SCS medical student’s research provides insight into infectious disease

4th year MBBS student Greta Gurry

A history of chicken pox is very likely to predict immunity to varicella zoster, according to latest research from Monash University.

Published last week in the high impact journal AIDS, the research study was led by School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) medical student Greta Gurry.

The findings from this study suggest that blood testing for varicella serology (chicken pox or shingles) in HIV patients with a history of these diseases is not necessary as these patients already have protective antibodies.

“While this correlation has previously been demonstrated in healthy populations, Greta’s study is the first to show this in an immunocompromised cohort,” said Dr Ian Woolley, Deputy Director Infectious Diseases and Director HIV Medicine at Monash Medical Centre.

“As well as avoiding unnecessary blood tests, this study provides us with the evidence that we don’t need to expose people with weakened immune systems to the chicken pox vaccine.”

Because the chicken pox vaccine is a live vaccine, there are risks associated with administering it to HIV patients.

A fourth year medical student, Greta undertook a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSc) in 2014 with Monash Infectious Diseases under the supervision of Infectious Diseases Physician and SCS Clinical Dean Dr Claire Dendle and Dr Ian Woolley, and has already achieved two publications in prestigious journals.

“The results of Greta’s thesis—whether evidence of latent infections common in resource-poor countries was present in a cohort of patients living with HIV—were published in the Medical Journal of Australia in March this year,” said Dr Dendle.

 “Greta also showed that systematic screening in our population for schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis was justified and should be included in Australian guidelines as it is in European guidelines,” added Dr Woolley.

In addition to her publications, Greta was invited to speak at the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases 2015 Annual Scientific Meeting in Auckland.

“This a terrific demonstration of our BMedSc students making a meaningful contribution to clinical science as well as learning how to undertake research and finding out whether it could be part of their future career.” said Dr Dendle.

“Undertaking a BMedSc at SCS was a fantastic experience and one that I highly recommend,” said Greta.

“A BMedSc is an excellent opportunity to learn skills in research without the added pressure of working or studying concurrently, allowing you to take the time to comprehend numerous aspects of research.”

“The support I received from my supervisors Dr Ian Woolley and Dr Claire Dendle, along with the entire ID department, allowed me to expand my knowledge in this area as well as enjoy my year immensely!” 

17th International Congress of Endocrinology to be held in China

Professor Ebeling  AO

For the very first time, China will host an international scientific meeting in Beijing next year.

Head, Department of Medicine Professor Peter Ebeling AO has recently returned from China where he was a member of the scientific program organising committee of the 17^th International Congress of Endocrinology.

“We’ve been fortunate to hold the 2016 Congress together with the Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Endocrinology, who usually have around 5000 people attend,” said Professor Ebeling.

“We anticipate next year’s International Congress to be a very big meeting, in the region of 7000 to 8000 people.”

Until now, international scientific organisations have resisted holding meetings in China due to infrastructure limitations, however Beijing can now cope with large international meetings thanks to the 2008 Olympics.

“The convention centre is just near the Olympics’ Birds Nest stadium and there are many hotels within close proximity,” added Professor Ebeling.

“We are planning a very exciting program to attract delegates to China next year.”

The Chinese Society of Endocrinology is more than 50 years old and there is particular expertise in endocrinology in China—approximately twenty per cent of the speakers at the Congress will be from China. There will also be many speakers from Australia with MHTP being well represented.

“Because of their population, the Chinese also bring significant clinical experience with large numbers of cases.”

“In China, I’ve seen a whole ward of patients with a very unusual pituitary tumour that we would only see 2 or 3 cases of each year.”

Professor Ebeling said the meeting will be an ideal opportunity to foster future research collaborations in China.

Monash medical students 'highly commended' in Undergraduate Awards

SCS medical student
Jia Hui Lee

Congratulations School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) medical students Jia Hui Lee, Robert Little and Thomas Hvala, Highly Commended Entrants in the internationally competitive and prestigious Undergraduate Awards.

Cited as the ultimate champion for high potential undergraduates, The Undergraduate Awards is the world's only pan-discipline academic awards program that identifies leading creative thinkers through their undergraduate coursework.

Jia Hui's paper, "Psychiatry Case Report - An Acute Psychotic Episode" performed in the top 10%  of all submissions in the Medical Sciences category, representing Monash University.  

Having been assessed by a panel of academics from universities around the world, Jia Hui, Robert and Thomas were shortlisted among the 50 winners.  

As a Highly Commended Entrant, these students are identified as outstanding academics at the international level," said Mr Owen Murphy, International Engagement Manager of the Undergraduate Awards.

This year, the Undergraduate Awards received 5,117 submissions from students in 255 universities across 39 countries.

On September 23, The Undergraduate Awards will announce their final winners, the top performer in each of the 25 categories in both the Irish and International programs.  All winners receive a free ticket to the Undergraduate Awards Global Summit in Dublin, Ireland in November.

Monash researcher recognised by World Sleep Association

Dr Sarah Biggs from The Ritchie Centre has been awarded the 2015 Distinguished Activity Award from the World Association of Sleep Medicine for her efforts in organising the Australian and New Zealand World Sleep Day event held 13 March, 2015.

World Sleep Day is an initiative aimed to increased awareness and provide education on all aspects of sleep health around the world.

This year, Sarah developed an education package for school counsellors and teachers designed to educate children and adolescents about the importance of sleep and provide tips to improve sleep health.

Launched on World Sleep Day, the education package was immediately downloaded by over 60 schools across Australia and New Zealand.

This is the second consecutive year that Sarah has won this prestigious award, ahead of other World Sleep Day events organised in over 40 countries around the world.

Stroke researcher at Monash wins top award

Dr Michele Callisaya

Stroke research at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health has again been recognised by the Stroke Society of Australasia (SSA).

Adjunct senior lecturer with the Stroke and Ageing Research Group Dr Michele Callisaya won the top Investigator Award at the SSA Scientific Meeting earlier this month in Melbourne.

Dr Callisaya’s oral presentation, ‘Subcortical infarcts and the risk of falls: combined results of TASCOG and Sydney MAS’ earned her the prestigious Peter Bladin New Investigator Award.

“We aimed to examine whether tiny strokes occurring deep in the brain, known as small subcortical infarcts, increase the risk of falls in older people,” said Dr Callisaya.

As people age, they tend to have an increasing number of such small subcortical infarcts even without knowing it.  Older people are also at risk of falling and suffering serious injuries but until now, there has been no data on the role of small subcortical infarcts leading to falls.

“Our investigation found there is almost double the risk of falls in older people who have three or more small subcortical infarcts,” said Dr Callisaya.

It is likely that a large burden of such infarcts disrupts the wiring in the brain and leads to impaired balance.”

The study also found that having weak leg muscles and poorer vision amplified this risk.

“Apart from trying to prevent such infarcts from occurring, interventions aimed at strengthening leg muscles and improving vision may offset the risk of falling in older people.”

Dr Callisaya’s award, $1000 and a trip to the UK to present at the British Stroke Society meeting, provides her with an exciting opportunity to present her work internationally and meet others in the field.

“This award is also an important recognition of Associate Professor Velandai Srikanth’s mentoring, the support of others in the Stroke and Ageing Research Group, and interstate collaborators,” added Dr Callisaya.

Dr Callisaya is Associate Professor Srikanth's fourth past student to win this prestigious award.  Previous recipients include Dr Lauren Sanders, Dr Philip Choi, and Dr Chris Moran. 

Monash Supportive and Palliative Care research recognised

Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation
Presentation Ceremony last month

Researchers in the Monash Health Supportive and Palliative Care Unit have been recognised with a prestigious Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation research award.

Dr Michael Franco, Dr Leeroy William and Associate Professor Peter Poon are leading the award winning research study into the efficacy of low-dose methadone as an antitussive for patients with malignancy.

“Our study investigates the efficacy of methadone for cancer related cough, which affects 23-37% of all cancer patients and 47-86% of lung malignancies,” said Associate Professor Poon.  

“Cough is a distressing symptom that impacts significantly upon quality of life and the current mainstay of symptomatic treatment is opioid pharmacotherapy.”  

Recent evidence for choice of opioid is limited and much is based on studies of the treatment of tuberculosis patients in the 1950s.  

“Methadone acts upon the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and recent studies have revealed a prominent and unique role this receptor has in cough,” added Associate Professor Poon. 

Positive outcomes of this study shall form the basis of further collaborative and translational research with the Australian Lung Cancer Trials Research Group.  

Centre of Inflammatory Diseases (CID) Seminar- Tuesday 22nd September: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulates IL-1 family cytokine secretion

The next CID Seminar will be held TOMORROW from 12:00-13:00 in the Medicine Seminar Room Located on Level 5, Block E MMC.

Dr Tali Lang will be presenting: "Macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulates IL-1 family cytokine secretion"

Lunch will be provided.  All welcome.

Grand Rounds 23 September: Diabetes

Unit: Diabetes     

                

Presenter: Prof Helena Teede

Topic:  “Health care improvement – Pragmatic effective interventions that all health professionals can lead”   

And

Presenter: Dr Georgia Soldatos

Topic:  "Effective health care improvement in inpatient diabetes care at Monash Health”

        

Date: Wednesday 23 September 2015

Time: 12.30pm to 1.30pm

Venue: Main Lecture Theatre, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

Hudson Seminar: 24 Sep: “Rebuilding the kidney: from development to regeneration"

This week's (Thurs 24 Sep) Hudson Seminar will be held from 1-2pm, Lecture Theatre 1, Monash Medical Centre. NB. Earlier time than usual.

The speaker will be: Prof Melissa Little - Head, Kidney Research Laboratory, MCRI.

Talk title: “Rebuilding the kidney: from development to regeneration".  Flyer with details attached here.

Light refreshments to follow presentation.

Japan Australia Meeting on Cell Death - WEHI, 21-23 October

Speaking opportunities still available at this international meeting!

The vibe will be lively with many speakers at all levels (lab heads, post-docs & PhDs) and many talks selected from submitted abstracts.

Registration costs have been kept to a minimum and are primarily meant to cover food, drinks and social events. Early registration and abstract submission rates until 21st September. To book now, link here.

We have organised an active social program where the emphasis will be on promoting interactions.  More information here: https://jamoncelldeath.wordpress.com/welcome/

This is an international meeting on our doorstep!!

ARC Linkage Projects 2016 now open in RMS

Applications for ARC Linkage Projects 2016 are now open in RMS and close 5pm on Wednesday 11 November.

1.    Please find attached the Funding Rules, and also here, ARC Medical Policy, Instructions to Applicants and Frequently Asked Questions.

2.    Please start your proposal in RMS as soon as possible so we know that you intend to apply.

3.    The MRO intranet page for Linkage Projects (http://intranet.monash.edu.au/researchadmin/arc/arc-linkageprojects.html) will be updated shortly with templates to assist you with completing your application and the certification form. In the meantime, please find attached the Partner Organisation support letter template.

4.    Updates will also be sent to the LP mailing list - sign-up here: http://intranet.monash.edu.au/researchadmin/arc/arc-updates.html

5.    Please direct any questions that you have to the ARC Pre-award team at arc@monash.edu

Linkage Projects closing dates:

LP 2016	MRO close date	ARC close date
Funding Rules available 10 Sept 2015
Applications open in RMS 16 Sept 2015
Proposal closing date	21 Oct 2015	5pm 11 Nov 2015
Request Not to Assess	21 Oct 2015	5pm 28 Oct 2015
Rejoinder Process	TBA	TBA
Announcement		June 2016

Opening of 2016 ACGR Applications

Please refer to the message below from the Department of Education and Training, calling for applications for listing schemes on the 2016 Australian Competitive Grants Register (ACGR).

As is the case each year, this is our opportunity to identify funding sources/agencies that are not already included on the ACGR and therefore are not considered Category 1 funding sources.

For reference, the 2015 ACGR can be viewed at:  Schemes included on the 2015 ACGR

Monash is not permitted to register funding schemes to be included on the list but we can identify suitable ones and contact the funders to encourage them to register themselves.

​The main criteria for being listed on the ACGR are:

· Funding is nationally competitive

· Funding is provided for research only

· Funding must be available to universities throughout Australia

· Applications must be assessed by a well-qualified panel

· The scheme must have an annual budget of $1 million or more

If you are aware of any eligible schemes that are not already listed could you please forward those details to Dr Simon Barrett at the Monash Research Office (simon.barrett@monash.edu) by no later than Friday 25 September 2015.  ​Simon will contact those agencies to emphasise the importance to universities that they register.

​

New call for Pfizer-CTI pre-proposals

CTI, or Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation, is a unique program that partners with leading academic medical centers and foundations nationwide in an effort to speed the translation of novel targets to the clinic.

Pre-Proposal Deadline: October 16, 2015

Advantages to Collaborating with CTI
A partnership with CTI may include collaborative use of Pfizer’s technologies and compound library, publishing rights, and financial awards in the form of milestone and royalty payments for successful programs, in addition to providing appropriate funds for carrying out the collaborative work.

All researchers and clinicians whose work meets the criteria are invited to apply.

Read criteria here and pre-proposal template is here.

MRO Support Available/NOI for NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence 2nd Call in 2015

The NHMRC has provided early advice of a second round of Centres of Research Excellence in 2015 (for funding in 2016). The round is likely to include two additional streams. 

These are:

• CRE in Infectious Disease Emergency Response Research
• CRE in Indigenous Researcher Capacity Building

We expect this to be on top of the three traditional CRE streams. For more information about the three traditional streams and the scheme aims and objectives, please see the Funding Rules from last round (only indicative for this round), or contact the Monash Research Office (MRO) Medical and Health Sciences team on mhs@monash.edu

The scheme will open in RGMS 11 November 2015 and close a short 5 weeks later on 16 December 2015.

Grant opportunities from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is inviting applications that address specific challenges defined in the grant programs below. For details and application instructions, please visit the new

Grand Challenges website.

1) Grand Challenges Explorations is seeking innovative global health and development solutions and is now accepting proposals for its latest application round. Applicants can be at any experience level; in any discipline; and from any organization, including colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations, and for-profit companies. Initial grants will be US $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive additional funding of up to US $1 million.

TRF relocation update

This update is provided by Precinct Facility Manager, Steve Bouralexis.

The construction of the MHTP-TRF project has reached the final stage, with building commissioning and defect rectification being the main focus for Lend Lease Building (LLB). 

Witness testing for all building services systems has been ​signed off ​by both design consultants and relevant project representative​s​.

LLB has completed the majority of works under contract and practical completion (PC) was granted on 11 September 2015, representing a major milestone for the project.

Commissioning, fit-out and relocation is now underway and the following activities are scheduled for the next six weeks:

·         Cleaning of the facility – Commencing 17^th Sept.

·         Delivery of major Laboratory equipment – Commenced and ongoing.

·         Installation of Workstation and Furniture – Commenced and ongoing.

·         Medical Equipment – To be ordered, staged delivery will commence in November 2015.

·         Information Communication Technology – Server and backbone equipment installation commenced.

·         Certification of Laborator​ies​​ and clean room - Ongoing

·         Fine tuning of the building air conditioning system - Ongoing

·         Building defect rectification – Ongoing

·         Equipment Training – Schedule to start​ in ​ea​rl​y​ October.

·         Site Tours for all stakeholders and TRF occupants - Ongoing. 

Relocation into TRF

Staged occupancy into the TRF ​will​ commence on the 4^th November (post Melbourne cup weekend). The relocation into the TRF will be occurring in the following order:

·         The Ritchie Centre to level 5 TRF

·         Platform Technology to level 4 TRF

·         Cancer Theme to level 6 TRF

·         Clinical Trials Centre to level 3 TRF

​Tours for staff not relocating into the TRF

​For all staff that want to have a sticky beak through the newly completed TRF, tours will run every Friday starting 25th September 2015 and continue until relocation of staff is complete (early December). Tours will depart from Lecture Theatre 1 at 10:05am sharp and last for 1hr. No bookings are required, just show up by 10:00am! 

Tours will be guided by either Steve Bouralexis or Eddie Law or both depending on numbers and will showcase the design elements, occupancy and purpose behind the TRF. 

 For more information about any of this information, please contact Steve Bouralexis at  steve.bouralexis@hudson.org.au

MMCAF social club BBQ Tuesday 22nd Sept

You are invited to the MMCAF social club BBQ on 22 September!

12.30pm - 1.30pm, court yard, outside staff tea room, Level 1 B Block

Sausage in bread: $2   Hamburger: $2.50 (The Lot $5)

Extras: Cheese, Coleslaw, Beetroot, Onion, Pineapple 50c

Soft Drink Cans: $2.00

Chocolates: 50c - $2.00

 Money raised goes towards the Tasmanian Devil Fund & Our Social Club

Come along and grab a burger or a snag and assist us raise funds for MMCAF and the Tasmanian Devil Fund.

Year 3 SCS medical student accepted to study in Sweden in 2016

James Fahey

Congratulations James Fahey, one of only two Monash University medical students accepted to spend semester one next year at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

Currently a year 3 MBBS student at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, James will complete his Women’s and Children’s Health rotations at the Karolinska Institute and will also spend some of his time in Internal medicine.

Karolinska is one of the largest medical universities and is currently ranked 9^th best university in the world to study medicine…Well done James on achieving this fabulous post!

Year 3 MBBS Surgical Olympics

Surgical Olympics Team Loebectomy

School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health students displayed their abundant creative talents at the second annual MBBS Surgical Olympics earlier this month.

The competition showcased the best of medical student flair and artistic creativity nurtured by Monash Health’s finest surgical team members.  

Students from Monash Medical Centre, Dandenong Hospital and Casey participated in a morning of activities delivered by MC Mr Mark Cullinan and Judge Mr Paul Cashin.

Overall winner on the day was team Loebectomy, mentored by Mr Liang Low, who only just pipped Miss Kaye Bowers group, The Bower Puff Girls, at the last stage of the games.  

Mr Roger Berry’s team, House of Scaples, shone in an inspired parody of House of Cards, with Roger ‘Kevin Spacey’ Berry delivering one of his finest performances.  

Other winners on the day were Audrey Choy from DDH for her master class in suturing and best team name to Casey’s team, Suren-der or die (led by Mr Suren Jayaweera).

Thanks  to all the students and surgeons who attended this event, and bring on the 2016 challenge!

RU OK Day at SCS

"R U OK?" is an instantly recognisable conversation starter, a segue into taboo-busting chats about mental health, and a way of indicating to colleagues, friends and family that you care about them.

This year SCS marked the day with a combined staff and medical student morning tea between Wednesday lectures in LT1.   

Part of the event was a bake-off by the students, with a prize for the best item.  Students rose to the challenge, providing a delicious selection of cakes and sweets (congratulations to Amy Liu and Anna Hoy for their winning sweet creations).

Professor David Clarke spoke to the students about RUOK? day and the importance of maintaining good mental health throughout training.  Dr Claire Dendle reported some early findings from data gathered in two consecutive student-focussed surveys on work stressors, and Rock Lee, Healthwise gym’s dynamo told his own story of landing in Australia from China, and the role exercise played in his life during a stressful adjustment.

Thank you to everyone who brought in food for the event, and a big thanks to everyone who attended and marked the day.