Promotion and new appointment for epilepsy

Congratulations to Dr Andrew Neal, who has been appointed to succeed Professor Patrick Kwan as Director of Epilepsy, Alfred Health, and also promoted to Associate Professor.

Associate Professor Neal joined Alfred Health and Central Clinical School in 2019 as a consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist, lead for the Alfred Advanced Epilepsy Surgery Program and as a research fellow in CCS’s Department of Neuroscience. He also served as Deputy Director of Epilepsy at Alfred Health from 2020. 

A/Prof Neal is a national leader in advanced epilepsy surgery, in particular stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG). SEEG involves the surgical implantation of electrodes into the brain to understand the role of brain networks in the pathophysiology of drug-resistant epilepsy and its associated neurocognitive deficits.

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).

Congratulations to Professor Trisha Peel on her promotion

Trisha Peel has been promoted to full Professor

Professors Anton Peleg and Terry O'Brien write:

Dear CCS Colleagues and Students,

We are delighted to announce the academic promotion of Trisha Peel from the Department of Infectious Diseases to full Professor. Trisha will also take on the role of Deputy Director of Research for the Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University. 

Professor Peel is an outstanding Infectious Diseases clinician-researcher who was awarded her PhD at University of Melbourne in 2014 and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Mayo Clinic, USA. Her research focuses on large-scale randomised controlled trials and implementation science in perioperative infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, and this intersects ideally with her clinical interests and role as the clinical lead for the Alfred Antimicrobial Stewardship service.

Congratulations to Menno van Zelm on his promotion to Professor

Congratulations to Menno van Zelm in the Department of Immunology on his promotion to Professor! The University's Professorial Promotions Committee said that they recognised his significant contribution to the University in the areas of academic activity: research and engagement. They wrote, "In particular, the Committee noted your contributions to commercialisation and patents."

Professor van Zelm has also been successful this year in obtaining NHMRC MRFF funding of $6.3M for a study of COVID-19 vaccines and infection with the goal of improving the care and outcomes for children and people with chronic diseases, particularly as future variants emerge. See faculty story

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.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Shiva Akbarzadeh on her promotion!

Congratulations to Shiva Akbarzadeh on her promotion to Adjunct Associate Professor!

Professor Wendy Brown, Head of Department of Surgery at Central Clinical School, writes:

Shiva Akbarzadeh obtained her PhD from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne in 2002. She has almost 20 years of experience in cell biology and signalling in a variety of systems. In 2009 she established the Skin Bioengineering Laboratory at the Victorian Adult Burns Service - Alfred Health, focusing on translational research in skin regeneration. She leads the team responsible for manufacturing Cultured Epithelial Autograft for cellular based therapy of major burns and research in developing novel skin substitutes for clinical application.

Congratulations to Prof Anne Holland on becoming Head of Respiratory Research@Alfred!

Professor Anne Holland, centre front row, with her group.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment, after a highly competitive selection process, of  Professor Anne Holland, BAppSci (Physio), PhD, FThorSoc, to the position of Head of Respiratory Research@Alfred (formerly Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, known as AIRMed), The Department of Immunology & Pathology, The Central Clinical School, Monash University (joint appointment with Alfred Health).

Congratulations to Christoph Hagemeyer on his promotion

Congratulations to Associate Professor Christoph Hagemeyer, who has been promoted to Professor (Research)! The promotion is effective from 3 July.

The University Professorial Promotion Committee noted A/Prof Hagemeyer's "significant contribution to the University in the areas of academic activity: research, engagement and education. In particular, the Committee noted [his] contributions to leadership and strong translational work in [his] field."

A/Prof Hagemeyer was President of the Australian Society for Medical Research during 2020. See more about his research in the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases. Follow the group on their channels:

Congratulations to Dr Mujun Sun on her promotion

Congratulations to Dr Mujun Sun on her promotion! Dr Sun is an early career researcher in the Department of Neuroscience and has been promoted to Research Fellow (Level B) effective 9 June 2021.

Dr Sun was the recipient of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Bridging Postdoctoral Fellowship, as well as a 2019 Brain Foundation Research Gift. She is a Principal Investigator in the Monash Trauma Group. Upon the recent promotion, she will continue to work with the other Investigators in the Trauma Group to address the very important and costly issue of brain trauma.

See more:

• Dr Mujun Sun Monash researcher profile
• Monash Trauma Group 
• Follow Mujun on Twitter, @MujunSun

Congratulations to our recently promoted researchers

L-R: Recently promoted A/Prof Stuart Marshall, Dr Nenad Macesic,
A/Prof Andrew Stewardson, Dr Mastura Monif

Congratulations to Dr Mastura Monif (see separate story), Dr Nenad Macesic, Associate Professor Andrew Stewardson and Associate Professor Stuart Marshall on their promotions! See detail below.

Congratulations to Mastura Monif on her promotion!

2021 Monif group. Back row (L - R): Dr Paul Sanfilippo, Dr Naril Seery, Ms Katrina (Liyen) Kan, Dr Robb Wesselingh, Mr William O'Brien, Ms Tiffany Rushen. Front row (L - R): Dr Mastura Monif (Group leader), Dr Tracie Tan, Ms Sher Ting Chim, Ms Sarah Griffith, Ms Andrea Moore. Photo by Loretta Piccenna

Congratulations to Dr Mastura Monif (Department of Neuroscience) on her successful promotion to Senior Research Fellow! Professor Terry O'Brien said, "Congratulations Mastura. A well-deserved recognition of your hard and strategic work building your academic career and research group." Dr Monif's group has grown substantially after a number of successful grant applications. See more at:

• https://www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/neuroscience/research/monif-group

Congratulations to Professor Silvana Marasco – New Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Professor Silvana Marasco

Congratulations to Professor Silvana Marasco on her promotion to Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Alfred Health.

Professor Wendy Brown, Head of Department of Surgery, wrote in February 2021:

I am delighted to announce that Professor Silvana Marasco has been appointed the head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Alfred.  Silvana will be well known to many of you as she has been a medical student, trainee and senior consultant at the Alfred.  

Congratulations to Charles Pilgrim on promotion

Newly promoted Adjunct Associate Professor Charles Prilgrm.
Image: Device Robotics

Congratulations to Charles Pilgrim on his promotion to Adjunct Associate Professor (Practice) at Monash University. 

Professor Wendy Brown, Head of the Department of Surgery in Central Clinical School writes:

Charles graduated from Monash University in 2000 and entered surgical training at The Alfred. He gained his fellowship in General Surgery in 2007 and in 2008 was the Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery fellow at The Alfred before commencing his PhD though the University of Melbourne at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in 2009. He completed this in 2012 and then moved to the USA to complete a second fellowship as the Surgical Oncology fellow in Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Centre.

Congratulations to Prof Andrew Wei on his promotion!

See more about Professor Andrew Wei's research group

Congratulations to Andrew Wei on his promotion to Adjunct Professor! Professor Harshal Nandurkar, Director of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, writes:

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Andrew Wei has been promoted to Adjunct Professor at Monash University.

This is a much deserved recognition for his academic scholarship and clinical leadership in acute myeloid leukaemia and his mentorship of post doctoral scientists, advanced trainees in haematology and fellows. His work has delivered international recognition for Alfred Health and Monash University.

Contribution recognised to international leadership in haemophilia and thrombosis

Adjunct Professor (Practice) Huyen Tran

Congratulations to Associate Professor Huyen Tran, to Adjunct Professor (Practice) by Monash University! This is a well-deserved recognition for his contribution to international leadership in haemophilia and thrombosis, advancing clinical care and research in these areas, empowering developing countries in the provision of specialist services and higher degree supervision of clinician-scientists at Monash University.

Prof Tran is based at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases. His efforts have placed Monash University and Alfred Health at the apex of this sub-speciality within Australia and enabled the establishment of collaborations with other centres in the European Union, the USA, and South East Asia.

Congratulations to Professor David Curtis on his promotion!

Professor David Curtis

Congratulations to Professor David Curtis, who has been promoted to full Professorship at Monash University!

The promotion recognises Prof Curtis's individual research accomplishments as well as leadership and mentoring. Prof Harshal Nandurkar, Director of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, says that Prof Curtis "is a role model for our younger haematology trainees for a career that combines significant basic and translational research with a clinical role."

See more about Prof Curtis's research at: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/blood-disease/research/stem-cell