Research spotlight on: Dr Emily Edwards, helping people with primary immunodeficiencies

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/por0jc2dSnk

Dr Emily Edwards, Department of Immunology and Pathology, discusses her work on investigating the impact of genetic mutations on B cell differentiation and function in patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

This year, Emily has presented at the launch of the JMF Centre for Primary Immunodeficiencies Melbourne. She also a recipient of an international travel award from the British Society of Immunology.

Recently, Emily spoke to Dr Shane Huntington on RRR's "Einstein A Go-Go".
Listen: www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/einstein-a-go-go/episodes/5373-einstein-a-go-go-11-november-2018

See more:

• Video: youtu.be/por0jc2dSnk
• Dr Emily Edwards: research.monash.edu/en/persons/emily-edwards
• Van Zelm Lab: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/immunology/research/vanzelm-lab
• Department of Immunology and Pathology: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/immunology/home

Rural emergency doctors lack confidence in trauma control, study finds

Emergency services are getting less traffic
in regional centres. Image: Caravan World

by Anne Crawford

In 2000 Victoria’s trauma services started to become more centralised, with increasingly more patients rushed to three major trauma hospitals in Melbourne for treatment.

Under the Victorian State Trauma System (VSTS) preventable road fatalities dropped considerably over time and trauma patient management was vastly improved. Emergency centres around the world now look to Victoria’s system as a model case.

But a study by critical care researchers has found that as the trauma cases drained from regional hospitals to The Alfred, Royal Children’s and Royal Melbourne hospitals, rural clinicians dealing with these patients have become ‘de-skilled’ and less confident in aspects related to care for injured patients.

Jehovah’s Witness trauma study probes blood alternatives

What are the therapeutic strategies for those who
choose not to have human blood transfusions?
Image: Medical Facts

by Anne Crawford

Major blood loss after trauma is particularly challenging for physicians when blood is not an option (BNAO) for treatment, as is often the case for patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses. But there has been little evidence available about the therapeutic strategies that are used in its place.

Now, researchers from Monash University and the Alfred Hospital’s National Trauma Research Institute (NTRI) have conducted a study into some of the alternatives to blood and are interested in further investigating a novel option among them – a synthetic product made from cow’s blood.

Cabrini grants spawn research papers by Monash medical students

Intensive care medicine is team work. 
Image: CHEST

by Anne Crawford

A successful research grant program for Monash University medical students expanded last year by the new Clinical Dean at Cabrini Health, Associate Professor David Brewster, is bearing fruit with the first batch of papers coming on line.

Ten students were awarded Cabrini Senior Medical Staff Association Research Grants in 2017 leading to three publications in recent weeks with others under submission, and to multiple presentations at a Cabrini research conference.

Congratulations to Cabrini grant winners for medical research

A/Prof David Brewster oversees a program
of partnering medical students with clinicians
for research projects.

Thirteen Monash medical students have been awarded Cabrini Senior Medical Staff Association Research Grants.

Under the grants program the students will partner specialist medical staff members at Cabrini hospital in nine research projects. They will receive $1500 each at the completion and presentation of their research.

Congratulations to Piero Perucca on Viertel Award

Dr Piero Perucca

Congratulations to Dr Piero Perucca in the Department of Neuroscience, CCS, on the winning of a Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation Clinical Investigator award. It is a one-off grant of $85,000 to investigate the genetic contribution to focal epilepsies.

Photo of the week: New neuroscience labs settling in

Associate Professor Nigel Jones with his PhD students, Elysia Sokolenko (standing), and Flavia Gomez (sitting). They are discussing their rodent translational cognitive testing equipment which they use to study cognitive problems in models of neurological disorders including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. A large focus of the group is to develop novel therapeutics which can improve these deficits.

See more: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/neuroscience/research/jones-group
Gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SMJ8RcB1iSrEpZuN6