Less painful prostatic biopsies and 'Painfree TRUS B'

Alfred urologist and Central Clinical School Adjunct Clinical A/Prof Jeremy Grummet is lead investigator of an ANZUP team conducting a study looking at pain relief for prostate biopsy. ANZUP is the peak body for conducting clinical research on urological cancers in Australia and New Zealand and A/Prof Grummet's team was awarded an NHMRC grant of nearly $600,000 to run this multi-centre trial.

The study, called 'Painfree TRUS B' (which rhymes), is a double-blinded randomised trial comparing the standard method of pain relief for a transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) prostate biopsy with a novel approach of analgesia.

TRUS biopsy is usually performed with local anaesthetic infiltration of the tissue around the prostate. However, sometimes this doesn't provide enough numbing, nor does it address the discomfort of the initial passage of the transrectal probe. As a result, many men find TRUS biopsy a painful and distressing experience.

This trial, which started accruing patients in December 2015, compares the standard approach of local anaesthetic with local anaesthetic plus the addition of a Penthrox inhaler, which acts as a systemic painkiller. Penthrox inhalers have been used by paramedics in the field in Australia for many years and appear to be safe and effective. They have only recently been approved for use in minor procedures in hospital.

A/Prof Grummet is also site investigator of another ANZUP randomised trial running at the Alfred on the use of BCG with Mitomycin for bladder cancer.

Where to in Surgery after the PhD?

What happens after doing a PhD – does it impact on your career as a surgeon? 

Research confirms a commitment to asking the right questions.

Charles Pilgrim is a consultant hepatobillary surgeon at the Alfred who completed his PhD in 2012.  His thesis reports on translational research investigating chemotherapy induced hepatic injury in patients treated with colorectal liver metastases.

PhD student Dr Geraldine Ooi is investigating fatty liver disease

Dr Geraldine Ooi is a General Surgical trainee undertaking a PhD, supervised by Professor Wendy Brown in the Central Clinical School in Monash University and with the Bariatric Surgical Unit, looking at non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obesity.  She is supported by an NHMRC scholarship.

Her prospective study will examine both clinical and pathophysiological aspects of NAFLD, which has an 80-90% prevalence in those with a BMI>30kg/m2. A liver biopsy, which is the current gold standard for diagnosing NAFLD, will be collected during bariatric surgical procedures and one year after surgery, when patients have typically lost 40-50% of their excess weight. This will be used to examine the effects of substantial weight loss on NAFLD, and determine if this improves the disease. The project will also assess non-invasive tests such as Fibroscan and novel MRI techniques, and the cellular and molecular changes in the liver associated with NAFLD and obesity.

This study ultimately aims to increase our understanding of NAFLD, its interactions with obesity, and how we can better diagnose and treat this increasingly prevalent disease.

Congratulations to Jae Young Lee on his PhD completion!

Congratulations to Jae Young Lee (pictured), who has fulfilled the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.  Jae's thesis is titled: "Targeting the molecular mechanisms of axonal degeneration, demyelination and remyelination in mulitple sclerosis" and was ratified by the Graduate Research Steering Committee on Tuesday 12 April 2016. His supervisors were Dr Steven Petratos (CCS) and Professor Richard Boyd (ARMI).

Welcome to Dr Kate York, PA Department of Immunology and Pathology

Welcome to Dr Kate York, our new PA to Professor David Tarlinton, Head of the Department of Immunology and Pathology.

Kate says, "I completed a PhD in genetics at Melbourne University in 2009 and undertook my first post-doc in the same lab, working on alpacas, bats and other furry and not-so-furry critters. After that I completed my DipEd in secondary teaching but decided the teaching life wasn’t for me, so took on a combined research and administration role at Prince Henry’s Institute (now Hudson Institute). While there I worked on investigating the genetic basis of male-to-female transsexualism.

"From there I moved to a PA role at Monash University in the Physiology department, covering for someone who was on maternity leave. Then the opportunity to move to Immunology came up and I couldn’t resist. When I’m not at work I’m either knee deep in fabric (as an avid quilter with several published quilts), contemplating my next good meal and bottle of wine, or planning where I will travel to next."

25 May deadline: Alfred Research Trusts funding program applications now open

The call for applications for the remainder of the Alfred Research Trusts funding program is now open. All documentation relating to the below schemes can be found here: http://www.amrep.org.au/research/alfred-research-trusts-grants/

Major Project Grant (non-NHMRC)

 -three years duration

- Max. $500k 

- project must not have been submitted to the NHMRC

- EOI closes 5pm Wednesday 25 May

Seeding Grants

- Five grants of 1-2 years duration 

- Max. $100k per grant 

- Two types - ECRs and non-ECR pilot studies

- EOI closes 5pm Wednesday 25 May

Major Project Grants (NHMRC)

- please note the deadline for this scheme has been extended until the 29th April - those eligible researchers should submit their RGMS documentation as soon as possible.

All queries relating to the above schemes should be directed to Rebecca Erlich (r.erlich@alfred.org.au), (03) 8532 1772.

Perspective: Stay current with animal-based biomedical research issues

Parkinson's model mice exercising motor skills of balance and
coordination

Animal models continue to provide the best insights into the physiology of health and disease. There are a number of UK and US based organisations dedicated to providing correct information about animal-based research. Australia's closest equivalent is ANZCAART. 

@The_EARA

Website: eara.eu/en/ 

European Animal Research Association (EARA) communicates reliable information about the importance of the humane use of animals in biomedical research. They contributed to the recent debate over the recent, and unsuccessful, private member's bill put by Senator Rhiannon to ban the importing of non-human primates to Australia for medical research.

@SpeakofResearch 

Website: speakingofresearch.com

Speaking of Research aims to explain the important role of animals in research. For example, see their article on animal rights pseudoscience: https://speakingofresearch.com/extremism-undone/bad-science/