Photo of the Week: Red Lab Coat Day

Maha Bakhuraysa, PhD student in Dr Steven Petratos's lab, writing "Multiple Sclerosis" in Arabic. You can support Australia’s MS research #kissgoodbyetoms by donating at www.kissgoodbyetoms.org. You can also spread the work with tweeting the hashtag #KissGoodbyetoMS and #redlabcoatday. Weblink for further information and to donate:  www.kissgoodbyetoms.org

Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia (MSRA) had their inaugural Red Lab Coat Day on 1 May 2015 to "Kiss goodbye to MS" by raising awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis research. Dr Steven Petratos of the Central Clinical School heads up a research group focussing on stem cell therapies for brain disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis. His lab was one of twelve participating nationally in the MSRA campaign.

Dr Petratos was the only Australian to receive project funding in 2014 from the International Progressive MS Alliance and his Senior Research Fellow, Dr Christopher Siatskas received $290,000 in MSRA funding in 2011. The group is investigating the underlying pathology of progression, and the MSRA funding is assisting the investigation of a new strategy for developing a therapy that limits damage to nerve cells and stops the progression of MS.

• To donate: www.kissgoodbyetoms.org.
• hashtags #redlabcoatday #kissgoodbyetomsSee more:
• About the Petratos group's research: www.med.monash.edu.au//medicine/alfred/research/petratos-group.html
• Photo gallery of the Red Lab Coat Day group

Forthcoming CCS events: PhD seminars, public events, general notices

2015 CCS Honours group - presenting 5 & 6 May 2015 - all welcome

Central Clinical School has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. All event notices are maintained on the CCS Events calendar.  CCS staff & students can see details of both public and local events (including professional development courses, trade fairs and HDR calendars) and deadlines, at the Intranet's Announcements page.  Various Departments have their own calendars, see CCS seminar index: www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/events/seminars.html

What's on for next week (04 - 08 May 2015)

Mon May 04 12:30PM ►Psychiatry Professorial Grand Round
                   1:00PM ► Seminar: The impending crisis with NHMRC funding - Dr Sarah Meacham
Tue May 05 10:00AM ► Day 1: Honours Literature review seminar
Wed May 06 10:00AM ► Day 2: Honours literature review seminar
Thu May 07 12:00PM ►Special seminar: A/Prof Jatin Vyas Harvard Medical School

Into the Future

• 15 June 3MT thesis deadline for registration

7 May Seminar: The tetraspanin CD82 and autophagy - its role in host defense

This Special Seminar will be held 12‐1pm on Thursday 7 May 2015 in the AMREP Education Centre Lecture theatre. All welcome.

A/Prof Jatin Vyas from the Harvard Medical School, USA will speak on "The tetraspanin CD82 and autophagy - its role in host defense". Prof Vyas’ laboratory has expertise in the interactions between dendritic cells and fungal pathogens, focusing on the role of Dectin-1, LC-3 (member of the autophagy family of proteins), Toll-like receptors and tetraspanins and their effects on phagosomal maturation. Please join us after the seminar for light refreshments.

See more about the Department of Immunology seminars: www.med.monash.edu.au/immunology/teaching/seminars.html

Research: Grainyhead gene works to regulate heart rate

Consequences of the loss of the Grainyhead-like 1 gene for renal gene expression, regulation of blood pressure and heart rate in a mouse model.

The Grainyhead-like 1 (GRHL1) transcription factor is tissue-specific and is very highly expressed in the kidney. In humans the GRHL1 gene is located at the chromosomal position 2p25. A locus conferring increased susceptibility to essential hypertension has been mapped to 2p25 in two independent studies, but the causative gene has never been identified. Furthermore, a statistically significant association has been found between a polymorphism in the GRHL1 gene and heart rate regulation. The aim of our study was to investigate the physiological consequences of Grhl1 loss in a mouse model and ascertain whether Grhl1 may be involved in the regulation of blood pressure and heart rate. Our work did not discover any new evidence to suggest any involvement of Grhl1 in blood pressure regulation. However, we determined that the loss of Grhl1 influences the regulation of heart rate in a mouse model.

Find out more about CCS's new Infectious Diseases Head, Professor Anton Peleg

Professor Anton Peleg (centre, seated)
and his research team

Professor Anton Peleg began his research career in 2004. In this time, in addition to a consistent clinical load, Prof Peleg has become established as an international expert in the field of hospital-acquired infections, antimicrobial resistance and use of non-mammalian model systems to study microbial pathogenesis. His current positions are Professor and Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Alfred Health, and he is also a Research Group Leader in the Department of Microbiology, Monash University.

Participants sought: Investigating the use of oral enzyme supplements in IBS

Interested in the latest IBS research? This study is investigating the use of an oral enzyme supplement to reduce the effects of one type of FODMAP, galactooligosaccharides, found naturally in foods.

You may be eligible to take part if you:

• Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Are aged 18 – 70 years
• Do not have any other gastrointestinal disease (e.g. coeliac disease)
• Living in Melbourne, Australia

We are currently looking for both male and female participants.

Contact
To participate or to find out more information please contact Ms Caroline Tuck:

• Phone: (03) 9903 0264
• Email: caroline.tuck@monash.edu
• Study link: www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/clin-trials/ct-tuck.html

Participants sought: Do you have well controlled ulcerative colitis?

Image: www.medindia.net

Do you have well controlled ulcerative colitis? Want to be involved in the latest dietary research to improve current therapies for Ulcerative Colitis? We are investigating the physiological effects of ingesting a short-term, high fibre diet vs low fibre diet in the large bowel using a wireless, ingestible device.

Low FODMAP diet is only meant to be a short term intervention

Monash University Low FODMAP Diet: Low FODMAP diet – not a ‘lifetime’ diet:

Dr Jane Varney, a researcher in the Monash Department of Gastroenterology, explains about a common misunderstanding concerning the low FODMAP diet - namely, that it is a lifetime diet (similar to the strict gluten-free diet that individuals with coeliac disease must adhere to for life).  Well, she says, this is far from true. Read more.