Reversing damage caused by diabetes complications

L-R: Prof Karin Jandeleit-Dahm, Dr Stephen Gray and
Dr Jay Jha are researching inhibition of enzymes known
to cause kidney injury in diabetes. See Diabetologia paper.
Image: Life Scientist

By Eliza Watson

Diabetes affects around 1.7 million Australians. Sufferers with the disease are unable to control blood glucose levels either through failure to produce insulin (Type 1) or resistance of cells to insulin (Type 2). It can have a range of serious complications affecting the major arteries (macrovascular diseases) potentially leading to stroke, as well as causing kidney disease, nerve damage and loss of vision (microvascular diseases). The seriousness of these complications highlights the need for effective preventive measures.

In a collaborative study involving several Monash University researchers, a potential treatment was assessed and found to successfully reduce some of these complications.

Gastric band surgery helpful for overweight diabetic patients

Prof Wendy Brown and her team perform
a gastric banding procedure

by Anne Crawford

A long-term study by Monash University researchers – the first of its kind – has found that gastric band surgery has significant benefits for moderately overweight people with type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have focused on obese people.

The five-year study by Monash’s Centre for Obesity Research and Education (CORE), found that gastric or Lap-band surgery improved the patients’ chances of diabetes remission, reduced the need for diabetes medication and dramatically enhanced their quality of life.

National Diabetes Strategy critiqued by Prof Paul Zimmet

Professor Paul Zimmet critiques the National Diabetes Strategy.
Video: 1:05 mins

Professor Paul Zimmet was on the National Diabetes Strategy Advisory Group (NDSAG), which made recommendations for the Commonwealth government's National Diabetes Strategy (NDS), published in November 2015.

Substantial NDSAG advice including rationale and key recommendations were omitted. Prof Zimmet published a letter in the Medical Journal of Australia (20 Feb 2017) agreeing with Jane Speight, a critic of the plan, that its rollout will be fragmented and delayed, thereby reducing its effectiveness.

Congratulations to Anmar Khan on the award of his PhD!

Congratulations to Mr Anmar Khan for the successful completion and award of his PhD! Anmar's topic is "Analysis of the plasma and HDL lipidomes in Metabolic Syndrome patients following weight loss and weight loss plus exercise treatments", and he was supervised by Associate Professor Peter Meikle and Professor Bronwyn Kingwell, both of the Baker Institute.

Welcome to Eliza Watson, Student Services communications support

A big thank you! to Eliza Watson (pictured) who has interned with Julia Veitch, the Central Clinical School's communications manager. This week marks the end of Eliza's time as a communications intern with CCS. Many of you would know Eliza personally, especially PhD students whom she has interviewed for their stories.

We are happy to announce that from next week Eliza is being welcomed on in a new part time (6 hrs/week) role as the Student Services communications officer. She will be working with Sharmila Ramesh, Student Services Officer, and Dr Steven Petratos, Education lead for CCS.

Eliza has thoroughly enjoyed her time during the internship and is looking forward to applying the various skills she has learnt to her new role in the school. She will be helping out with communications, updates of Education web pages and events for the many CCS students. She will be working for CCS on Mondays, and can be contacted at her email, Eliza.Watson@monash.edu

Photo of the week: Dr Orla Morrissey

Dr Orla Morrissey presented at the CCS Monash Department of Infectious Diseases' highly successful advanced course (200 attendees) on Infections in the Immunocompromised Host last year. Along with Professor Anton Peleg, Orla set up and widely promoted the course to infectious diseases specialists around Australia.

Congratulations to Dr Orla Morrissey, who was recently appointed as a Fellow of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology! This prestigious award is in recognition of her international reputation as an outstanding and expert educator and researcher in the area of medical mycology. Her most recent publication is:

• Skov Dalgaard L, Nørgaard M, Povlsen JV, Morrissey O, Jespersen B, Jensen-Fangel S, Østergaard LJ, Schønheyder HC, Søgaard OS. Risk and prognosis of bacteremia and fungemia among first-time kidney transplant recipients: a population-based cohort study. Infect Dis (Lond). 2017 Apr;49(4):286-295. doi: 10.1080/23744235.2016.1248483. Epub 2016 Nov 8.

What's on at CCS 20-24 Feb 2017

PhD student Angela Nguyen
presenting at CCS's 2016
Honours information night

Central Clinical School has regular seminar series and postgraduate presentations. Event notices are posted on the CCS Events calendar.

CCS staff & students can see details of both public and local events (including professional development courses, trade fairs and Graduate Research Student calendars) and deadlines, at the CCS 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 20-24 Feb 2017

Tons! See list below. All items are linked to calendar detail.