Amanda Vincent receives highest award for research into premature menopause and bone health

Associate Professor Vincent and Professor Ebeling

Monash University’s Associate Professor Amanda Vincent received the highly competitive Osteoporosis Australia / Amgen Research Award at the joint Annual Scientific Meetings of the Endocrine Society of Australia, the Society for Reproductive Biology and the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society on the Gold Coast last month.

Presented by Medical Director of Osteoporosis Australia Professor Peter Ebeling from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS), Associate Professor Vincent, who is also an endocrinologist at Monash Health, received the award worth $40,000 for her research into premature menopause and bone health.

Associate Professor Vincent’s project aims to improve bone health and fracture prevention in women with premature menopause via novel imaging techniques and educational resources for consumers and health professionals.

Premature menopause (PM) is defined as menopause occurring in women under 40 years of age.

“PM may occur spontaneously, encompassing premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or occur secondary to medical treatment including bilateral oophorectomy or chemotherapy,” said Associate Professor Vincent, a research fellow at the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI).

“Spontaneous POI affects 1% of women, with medically induced PM affecting up to 10% of women.”

The causes of spontaneous POI include genetic abnormalities such as Turner Syndrome, however, in most women the cause of POI is unknown.

“Monash Health is unique in that it conducts the only dedicated PM and adult Turner Syndrome clinics in Australia within the multidisciplinary Menopause Unit,” said Associate Professor Vincent.

PM places women at increased risk of osteoporosis, however, Associate Professor Vincent’s previous research has shown that optimal treatment of bone health remains elusive with health professional and patient knowledge gaps.

“I am very honoured to receive this award and also excited at the opportunity that this provides to combine both my research and clinical activities to advance understanding and clinical care for women and health professionals about PM, a condition that is relatively common and can have potentially devastating effects on both psychological and physical health.”

Associate Professor Vincent’s project also builds on the strengths of Monash Partners, combining the expertise of clinicians at Monash Health and researchers based at the MCHRI, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) and Hudson Institute of Medical Research.