$3.4M MRFF funding for preventing superbugs using Genomics, Digital Health and AI

The SuperbugAi Flagship schema: From now to the future [click on the image to enlarge it]

Congratulations to Professor Anton Peleg and his team from the Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, who have been awarded $3.4M from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Genomics Health Futures Mission for a project called "Genomics, Digital Health and Machine Learning: the SuperbugAi Flagship". The funding was announced as part of the federal government budget broadcast on Tuesday 6 October.

New COVID-19 Diabetes registry already building up numbers

A global registry of COVID-19 related diabetes is already
collecting participants

by Riya Kiran

A team of international diabetes researchers from Monash University and King’s College London have established a global registry to investigate the possible connection between COVID-19 and diabetes.

Following the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetes researcher Professor Paul Zimmet AO was bombarded with questions concerning this.

“I was getting emails from people in different countries saying their sons or daughters who had been infected with COVID-19 had, sometime soon after their infection, developed diabetes,” said Professor Zimmet. "What was going on?"

Eric Chow wins 2020 Commonwealth Health Minister's Award

Associate Professor Eric Chow has
won the 2020 Commonwealth Health
Minister's Award for Excellence in
Health and Medical Research.

Monash University’s Associate Professor Eric Chow has received the 2020 Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research for this work in the control of sexually transmitted infections. 

 

The award is given annually to the top-ranked recipient of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants and includes a further $50,000 for research. This award is given annually to the top-ranked recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant in the Emerging Leadership Level 2 category from the previous year’s round and includes a further $50,000 to support the research.

Humour and acceptance most helpful during lockdown

Associate Professor Caroline Gurvich
is lead author on the study

A Monash survey finds that humour and acceptance, rather than venting and denial, are helping us get through lockdown.

It's ancient folk wisdom, that "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine", and it is borne out by research on coping strategies during the current pandemic.

According to a comprehensive Monash University study of more than 1500 Australians over one month during the first national lockdown, humour and acceptance of the current COVID-19 impacts are far more likely to assist in promoting mental health than venting or trying to distract yourself about what is happening in the world.

Monash study aims to redress poor genital self-image in teens

Dr Gemma Sharp giving a TED talk against a backdrop of
labia models

by Riya Kiran

 

Cosmetic genital surgery is on the rise and the most common procedure is a labiaplasty, the surgical reduction of the inner vaginal lips so they don’t overlap the outer lips.

This procedure is on the rise in teenage girls.

A 2016 survey of 443 Australian GPs found that a third have seen patients aged below 18 wanting to trim or shape their genitalia. Almost all the doctors surveyed said they had seen women of all ages express concerns about the appearance of their genitalia. The reasons for this anxiety included a perception of normality based on images seen online, particularly those in sexualised media.

A Monash University study – published in the journal, Body Image – has looked at how a 2 minute video highlighting the variability in labia shape and size, aimed at teenagers could assist in creating a positive genital self-image.

29 Sep - 5 Oct 2020 Central Clinical School publications

"Grasping COVID-19's long neurological tail"
Pursuit" writeup of research, joint senior author TJ O'Brien

Recent publications featuring research as notified by PubMed during 29 Sep -  2020 from Central Clinical School affiliated researchers in the following departments. The below is not a comprehensive list:

• Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
• Diabetes
• Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medicine - Alfred & Peninsula
  
• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
  
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Surgery and National Trauma Research Institute
  

22 Oct event: From the Frontline: Using nursing's diverse expertise during COVID-19

Nurses and midwives find themselves on the frontlines, battling a crisis - a global pandemic.

Register

Thu, 22 October 2020

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM AEDT

Add to Calendar

Hosted by Monash Nursing and Midwifery, this free webinar will explore the diversity of roles nursing experts are currently leading in the fight against COVID-19. From educating the future generation of nurses and midwives to helping shape policy and guidelines to provide the best possible care for all Australians.

The panel of experts include Professor Debra Griffiths, Associate Professor Julia Morphet, Associate Professor Helen Rawson, clinician and academic, Ms Vanessa Clothier and Associate Professor Philip Russo.  

Got a question for the panel? You’ll have the opportunity to take part in a live Q&A session.  

Register today: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/from-the-frontline-using-nursings-diverse-expertise-during-covid-19-tickets-121996596103?aff=Schoolnewsletters