Monash Strategic Grant Scheme yields new guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation

Dr Peter Bragge, NTRI

Prof Jenny Ponsford

A 2012 Monash Strategic Grant Scheme project has resulted in the publication of a series of eight guideline papers on Cognitive Rehabilitation following Traumatic Brain Injury. The project was led by Dr Peter Bragge from the National Trauma Research Institute (NTRI) and Professor Jennie Ponsford, Director of the Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, in collaboration with Dr Mark Bayley from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada.

High prebiotic, high fibre recipe: Red kidney bean and lamb tajine

Onions are very high in prebiotic fibre

The Monash University Department of Gastroenterology is researching the impact of a high prebiotic diet. This diet is designed to establish a healthy balance of gut bacteria, needed for optimal health. While the diet is essentially a high fibre diet, it emphasises the consumption of foods that are high in prebiotic fibres. Prebiotics are fibre compounds that pass through the stomach and small intestine undigested. When prebiotics arrive in the large intestine, they promote the growth and activity of resident beneficial (probiotic) bacteria. Having a healthy balance of gut bacteria may benefit digestion, the absorption of minerals and immune system function.

ICU fatalities linked to after-hours discharge

Patients who are discharged from intensive care units (ICUs) after-hours have a higher chance of death than those discharged during the day, a new study has found.
Findings published today in Intensive Care Medicine, show that one in seven ICU patients continue to be discharged to general wards after-hours, and this has not changed for the past eight years. Lead researcher Dr Dashiell Gantner, from the Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, said it remains unclear why practices have not changed. Dr Gantner is an Intensive Care Fellow at the Alfred. See 18/08/2014 Monash story.

11 Oct conference to combat domestic violence

Professionals and the community need to work together to prevent domestic violence, says Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre. GPs, psychiatrists, the police, politicians, not-for-profits, and those in the legal system will meet to discuss ways to work together to recognise, manage and prevent domestic violence on 11 October at the "Mind your family" conference. See 18/08/14 Monash story

Sara Mokhtar wins Central Clinical School 3 Minute Thesis

Sara Mokhtar

Central Clinical School held its annual 3 Minute Thesis competition on August 12 with five participants presenting their research in under three minutes. Sara Mokhtar won the competition with her accessible description of her thesis which is about amyloid beta protein phosphorylation of CRMP-2 and its regulation of neuritic dystrophy in Alzheimer's disease. Sara used the elegant and accurate analogy of a barren tree in Autumn to describe the brain of a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Sara will now go on to compete in the faculty 3MT competition which will be held 22 August. Well done Sara!

• CCS 3MT photo gallery  
• See more information about the 22 Aug Faculty event.

Over 200 students attend AMREP Student Information Evening

AMREP held its annual student information night for 2015 intake last night, presenting future students with information about studying honours at AMREP. Over 200 students attended the evening, gaining information about potential projects available for them to undertake in various schools such as the Central Clinical School.
Students were given the opportunity to meet potential supervisors for honours projects and they were also able to speak with current honours students who attended the night, a great resource for those interested in finding out more about the degree. Thank you to all who attended and made the night a resounding success!

• View photos from the night
• CCS Honours

Prebiotic diet 'could revolutionise our health': Catalyst ABC TV 14 & 21 Aug 2014

Vegetables high in prebiotic fibre

ABC Catalyst are doing a special two part program called 'Gut Reaction', broadcast Thursday 14 and 21 August 2014. Could our food be making us sick - very sick? And could changing our diet make us better? Part 2 broadcast this evening (21 Aug) features a young, fit, active and apparently healthy man, Gideon Cordover, who trials a prebiotic fibre-rich diet designed by dietitian and nutrition researcher Dr Jane Muir and prepared by Masters student Trish Veitch, from the Monash Department of Gastroenterology. Gideon has been eating an unhealthy diet predominantly of fast food. In the words of the Catalyst promo, "changing the foods we eat could revolutionise our health and treat disease."