Higher risk for international migrants of contracting HIV

A ground-breaking piece of research, which aims to quantify the risk of HIV in international migrants could play a major role in Australia’s efforts to eliminate the virus, according to researchers from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, part of Alfred Health.

Sexual health physician Associate Professor Jason Ong said this study provides evidence of international migrants were at a higher risk of contracting HIV.

Congratulations to all of our recently promoted researchers!

Congratulations to our fifteen academic staff - researchers and lecturers - who have recently received a promotion. 

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of School said, "Warmest congratulations to everyone who has been promoted. 

"This is a wonderful outcome, not only for our individual researchers and teachers, but how it represents the extraordinary talent and energy of the entire school."

See detail and links below.

HIV home testing vital for early diagnosis

HIV self-testing kits can improve early detection. Image: RACGP

Home-based tests designed to rapidly detect the presence of HIV could prove vital in the early diagnosis of the virus among the most vulnerable cohort, new research published in the Medical Journal of Australia has revealed.

Alfred Health sexual health physician and Monash University researcher Associate Professor Jason Ong said early detection is often challenging for overseas-born men who have sex with men. However, the self-testing kits, which are now readily available at pharmacies could soon change that.

See Monash story

Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE) launch

Aim and methods of the HOPE network

Associate Professor Jason Ong was recently awarded $667,191 by the National Health and Medical Research Council for an NHMRC e-ASIA 2021 Joint Research Program, “Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE)”.

The research program was launched this week. A/Prof Ong, a senior research fellow in the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, said that HIV is a very significant health issue in the Asia-Pacific region.

Six Alfred Research Alliance researchers receive NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships

Six researchers from the Alfred Research Alliance have received an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship, announced 11 January 2022 by The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care. Ranging from $67,346 to $135,002 each, the scholarships cover a range of research areas including sexual health, gastroenterology, maternal and child health, pandemic modelling and mental health.

Promising approach to improve testing coverage for chlamydia and gonorrhoea

The WHO commissioned Eric Chow (left) and Jason Ong (right) to
 review alternative methods of STI testing from molecular methods.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day. 

As most STIs do not present with any symptoms, screening is critical for early detection and management to avoid the development of complications in the infected individuals and onward transmission to others. Testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea using molecular methods is costly, prohibiting its widespread use globally. There is a possibility to reduce testing costs if pooling samples from the same individual is feasible. 

International grant for getting to zero new HIV infections in Australia

A/Prof Jason Ong has received a Gilead 'Getting to Zero' grant for
improving access to HIV PrEP for newly arrived overseas born men
who have sex with men (MSM).

Congratulations to Associate Professor Jason Ong, who is one of two Australian recipients of Gilead Sciences Australia New Zealand's Getting to Zero Grant Program 2021, a global initiative supporting projects aimed at getting to zero new HIV infections.

Screening warning over stubborn STI

Expanding screening could build resistance to antibiotics: Study

New research from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre has revealed that screening asymptomatic patients for Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) could be counterproductive to controlling the infection in men who have sex with men.

Sexual health physician and Monash University Associate Professor Jason Ong said the study, conducted with international experts in MG research, showed that expanding screening from the current recommendation of only testing MG among symptomatic men who have sex with men, could build resistance to antibiotics.

HSRAANZ 2020 Best Papers – ECR Winner Jason Ong

A/Prof Jason Ong has won HSRAANZ best paper award

Congratulations to Associate Professor Jason Ong for winning this year's Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ) award for best paper!

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are over 1 million curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) a day. Earlier detection and timely treatment are needed to better control STIs, especially among those less likely to engage with healthcare systems. In recent years, there has been a global scale-up of programs for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). 

Congratulations to our promoted researchers!

L-R top row: Catriona Bradshaw, Kate Hoy, Trish Peel, Caroline
Gurvich. L-R bottom row: Joe Doyle, Lenka Vodstrcil, Jason Ong, 
Gemma Sharp

Eight Central Clinical School researchers have recently been promoted! Well done to all of them for their outstanding efforts in their respective fields.

Professor (Level E): Catriona Bradshaw (Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC)) and Kate Hoy (Department of Psychiatry, aka MAPrc)

Associate Professor (Level D): Trish Peel and Joe Doyle (both Department of Infectious Diseases), and Caroline Gurvich (Department of Psychiatry)

Senior Lecturer (Level C): Lenka Vodstrcil & Jason Ong (both MSHC), Gemma Sharp (Department of Psychiatry)

Congratulations to CCS's NHMRC Investigator grant recipients!

L-R top row: Prof Helmut Butzkueven, Prof Paul Fitzgerald,
Dr Emma Halmos. L-R bottom row: Prof Anne Holland,
Dr Jason Ong, A/Prof Anneke van der Walt

NHMRC Investigator grants were announced this morning by Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, Monash receiving in total close to $47M. See Monash announcement.

Twenty-six researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences received funding for their projects. See Faculty story.

Congratulations to Central Clinical School's NHMRC Investigator grant recipients! See more about the CCS projects, below. The grant income for the school from this round totals $10M across the period 2021-2025.

Commiserations to our researchers whose grants were ranked very highly, but nonetheless missed out.

Study reveals need to strengthen sexual health services for PrEP users

Dr Jason Ong, lead author
on the JAMA paper

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – taking antiretroviral drugs to protect people from acquiring HIV infection – is revolutionising the prevention of HIV around the world. However, a global study led by Monash University in Australia and supported by the World Health Organisation has shown that people who are seeking PrEP to prevent HIV are also at high risk of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The authors of the paper argue that PrEP services could be an ideal place to test for, prevent and treat both HIV and other STIs.

The spectre of untreatable gonorrhea

Dr Jason Ong, Melbourne Sexual Health Centre based researcher, has put together an open access Special Issue, sponsored by the World Health Organisation. The issue was launched at the 23-26 October conference of the International Union of STI - Asia-Pacific in Shanghai. 

This Special Issue of Sexual Health aims to collate the latest evidence base focussed on understanding the current epidemic and transmission of gonorrhoea, choice of treatment, molecular epidemiology application, concerns about antimicrobial resistance and alternative prevention and control for gonorrhoea.

Plans for China/Australia sexual health centre gain momentum

by Anne Crawford

Prof. Lei Zhang, earlier in the year at the collaborative meeting
to discuss the new joint centre.

The head of the Central Clinical School, Professor Stephen Jane, will visit China next week to discuss plans for a new joint centre researching sexual health, a collaboration between Monash University and Xi'an Jiaotong University in China (XJTU).

The China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Infectious Diseases will bring together researchers from the Central Clinical School’s Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) and School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University in north-western China.

Professor Jane will meet with Professor Yan Hong, Vice President of Xi'an Jiaotong University, to discuss collaboration between the universities’ faculties of medicine, focussing on the exchange of academic staff and students, and possible joint programs.

Monash research aired at major HIV conference

Jason presenting in Mexico City. Photo by Roger Pebody.

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre's Associate Professor Jason Ong recently delivered an address about his research into PrEP and STIs at the 10th International IAS conference on HIV Science, on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO).

A/Prof Ong conducted a systematic review for WHO on STI incidence and prevalence in PrEP programmes, incorporating 88 studies. PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis involves HIV-negative people taking medications to stop them acquiring HIV. However, researchers, clinicians and public health policy makers have raised concerns over the role of PrEP which, while preventing HIV, facilitates the risk for STIs. STIs are increasing globally.

China-Australia Joint Research Centre

Prof. Zhuang, the director of the School of Public Health,
signed a memorandum of cooperation with Prof. Fairley

Professor Christopher Fairley, director of the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and Professor of Public Health at Monash University, was recently invited to join a collaborative meeting held at the School of Public Health,  Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU). The meeting was also attended by A/Prof Jason Ong (Melbourne Sexual Health Centre), along with representatives from other local institutions with a view to strengthen international cooperation in infectious disease prevention and establish the China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Sex, drugs and research: study probes world of ‘chemsex’

Chemsex can take its toll: health researchers are
investigating how best to reduce harm and aid recovery. 
Photo: Diverse Images/UIG via Getty Images

by Anne Crawford

A Monash University researcher has focussed international attention on ‘chemsex’ or ‘party and play’, the practice of sexualised drug use by men who have sex with men, in a bid to identify solutions to problems associated with it.

New approaches needed for syphilis prevention

Anonymous sex made easier with apps. Image: Bustle

by Anne Crawford

Two separate Monash University studies have shown that new ways of controlling syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) are needed because traditional measures aimed at curbing the rapid spread of the disease have not been effective.

GPs caught out by rise in requests for genital cosmetic surgery: study

The RACGP has published guidelines
for GPs to consult on FGCS

by Anne Crawford

A ground-breaking study of Australian general practitioners has found that of those who saw patients requesting female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS), around a third reported seeing patients younger than 18 years.

The large online survey, the first of its kind, was conducted jointly by University of Melbourne and Monash University researchers. The survey quizzed 443 GPs about their knowledge, attitudes and practice in managing patients who asked about the surgery and found many were ill-equipped to advise on it.

Why are we not routinely screening for anal cancer?

By Dr Jodie Abramovitch

HIV positive men who have sex with men are at higher risk of developing anal cancer – a significant health issue. To date, little is known about the professional views of HIV clinicians on anal cancer screening.

Professor Christopher Fairley

To address this, a detailed survey of 20 HIV physicians was conducted by Dr Jason Ong, a PhD student of Professor Christopher Fairley who is based at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, and collaborators from the Central Clinical School, Melbourne University and the Kirby Institute (NSW).

Their research revealed that anal cancer screening within HIV positive men who have sex with men was considered a priority by clinicians. However, it was noted that there is currently no validated method for the effective screening of anal cancer - there is no evidence that detection of precursor lesions reduces mortality.