Monash PhD student wins scientific communication award

Stuart Emmerson with
Associate Professor Gargett

Stuart Emmerson picked up his first science text book only five years ago. He’s come a long way since then, winning a competitive communication award for his scientific presentation at the Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy & Surgery Pelvic Floor Symposium last month in Melbourne.

Amongst mostly clinical presentations, Stuart presented his research on pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a major clinical condition that affects approximately 25% of all women around the world.

“I presented my work on the effect of parity on the ovine vaginal wall, part of Associate Professor Caroline Gargett’s NHMRC funded project ‘Towards clinical translation of a cell based therapy for pelvic organ prolapse’,” said Stuart, a first year PhD student at The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash University.

“I correlated histological and biomechanical properties with clinical measures of vaginal wall weakness, which is evidence of prolapse vulnerability.”

Stuart’s study is a collaboration between The Ritchie Centre, CSIRO, and clinical collaborators and Monash Health urogynaecologists Associate Professor Anna Rosamilia and Dr Natharnia Young.

Associate Professor Gargett’s research group is developing stem cell based therapy that involves seeding endometrial mesenchymal stem cells onto a polyamide mesh that has been coated in gelatin.

“By implanting this cell/mesh construct into the vaginal walls, we hope to alleviate the herniation and rehabilitate tissue to strengthen it against POP in the future,” said Associate Professor Gargett.”

“I am delighted to have received an award for best free communication at a conference attended by fantastic minds in a difficult field,” said Stuart.

“This award confirms my belief not to fear making mistakes because you can always learn from them—and I’ve certainly made enough!”

Stuart said the recognition of his work is inspiration to never, ever give up.

Since receiving this award, Stuart has also won the best junior PhD Three Minute Thesis and Audience Choice Awards at the Ritchie Centre Three Minute Thesis competition.