Crucial insights into how a ‘superbug’ can escape immune and antibiotic attack

Professor Anton Peleg with Dr Jhih-Hang Jiang and
Hsin-Hui Shen.

by Dr Jhih-Hang Jiang & Grace Williams, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute

A multidisciplinary study led by Monash scientists has shown how one of the most important human superbugs, Staphylococcus aureus, can evade last-line antibiotics and the host immune system during a life-threatening infection. The findings uncover a novel strategy used by S. aureus (Golden staph), whereby it rapidly adapts its bacterial membrane to circumvent antibiotic and immune killing. These findings potentially point to a  new therapeutic target for this significant bacterial pathogen.

S. aureus can cause serious infection of almost any human tissue and mortality from treated infections is up to 35 per cent. It is estimated that around 7000 cases of S. aureus bloodstream infections occur in Australia each year, and about 25 per cent are caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Without the ability to use the antibiotic methicillin, treatment of MRSA infection increasingly relies on last-line antibiotics. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed MRSA as a ‘high-priority’ pathogen that urgently requires the development of new antimicrobial agents.

Monash study reveals flawed data influenced WHO oxygen guidelines

by Anne Crawford

A study by a Monash University professor has exposed compromised data that was used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support its guidelines on administering highly concentrated oxygen to all patients having surgery.

The WHO in 2016 recommended the practice of administering 80% supplemental oxygen to patients during and after surgery to prevent surgical wound infection – one of the most common serious postoperative complications.

However, a paper co-authored by Professor Paul Myles, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, says the WHO recommended practice may harm patients and that the evidence supporting it was false.

Translational Research Symposium Speaker Spotlight: Professor Alan Mackay-Sim

Professor Alan Mackay-Sim

Monash University's 5th annual Translational Research Symposium is being hosted by its three metropolitan clinical schools on 21 June 2019. The symposium will host a diverse group of medical researchers presenting their work into translational research. RSVP here.

The Keynote speaker for the event is Professor Alan Mackay-Sim, 2017 Australian of the Year and Professor Emeritus at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discover, Griffith University.

CSL Research Acceleration Initiative

Looking to translate your research into life-saving therapies for patients and work with one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies?

CSL, Monash University and Hudson Institute have established a new collaborative initiative to accelerate research across selected therapeutic areas.  CSL have committed to fund selected projects across Australia, with up to $500,000 each, for up to 24 months

Learn more about this new partnership and meet CSL’s Director of Research Innovation Marthe D’Ombrain at an information session on 2 April.

Visit CSL Research Acceleration Initiative to check your eligibility and apply. Flyer here.

CCS Student Journal Club kicks off for 2019

The Central Clinical School (CCS) Student Journal Club series will be up and running again this year, led by by Perkin Chan and Sophie Lim, representatives of the MUMUS Medical Research Students' Society (MRSS). Sessions are scheduled monthly, and the first session is planned to be held 12:30pm to 1:30pm on Thursday 18th of April, with catered lunch.

This series is run for students by students. Its purpose is to enable students to gain confidence and experience in presenting papers in a journal club setting, and to bring students around the Alfred precinct together for social and collaborative interaction. While many Departments in this precinct  run Journal Clubs, this one is aimed solely at students, to help train them in presenting in a non-intimidating setting, amongst their peers.

CCS Recent Publications: 5th March - 11th March 2019

Recent publications for Central Clinical School feature affiliated authors in the following departments:

A/Prof Piero Perucca from the Dept.
 of  Neuroscience was published
in Epilepsy Research

• Neuroscience
• Diabetes
• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
• Australian Centre for Blood Diseases
• Gastroenterology
• Peninsula Clinical School
• Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medicine

Travel Grants Open 25th March!

Applications for Round 1, 2019, open 25th March and close 5th April!

Travel dates: 1/1/2019 - 31/12/2019

Did you know that CCS staff can apply for a maximum of $3000 for an international conference and $1000 for a national conference? A co-contribution from their Department is also required ($750 international and $250 domestic).

Drs Jessica Borger and Evelyn Tsantikos with their presentation awards. 

School travel grants provide support for research staff to present their research at both national and international conferences. Support is also provided to visit research organisations, to undertake activities such as specialised training, dissemination of results with collaborators and establishing
new research collaborations.

Evelyn Tsantikos and Jessica Borger, both from the school's Immunology and Pathology Department were awarded travel grants last year.