Pause for thought: Taking the lead in women’s mental health

Whether it’s debilitating periods or depression during menopause, women with mental health problems are told to grin and bear it as their crushing emotions are “simply nature taking its course”.

But what we now know, and science has told us, is that many women of all ages are living with mental illnesses that may be related to female hormones and/or other unique parts of their biology.

See Monash Lens story featuring Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, published 20 October.

Welcome to Professor Johannes Kern

Professor Johannes Kern, new joint appointment for Monash
University and Alfred Health

From Professor Terry O'Brien and Associate Professor Douglas Gin

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Johannes Kern (MD, PhD, ICDP-UEMS (Dermpath), FEBDV, FACD) to the joint clinical academic appointment between Alfred Health and Monash University as Professor and Deputy Director, Dermatology. He is also Vice President and Board Director of the Skin Health Institute.

Congratulations to Krystal Bergin, Christopher Groombridge, Sarah Janssens and Andrew Ma on their PhD completions

L-R: Krystal Bergin, Christopher Groombridge, Sarah Janssens and Andrew Ma

Congratulations to our recently completed graduate research students Krystal Bergin, Christopher Groombridge, Sarah Janssens and Andrew Ma! See below for their thesis topics, departments and supervisors.

Krystal Bergin (Australian Centre for Blood Diseases)

Thesis title: Patterns of Care and Novel Therapeutics for Multiple Myeloma

Supervisors: Professor Andrew Spencer, Associate Professor Erica Wood

Christopher Groombridge (Department of Surgery)

Thesis title: Clinician performance during resuscitation: stress, decision-making and life-saving interventions

Supervisors: Professor Mark Fitzgerald, Dr Yen Kim

Sarah Janssens (Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine)

Thesis title: Shared leadership in healthcare emergency teams

Supervisors: Dr Stuart Duncan Marshall, Professor Robert Simon

Andrew Ma (Department of Neuroscience)

Thesis title: Evaluating the Progression of Parkinson's Disease with Dynamic 4D Laryngeal CT

Supervisors: Professor Dominic Thyagarajan, Associate Professor Kenneth Lau

Community access cutting edge research at the CCS

Community representatives were very engaged with the presentation

Community and Researcher Engagement, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, 2022

by Dr Juliana de Castro, CaRE committee member

The Community and Researcher Engagement (CaRE) program from the Central Clinical School at Monash University hosted a hybrid seminar called ‘Myeloproliferative Neoplasms – Towards Precision Medicine’ at the Betty & John Laidlaw Education & Innovation Hub on Thursday, 13 October 2022.

Monash part of global study investigating how vagus nerve stimulation controls epilepsy

Monash University is part of a global consortium to study why
stimulating the vagus nerve is effective for controlling epilepsy

The Vagus nerve is one of the most important cranial nerves in the body – conveying information to and from the brain to most visceral organs. It is responsible for the control of diverse homeostatic processes essential for life, including cardiovascular function and gut motility. 

Since the early 90’s electrical stimulation of the human vagus nerve, via surgically implanted electrodes wrapped around the nerve, has been established as an important treatment for selected patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. How it works is poorly understood, but Monash University has joined forces with a global consortium funded USD$21M to find out more.

See faculty story

HER Centre Australia takes the lead in women’s mental health

L-R: A/Prof Caroline Gurvich, Prof Jayashri Kulkarni, Ms
Mariska Meldrum and Ms Jo Stanley at the HER centre launch

Women’s mental illness will get the recognition it deserves at HER Centre Australia, the nation's most innovative centre that integrates health services, education and research in women's mental health.

HER Centre Australia conducts research, treats women and improves awareness about women’s mental health issues occurring at all ages. The centre was officially launched on 20 October at a free public lecture at the Melbourne Town Hall. 

"Tune in and chat" morning tea for Mental Health Month

L-R: Matt Snelson, Eveline Mu, Min Tan, Jurie Tashkandi & see below for Rossana Azzoni who were panel members

Welcome Frank Bruscino-Raiola and Scott Ferris to CCS Department of Surgery

L-R: Mr Scott Ferris and Mr Frank Bruscino-Raiola

Professor Wendy Brown writes:

Please join me in congratulating Frank Bruscino-Raiola and Scott Ferris on their appointments as Adjunct Clinical Associate Professors in the Department of Surgery at Central Clinical School.

Mr Frank Bruscino-Raiola is the Director of the Plastics and Reconstructive Unit at Alfred Health.  He graduated from Monash University in 1991 and completed his fellowship in Plastics and Reconstructive surgery in 2002.

Congratulations to Professor Trisha Peel on her promotion

Trisha Peel has been promoted to full Professor

Professors Anton Peleg and Terry O'Brien write:

Dear CCS Colleagues and Students,

We are delighted to announce the academic promotion of Trisha Peel from the Department of Infectious Diseases to full Professor. Trisha will also take on the role of Deputy Director of Research for the Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University. 

Professor Peel is an outstanding Infectious Diseases clinician-researcher who was awarded her PhD at University of Melbourne in 2014 and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Mayo Clinic, USA. Her research focuses on large-scale randomised controlled trials and implementation science in perioperative infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, and this intersects ideally with her clinical interests and role as the clinical lead for the Alfred Antimicrobial Stewardship service.