Congratulations to CCS travel grant recipients!

This year's travel grant recipients. L-R: Dr Robin Cash, Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon, Mr Ishant Khurana, Dr Jessica Borger, Dr Rhys Brady, Dr Stefan Sonderegger
 

Congratulations to this year's CCS recipients of travel grant funds from the school!

• Dr Robin Cash (MAPrc) Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference, 28th EEGLAB workshop 
• Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon (MAPrc) Carolina Neurostimulation Conference 2018
• Mr Ishant Khurana (Diabetes) Gordon Research Conferences (GRC) - Epigenomics of Diabetes and Other Metabolic Diseases 
• Dr Jessica Borger (Immunology and Pathology) The 3rd International Conference on Innate Lymphoid Cells 2018 (ILC2018)    
• Dr Rhys Brady (Neuroscience) 3rd Joint Symposium of the International and National Neurotrauma Societies and AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care.
• Dr Stefan Sonderegger (ACBD) 7th New Directions in Leukaemia Research (NDLR)

Holding hands a way to ease pain, study finds

Holding hands with someone you love helps reduce perception
of pain. Photo: Thinkstock

by Anne Crawford

Holding hands – an intimate moment, a gesture of reassurance or a show of friendship and connection.

Now a Monash University study demonstrates that this simple gesture can have an analgesic effect on stress and pain, supporting the role of social connections in managing pain in clinical settings.

Studies show emotion plays role in chronic low back pain

Sin-Ki Ng is a PhD student at the
Monash Alfred Psychiatry research
centre

by Anne Crawford

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a debilitating disease, adversely affecting quality of life and wellbeing, potentially leading to depression, long-term disability, time off work due to pain and reduced productivity. Yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Now a review of available data by Central Clinical School PhD student Sin-Ki Ng and others at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) suggests that emotional and cognitive processes may be the core contributor to it.

Participants sought: Can fibromyalgia be reduced by brain stimulation?

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) at the Alfred Hospital is currently seeking volunteers for a clinical trial of a non-medication investigational treatment for fibromyalgia.

Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) is a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain. We are conducting this study to see whether we can reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

To be involved, participants must be aged between 18 and 75 years and have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Participation will involve attending the Alfred for an initial 2 week period of daily (Monday-Friday) treatments followed by a 2 week period of 3 treatments per week. Each treatment appointment takes approximately 30 minutes.

Enquiries & further information

Contact: Ms Laura Knox
Email: laura.knox@monash.edu
Phone: (03) 9076 9896
Study detail: ccs-clin-trials.med.monash.edu.au/trials/double-blind-randomised-sham-controlled-trial-prefrontal-theta-burst-stimulation-fibromyalgia
Web: www.maprc.org.au/dr-bernadette-fitzgibbon

Researchers call for more evidence for TMS guidelines for pain

TMS, a non-invasive therapy, uses magnetic
fields to stimulate brain nerve cells.

by Anne Crawford

Monash researchers investigating Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy have responded to an international paper on proposed guidelines for pain treatment research using the technique by calling for more evidence.

The original paper was published in the journal Pain following a workshop sponsored by Harvard's Radcliffe Institute, which solicited advice from world experts in TMS, pain research and clinical trials. It recommended that researchers standardise and document parameters for research into TMS, a non-invasive technique that uses a magnetic field to electrically stimulate parts of the brain via a small coil placed on the patient’s scalp.

Save the date! 28-29 July 2016 Australasian Brain Stimulation Conference

Save the date! The second Australasian Brain Stimulation Conference is to be held July 28-29 this year in Melbourne.

See absmeet.org for more info, to submit your abstract and to register for the meeting!

Abstract Submissions close 15 April 2016

Participants sought: Non-invasive medical treatment for reducing symptoms of fibromyalgia

Participants are sought for a unique double-blind study, ‘Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of fibromyalgia’. The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) is investigating the clinical potential of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate neurons in the brain, for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Program to push for gender equality in STEMM fields

Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon

Monash University has been selected as an inaugural member of the Science in Australia Gender Equity pilot (SAGE) of the Athena SWAN Charter in Australia.

The SAGE pilot, an initiative by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), is the first Australian trial of the Athena SWAN gender equity accreditation program.

The program is an evaluation and accreditation framework to help institutions improve their gender equity practices and gender representation and retention in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEMM) disciplines.

Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon (MAPrc neuroscientist) was interviewed together with Professor Nalini Joshi (applied mathematician) by ABC Radio on the initiative. See: www.abc.net.au/am/content/2015/s4313205.htm

PhD student sought: Neuroscience of ultra-runners

Extreme athletes: what drives them?

Do you ever wonder how some people are able to run hundreds of kilometres in extreme conditions such as the high humidity of the Amazon jungle or the freezing temperatures of the Himalayas? Would you be surprised to find out that many “ultra-runners” are just normal everyday people who work full-time while juggling families?

In this PhD project, we are looking for an academically high-performing student with a background in psychology and/or neuroscience to explore what underlies the desire and ability of these people to accomplish such extreme feats. We hope that by establishing a better understanding of the psychology and brain functioning associated with ultra-running, we may be able to assist other people to achieve seemingly impossible goals and develop a greater understanding of chronic pain conditions.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact:

• Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon at bernadette.fitzgibbon@monash.edu or
• Dr Donna Urquhart at Donna.Urquhart@monash.edu.
• Download flier
• See more about Bernadette's research at www.maprc.org.au/dr-bernadette-fitzgibbon

Young Tall Poppy Science Award goes to Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon, MAPrc

Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon, of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, was one of six young Monash University researchers who have been recognised in this year's Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. The awards, run by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS), are held state-by-state and celebrate the best and brightest young achievers across science. 11 Victorians in total received awards for their research achievements and leadership potential. See more in the 20/10/2014 Monash story.

Participants sought: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of fibromyalgia

Image: Wikimedia

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre at the Alfred Hospital is currently seeking volunteers for a clinical trial of a non-medication investigational treatment for fibromyalgia called repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS). rTMS is a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain.We are conducting this study to see whether we can reduce the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

Research study: exploring how social interactions are processed in thebrain

MAPrc are currently seeking healthy volunteers, aged between 18 and 40 years, for a research study exploring how social interactions are processed in the brain.This study involves the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which is a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain. More information about the study can be found at

Participants sought: Brain response to chronic low back pain anddepression

MAPrc are looking for volunteers aged between 18 and 65 years to join a research study investigating how the brain responds to chronic lower back pain and co-morbid depression. The research study, headed by Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon, is exploring changes in the brain in people who suffer from low back pain and depression. See more at http://www.monash.edu.au/news/notices/show/do-you-suffer-from-chronic-low-back-pain-and-depression. For more about Bernadette's research, see www.maprc.org.au/dr-bernadette-fitzgibbon.

2012 'Best Doctoral Thesis' award

Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon MAPrc) was awarded the 2012 'Best Doctoral Thesis' award from the School of Psychology and Psychiatry. She is currently a Research Fellow at MAPrc in the Psychiatric Neurotechnology team. Bernadette completed her PhD in 2011 where she conducted the first clinical and neurophysiological studies into a new pain phenomenon in amputees.