Monash stroke researcher named Club Melbourne Fellowship finalist

Associate Professor Dominique Cadilhac

Associate Professor Dominique Cadilhac from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) has been named one of five Club Melbourne Fellowship finalists, and is set to receive access to the exclusive Club Melbourne Ambassador Program network.

The prestigious Fellowship recognises excellence in research, innovation and leadership, and is designed to support high-quality Melburnian research projects and the next generation of potential Club Melbourne Ambassadors.

Head of the Translational Public Health and Evaluation Division, Stroke and Ageing Research at Monash University, Associate Professor Cadilhac is an expert in health services research related to stroke, particularly in the areas of economic evaluation and program evaluation.

With a clinical background in nursing, Associate Professor Cadilhac has over 130 journal publications and has contributed to eight practice guidelines. She is best known for establishing the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry and the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine Program and heads up these programs in a collaborative role with the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

Associate Professor Cadilhac said she is very proud to have been nominated by The Florey for this prestigious fellowship which will allow her to advance efforts to undertake high quality economic evaluations of interventions in the area of stroke and promote the use of data from clinical quality registries to improve care and patient outcomes.

“As a Club Melbourne Ambassador this would enhance my international collaboration by giving me the ability to working directly with key opinion leaders in my field from different countries,” she said.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (MCEC) Senior Manager of Club Melbourne and Business Development, Katie Tinetti said the calibre of finalists is a great example of why Melbourne is so highly regarded internationally for its research and development.

“These finalists are an elite group of Melburnians you want to keep your eye on! The impressive nature of their research is what has landed them a finalist spot, and we have no doubt their brilliant minds and passion will see them exceed even further,” Ms Tinetti said.

As well as gaining access to the prestigious Club Melbourne network, the Fellowship includes research funding of $10,000 to support attendance at international conferences to enable new research opportunities for their project.

“This Fellowship is an invaluable opportunity for these researchers in the midst of their careers. The financial contribution is far outweighed by the access and opportunity they are given to connect with Melbourne’s most influential and brightest minds – the ones truly changing the world – that makes this Fellowship unlike any other and far more valuable,” Ms Tinetti said. 

The winning Fellow will be announced at the Club Melbourne 12 Anniversary Dinner on 16 June 2017.

Monash University’s Professor Luk Rombauts elected to lead World Endometriosis Society

Professor Luk Rombauts

Monash University’s Professor Luk Rombauts has been announced as President-elect of the World Endometriosis Society and will step into the role of President of the Society from 2020.

An Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, and Head of Reproductive Medicine at Monash Health, Professor Rombauts’ main clinical focus is the treatment of patients dealing with reproductive issues.

“A large focus in my practice is on assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF, but also minimally invasive surgery for advanced endometriosis, reproductive microsurgery to reverse tubal ligations and vasectomies, and the management of patients who have suffered recurrent miscarriages,” Professor Rombauts said.

With research interests closely aligned with his clinical practice, Professor Rombauts is developing clinically useful tests to determine optimal uterine receptivity, as well as identifying the best clinical pathways to diagnose and treat endometriosis early and safely.

Professor Rombauts said his nomination as President-elect for the World Endometriosis Society was very unexpected.

“The nomination committee felt I deserved the gong because of my long service on the board as the editor of the Society’s eJournal and my strong advocacy for more and better research in evidence-based care for women with endometriosis,” he said.

“It’s an enormous privilege to follow in the footsteps of many of my role models in medicine, including Professor Hans Evers, Professor Paolo Vercellini and Professor Linda Giudice.”

Professor Rombauts is also Group Medical Director for Monash IVF Group, one of the largest groups of IVF units in the world, and Vice-President of the Fertility Society Australia.

Men’s reproductive health research to gain from German funding renewal

Prof Kate Loveland from Monash receives a renewal of her JLU Liebig 

Professorship from Ambassador Wood and Prof Mukherjee, 

and JLU IRTG Spokesperson Prof Andreas Meinhardt 

Research into men’s reproductive health will significantly benefit from renewed funding of an International Research Training Group between Monash University and Justus-Liebig University in Germany.

Germany’s peak research funding body, the German Research Foundation, announced last month that funding for Molecular Pathogenesis of Male Reproductive Disorders, a training program for a new generation of researchers will be extended for a further 4.5 years until 2022.

The funding renewal will provide more than $6.24 m Euros for the research partnership, with a further $3.66 m AUD committed from Monash University, the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences that includes 11 tuition and living stipend scholarships,” said Professor Kate Loveland, Co-leader of the International Research Training Group for Justus-Liebig and Monash Universities and Head of Postgraduate Research Studies at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and of the Centre for Reproductive Health in the Hudson Institute of Medical Research.

According to the World Health Organisation, reproductive and sexual health issues account for 14% of the global burden of ill-health in men.

Professor Loveland said the IRTG program brings together basic and clinical scientists working in different fields of reproductive medicine and focuses on a bench to bedside approach to diagnose and treat men’s reproductive health disorders.

“We focus on innovative research to discover new therapies for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility, testicular and prostate cancers and inflammatory disorders of the male reproductive tract,” said Professor Loveland.

“The IRTG created a co-badged doctoral training program between Monash and JLU to equip early career scientists with the expertise, knowledge and collaborations to address reproductive health problems in men.”

Early career scientists undertake their doctoral studies at both universities and receive highly specialised training in basic and translational research from internationally-recognised experts.

The current IRTG program (2013-17) has more than 15 PhD students enrolled, with the first four students already graduating with a joint PhD from Monash and JLU.  All were awarded the highest honours for thesis excellence at JLU.

“To date this program has resulted in more than 30 student presentations at national and international meetings and more than 30 original research articles and reviews published in leading journals in the field,” Professor Loveland said.

“In the renewed program, we will be recruiting at least 22 PhD students, and these students will spend time at both Monash and JLU working in laboratories at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research at Monash Medical Centre, as well as at the Monash Clayton Campus in the Biomedical Discovery Research Institute and School of Biological Sciences and in the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Monash Parkville campus,” she said.

SCS researcher's success in BioMedVic "Research in Residence" scheme

Dr Jo Enticott

Congratulations Dr Joanne Enticott on being competitively selected to take part in the 2017 round of BioMedVic's “Researcher in Residence” Scheme. Her selection is a credit to her excellence as a mid career researcher and to her policy influencing research.

Dr Enticott is one of three mid career researchers from Biomedical Research Victoria Member organisations who will be placed part-time in the Victorian office of a range of state and federal parliamentarians and government agencies.  She will be working with Claire Thorn, Manager of Office of Health and Medical Research, Innovation, Industry and International Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian Government.

The goals of the program are to:
•Provide an opportunity for a postgraduate biomedical research scientist to gain an understanding of political and parliamentary processes
•Enable a parliamentarian to receive background information and advice on current issues in health and medical research
•Establish ongoing, two way, links between the parliamentarian and the health and medical research community

More information on the scheme can be found here: http://biomedvic.org.au/researcher-in-residence-opportunity/

​

Ruth Fantozzi completes (yet another) marathon!

Congratulations Department of Medicine's Ruth Fantozzi who successfully completed the Traralgon marathon yesterday (42.2km) in freezing conditions.

Ruth finished in 4 hours 26 minutes, just missing a podium finish in her category by 2 minutes.  Well done Ruth!

Queen's Birthday Weekend live music, 11 June

Come and hear our very own Dr Jim Harris and his band, RustBucket, perform on Sunday 11 June at 8.30pm at the Rockstar Bar, 480 Nepean Hwy, Frankston.

Details here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/177188082806141/

2018 CSL Centenary Fellowships - APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Applications for the 2018 CSL Centenary Fellowships are now open.

The CSL Centenary Fellowships are high-value, long-term, competitively-selected grants available to outstanding mid-career Australians seeking to consolidate their career and undertake medical research (discovery and translational) at an Australian not-for-profit research institution. 

Two five-year fellowships are awarded each calendar year. The total value of each award is A$1.25 million. 

Applications for the two 2018 fellowships (to commence 1 January 2018) are being accepted from 1 June 2017 and will close on 31 July 2017.

The fellowships website (www.cslfellowships.com.au) contains detailed information on current fellows, eligibility criteria (including changes for 2018 candidates), the application form and a downloadable poster for display in appropriate venues. 

For specific questions please email the fellowships secretariat at: centenary.fellowships@csl.com.au.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals Grants for Reproductive Health (Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Infertility)

Reproductive Health-2017 Ferring Innovation Grant

Sponsor: Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Deadline:12th June 2017

Ferring is interested in funding exploratory, discovery and preclinical research into novel drug targets that are addressable with peptides and/or proteins.

The Ferring Innovation Grants are awarded annually in December and are not renewable. We will NOT fund clinical studies, proposals that require the collection of patient biopsies or studies to develop small molecules or intracellular targets.

Ferring is committed to building a portfolio of novel, innovative peptide-based drugs and biologicals to address the high unmet medical need for patients in our therapeutic areas of interest. 

The areas include, but not limited to, Identification of targets with utility in the prevention and/or treatment of preterm labor or preeclampsia. New modalities for the treatment of endometriosis or menopausal symptoms. Improving fertility by targeting the molecular basis of embryo implantation, oocyte, embryo quality, FSH non-responders, anovulatory disorders, ovarian aging, polycystic ovarian syndrome or male factor infertility. Funding Grant amount can range from $50,000 to $100,000 USD. Investigators from around the world can apply. As the deadline is 12^th June 2017, we are reaching out to see if your junior faculty would be interested. 

More information here: https://app.trialect.com/7169/display

MHTP Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Theme seminar: "Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets in Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease", Tuesday 6 June

Tuesday 6 June, 12-1pm, Seminar Room 1, TRF

Presented by Professor David Nikolic-Paterson, Head, Chronic Kidney Disease and Transplantation Research Group, Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Monash University

Head, Laboratory Research, Department of Nephrology, Monash Health

This presentation will discuss signalling pathways in inflammation, cell death and fibrosis in the context of acute and chronic kidney disease. In addition, a new pathway of macrophage to mesenchymal transition in renal fibrosis will be described.

Dr David Nikolic-Paterson is Head of the Chronic Kidney Disease and Transplantation Research Group in the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases at Monash University and is Head of Laboratory Research in the Department of Nephrology at Monash Medical Centre. The Group investigates mechanisms of acute and chronic kidney injury, focusing on signalling pathways in inflammation, cell death and fibrosis. Within the Group, Dr Greg Tesch heads the studies in diabetic kidney disease while Dr Nikolic-Paterson focuses on acute kidney injury, glomerulonephritis and kidney transplant rejection. Our studies have led to a series of clinical trials.  

A light lunch is served prior to the seminar at 11:45am in the seminar room foyer, level 2, TRF Building.

Further information, including the link to add the seminar series to your google calendar, is available from CID Weekly Seminar Series website [http://www.med.monash.edu.au/scs/medicine/cid/seminar-series.html]

Department of Medicine Scientific Seminar, "The Role of Dissemination of Commensal Bacteria in Post-Stroke Infection and Clinical Implications”, 8 June

Thursday 8 June, 12-1pm, Main Lecture Theatre, MMC

Dr Connie Wong and Associate Professor Henry Ma present:  "The Role of Dissemination of Commensal Bacteria in Post-Stroke Infection and Clinical Implications”

Light lunch included.

MHTP technical seminar: "Introducing the new MHTP FlowCore Node", 6 June

This week's Techincal Seminar will be held, Tuesday 6th June at 11:00am-12:00pm in Seminar room 3, Level 2, TRF Building.

Seminar: "Introducing the new MHTP FlowCore Node"
Speaker: Michael Thomson, MHTP FlowCore Node Manager.

“Learn about our newly commenced MHTP Node of Monash FlowCore which hosts the brand 18 colour new FACS-ARIA cell sorter and Fortessa instruments. This seminar will cover the innovative capabilities of the new instruments, clarify changes to the existing instruments, and discuss the relationship between the Monash Flowcore and the MHTP Node including instrument access and data management. Further information will be provided on services offered such as instrument training, experimental design and analysis software.”

Enquiries to: Michael.thomson@hudson.org.au

Haematology Journal Club "Functional Genomics for Personalized Cancer Therapy”, 7 June

7.30am Breakfast & 7.45am Presentation

Monash Medical Centre, Level 2 - Lecture Theatre 3

Presenter: A/Prof Ron Firestein

Associate Professor Ron Firestein is a physician scientist, double board certified in Pathology (Anatomic and Molecular Genetics) specialising in Cancer Research, Oncology Translational Medicine and Oncology Drug Discovery and Biomarker Development.

Dr Firestein earned his BA from the University of Pennsylvania in Biology and his MD/PhD from Stanford University as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) in 2002. He completed residency in Anatomic Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and fellowship in Molecular Pathology at Harvard Medical School, where he received the Thomas Gil award for excellence in research.

From 2009-2015, A/Prof Firestein led an independent research group at Genentech Inc., focusing on dissecting the molecular pathways of colon cancer and identifying new therapeutic targets. In August 2015, he became Head of the Centre for Cancer Research at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. His laboratory focuses on identifying new targets and developing therapies for colon cancer.

"Insidious or ingenious? New insights into the complexity of antigen presentation." 8 June

This week's Hudson Seminar will be held, Thursday 8th June 2017 at 12.00pm-1.00pm in Seminar rooms 1 & 2, Level 2, TRF Building.

The speaker will be Professor Anthony Purcell, Head of Immunoproteomics Laboratory and Deputy Head (Research) of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University.

He will be presenting "Insidious or ingenious? New insights into the complexity of antigen presentation."

A light lunch and refreshments will follow the presentation.

Keren Grynberg PhD mid-candidature review, 13 June

All staff and students are invited to Keren Grynberg's mid-candidature review.

Tuesdsay 13 June, 10-11.30am, Nephrology Tea Room, Level 3, Block E, MMC.

Thesis title: The tubular response to injury is an important determinant in the progression of kidney disease.

Synopsis: The distinct roles of JNK1 and 2 in animal models of iscahemia-reperfusion injury. The strategies used include pharmacological blockade and genetic deletion. 

Supervisors Names: A/Prof David Nikolic-Paterson, Dr. William Mulley
Panel Chair: Professor Richard Kitching
Independent Assessor: Dr Morag Young, Professor Peter Kerr

STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, STRESS, TRAUMA, ANGER, PAIN OR OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES? CONSIDER JOINING A MiCBT RESEARCH TRIAL

Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT) aims to help people find new ways to deal with psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, attention issues. It involves groups of about 10-15 people attending one 2-hour session per week for 8 weeks. The MiCBT program teaches skills in managing mind-wandering and emotions, awareness of thinking processes, body sensations and self-compassion. Mindfulness meditation practices are central to the program.

The project involves comparing usual treatment with MiCBT. All participants will be offered the MiCBT program; one group will be offered the program first and the remaining participants (the control group) will be offered the MiCBT around eight months later, at the end of the project.

To participate you need to be:

–  Aged between 18-75 years;

–  Interested in taking part in this treatment trial

–  Willing to get a referral from your GP (no Mental Health Care Plan required)

–  Interested in making a contribution to mental health research

–  Willing to engage with daily mindfulness practice

–  Fluent in english

If you are interested in participating then please take this brochure along to your treating doctor or healthcare professional to discuss.

Your treating doctor or healthcare professional can refer you to the project by contacting:

Sarah Francis

M: 0409 669 688

E: sefra3@student.monash.edu

or downloading referral information form:  melbournemindfulnes.com

Safety alert at Clayton

There have been a number of recent assaults near Monash Medical Centre recently - please take care walking through laneways and on the way to the staff car parks.

Do you have a new Monash ID Card?

With work under way to roll-out the Managed Print Service (MPS) across the Faculty it's important that you have a new M-PASS Monash ID Card.  Most of you should have received one in the mail at your nominated address over the past 6 months or so.

However we know that not all staff received one.  If you don't have one head over to your nearest Monash Connect counter and have one printed for you on the spot.

The new cards are also required to gain access to buildings and secure areas.

Long-term unmet needs and associated factors in stroke or TIA survivors

Amanda Thrift et al. published in Neurology.

Read article here.

Reliability of noncontrast-enhancing tumor as a biomarker of IDH1 mutation status in glioblastoma.

Stephen Stuckey et al. published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

Read article here.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone–Agonist Triggering and a Freeze-All Approach: The Final Step in Eliminating Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome?

Marcus Davenport et al. published in Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey.

Read article here.