The acid test: The case for accurate and quick mobile point-of-care COVID testing

Monash Lens article published 11 August 2021
featuring Patrick Kwan, Zanfina Ademi, Mark Howard, James McMahon and Tuncay Alan

Monash researchers make the case for investing in development and deployment of decentralised diagnostic devices, most importantly a highly-mobile and swift point-of-care (POC) COVID-19 nucleic acid test. 

See full article (9 minute read)

Record investment in epilepsy research made from the Medical Research Future Fund

L-R: A/Prof Zanfina Ademi and Prof Patrick Kwan

are stream leaders in the new epilepsy consortium

Fewer seizures, fewer deaths and better quality of life for people living with epilepsy are planned to become a reality through the Australian Epilepsy Project (AEP) which has received $30 million from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund, announced Friday 26 Feb.

The AEP will provide a national network of community epilepsy hubs which will provide access to world-leading testing to guide the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. The project has received the largest single government investment made to epilepsy research in Australia.

Treating epilepsy more effectively yields high individual, social and economic returns

Dr Emma Foster and A/Prof Zanfina Ademi explain how treating
epilepsy greatly reduces its health economic burden. See video

New data from Monash University reveal the enormous cost of epilepsy in Australia – costing more than 14,000 excess deaths up to age 70 years, $32.4 billion of lost gross domestic product (GDP), and $4.1 billion in direct healthcare costs. 

The researchers also showed that a 10% improvement in the treatment of seizures in patients with the disease would save the economy a staggering $1.1 billion in direct health care costs and A$7.8 billion in GDP over the working lifetime of people with epilepsy.