Photo of the week: Jeffrey Modell Centre Opening Launch!

The opening launch of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation Centre for Primary Immunodeficiencies Melbourne was held on the 14th June 2018. The plaque is being unveiled here by various community and health care provider representatives

A full gallery of photos from the day can be found here.
For more information on the JMF Centre Melbourne, please visit their website www.jmf-melbourne.com

What's on at CCS 23-27 July 2018

Dr Kirsty Wilson will be presenting at
the Dept. of Immunology EMCR
Seminar Series on Fri 27 July

Central Clinical School (CCS) has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. Event notices are posted on the CCS Events calendar.

CCS staff and 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.

See CCS seminar index:  https://www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/headlines/events-calendar

What's on at CCS 23-27 July 2018

Mon	23/07/2018	►	12:00	Neuroscience seminar series
Wed	25/07/2018	►	11:30	Seminar: Axel Kallies (WEHI)
Thur	26/07/2018	►	09:30	MNHS Milestone Chair & Panel forum
		►	11:30	Journal Club: Celine Pattaroni
		►	12:00	Alfred Grand Rounds: Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute – What is new and exciting in 2018
		►	17:30	Surgery public lecture: Mr James Lee on thyroid cancer
Fri	27/07/2018	►	15:30	Dept of Immunology EMCR Seminar: Kirsty and Celine

AMREP Honours and Post Graduate Student Information Evening - Thursday August 2, 2018

The AMREP prospective student information night is a great way
for students and staff to chat about potential research projects

On Thursday 2 August 2018, Central Clinical School and the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine will hold an information night for prospective honours and post graduate students. The night will showcase research being performed across the two schools at the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP).

Supervisors and students at AMREP are encouraged to attend as a chance to meet with potential students and discuss research opportunities for 2019.

Event details:
Date: 2 August 2018
Time 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Venue: AMREP Education Complex, ground floor
Prospective students can RSVP to the event here. Other attendees are not required to RSVP
Web: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/education/prospective-students/honours

Recent CCS publications: 29 June - 20 July 2018

Prof V. Srikanth has published an article on early
(mid-life) detection of brain injury caused by
hypertension in order to modify lifestyle and prevent
further damage. See link

Recent publications for Central Clinical School affiliated authors in the following departments. Note, browse down this entry for complete publications list. Linked headings for each section are to the departments' home pages.

Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine (AIRmed)

Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD)

Diabetes

Gastroenterology

Immunology and Pathology

Infectious Diseases

Medicine

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC)

Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre (MAPrc)

Neuroscience

Surgery (including CORE)

Novel tool to help women navigate perimenopausal depression

Dr Caroline Gurvich (pictured) and MAPrc researchers have
developed a rating scale for perimenopause depression

by Anne Crawford

Researchers at Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) have developed a new rating system to help diagnose perimenopausal depression, a relatively neglected area of women’s health.

Perimenopause or the transition into menopause is a time when women are at increased risk for new onset depression, as well as relapse of depression. Perimenopause is diagnosed clinically and includes the time immediately preceding menopause, when women can have varying menstrual cycle lengths, and ends one year after the final menstrual period. This is usually during the mid- to late 40s, and typically continues for about four to five years.

Study highlights health risks to Bali tourists

Bali might look idyllic, but Monash University researchers
have reported on the vast health risks of travelling there.
Image source: Wikipedia

by Anne Crawford

Australians travelling to Bali would probably be familiar with the term “Bali belly” but while gastroenteritis or diarrhoea is a common illness for tourists they may not be aware that trauma and animal bites also pose a significant risk.

Now Monash University researchers have studied the spectrum of illness Australians bring home from the Indonesian island to better inform travellers on health risks and to assist clinicians in pre- and post-travel evaluations.

Congratulations to Dr Kevin Gillinder on Ruby Red Foundation grant!

Dr Kevin Gillinder

Congratulations to Dr Kevin Gillinder for his grant from the Ruby Red Foundation to work on genes causing blood cancer!

Dr Kevin Gillinder is in Professor Andrew Perkins' research group at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, He is investigating the role of JAK2 gene mutations in causing blood cancer.

JAK2 is one of the acquired gene mutations found in MPNs and people with this mutation have a higher risk of developing AML. Looking at the genetic sequences of people with MPNs may help to identify a target for treatment of myelproliferative neoplasms (MPN)s. Patients live with debilitating symptoms and harsh side effects, as current treatments aim to reduce the risks of bleeds or clots but do not prevent the risk of disease progression to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or myelofibrosis and there is currently no cure.

“The focus is on supporting research that will have a direct impact on understanding the drivers of disease progression inMPNs and identifying new targets in the pursuit of breakthrough treatments” said Dr Laura Issa, Non-Executive Director for The Ruby Red Foundation.