Monash researcher receives VicHealth Award for alcohol harm in emergency departments research

Associate Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton

Associate Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton was recognised for her significant work in the prevention of alcohol related harm, winning a prestigious VicHealth Award last week.

Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton’s research project, Preventing harm from alcohol, measured the number of emergency department visits caused by alcohol harm.

Emergency departments (EDs) in Australia and New Zealand are at the forefront of dealing with the harmful effects of alcohol consumption. However, ED alcohol-related presentation data is not routinely collected in patient data sets in Australasia.

Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton said the primary objective of the project was to provide an evidence base to advocate for alcohol harm reduction measures in our communities, by quantifying the level of alcohol harm presenting to Australasian emergency departments.

The Hon. Jill Hennessy MP and
Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton

“This survey quantifies that on weekends, one in eight patients in emergency departments in Australia is there because of alcohol,” Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton said.

“This is the third such snapshot survey which has demonstrated the impact of alcohol on ED presentations.”

Australasian College for Emergency Medicine President Dr Simon Judkins said the Award is recognition of the hard work Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton and her team have done with The Alcohol Harm Snapshot Survey, exposing the true extent of alcohol abuse and its effect on our communities and healthworkers – particularly in Australian EDs.

Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton said the award was a credit to the many clinicians who had compiled the data in EDs across the country.

The fourth Alcohol Harm Snapshot Survey in Australian and New Zealand EDs will take place at 2am (local time), on 16 December 2017.

“This goes to all the ED clinicians who completed those 2am surveys and we are looking forward to a record response in this December’s Snapshot Survey,” Associate Professor Egerton-Warburton said.

“I’d like to acknowledge the incredible efforts of the emergency departments over the past four years to do these surveys at a busy time.”

“These surveys do lead directly to advocacy around the issue and an attempt to influence culture, so I think it’s a very powerful thing for emergency clinicians to do.”

The awards were announced last week at VicHealth’s 30^th anniversary event at Melbourne Museum by Health Minister Jill Hennessy, Shadow Health Minister Mary Wooldridge, Leader of the Victorian Greens Samantha Ratnam and VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter.

Information about the research project is HERE.

Prestigious Heart Foundation Fellowship awarded to Dr Sarah Zaman

Dr Sarah Zaman

Dr Sarah Zaman has been awarded a highly competitive Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue her research into the prevention of sudden cardiac death.

An interventional consultant cardiologist at MonashHeart and Post-doctoral Early Career Research Fellow in the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Dr Zaman was awarded the fellowship (worth $75,000 per annum for two years) from 376 applicants, all of extremely high standard.

Sudden cardiac death is the cause of approximately 20,000 deaths in Australia every year and the majority of deaths occur in heart attack survivors with impaired heart function.

Dr Zaman’s research is trying to identify patients at risk of sudden death.

“I’m one of the lead researchers on the PROTECT-ICD Trial, an Australian-led, international, multi-centre study targeting prevention of sudden death in patients who have suffered a heart attack,” Dr Zaman said.

The PROTECT-ICD Trial targets the important issue of prevention of sudden death after a heart attack through the use of an electrophysiology study, a type of electrical test of the heart.

“In particular, the trial is focused on identifying patients early (within a month) after a heart attack, as the risk of sudden death is much higher during this time period,” Dr Zaman said.

Over 1,000 patients with impaired heart function following a heart attack will be recruited and randomly assigned to either early electrophysiology study with a defibrillator implanted if fast abnormal heart rhythms are seen, or standard care.

“Standard care involves waiting 1-3 months for the heart to recover, with a defibrillator implanted only if there is persistent severe heart function impairment,” Dr Zaman said.

Dr Zaman said this study has the potential to change national and international guidelines for selection of patients for a defibrillator for sudden death prevention.

“Importantly, it has the potential to save lives both in Australia and globally through prevention of sudden death in heart attack survivors.” 

Dr Zaman is grateful for the support and mentorship of Associate Professor Pramesh Kovoor, (University of Sydney) and Professor James Cameron (Monash University).  She also acknowledges the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) for the Early Career Practitioner Fellowship that has supported her research until this time.  

Outstanding grant success at Monash University and the MHTP

Professor Marcel Nold and Dr Claudia Nold

Monash University leads Australia in NHMRC Project grant funding this year, receiving over $100M.

Monash Health Translation Precinct (MHTP) researchers from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) and the Hudson Institute of Medical Research together were awarded 23 NHMRC Project grants, totalling almost $18M.  Our success rate of 25% was well above the national average of 16.4%.

For the first time, MHTP researchers were awarded total funding greater than any other school of Monash University. SCS and Hudson Institute grants together amount to 30% of the Faculty’s total grants in this latest round.

Professor Marcel Nold, recently appointed as Monash University’s inaugural Professor of paediatric immunology, and Dr Claudia Nold received three grants for their team.

Professor Nold has previously found that the immune system molecule interleukin 38 disables several signalling pathways essential for Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) progress.

“This project grant will enable us to explore regulation and function of this molecule in cells from healthy people and SLE patients and in models of the disease,” Professor Nold said.

Head of Rheumatology Research Group in the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Professor Eric Morand is a co-investigator on this grant.

Professor Nold’s other project will explore interleukin 37, a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine. 

Cytokines are messenger proteins that function as master regulators of biological processes, playing central roles in many diseases.

“We will evaluate interleukin 37’s mechanisms of action and its efficacy against several severe diseases, including cancer,” Professor Nold said.

Colleague and partner Dr Claudia Nold is also investigating Interleukin 37 as a novel therapy for necrotising enterocolitis, a disease that develops when the tissue in the inner lining of the intestine becomes damaged and begins to die.

Associate Professor Suzie Miller’s project will investigate new and improved treatment strategies for neonatal seizures.

Associate Professor Miller and Professor Hickey

“Seizures are the most distinctive and frequent indication of neurological abnormalities in newborn infants and are more common in the neonatal period than at any other stage in life,” Associate Professor Miller said.

“Despite evidence of the limited effectiveness and potential neurotoxicity of current anti-seizure medication, treatment has not changed for decades.”

“We will examine novel treatments that are less toxic and more effective, specifically designed and assessed for neonates.”

Meanwhile, Dr Joshua Ooi, Professor Stephen Holdsworth and Professor Michael Hickey received project grants to further their research into kidney disease—affirming MHTP as a world leading precinct in kidney research.

Dr. Ooi's research will investigate targeted therapies for autoimmune kidney disease. 

"I aim to develop treatments that will switch off the part of the immune system that is causing disease while leaving protective immunity intact," Dr Ooi said.

SCS Project grant recipients are:

	Name	Grant Title	TOTAL
	Professor Marcel Nold Department of Paediatrics	Interleukin 38: Uncoupling Innate Inflammation from Interferons in lupus	$1,048,668
		Exploring and Targeting the Anti-Inflammatory Signalling Mechanisms of Interleukin 37	$1,018,306
	Dr Claudia Nold Department of Paediatrics	Interleukin 37 – a novel cytokine therapy for Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the preterm.	$748,848
	Professor Michael Hickey Department of Medicine	Conventional and unconventional T cells in interstitial kidney disease	$480,531
	Dr Rebecca Lim Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	Amniotic Exosomes - Nanomedicine for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia	$647,057
	Professor Peter Ebeling Department of Medicine	Fractures and bisphosphonates: reviving osteoporosis treatment uptake by identifying the genetic, material, and microstructural risk factors of atypical femur fractures	$1,053,094
	Professor Euan Wallace Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	A Cell Therapy for Necrotising Enterocolitis	$659,428
	Associate Professor Suzie Miller Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	New and improved treatment strategies for neonatal seizures	$883,209
	Professor Stephen Holdsworth Department of Medicine	DNase I as Treatment for MPO-ANCA Vasculitis	$868,340
		Generating endogenous antigen specific T regulatory cells to treat autoimmune MPO-ANCA GN	$873,340
	Dr Joshua Ooi Department of Medicine	Treatments for glomerulonephritis that harness antigen specific regulatory cells	$610,005
	Dr Nadine Andrew Department of Medicine	Evaluation of enhanced models of primary care in the management of stroke and other chronic diseases	$556,183

The mental health of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island

Professor Suresh Sundram

Professor Suresh Sundram published in The Lancet.

On October 31, 2017, the Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea ended support for the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre, an Australian immigration detention facility on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea.  Instead, currently incomplete and substandard facilities without adequate service provision have been hastily constructed to accommodate people. 379 refugees and asylum seekers refused to leave the centre stating fears for their security.  The physical and mental health of these people is precarious.

Read full article HERE.

Professor Sundram is from the Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University and Unit Head, Adult Psychiatry at Monash Medical Centre.

SCS lecturer recognised for teaching excellence

Dr Simone Gibson and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner 

Dr Simone Gibson has been recognised for her outstanding teaching, receiving the 2017 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

A senior lecturer in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Dr Gibson teaches clinical dietetics, and engages work-based educators and promotes teaching excellence for work-integrated learning.

Dr Gibson said she helps prepare students to reach clinical competency and to gain employment in the fast-paced and often stressful hospital environment.

“My teaching and learning strategies are multi-faceted and include simulation and real-life patient interactions,” Dr Gibson said.

“I use a range of evaluation techniques including student learning and cost-effectiveness measures.”

Dr Gibson has published and presented internationally in clinical educational research and is an Associate Fellow for the Australia and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators. She has received over $70,000 in grants for educational research and initiatives which she uses to improve students and graduate outcomes. 

“It is a great honour to receive this award and I am so pleased that teaching is so valued at Monash,” Dr Gibson said.

Dr Gibson acknowledges the ongoing support of Deputy Dean Education, Professor Wayne Hodgson, Professor Helen Truby, Associate Professor Claire Palermo, Dr Kellie Tuck and the Monash Education Academy.

Medical student Francis Ha recognised for high impact research

Francis Ha

Congratulations to final year medical student Francis Ha, winner of the Stephen Holdsworth Prize for Medical Student Research 2017.

The Stephen Holdsworth Prize is awarded to the most important publication(s) arising from a BMedSc(Hons) undertaken at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS).

During his BMedSc(Hons) year, Francis undertook multiple projects in a collaboration between MonashHeart and the Austin Hospital.

“My thesis focused on psychosocial factors that affect exercise adherence in chronic heart failure, particularly in relation to patient self-efficacy,” Francis said.

“However, I also worked on projects relating to novel coronary stent platforms and various aspects of cardiovascular imaging (intravascular as well as non-invasive).”

Francis said the BMedSc(Hons) degree enabled him to learn about broad aspects of cardiology, to think critically about clinically-relevant questions, and to develop his character in learning from and collaborating with others. He also presented at national and international cardiology conferences, and published in sub-specialty journals of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation.

“I would like to sincerely thank my supervisors Professor James Cameron and Professor David Hare and the privilege to work under some of Australia’s most esteemed cardiovascular researchers. I would also like to thank Dr Adam Brown for his exceptional supervision and support, as well as Dr Nitesh Nerlekar for his immense support and statistical teaching. I’d finally like to thank Dr Tony White and the School of Clinical Sciences in having our work recognised in the form of an award.”

Francis will receive his prize at the MUMUS Graduation Brunch and Prize Ceremony this week.

Top marks for Dr Hugh Gao

Dr Hugh Gao

Dr Hugh Gao has been awarded the 2017 Shaun Summers Award for Medical Student Research in recognition of his top academic mark in his cohort at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS).

Dr Gao, who undertook his BMedSc(Hons) at in 2016, investigated IFN-epsilon—a type of interferon protein that helps regulate activity of the immune system.

“My research focussed on the potential role of IFN-epsilon in serous ovarian cancer progression using gene expression data from existing serous ovarian cancer cohorts,” Dr Gao said.

“The loss of IFN-epsilon expression is associated with reduced overall survival in serious ovarian tumours, with reduced tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes.”


"Hugh deserves accolades for being brave enough to undertake a project requiring computational and statistical approaches to a research problem—a task at which he shone," said supervisor Professor Paul Hertzog.

Dr Gao said his award is a testament to the excellent training at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research under the guidance of Professor Paul Hertzog, Dr Helen Cumming, Dr Jamie Gearing and the rest of the Hertzog group.

Dr Gao will receive his award at the MUMUS Graduation Brunch and Prize Ceremony this week.

CID weekly seminar series, Dr Claire Dendle and Dr Holly Hutton, 12 December

12-1pm, Tuesday 12 December, Seminar Room 1, TRF

Dr. Claire Dendle, Monash Infectious Diseases

Claire is an Infectious Diseases physician at Monash Health. She has a special interest in infections in immunocompromised patients.

and,

Dr. Holly Hutton, Centre for Inflammatory Diseases

“New insights into the pathogenesis of ANCA vasculitis: Monoclonal anti-MPO antibodies and the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome”

MPO-ANCA vasculitis is characterised by both T cell and B cell immunity to a neutrophil protein, myeloperoxidase; the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, or ANCA; and small vessel vasculitis which commonly affects the kidneys. This pre-submission seminar focusses on two aspects of ANCA vasculitis.

Dr Holly Hutton is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Monash University. Her research and clinical interest is renal immunology. After obtaining her FRACP in clinical nephrology, Holly undertook a clinical fellowship at the University of British Columbia, Canada, where she focused on clinical aspects of autoimmune kidney disease and kidney transplantation. She is currently completing a laboratory based PhD which focuses on aspects of ANCA associated vasculitis, and also has a clinical appointment as a Nephrologist at Alfred Health.

PhD pre-submission seminar, Majid Alhomrani, "Human amnion epithelial cells, a potential therapy for liver injury", 13 December

All staff and students are invited to Majid Alhomrani's pre-submission seminar.

Wednesday 13 December, 1pm, Medicine seminar room, level 5, Block E, MMC

Presentation title " Human amnion epithelial cells, a potential therapy for liver injury"

Synopsis: Chronic liver diseases are characterised by progressive hepatocyte injury, which results in wound healing responses, inflammation and the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM).  The size of the population affected with chronic liver disease has been disproportionally increased, and the costs of this increase are enormous.  There are many causes of chronic liver disease including viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Currently,the only effective treatment for end-stage liver disease is orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Human Amniotic Epithelial Cells (hAECs) are isolated from the amnion of the placenta in sufficient numbers for clinical use, and bear many characteristics of traditional stem cells including pluripotent ability, low immunogenicity, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are complex membrane enclosed nanoparticles that carry a cargo of select proteins, RNAs, and lipids. I will explore the therapeutic efficacy of hAECs and hAEC-EV in reducing hepatic fibrosis

Supervisors: Prof William Sievert and Dr. Rebecca Lim

Grand Rounds End of Year Quiz, 13 December

Come and test your "wits" on Wednesday 13 December from 12.30pm - 1.30pm, Lecture Theatre 1 MMC.

Grand Rounds End of Year Quiz

MRO Presentation on NHMRC Re-structure updates

If you didn't get a chance to hear Tsharni Zazryn's presentation last week about updates on the NHMRC re-structure, her slides are HERE.

2018 Victorian Cancer Agency Early Career Health Services Research Fellowships

The Victorian Cancer Agency is a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services that funds translational cancer research to improve clinical practice and outcomes for Victorian cancer patients. The maximum amount that can be requested is $150,000 per annum up to a total of $300,000 over 2 years.

The following dates apply:

MRO compliance close (via Pure) 17 January 2018

Applications close 31 January 2018

For more information, including application forms please click on the following link.

JDRF Future Research Leaders Program

This is a globally unique 12 month Program that is specially tailored to develop leadership potential and improve “first own” funding success for emerging research leaders in the field of type 1 diabetes. JDRF has engaged experts in the design and delivery of this Program, and expect that by the end of this Program participants will have the tools needed to broaden the reach, relevance and impact of their research.

JDRF Australia are seeking applications from emerging research leaders in type 1 diabetes, who are Early-Mid Career Researchers (EMCR; within 10 years of PhD or equivalent), up to and including Associate Professor level. Applications are welcome from candidates in diverse research disciplines, such as basic laboratory and clinical research, clinician researchers, epidemiology and public health, and allied health. 

The following dates apply:

Applications close 8 January 2018, 5pm AEDT

For more information, including application forms, please click on the following link.

Victorian Cancer Agency 2018 Early Career Health Services Research Fellowships - EOI now open

The Victorian Cancer Agency is a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services that funds translational cancer research to improve clinical practice and outcomes for Victorian cancer patients.

The following funding scheme is now open and will close at 11.59pm on 31 January 2018:

• Victorian Cancer Agency Early Career Health Services Research Fellowships

Information on additional funding schemes will be made available in 2018.

More information, including guidelines, funding rules and a link to the application forms can be found on our website: http://www.victoriancanceragency.org.au/index.php/2018funding-round

Answers to frequently asked questions can also be found on the website, however should you have further questions, please call on 1300 664 737 or send an email via
victorian.canceragency@dhhs.vic.gov.au

PhD scholarship opportunity - investigating emotional well-being in women with PCOS

The NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is now advertising PhD scholarships addressing CRE research priority areas, which includes the emotional well-being of women with PCOS.  Professor Jane Speight, an Associate Investigator with the CRE in PCOS, is  interested in supervising a PhD student to investigate PCOS-related distress and the impact of PCOS on quality of life.

For more information visit https://acbrd.org.au/contact/work-with-us/

Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form Version 3 (YSQ-S3): Preliminary validation in older adults

Katelyn Phillips et al. published in Aging & Mental Health.

Read article here.

Haemodynamic effects of umbilical cord milking in premature sheep during the neonatal transition

Douglas Blank, Stuart Hooper et al. published in ADC Fetal & Neonatal.

Read article here.

Endogenous Annexin-A1 Regulates Haematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilisation and Inflammatory Response Post Myocardial Infarction in Mice In Vivo

Eric Morand et al. published in Scientific Reports.

Read article here.

Congenital chylothorax: current perspectives and trends

Mohan Krishnamurthy, Atul Malhotra published in Research and Reports in Neonatology.

Read article here.

A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Intervention Trial of Melatonin for the Prevention of Preeclampsia in Moderate- and High-Risk Women: The MELPOP Trial

Ryan Hodges et al. published in Preeclampsia.

Read article here.

Real-Time Blood Pressure Recording Using Radiotelemetry in a Rat Model of Preeclampsia

Euan Wallace et al. published in Preeclampsia.

Read article here.

Phase I Pilot Clinical Trial of Antenatal Maternally Administered Melatonin to Decrease the Level of Oxidative Stress in Human Pregnancies Affected by Preeclampsia

Euan Wallace et al. published in Methods in Molecular Biology.

Read article here.

The SPICE III study protocol and analysis plan: a randomised trial of early goaldirected sedation compared with standard care in mechanically ventilated patients

Yahya Shehabi et al. published in Critical Care and Resuscitation.

Read article here.

Differential Effects on Haemostatic Markers by Metformin and the Contraceptive Pill: A Randomized Comparative Trial in PCOS

Helena Teede et al. published in Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Read article here.

Physiologically based cord clamping stabilises cardiac output and reduces cerebrovascular injury in asphyxiated near-term lambs

Stuart Hooper et al. published in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition

Read article here.

DNA methylation-based biological aging and cancer risk and survival: Pooled analysis of seven prospective studies

Melissa Southey et al. published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Read article here.

Defining the distinct, intrinsic properties of the novel type I interferon, epsilon

Paul Hertzog et al. published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Read article here.

The Effects of Adjuvant Therapies on Embryo Transfer Success

Beverley Vollenhoven et al. published in the Journal of Reproduction & Infertility.

Read article here.

Role of Activin A in the Pathogenesis of Endothelial Cell Dysfunction in Preeclampsia

Euan Wallace et al. published in Methods in Molecular Biology.

Read article here.

The mental health of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island

Suresh Sundram, Peter Ventevogel published in The Lancet.

Read article here.

Epidemiology of UK neonatal infections: the neonIN infection surveillance network

Jim Buttery et al. published in ADC Fetal & Neonatal

Read article here.

Member profile: Childbirth training in the developing world

Atul Malhotra published in VicDoc.

Read article here.

A review of clinical trials of oxytocin in Prader–Willi syndrome

Nan Hu et al. published in Current Opinion in Psychiatry.

Read article here.

Nutrition for those in need

Judi Porter et al. published in Impact.

Read article here.