2013 AMREP Postgraduate Symposium winners

L-R: Prof Jenny Wilkinson-Berka, Jie-Yu Chung, Jodie Abramovitch, Marina Iacovou, Kieran Cashin, Louise Rowntree, Katharina Bohm

There were 13 oral presenters and 14 poster presenters from across the AMREP precinct at the 20 November postgraduate symposium hosted by CCS, providing stiff competition for prizes. Winners were:
Oral presentations
1st - Kieran Cashin (Burnet); Runner-up - Louise Rowntree (Immunology); Audience vote - Marina Iacovou (Gastroenterology)
Poster presentations
1st - Jie-Yu Chung (Immunology); Runner-up - Jodie Abramovitch (Immunology); Audience vote - Katharina Borm (Burnet)
Question prize - Melanie Voevodin
"No-Bell prize" - Dr Charbel Darido
See program detail and more at 2013 HDR symposium.

CCS Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine becomes a Department

The Academic Board of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine within Monash University's Central Clinical School spans the clinical schools of the affiliated hospitals, providing undergraduate teaching, research, postgraduate training, and educational symposia. It has now been ratified as a Department within CCS. The Department is a cross-campus entity including academic anaesthetists at all Monash teaching hospitals. It is involved with undergraduate and postgraduate education and research covering all aspects of anaesthetic care. www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/anaesthesia-board/

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre joins CCS

Professor Christopher Fairley and the academic staff of Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) have joined the Central Clinical School as of 25 November 2013. Prof Fairley is Director of MSHC which is part of Alfred Health. MSHC supports education and training in sexual health and also has an active public health, clinical research and evaluation program. 

2013 Faculty strategic grant award winners for Central Clinical School

Congratulations to the CCS researchers who are lead Chief Investigators for 2014 Faculty strategic grant awards. A total of 31 grants were made.

• Professor Paul Fitzgerald (MAPrc): Development of an enhanced magnetic field concentrator design for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. See Brain Stimulation and Neuroscience page for both Paul's and Kate's research.

Dr Kate Hoy (MAPrc): Investigating optimal methods of cognitive enhancement: A comparison of the behavioural and biological effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation  

Prof Rob Medcalf (ACBD): Proving a smart drug delivery approach for the improved treatment of traumatic brain injury. See Laboratory page. 

See complete list of awards.

CCS student's photography exhibited in London gallery

Jonathan Liew is a current CCS/BakerIDI BBiomedSc(Hons) student with a passion for photography. Three of his photos are currently being exhibited in  London at the Stephen Bartels Gallery (SBG). For photographs that are sold in this month, proceeds from SBG go toward the typhoon assistance fund through the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC UK). Pictured is a landscape shot of a Melbourne skyline, the viewer looking to the west at sunrise.

•  More about Jonathan Liew or email yslie3@student.monash.edu
• SBG gallery link

Congratulations to A/Prof Alison Street for Health Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations to Associate Professor Alison Street (AO) for receiving the Health Lifetime Achievement award - the Minister’s highest honour for an individual. The award recognises A/Prof Street’s outstanding contribution in haematology as well recognising her career in public health, achieved over a lifetime of service in the Victorian health system. The results were announced on 20 Nov at the 2013 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards, at a gala event attended by the Minister for Health, the Minister for Mental Health and the Secretary of the Department of Health.

Central Clinical School (CCS) funds 'Near Miss' grants

This year though there were many highly ranked grant applications for NHMRC funding, the overall percentage of applications funded was substantially down. CCS gave $150,000 for the two most highly ranked grant applications which missed out. Congratulations to the two 'Near Miss' grant recipients, A/Prof Margaret Hibbs and Prof Jenny Wilkinson-Berka.

Dr Michael Roche awarded prestigious Frank Fenner NHMRC Early Career Fellowship

Dr Michael Roche has been awarded the prestigious Frank Fenner NHMRC Early Career Fellowship. The Frank Fenner Early Career Fellowship is awarded to the highest ranked applicant from the Biomedical or Public Health Early Career Fellowship category whose research focus is in an area of international Public Health application, and best reflects the qualities exemplified in Professor Fenner’s career. Having recently completed his PhD through Monash University's Department of Medicine while being supervised by Burnet’s Professor Paul Gorry, Dr Roche will now work with Professor Gorry and Professor Sharon Lewin on HIV-1 macrophage reservoirs. See Burnet story for more detail. Photo: Burnet Institute.