PhD student sought: Neuroscience of ultra-runners

Extreme athletes: what drives them?

Do you ever wonder how some people are able to run hundreds of kilometres in extreme conditions such as the high humidity of the Amazon jungle or the freezing temperatures of the Himalayas? Would you be surprised to find out that many “ultra-runners” are just normal everyday people who work full-time while juggling families?

In this PhD project, we are looking for an academically high-performing student with a background in psychology and/or neuroscience to explore what underlies the desire and ability of these people to accomplish such extreme feats. We hope that by establishing a better understanding of the psychology and brain functioning associated with ultra-running, we may be able to assist other people to achieve seemingly impossible goals and develop a greater understanding of chronic pain conditions.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact:

• Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon at bernadette.fitzgibbon@monash.edu or
• Dr Donna Urquhart at Donna.Urquhart@monash.edu.
• Download flier
• See more about Bernadette's research at www.maprc.org.au/dr-bernadette-fitzgibbon

3MT videos from the 2014 CCS student heat: Ben Fancke, Sara Mokhtar and Kye Hanafiah

Sara Mokhtar. See video

Ben Fancke. See video

Kye Hanafiah. See video

Central Clinical School #PhD students regularly compete in the "Three Minute Thesis" competition (3MT), offered in every Australian university.
See more:

• the CCS 3MT event: www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/education/hdr-3mt.html
• 2014 3MT video playlist
• Photo gallery of the 2014 event

Phantom limbs: pain, embodiment, and scientific advances in integrative therapies

A recent study co authored by CCS researcher Dr Carolyn Arnold found that due to the disruption to multiple neural networks in the case of a phantom pain—including sensory and motor, multiple treatment approaches are required. Many of the latest therapies are dependent on sophisticated, specialized, and expensive technology making them inaccessible for most individuals with phantom pain at present. 

The Art of Thinking: European Journal of Respiratory Medicine series

Edvard Munch: 'The Scream'

The European Respiratory Journal is publishing a series of essays by Associate Professor Tom Kotsimbos (Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory medicine) over 2014. The essays feature key pieces of revolutionary European art spanning the last 500 years to spark cross-disciplinary conversations, insights and extrapolations the “Art of Thinking” between the Arts, Science and Philosophy. October's essay looks at the art of Edvard Munch and Gustav Klimt. See more:

• Overview
• The Art of Thinking: Part 8 Klimt and Munch
• The Art of Thinking: Part 2 Holbein and Erasmus

Immunology/Burnet symposium: Dendritic cells, interferon and vaccines - 24 Nov 2014

The Monash Department of Immunology and the Burnet Institute are hosting an afternoon symposium, "Dendritic Cells, Interferon and Vaccines", on 24 November 2014. Two international speakers will be attending, Dr Virginia Pascual and Dr Jacques Banchereau. The event is free, all welcome - please RSVP for catering.

• Weblink for detail and RSVP
• Follow @ImmunologyMU for symposium updates 
• Download flier

Last date to RSVP for 5 Nov ANZSCDB symposium

RSVP today for the 2014 Annual ANZSCDB symposium. It is being held in Melbourne, and hosted by Monash University at the Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP). The symposium will showcase cutting edge cell and developmental biology research taking place in Melbourne, from both students and post-doctoral fellows, working on various aspects of cellular mechanisms, organism development, tissue/birth defects and regenerative medicine.
See web page or download program. 

AIRMED NHMRC Collaborative Grant Success

Tom Kotsimbos

Bruce Thompson

Robyn O'Hehir

Congratulations to the Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory medicine researchers involved as Chief Investigators in complex collaborative grants: Professor Robyn O'Hehir, Associate Professor Tom Kotsimbos and Professor Bruce Thompson. See detail below.