Photo of the week

A human glomerulus of a patient with MPO+ANCA vasculitis, demonstrating MPO (red) lining the capillaries (green), the counterstain is DAPI in blue.  Source: Kim O'Sullivan and Richard Kitching

The failure of the Medicare principle of universality

Professor Meadows

Monash University researchers have revealed for the first time clear and detailed evidence of the inequitable delivery of mental health care services for disadvantaged Australians.

Introduced in 1975, Australia’s national health insurance scheme Medicare was envisioned to deliver the most equitable and efficient means of providing health insurance coverage for all Australians.

However Monash-led research published this week in the prestigious Medical Journal of Australia demonstrates inequity and a lack of universality of mental health care delivery. 

“Our results show we have a multi-tier rather than universal system,” said lead author Professor of Psychiatry Graham Meadows.

“People living in disadvantaged and rural areas typically receive a mental health service model characterised by lower volumes of service and provided by less highly trained providers.”

The study found that utilisation of psychiatric and clinical psychologist services was 2 to 3 times greater in affluent areas in Melbourne and Sydney (City of Bayside and North Sydney Council compared with disadvantaged suburbs (City of Greater Dandenong and the City of Blacktown).

Pioneering sleep apnoea research recognised

Dr Lauren Nisbet

Early career researcher and Monash Health junior doctor Dr Lauren Nisbet has been recognised for her pioneering and outstanding research into sleep apnoea in children.

Dr Nisbet has been selected by the World Association of Sleep Medicine to receive the Elio Lugaresi Award for Education at the opening ceremony of the World Congress of Sleep Medicine next month in Seoul, Korea.

The prestigious award is given to an early career researcher for an outstanding publication (the best original young investigator paper) in the affiliated peer-reviewed journal Sleep Medicine.

“This paper was important because we demonstrated a substantial cardiovascular surge immediately following both full airway obstruction (obstructive apnoeas) and partial airway obstruction (hypopnoeas) in preschool-age children,” said Dr Nisbet.

Minimum Data for 215 NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence (CRE) Grants

Please remind researchers intending to submit an NHMRC CRE grant that their application must be initiated and the minimum data requirements must be entered into RGMS by 5:00pm (AEDT) Wednesday 4 March 2015.

Minimum data for CREs consists of the following:

·  A-PA Home (specifically the Administering Institution, Application Title and Synopsis)

·  A-RC Research Classification

·  A-RT Research Team and Commitment including the names of team members if known (note: team members may be added or deleted after the minimum data deadline until the close of applications at 5:00PM on 18 March 2015)

·  B-APA Application Priority Area (if applicable)

If applicants do not meet the minimum data deadline, their application will not proceed. The information provided will help NHMRC allocate assessors to the application. The correct information must be entered in each field; placeholder information is not sufficient.

The MRO Submission Process and internal deadlines are outlined on the attached document; this information will be available on the MRO website shortly. Note the internal deadline for compliance checking is Wednesday 4 March 2015.

All queries about this scheme should be directed to the Medical and Health Sciences Team at MRO (mhs@monash.edu).

Granger & Cottman Endowment Funds (Round 3) - GRANTS TO SUPPORT VISITING INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS

The Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of grants to support visits to the Faculty by recognised internationally renowned academics from overseas. Applications for Round 3 of this scheme are invited from the sponsoring Department or Centre, and should outline a visit of at least three weeks, which will develop and facilitate collaborative projects in the future.

General Information

·         The Paul Granger and Walter Cottman Endowment Funds provide support for visits to the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University by overseas academics of international renown.  Applicants must provide enough information about the proposed visitor to establish their international standing.

·         Proposed visits should be of at least 3 weeks duration, and may be to one, or more than one, Department or Centre in the Faculty.

·         One of the objectives of the visit must be to build on an existing collaboration, or to develop a new collaboration.  Applicants are required to address this objective. 

The Future of Medical Genomics at Monash Symposium: March 25th following Grand Rounds

Prof Andrew Sinclair

Grand Rounds, 25 March 12.30pm, Lecture Theatre 1, MMC
Professor Andrew Sinclair from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute
"From the discovery of sex determining genes to clinical implementation of genomics into patient care"

Symposium 1.40pm-5.30pm, moderated by Professor Ian Smith

ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND
Program here with details

Postgraduate Expo 22 April 2015

Dr Srivastava

You are invited to our Postgraduate Expo and Information Session to learn about the host of postgraduate courses available at the Monash Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. 

Keynote speaker: Dr Ranjana Srivastava

Venue:  Lecture Theatre 1, Monash Medical Centre

Time:  4.00-7.00pm

RSVP to: mnhs-studentrecruitment@monash.edu

Refreshments provided.

Australian Academy of Science Awards for 2016 are now open.

We invite you to nominate candidates and to forward the attached invitation to researchers.

  Please note that the closing date for nominations for honorific awards is 30 April 2015 and that nominations/applications for research conferences, research awards and travelling fellowships are due by 15 June 2015.  

Information on the awards (including eligibility criteria and nomination/application procedures and forms) is available on the website www.science.org.au/awards

Assistance with preparation and editing of applications is available by contacting Christina Majoinen, Portfolio Manager, Prizes and Awards at Mind Your Way (christina@mindyourway.com.au).

GRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINARS

ALL staff and students are invited to attend:
Date:   Monday 2nd March 2015
Supervisors: A/Prof Tim Moss and Dr Megan Wallace

Confirmation of Candidature

Cherie Au will present her Masters research titled "Ghrelin receptor agonists as novel breast cancer therapeutics"

Time:  1.00p.m - 2:00p.m 

Date:  Thursday 26th February 2015

Location:  MIMR Level 2 seminar room

Supervisors: Dr Kristy Brown, Professor John Furness

                                    Panel chair: Dr Dan Gough

PhD Pre-Submission Seminar / Final Review

Melinda Dolan will be presenting her PhD final review titled "Identifying the mechanisms underlying inflammation-induced lung maturation in the fetus"

Time: 1.00p.m - 2:00p.m

Location:   Ritchie Seminar Room (L5)

Panel Chair: A/Prof Caroline Gargett

Meet our ECRs - Michaela Finsterbusch

Can you explain your research? And what results / outcomes do you hope to achieve in the long term?
I am working in Prof Michael Hickey’s group at the Centre for Inflammatory diseases. We study the involvement of different types of immune cells in glomerulonephritis (inflammation of glomeruli). Glomeruli are tufts of capillaries which carry blood within the kidneys for filtration. Immune cells (e.g. neutrophils) which incorrectly get activated during disease start to attack and damage tissue in the kidney, which can lead to leakage of blood into the urine and eventually kidney failure. We are using highly advanced microscopy techniques to visualise immune cells and analyse their behaviour in the live organ. Our major goal is to understand the mechanisms causing kidney inflammation in order to identify ways of blocking these injurious pathways.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Inspired by a series of natural history documentaries called “Universum” when I was a kid I always wanted to become a naturalist following wild animals and indigenous people in remote parts of the world to learn about their way of living.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I am a very sociable person and like to do things with my friends. I also enjoy being outdoors doing walks and hikes in the countryside or just having a picnic in the park.

Something your work colleagues probably don’t know about you?
I have a twin sister.

CID and Research Week Tues 17/3 to Thurs 19/3

Professor Stephen Holdsworth, Director of Research, Monash Health and Professor Richard Kitching, Director, Centre for Inflammatory Diseases strongly encourage SCS researchers to submit an abstract for Monash Health Research Week.

There is $500 prize money for the Best Clinical and the best Basic Poster in each Theme and the opportunity for these individuals to go into the Best Young Investigator Oral session. (Best Investigator prize $1500).

ECR Welcome to Monash, 11 March

Are you new to Monash?  Did you know that Monash has an ECR Network which is focused on your success?

11 March 2015, 3.00pm to 5.00pm  Register here.
Come and find out about what's expected of you as a researcher at Monash. Hear about the resources available to support you, including a range of targeted professional development activities. This is a chance to meet other newly arrived ECRs and the Vice-Provost (Graduate Education), Professor Zlatko Skrbis.

Strategic Career Management

Maximise your Motivation

• How motivated are you when you go to work every morning?
• What fuels your passion?
• Where are you heading in your research career?

26 March, 9.30am - 4.30pm

Register here.

Gain new perspectives on what really motivates you by exploring your personal needs, and by understanding what behavioural strategies you employ to meet those needs. Join this engaging workshop, find out what really motivates you and connect with that powerful sense of purpose that will propel you to success.

Goal Setting to Advance your Career

Goal Setting to Advance your Career 15 April, 9.30am - 11am  register here. Setting and achieving appropriate performance goals is critical to a successful career. This short interactive workshop will assist you to: Use the PDO system to effectively document and monitor achievements Understand how to achieve key research goals by reference to performance standards for: Publishing, Research Income, HDR Supervision Identify practical strategies to combat potential career obstacles; and Identify people who can support you and consider the best ways to communicate with them.

PhD Information: Enrolment in Translational Research PhD Program

New students that have enrolled in the PhD program as of 1^st January 2015 will need to complete the attached Course enrolment form to register participation in the Translational research coursework program.  Course enrolment forms must be signed by the student and their supervisor. 

The handbook has information about specific Translational research coursework units here.

Students enrolled in the Translational Research PhD Program will need to complete TRM6002: Translational Research, prior to confirmation.  It will be delivered twice annually, including once at MMC in Semester 2.

Note: Last day to enrol in Off-campus units for Semester 1 is this Friday 27 February.  On-campus units for Semester 1 can be added up until 13 March.Last day to add Off-campus Semester 2 units is 24 July 2015.

Contact Laisa Tigarea (laisa.tigarea@monash.edu), Student Services Officer at Central Clinical School, if you require further clarification about the Translational research program or your enrollment in the coursework units.

Welcome to 2015: Social Committee Bake-off

The SCS Social Committee would like to welcome our new staff and HDR/PhD students, and celebrate the start of the new year!

  

We're having a Bake-off competition with fabulous prizes to win! Bring your best Savoury or Sweet creation, or a hungry tummy.

When: 3:30pm on Thursday 19th March

Where: Medicine Seminar Room (Level 5, E Block, MMC)

Bakers free entry; Non-bakers entry fee $5.