Welcome to Ema Krpic and Ashwini Kannan, Research Administration team

Dr Ashwini Kannan (left) and Mrs Ema Krpic (right)

from Dr Michelle Zajac, Senior Research & Operations Manager, Central Clinical School:

Dear Colleagues,

I'm an delighted to introduce two new members of the Research Administration Team who have recently started at CCS.

Ema Krpic has stepped into the Research Administration Officer position, taking over from Kate Thompson, who left recently after 6 years in the position, and Dr Ashwini Kannan has stepped into the role of Research Administration Coordinator.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Gemma Sharp on her promotion

A/Prof  Gemma Sharp joins CCS's Department of Neuroscience

We are delighted to announce that Gemma Sharp has been promoted to Associate Professor, and she and her research group have joined the Department of Neuroscience. Welcome Gemma!
 
Associate Professor Sharp is a researcher, lecturer and clinical psychologist who is very well known for pioneering research in body image, eating disorders and digital mental health interventions (e.g. chatbots and mobile apps).

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.

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.

Welcome to Shaun Fleming, haematologist

Newly appointed Associate Professor Shaun Fleming in the
Australian Centre for Blood Diseases

From Professors Harshal Nandurkar and Terry O'Brien

We have the pleasure to announce the appointment of Shaun Fleming as the Head of the Myeloid Disorders Service at Alfred Health. This is a conjoint appointment with Monash University, as Associate Professor in Australian Centre for Blood Disorders (ACBD), Central Clinical School.

Associate Professor Shaun Fleming is a clinical and laboratory haematologist who has been working at the Alfred since 2014 initially as the Acute Leukaemia fellow and then as a consultant haematologist with a focus on Acute Leukaemia, Stem Cell Transplantation and measurable residual disease (MRD) assessment. 

Welcome to Professor Amy Brodtmann, Neuroscience

Professor Amy Brodtmann and her team will be
joining the Department of Neuroscience on 4 July

from Professors Helmut Butzkueven and Terry O'Brien

We are delighted to announce that Professor Amy Brodtmann and her research group will be joining the Department of Neuroscience, The Central Clinical School, Monash University on 4 July.

Prof Brodtmann and her team members are global leaders in human cognitive neuroscience research.

After returning from her post-doctoral appointment in the Centre for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern University, Chicago, in 2005, Professor Brodtmann established the Eastern Cognitive Disorders Clinic at Eastern Health, Melbourne, which has grown to a national flagship service for the diagnosis, treatment and clinical trials of atypical dementias.

Leader in lymphoma bolsters Monash’s blood cancer research

Professor Con Tam

by Anne Crawford

When haematologist Professor Constantine (Con) Tam joined the Central Clinical School and The Alfred last month he brought with him a wealth of expertise in blood cancers, some Australia-firsts in treatments for them and a new vision for Monash University.

Professor Tam was recruited to become the inaugural Head of the Lymphoma Service at Alfred, a unit that will push the boundaries of treatment for the diverse forms of the disease.

Welcome to Professor Constantine (Con) Tam

Professor Constantine (Con) Tam

Welcome to Professor Con Tam, who has started with Central Clinical School on 28 February 2022. 

Professors Harshal Nandurkar, Terry O'Brien and Steve Jane write:

It is a pleasure to announce the recruitment of Professor Constantine (Con) Tam to join Alfred Health and Central Clinical School as Head of the Lymphoma Service.

Welcome to Associate Professor Rebecca Disler, respiratory researcher

Professor Terry O'Brien, CCS Head of School, writes:

It gives me great pleasure and excitement to announce the recruitment of Dr Rebecca Disler to the academic Monash University appointment as Associate Professor and ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Respiratory Research@Alfred section of the Department of Immunology and Pathology in the Central Clinical School. 

Welcome to our new recruit, Dr Joseph Kong!

Dr Joseph Kong

Welcome to Dr Joseph Kong! 

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of Central Clinical School, writes:

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the recruitment of Dr Joe Kong, MBChB, MS, PhD, FRACS to an 0.5 FTE academic appointment as a Senior Research Fellow (Level C) in the Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University. 

Welcome to Associate Professor Yet Hong Khor

Associate Professor Yet Hong Khor starts with
Central Clinical School on 1 Jan 2022, in the
Department of Respiratory Research@Alfred

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of Central Clinical School, writes:

It gives me great pleasure and excitement to announce the recruitment Dr Yet Hong Khor to the academic Monash University appointment as Associate Professor and NHMRC Investigator Grant Emerging Leadership Fellow in the Respiratory Research@Alfred section of the Department of Immunology and Pathology in the Central Clinical School. 

Yet is an outstanding early career clinical respiratory researcher, who has a rapidly emerging research trajectory and profile for her clinical research into chronic lung disease.

Welcome to Dominic Hare

Welcome to Adjunct Associate Professor Dominic, who is joining the Department of Neuroscience.

Dominic is an analytical biochemist and imaging scientist who brings a data-driven approach to collaborative and transdisciplinary research. He recently joined the Monash eResearch Centre after holding ARC and NHMRC Fellowships at University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), the Florey Institute, and the University of Melbourne. 

Welcome to Dr Omer Gilan

Welcome to Dr Omer Gilan, who is newly established in the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases researching blood epigenetics. 

Dr Gilan's research interests are the epigenetic landscapes of leukaemia cells and the role they play in the response and resistance to therapy, adaptation and the maintenance of the leukaemic and stem-like state. Ultimately the goal is to develop strategies to reset the cells back to the normal state for therapeutic benefit.

See more about Dr Gilan's research: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/blood-disease/research/gilan-group-blood-epigenetics

Welcome to Paul Lawton, new Professor of Renal Medicine

Professor Paul Lawton

Welcome to our new Professor and Director of Renal Medicine within the Department of Medicine, Paul Lawton!

Lee Hamley, Martin McCall and Terry O'Brien write:

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Lawton to the position of Professor and Director of Renal Medicine, a joint senior academic & clinical role with Alfred Health and Monash University.  Paul comes to us from the Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University and the Top End Health Services (Royal Darwin Hospital) where he was a consultant nephrologist, general physician and senior research fellow.

Welcome to Professor Natasha Smallwood

A/Prof Natasha Smallwood

Central Clinical School welcomes Associate Professor Natasha Smallwood! A/Prof Smallwood is appointed to a joint Monash University/ Alfred Respiratory Medicine position. She holds a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leader grant. She is looking forward to developing multi-disciplinary collaborations widely across the school, and across the precinct. 

Welcome to Matt Cull, Journalism intern

Welcome to Matt Cull, who is currently finishing his final year in journalism, and is undertaking an internship with Central Clincal School, working with Julia Veitch.

Matt  also holds a Bachelor in Music from Monash University. Over the course of completing his degree he has worked in advertising and finance, and enjoys covering stories across a wide range of topics. He has a particular interest in politics and science, and how those topics intersect with journalism. He moved to Melbourne from Perth to study at Monash, and has also spent time studying abroad at New York University.

Matt will be writing up our research and producing videos for during his  internship.

Welcome to CCS communications interns Riya Kiran and Ramesh Vidyasagar!

L-R: Riya Kiran and Ramesh Vidyasagar, CCS comms interns

Welcome to our two new communications interns, Riya Kiran and Ramesh Vidyasagar! They will be working with Julia Veitch on respectively stories and videos of our Central Clinical researchers' work.

Second-year Monash student Riya Kiran has a strong passion for journalism and its substantive role in disseminating crucial information to the general public. Her curiosity for news writing developed in Year 10 when she completed her work experience at the Herald Sun, and since then has been actively pursuing writing opportunities to further this interest.

Welcome to Dr Abhay Umranikar as a/g Clinical Dean at Cabrini Health

Dr Abhay Umranikar in theatre

Welcome to Dr Abhay Umranikar, who is filling in as Cabrini's Clinical Dean while A/Prof David Brewster is involved with the COVID-19 response. (We published a story last week on David's work developing airway management guidelines for COVID-19 patients in ICUs.)

Abhay graduated from Monash in 1989 and became a Consultant Anaesthetist in 1999. Since then, he has worked in a number of hospitals in and out of Melbourne including Darwin and Alice Springs. Actively involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students, Abhay lectures regularly at the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Exam courses and was an examiner for the Final Fellowship Exam for 8 years.  

Welcome to Dr Robert Brkljača

Dr Robert Brjklača

Welcome to Dr Robert Brkljača, who has recently joined us as part of the Alfred Research Alliance -Monash Bioimaging facility! Robert is the facility manager and imaging support scientist.  Robert obtained his PhD in Chemistry at RMIT University, with a focus on natural products drug discovery.

Since completing his PhD, Robert's research has been focused on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance applications, resulting in over 50 publications. Out of work hours, Robert enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and baking.

Pioneering lung researchers boost Monash physiotherapy

Professor Anne Holland joins CCS. 
Photo: Anne Crawford

by Anne Crawford

Central Clinical School (CCS) in partnership with Alfred Health has gained a powerhouse team of researchers in the field of non-pharmacological chronic respiratory disease rehabilitation, making it one of the few sites in the world that specialises in this field.

Professor Anne Holland, a practising physiotherapist and world-leading researcher, heads the group, which is focussing on research and clinical trials in rehabilitation for pulmonary fibrosis and on interventions to improve the wellbeing of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).