(Formerly known as Central Clinical School)
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| Participants sought for endometriosis and IBS study |
Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 Australian women and many of these women also suffer from IBS and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhoea). Currently, we do not know what causes the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with endometriosis.
To express your interest, take the screening survey (via QR code) or see below for more detail and contact information.
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| Professor Alex Boussioutas is Central Clinical School's recently appointed Head of Department of Gastroenterology |
Professor and Director of Gastroenterology Alex Boussioutas holds a joint senior academic and clinical role with Alfred Health and Monash University, the latest of a string of prestigious appointments. He has also had a remarkable research career.
by Anne Crawford
Gastroenterologist Professor Alex Boussioutas began his research career driven by a fascination with the molecular aspects of disease. It was the ‘90s when the nexus of molecular biology and genomics was an escalating field. “I figured the only way I could find out about that properly was to do a PhD in it,” he said.
Endometriosis is a common condition affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age. Common symptoms include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia. However, gastrointestinal (GI) complaints are also common, affecting up to 90% of patients. Diet is commonly used to manage these GI symptoms, but very little research has examined whether they are effective.
Participants are sought for our study, which will compare the effect of diet on GI symptoms associated with endometriosis. Participants are supplied with most meals and snacks for 2x28 day intervals and dietitian support provided.
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| Stimulating the vagal nerve may improve gut permeability: study |
Research by Monash Central Clinical School scientists has suggested that stimulating the vagal nerve transcutaneously improves gut permeability and could potentially counter diseases caused by intestinal barrier dysfunction or ‘leaky gut’.
Intestinal barrier dysfunction is likely to initiate diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease.
Rebecca was supervised by Professor Peter Gibson, Adjunct Associate Professor Antony Friedman and Dr Kirstin Taylor at Department of Gastroenterology, Monash University and Alfred Health. Her thesis is titled, "Gastrointestinal Ultrasound in Inflammatory Bowel Disease".
Gastrointestinal ultrasound is a non-invasive tool to assess patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Rebecca's thesis addresses key aspects of the application and prognostic value of gastrointestinal ultrasound in clinical practice.
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| L-R: Dr Anna Kalff and Daniel So, recent PhD graduates |
Anna Kalff's thesis is titled, "Multiple myeloma strategies to predict outcomes in the era of novel anti-myeloma therapies". She was supervised by Professor Andrew Spencer and Dr Tiffany Khong in the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases.
Daniel So's thesis is titled, "Translating functional characteristics of dietary fibre to clinical value in patients with irritable bowel syndrome". He was supervised by Associate Professor Jane Muir, Dr CK Yao and Professor Peter Gibson in the Department of Gastroenterology.
See more below about their work.
Monash University has partnered with a United States-based company, ModifyHealth, to raise further awareness in the US of the FODMAP diet protocol and the Monash University FODMAP Diet App, which have helped millions of people manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The partnership will increase engagement with US consumers and healthcare providers, and expand awareness of the latest research and developments of the FODMAP diet protocol.
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| Professor Alex Boussioutas |
Pip Hawkins, Martin McCall and Terry O'Brien write:
Dear All CCS Staff, Students and Adjuncts,
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Alex Boussioutas to the positions of Professor and Director of Gastroenterology, a joint senior academic & clinical role with Alfred Health and Monash University, Program Director Medical Specialties Alfred Health and Head of Department of Gastroenterology, CCS, Monash University.
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| Healthy volunteers sought for diet study |
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| L-R: Dr Nenad Macesic and Mr Paul Gill, PhD graduates |
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| L-R: The team members are A/Prof Jane Muir (CIA), Dr Rebecca Burgell, Dr Jane Varney and Dr Judith Moore of Central Clinical School's Department of Gastroenterology; Prof Jane Fisher in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine; and Prof Mark Morrison at University of Queensland. |
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| L-R: Sung Kai Chiu, Jonathan Hiller, Gauri Mishra, Mitchell Moon |
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| Dr Mark Ward, senior author on the study |
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| Professor Peter Gibson asks the question of whether the reported rise of coeliac disease is due to the rise in incidence or detection. |
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| Dr CK Yao |
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| Dr Jane Varney |
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Paul Gill, PhD student, has published his
first paper investigating the influence of a
high-fibre diet on SCFAs in the blood.
Follow Paul on Twitter @gillpaul93
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| Low FODMAP diet enters US protocols; Smart capsule captures gut data in humans |
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Dr Eric Chow (left) and Prof Kit Fairley
have a new publication on the role of saliva in STI transmission amongst MSM. Prof Fairley is giving a public lecture on 17 Oct: RSVP |
