Photo of the week: EMCRs @AMREP wanted for 2017!

The EMCR@AMREP group held a very successful symposium in October 2016. Pictured L-R here: Dr Karen Alt (ACBD), Dr Haloom Rafehi (EMCR Co-Secretary, Baker IDI), Professor Sharon Lewin (Director, Peter Doherty Institute and keynote speaker for the event), Dr Lachlan Gray (EMCR Chair, Burnet Institute/CCS), Dr Julia Gilmartin (SPHPM), Dr Thomas Bonnard (ACBD)

An Early-Mid Career Researchers (EMCR) Committee currently operates at the AMREP site and encompass EMCRs from Monash, Baker IDI, Burnet and the Alfred. Our primary purpose is to promote scientific exchange and oversee the professional development of EMCRs (1-15 years post-doc) and post-graduate students on the AMREP site.

The AMREP EMCR Committee is looking for dedicated, energetic and enthusiastic EMCRs (PhD students, and 1-10 years Postdocs) to join our growing and dynamic committee in 2017.

Forthcoming CCS events: 21-25 Nov 2016

Central Clinical School has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. Event notices are posted 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 CCS 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 21-25 Nov 2016

Tue	22/11/2016	►	10:30	Mid-year BMedSc(Hons) - literature review seminar
		►	14:00	PhD Pre-submission seminar - Ms Shanzana Khan
Wed	23/11/2016	►	11:30	Immunology Seminar Series - Thomas Gerdhart
Thur	24/11/2016	►	12:00	Grand Rounds: Final for the year - it's a quiz!

Forthcoming events

Tue	29/11/2016	►	14:00	PhD confirmation of candidature - Ms Ee Fang Yu
Wed	30/11/2016	►	11:30	Immunology Seminar Series - Maverick Lau
Thur	01/12/2016	►	12:00	Cutting Edge - Peter Tsirikis

Publications for the week ending 18 November 2016

Prof Magdalena Plebanski explaining a tricky
point at the recent CCS GR symposium. See
her article on malaria vaccine candidate proteins

Recent publications for Central Clinical School affiliated authors in the departments of AIRmed, Anaesthesia, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Psychiatry, Medicine, Surgery (CORE).

AIRmed

Radhakrishna N, Prickett S, Phan T, Rolland JM, Puy R, O'Hehir RE. Anaphylaxis to oats after cutaneous sensitization by oatmeal in skin products used for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2016 Jan-Feb;4(1):152-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2015.07.005. Epub 2015 Aug 15.

New approaches needed for syphilis prevention

Anonymous sex made easier with apps. Image: Bustle

by Anne Crawford

Two separate Monash University studies have shown that new ways of controlling syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) are needed because traditional measures aimed at curbing the rapid spread of the disease have not been effective.

Australia’s first dedicated blood cancer research centre

Associate Professor Andrew Wei

The Alfred and Monash University are set to establish Australia’s first dedicated blood cancer research centre, thanks to a $1.2 million grant from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF).

The ACRF Blood Cancer Therapeutics Centre, based at The Alfred, will be home to the latest technology available in blood cancer research and will enable researchers to dramatically improve outcomes for patients with blood cancer.

Low FODMAP research team wins VC award!

L-R: Professor Peter Gibson (Head, Department of Gastroenterology),
Dr Jane Muir (Head, Translational Nutrition Research group) and
Dr Jaci Barrett (Senior Lecturer) with Professor Margaret Gardner,
Monash University Vice Chancellor.

Congratulations to Central Clinical School's Department of Gastroenterology Low FODMAP research team for winning the 2016 Vice Chancellor's Award for Research Impact (Economic and Social Impact)!

The team's research has resulted in a highly effective dietary intervention for reducing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms. They developed the Monash Low FODMAP diet app which is the highest selling medical app in Australia and now downloaded in over 100 countries worldwide. Their public lecture and animation videos have been viewed over 200,000 times.

See more about Low FODMAP diet research and products at Monash:

• Website: http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/
• App: http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/iphone-app.html
• Booklet: http://ecommerce.med.monash.edu.au/product.asp?pID=317&cID=11&c=17231
• Playlist:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL77QJnB61-H4fnd1L4eHkwXLIYBpe0WPs

Surgery's "Cutting Edge" blog November issue now out

CCS's Department of Surgery has published its November blog, at
cuttingedege.blogspot.com.au/.

See recent awards, research updates, forthcoming events and more:

• Message from the Chair of MUSAG - Professor Julian Smith.
• What’s new in Research – across the campuses
• Post graduate surgical students
• Surgical careers after PhD
• Teaching Update
• MUSIG 2016
• An Introduction to Surgical Research
• Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME)
• Monash Partners
• Upcoming funding opportunities
• D. S. Rosengarten Surgical Trainee Research Prize - Open for applications.

Participants sought: Are you an ultra-runner?

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) is currently conducting a study to investigate the psychological, cognitive and psychophysiological attributes of ultra-runners.  

It is often said that the ability to run ultra-marathons (distances longer than 42.195km) is more a matter of mental rather than physical strength.  

We are seeking:

• volunteers aged between 18 and 70
• ultra-runners and healthy volunteers who are not regular runners

Participants sought: Blood donors wanted now for research!

We want you - or rather, about 50+ mls of your blood!

We provide $10.00 to cover the cost of your parking/travel costs.

If you are available from Tuesday to Friday between 8.30-10.00 am could you please contact Nikki Kara ASAP to arrange an appointment time. Email nikki.kara@monash.edu, ph 99030122
 

Reminder: if you have donated in the last 8 weeks, you are not currently eligible to donate.

Photo of the week: MIPSS party v successful!

Monash Immunology & Pathology Social Society held a very successful Halloween (or more simply, dress up) party on 28 October 2016. The most transformed (& winners of best costume) were the hat wearers, Dr Simona Infantino (in green) and Dr Eva-Rachele Pesce (in red). Next to them are Angela Nguyen (PhD student) and Eliza Watson (Honours student).

Forthcoming CCS events: 14-18 Nov 2016

Dr Katharine Goodall

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 CCS 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 14-18 Nov 2016

Mon	14/11/2016	►	18:00	World Diabetes Day
Wed	16/11/2016	►	11:30	Immunology Seminar Series - Dr Katharine Goodall
Thur	17/11/2016	►	11:30	HaTeM: Haematology meeting
		►	12:00	Grand Rounds: Stroke without Borders

Forthcoming events

Tue	22/11/2016	►	10:30	Mid-year BMedSc Hons - literature review seminar
		►	14:00	PhD Pre-submission seminar - Ms Shanzana Khan
Wed	23/11/2016	►	11:30	Immunology Seminar Series -Thomas Gerdhart
Thur	24/11/2016	►	12:00	Grand Rounds

14 November: World Diabetes Day

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at the Health
Lifestyle Festival preceding WDD and Dean of Public Health
at National University of Singapore, Prof Cia Kee Seng flank
Prof Paul Zimmet who was a guest speaker at the event.

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated globally. Professor Paul Zimmet spoke with Star2 about diabetes in context with WDD:

"If diabetes was a country, it would be the world’s third largest nation (by population) after China and India, says Monash University, Australia, professor of diabetes Professor Paul Zimmet. In 2015, China had an estimated population of around 1.37 billion people and India around 1.26 billion, followed by the United States with just over 320 million people. Meanwhile, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that there were 415 million people living with diabetes around the world in the same year."

See complete article: 

http://www.star2.com/health/wellness/2016/11/13/think-you-know-the-complications-of-diabetes/

Translational Research PhD showcase symposium on 24 Nov at MHTP

MHTP Research Week is coming, including the Translational Research Symposium and PhD student showcase symposium on Thursday 24 November.

See:

• Overview: www.med.monash.edu.au/scs/events/mhtp-research-week.html
• Program: www.med.monash.edu.au/scs/documents/2016-mhtp-research-week-program.pdf

Publications for week ending 11 Nov 2016

Figure illustrating prevalence of brain MRI markers of hemorrhagic risk in
patients with stroke and atrial fibrillation. See V. Srikanth's article

Recent publications for Central Clinical School affiliated authors in the departments of ACBD, AIRmed, Anaesthesia, Infectious Diseases,  Endocrinology and Diabetes, Immunology, MAPrc (Psychiatry), Medicine, MSHC (Melbourne Sexual Health Centre), Surgery (CORE).

Tibolone could help perimenopausal depression

Tibolone can reduce depression symptoms in perimenopausal
women. Image: Menopause Living Today

by Anne Crawford 

Researchers from the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) have published a case study of a woman who unexpectedly suffered depression severe enough to cause her to attempt suicide twice.

Congratulations to Thomas Bonnard for the ISFP D. Collen Young Investigator Award!

Thomas Bonnard (pictured) from Dr Christoph Hagemeyer's lab recently won a prestigious D. Collen Young Investigator Award. It is awarded every two years by the International Society for Fibrinolysis and Proteolysis (ISFP) to honour the contributions of Désiré Collen to research on fibrinolysis, proteolysis and thrombolysis, at the occasion of the congress of the ISFP.

See more about the research at:
www.acbd.monash.org/research/hagemeyer.html

White Ribbon survey Monash University respondents wanted

By Christina Mitchell

Many of you may be familiar with White Ribbon, the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end men’s violence against women and girls. Monash is proud to be one of the first Australian employers to be a White Ribbon accredited workplace, and to now be part of a pilot group applying for re-accreditation.

I am writing to [Monash University staff] to ask you to become involved in our collaboration with White Ribbon, by completing a 10-minute, White Ribbon survey. Your participation is a critical part of our re-accreditation process, and your responses will inform how we can remain a pioneer in achieving a zero tolerance to violence against women.

Further information on the campaign and the University’s commitment to a safe workplace for all staff can be found at our White Ribbon website: www.monash.edu/gender-equity/white-ribbon
Thank you in advance for your participation.

Kind regards,
Christina Mitchell
Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences