Recent CCS publications: Week ending 9 Sept 2016

Does flu vaccine help children stay out
of hospital? FluCAN reveals the story.
Image: www.gettyimages.ca

Recent publications for Central Clinical School affiliated authors in the departments of AIRmed, ACBD, Anaesthesia, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Sexual Health, Surgery:

Allergy, Immunology, Respiratory medicine

Blyth CC, Macartney KK, Hewagama S, Senenayake S, Friedman ND, Simpson G, Upham J, Kotsimbos T, Kelly P, Cheng AC. Influenza epidemiology, vaccine coverage and vaccine effectiveness in children admitted to sentinel Australian hospitals in 2014: the Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN). Euro Surveill. 2016 Jul 28;21(30).

Researchers call for more evidence for TMS guidelines for pain

TMS, a non-invasive therapy, uses magnetic
fields to stimulate brain nerve cells.

by Anne Crawford

Monash researchers investigating Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy have responded to an international paper on proposed guidelines for pain treatment research using the technique by calling for more evidence.

The original paper was published in the journal Pain following a workshop sponsored by Harvard's Radcliffe Institute, which solicited advice from world experts in TMS, pain research and clinical trials. It recommended that researchers standardise and document parameters for research into TMS, a non-invasive technique that uses a magnetic field to electrically stimulate parts of the brain via a small coil placed on the patient’s scalp.

Suspect exposed in aggressive blood cancers

Jody Haigh's group. L-R: Dr Katharina Haigh, Mr John Drummond,
Mr Mina Takawy, Dr Catherine Carmichael, A/Prof Jody Haigh,
Dr Maggie Costa. See more about the lab & its research.

by Anne Crawford

Monash researchers are progressing work into genes which they have revealed initiate aggressive forms of leukaemia. They hope that the genetic tools they have developed for their investigations will be used to identify novel compounds for the treatment of cancers including Early T-cell precursor leukaemia (ETP-ALL) and other related blood diseases.

Multiple sclerosis research update from MS Alliance

Dr Steven Petratos with his poster

The International Progressive MS Alliance published a recent project update, featuring the research of Dr Steven Petratos (pictured):
"Dr Petratos, who undertook the only Australian-led project from this round of funding, was investigating the role of a molecule called Nogo-A in nerve fibre damage in progressive MS. The researchers were aiming to block Nogo-A by delivering agents directly to the brain and spinal cord to hopefully limit MS-like disease in laboratory models of MS. The research team investigated the role of the Nogo-A related gene (known as NgR1) in nerve fibre degeneration and found that by blocking this gene they could limit nerve fibre damage and the subsequent neurodegeneration."

• Link to full report. 
• See more about Steven Petratos's research

2015 Central Clinical School Annual Report

Central Clinical School Annual Report 2015

• Extract with permission from AMREP Research Report 2015
• Download CCS extracted report (pdf 1.7 mb)
• See all CCS annual reports at: www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/publications/annual-reports.html

EMCR seed grants: Deadline 27 Oct 2016

Apply for the AMREP EMCR Collaborative Seed Grants Today!

The AMREP Collaborative Seed Grants are intended to assist in funding innovative research and foster lasting collaborations between institutions. Applicants should focus on explaining how the research is innovative, why the collaboration is novel, and outline how the respective researchers have the requisite skills to undertake the research. As a result, the AMREP Collaborative Seed Grants review criteria rewards appropriate skill level over track records, and genuine collaboration potential over convenient partnerships.

Social media: Tweet of the week

Dr Amy Reichelt, @TheAmyR, an RMIT researcher, has pinned a recruitment note to the top of her Twitter feed. She has made it crystal clear what she wants and what her intended contacts will be doing - in six words. Her picture is also a fabulous eye catcher in addition to being accurate about the type of research she is doing.

This is a really fantastic bit of communication. To any of you thinking about using Twitter, this is a great example of conciseness, humour and message.

See CCS's own channels: