Healthy participants sought: Genes, Cognition, Brain Function and Schizophrenia

Image: WebMD

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre is seeking healthy volunteers between 35 and 65 to undertake a study examining the relationship between genetics, cognition, brain function and schizophrenia. We are interested in recruiting those with no personal or family history of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder and those with no personal history, but who do have a first degree relative (children or siblings) with any of these illnesses. See more.

Gluten doesn't deserve its villainous reputation: Professor Peter Gibson on Radio NZ National

Photo: AFP / Sofie Delauw / Cultura Creative

Professor Peter Gibson, Head, Department of Gastroenterology, explains why gluten is not "the villain of the food world" and why he believes most of those following a gluten free diet may be doing themselves more harm than good.
26/02/2015 Radio New Zealand National: "Is gluten the devil in your food?"

Forthcoming CCS events: PhD seminars, public events, general notices

Laura Blair-West MAPrc

Central Clinical School has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. All event notices are maintained on the CCS Events calendar  CCS staff & students can see details of both public and local events (including professional development courses, trade fairs and HDR calendars) and deadlines, at the Intranet's Announcements page.  Various Departments have their own calendars, see CCS seminar index: www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/events/seminars.html

 

What's on for next week

Mon Feb 23 10:00 AM ► CCS Induction for new staff. Enquiries: nicole.shears@monash.edu
                   11:00 AM ► PhD Confirmation of Candidature - Mr Sung Chung (MAPrc)

                   11:30 AM ► PhD Confirmation of Candidature - Mr Aaron Hill (MAPrc)

                     1:30 PM ► Psychiatry Professorial Grand Round

Tue Feb 24  11:30 AM ► PhD Confirmation of candidature - Ms Ashlee Conway (ACBD)

Wed Feb 25 11:30 AM ► PhD Mid-candidature review - Ms Pin Shie Quah (Immunology)

                    1:00 PM ► Clinical and Pathology Review (ACBD)

                    1:30 PM ► PhD Pre-submission review - Dr Antony Friedman (Medicine)

Fri Feb 27   10:00 AM ► CCS Honours orientation
                    11:00 AM ► CCS photography: Bookings for Staff

New efforts to broaden PhD training are “fantastic” but Australian medical industry needs capitalisation

Fabienne Mackay says the medical industry hasn’t
been supported enough.
Picture: Aaron FrancisSource: News Corp Australia

The Australian published an article (18/2/2015) quoting Professors Stephen Jane and Fabienne Mackay on medical research PhD training and post PhD opportunities. Link. Excerpts quoted below.

"Monash University’s Central Clinical School head, Stephen Jane, said the new PhD ... included content on intellectual property, designing clinical trials and statistics. He said the PhD would arm students with 'a skill set commensurate with a far broader range of career options but also emphasise the necessity to engage with industry'.

"...for leading medical researcher Fabienne Mackay, head of the department of immunology at Monash University, the real problem is that Australia’s medical industry hasn’t been supported enough to grow to the scale the country needs to capitalise on its strong medical research. She said the US was also facing an oversupply of medical researchers but, unlike Australia, there was a big medical industry to soak them up.

“'The real problem does not come from universities who develop links with national and international industry partners to create opportunities for their students and the workforce. The problem is the choice made by leaders of this nation who have neglected efforts to diversify our economy and never made the choice to exploit homegrown talents to build a decent homegrown medical industry,' she said."

Translational Research PhD and Graduate Certificate taking enrolments

Monash clinical schools have a catchment of one million patients.
Image: Vendo

Studying Translational Research at Monash gives you access to the University’s extensive and well-established network of clinics, hospitals, centres and institutes.

Monash University is offering a new PhD and Graduate Certificate in Translational Research. These courses offer scientists and clinicians an opportunity to develop skills in the conversion of basic research findings to clinical practice, commercial applications and therapeutic products in multidisciplinary environments.

Congratulations to Prabhu Mathiyalagan on the award of his PhD!

Image: @prabhu_gene

Congratulations to Mr Prabhu Mathiyalagan, who has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Prabhu’s thesis, "Role of histone modifications and chromatin interacting non-coding RNAs in regulating cardiac gene transcription", was accepted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree by the Graduate Research Steering Committee on Tuesday 23 December 2014. Prabhu was supervised by Professor Assam El-Osta (BakerIDI) and he continues as a Postdoc in Prof El-Osta's lab. His interests include Epigenetics, Biotechnology, Heart disease and Diabetes.

It’s all about the STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

Call to invest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education: "Only 18% of Australia’s workforce has STEM qualifications, but 65% of our economic growth is due to technical advances, underpinned by STEM skills. After decades of relying on natural resources, it’s now becoming apparent that Australia’s economic comfort over the last four decades masked a decline in innovation. A report by consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has warned that Australia could fall out of the top 20 economies unless we remove our reliance on resources and invest in STEM." Link: It’s all about the STEM