Award winners for best poster presentations at VIIN

L-R: Rhiannon Grant, Liam Ta and Ebony Blight

Congratulations to Department of Immunology students Rhiannon Grant, Liam Ta and Ebony Blight, who won all of The Victorian Infection and Immunity Network poster presentation awards at the VIIN Young Investigator Symposium 2022. Well done!

Rhiannon Grant presented on "p-cresol sulfate acts on epithelial cells to reduce allergic airway inflammation"; Liam Ta on "Component-resolved diagnosis of peanut allergy through flowcytometric staining of basophils (CytoBas)"; and Ebony Blight on "Functional assessment of genetic variants affecting the NOD2 signalling pathway in patients with primary immunodeficiency".

See detail of posters here.

Congratulations to Melinda Coughlan on REDI Fellowship!

Associate Professor Melinda Coughlan has won a REDI Fellowship

MTPConnect is pleased to announce that 16 highly skilled Australian researchers, clinicians and professionals from the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector have secured sought-after industry placements under the REDI (Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry) Fellowship program.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Melinda Coughlan, who heads a research group in Central Clinical School's Department of Diabetes, who will undertake a six-month project with AstraZeneca, a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company in Cambridge, UK. She will work with the Renal R&D team developing industry-related skills and increasing commercial knowledge. A/Prof Coughlan will focus on targeting mitochondria therapeutically to suppress the development of or reversal of kidney disease in diabetes and other chronic kidney diseases.

See MTPConnect story.

October 2022 Central Clinical School recent publications

The more daily steps taken, the better it is
for reducing the risk of falls: Study

Recent publications featuring research as notified by PubMed during October 2022 from Central Clinical School affiliated researchers.

See the most recent validated publications for the school. Otherwise, read down the entry under department headings for recent PubMed notifications. The below is not a comprehensive list.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: Superbug AI project in the spotlight

Professor Anton Peleg, Head of Department of Infectious Diseases,
The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University)
is lead investigator on the MRFF funded Superbug Ai Flagship project.

18 to 24 November is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. 

The Honourable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health said, "I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the work of Professor Anton Peleg.

"Professor Peleg researches ways to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when germs change over time and no longer respond to medicines like antibiotics.

Participants sought: Female volunteers wanted for study on endometriosis and IBS

Participants sought for endometriosis
and IBS study

Monash University is conducting a study to understand the causes of gastrointestinal symptoms in women with endometriosis.

A little background 

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 Australian women and many of these women also suffer from IBS and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhoea). Currently, we do not know what causes the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with endometriosis.  

To express your interest, take the screening survey (via QR code) or see below for more detail and contact information. 

STEM workplaces and academia under the LGBTQIA+ microscope

As part of the Central Clinical School's Gender Equity Diversity and Inclusion (CCS GEDI) committee's celebration of International Day of LGBTQIA+ People in STEM on 18 November, three of the committee members - Ms Rhiannon Grant, Dr Jessica Borger and Dr Zhouije Ding - have published an article in Monash Lens, "STEM workplaces and academia under the LGBTQIA+ microscope". 

Read the full Lens story here.

Download the 'Pride in STEM' poster for sticking up around your area.

Support Pride in STEM at CCS - posters available

Download the 'Pride in STEM'
A3 poster

GEDI and LGBTQIA+ advocates
Elan L'Estrange-Stranieri and Rhiannon
Grant putting up a poster.

LGBTQIA+ individuals still experience significant apprehension being open about their sexuality and gender identity in the research workplace. 

To combat this, CCS departments have placed 'Pride in STEM' posters at their entrances to signify to all staff and students that they are an LGBTQIA+ friendly workplace.  

If CCS Departments/Labs would like to have a poster to display to welcome and support LGBT+ coworkers, that they can download it here, or email Elan L'Estrange-Stranieri, Jessica Borger or the ccs.gedi@monash.edu role account. Elan is the CCS GEDI Executive Officer, and has led the initative.