Vanguard Grant for novel method of measuring oxidative stress in diabetic vascular disease

Dr Tomasz Block explains the utilisation of an immune
cell biomarker to measure oxidative stress in patients
with diabetic vascular disease. See video

Congratulations to Dr Tomasz Block, who has been awarded a Vanguard Grant from the Heart Foundation, for $75,000.

Dr Block is an Advanced Trainee in Endocrinology at Monash Health commencing in 2022 and a current Adjunct Research Associate, in the Diabetes and Kidney Disease (Jandeleit-Dahm) research group in the Department of Diabetes at the Central Clinical School. He will utilise this opportunity to expand on novel clinical research based on exciting preliminary results from a pilot study presented at both national and international congresses.

Dr Warwick Nesbitt is a MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellow 2022

Dr Warwick Nesbitt and colleague Dr Crispin Szydzik.

Image: Medtech

Two Australian researchers have been announced as MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellows 2022.

Congratulations to Dr Warwick Nesbitt, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD) and Dr Gregory Stewart who are set to transform their research impact. 

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship is supported by the Menzies Foundation as part of their Entrepreneurship in Science mission in partnership with the MedTech Actuator.

Welcome to Associate Professor Rebecca Disler, respiratory researcher

Professor Terry O'Brien, CCS Head of School, writes:

It gives me great pleasure and excitement to announce the recruitment of Dr Rebecca Disler to the academic Monash University appointment as Associate Professor and ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Respiratory Research@Alfred section of the Department of Immunology and Pathology in the Central Clinical School. 

Welcome to our new recruit, Dr Joseph Kong!

Dr Joseph Kong

Welcome to Dr Joseph Kong! 

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of Central Clinical School, writes:

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the recruitment of Dr Joe Kong, MBChB, MS, PhD, FRACS to an 0.5 FTE academic appointment as a Senior Research Fellow (Level C) in the Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University. 

Welcome (back) to Melanie Le Page

Melanie Le Page, new ARA FlowCore manager

Welcome back to Mélanie Le Page, who has returned to Central Clinical School! She writes:

"After leaving Central Clinical School almost 10 years ago, following appointments at WEHI, oNKo-innate and Hudson Institute, I have returned as manager of ARA FlowCore and am excited to share my extensive experience in flow cytometry and operational laboratory management with the precinct. 

From researcher to research participant

Professor David Tarlinton shares his motivations for participating
in the Baker Institute's EDCAD-PMS study. See video (1:09 mins)

Monash University’s Head of Immunology, Professor David Tarlinton, swapped roles from researcher to research participant when he took part in the Baker Institute’s heart disease prevention research to better understand his own risk, given significant family history. Now he’s encouraging others at the precinct to do the same. Read the story and see David's video.

Researchers develop a world-first antibody-drug delivery system

Schematic illustration of the new MOF Antibody crystals and their ability to specifically seek out cancer cells to detect them and deliver highly potent drugs with unprecedented precision. Credit: Dr Francesco Carraro and Prof Paolo Falcaro (Co-First and Co-Senior author on the Advanced Materials Paper)

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: a man-made crystal that can be attached to antibodies and then supercharge them with potent drugs or imaging agents that can seek out diseased cells with the highest precision, resulting in fewer adverse effects for the patient.

However, that is precisely what researchers from the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases at Monash University in collaboration with the TU Graz (Austria) have developed: the world’s first metal-organic framework (MOFs) antibody-drug delivery system that has the potential to fast-track potent new therapies for cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases.