career Fellowship and Career Development Fellowship Incubator Programs. This program integrates faculty and central level professional services, as well as a broad academic review network to support high quality applications. The program supports application development, preparation and peer-review in the months leading up to submission, with a view to helping you develop the strongest application possible. This year the incubator program is open to all Monash applicants with continuing support contingent on an applicant's continuing engagement in the program.

It's like working in a nightclub: ED doctor

Emergency doctors have had enough of those who misuse alcohol clogging up their hospital beds, threatening staff and compromising the care of other patients.

A snapshot of 100 EDs in Australia and New Zealand at 2am last Saturday found one in eight patients were there because of booze. However, in some hotspots the ratio was one in two.

The results would have been even worse if the weather hadn't kept people at home, said Monash Health emergency physician Dr Diana Egerton-Warburton, lead researcher of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine study.  Full story here.

Violence down thanks to alcohol lockout laws

Sydney's controversial alcohol lockout laws have their critics, but doctors at the city's busiest emergency department say it's clear they're working.  See Dr Diana Egerton-Warburton interviewed in the channel 10 news story here.

Medical boost for premature babies (Ritchie Centre's Professor Euan Wallace)

A world first trial is underway in Melbourne that treats premature babies with their own stem cells. Channel 7 News report here.

2015 Lorne Infection and Immunity Conference - Poster Abstract Deadline Extended (9 January)

Poster Abstract Deadline Extended - 9 January 2015 

The 2015 Lorne Infection and Immunity Conference organising committee invites you to register for the 5th annual conference. Join infection and immunity scientists from around Australia and overseas for three days of networking and science. Please forward this email to anyone you think may be interested in being part of a great Australian science tradition. We look forward to your participation at the Lorne Infection and Immunity Conference.  50 Complimentary Student Registrations

Survey - Health and Wellbeing in the Faculty - please complete by 16 January

Two years ago, the Faculty offered staff a “health check” and, from this, a report was developed on the health and wellbeing of our staff. It identified a number of issues that may be addressed by an increase in physical and mental health activity.

Therefore, in 2015, we would like to promote participation in the University’s health and wellbeing program.  Items on offer will include fitness programs like yoga and pilates, general health information sessions, nutrition based programs and mindfulness/resilience programs to name a few.

To assist us in tailoring the wellbeing program for our faculty, your feedback to the 2014 Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences Staff Health and Wellbeing Survey would be extremely valuable. The survey closes on 16 January, 2015.

(Detailed information on the SWAP programs available go to http://www.monash.edu/ohs/wellbeing/swap.html.)

Finalised programs to be offered to the faculty will be available early in 2015.

MMC Site Alert: Bus Stop Relocation - Browns Road South Shuttle Bus

What is happening? 

• Major works along the Kanooka Grove to Loading Bay section of our Service Road supporting the MHTP-TRF project have concluded, and this section of the service road is again open to traffic
• The staff shuttle bus servicing the Browns Road South car park will return to it is original drop-off/pick-up point outside the entry to Block E

How will it impact me?

·         Staff travelling to the Browns Road South car park in the afternoon may board the shuttle bus outside the entry to E Block, from the first regular timetabled afternoon bus on Tuesday afternoon December 16, 2014
·         The existing timetable will continue to apply at the bus stop during both the morning and afternoon shuttle services.
·         Staff travelling from the Browns Road South car park in the morning may alight outside the E Block entry

·         Click here for the shuttle bus timetable

Attn: MMC Animal Facility Users

The Animal Facility Co-ordinating Committee is again in the process of compiling information on current and projected usage of the MMC animal facilities. This survey was sent out earlier this year but as we received a poor response rate we are asking all MMCAF users to assist us in participating again.  Please click on the link below to ensure your future needs are recorded.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QWLVNZT