Photo of the week: Head of Department of Immunology & Pathology, Professor David Tarlinton's group

2016 Tarlinton group. L-R: Mr Michael Low, Prof David Tarlinton, Ms Cathy Pitt, Dr Simona Infantino, Mr Nick Kocovski. Absent: Ms Kristy O'Donnell, Dr Dimitra Zotos

The Immune Memory Laboratory focuses on antibody memory - what triggers the formation of memory cells and what factors and processes regulate their composition, persistence and reactivation. The research in the Tarlinton laboratory examines the basis of antibody production in healthy individuals such as when they are vaccinated, or become infected; and in situations where antibody production causes illness, in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in cancers of antibody producing cells which include one called multiple myeloma (MM). The aim is to enable control of the process to achieve better health outcomes and better management of disease.

See more about the research:

•  www.med.monash.edu.au/immunology/research/tarlinton-lab.html

Research projects available

• The regulation of B-cell activation
• PRMT1 as a trigger for B-cell proliferation
• B-cell proliferation as a determinant of immune memory

Forthcoming CCS events: Seminars, public events, general notices

The Faculty is holding an expo on 1 June 2016, 12-2 pm at AMREP
showcasing its postgraduate courses. RSVP here.

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 Graduate Research Student 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 this coming week: 30 May - 3 Jun 2016

Tues ► 31-May 15:30 PhD Confirmation Seminar : Dr Tricia Wright Wed ► 1-Jun 11:30 Immunology Seminar Series-Dr Katrina Binger ► 1-Jun 12:00 MNHS Faculty PG Expo and Seminar Thu ► 2-Jun 12:00 Cutting Edge Journal Club-Dr Jade Jaffar

Forthcoming events

• 29 Jun 2016 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) CCS information night 
• 11 Aug 2016 CCS 3MT thesis heat
• 16 Aug 2016 Honours CCS information night
• 22-26 Monash Health Translation Precinct Research Week
• 12 Oct 2016 CCS Public Lecture: Innovative systems for improving trauma injury treatment

1 June 2016 Monash Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Postgraduate Expo

Are you interested in developing your career?

Have all your research and coursework questions answered by experts in the field!
Monash University's Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences invites you to attend a postgraduate course expo featuring talks from outstanding medical researchers. You will have the opportunity to browse all the Faculty's course offerings and learn more about what research really means and how it can benefit you.
There will be information sessions running concurrently in the Lecture Theatre during the expo, see below.

Recent CCS publications: Week ending 27 May 2016

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Recent publications for CCS affiliated authors:

Kazemi R, Rostami R, Khomami S, Horacek J, Brunovsky M, Novak T, Fitzgerald PB.
Electrophysiological correlates of bilateral and unilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with bipolar depression. Psychiatry Res. 2016 Apr; 240:364-375.
doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.061.

Levin N, Spencer A, Harrison SJ, Chauhan D, Burrows FJ, Anderson KC, Reich SD, Richardson PG, Trikha M. Marizomib irreversibly inhibits proteasome to overcome compensatory hyperactivation in multiple myeloma and solid tumour patients. Br J Haematol. 2016 May (online).
doi: 10.1111/bjh.14113.

Tan WS, Chow EP, Fairley CK, Chen MY, Bradshaw CS, Read TR. Sensitivity of HIV rapid tests compared to fourth generation enzyme immunoassays or HIV RNA tests - a systematic review and meta-analysis. AIDS. 2016 Apr (online).
doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000001134

Iron deficiency in coronary artery surgery patients - the HERROES substudy

Dr Joel Symons with a patient

Dr Joel Symons was awarded the Robin Smallwood bequest from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists for $98,000 to complete a substudy HEpcidin, Reticulocyte haemoglobin and soluble transferrin Receptors in Reported OutcomEs in cardiac Surgery (HERROES) sub study, nested within ITACS commencing in 2016.

Iron deficiency is very common in patients having coronary artery surgery. It is the commonest cause of anaemia worldwide, and independently worsens outcomes after surgery. The ITACS trial will determine whether a single dose of IV iron, given to anaemic patients before elective cardiac surgery improves outcome after surgery. The primary endpoint is days alive and out of hospital from surgery to 30 days following operation.  Secondary endpoints include blood transfusions, perioperative complications, hospital stay, survival, quality of life and disability-free survival.

Run to mend minds - registrations open

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre is once again preparing for the De Castella 'Run 2 Mend Minds' (to raise funds for the Centre and the mental health research it undertakes).
All are invited to get teams/singles entering from across the university - the more the merrier! You can run or walk or push a pram - any ambulant mode acceptable.

Registrations are now open!
https://decastellarun.gofundraise.com.au/

Central Clinical School web updates: 2015 publications, grants, student completions and more

We have recently updated the following web pages on the Central Clinical School site.

• 2015 CCS publications
• 2015 CCS grants
• 2015 CCS graduate student completions
• Short course index
• 4-5 Jun, 16-17 Jul, 3-4 Sep 2016 Introduction to Surgical Research 
• 14-15 Oct 2016 Infections in the immunocompromised host 
• BMedSc(Hons) prospective students

Perspectives: How much do you know about infectious disease issues? Take the Burnet quiz and find out

Take the quiz

How much do you know about infectious disease issues? Find out with the 'Which Deadly Disease?' quiz to learn more about some of the diseases that threaten millions of people around the world today.

Will you take the quiz too? Click here to start it now: https://which-deadly-disease.com/burnet-quiz?utm_source=svtqpgemlsh

It's been put together by researchers at Burnet Institute who have made exciting discoveries that could ease the suffering caused by diseases such as malaria, TB and hepatitis C.

It's quick and easy to complete, and it's full of fascinating and surprising facts about the world's deadliest diseases. 

[CCS blog editor Julia Veitch's self-congratulatory note: I got 12/12! Comes from working here at AMREP]