Congratulations to Kathryn Hackman, 3MT Faculty finals

The 17 July 3MT CCS event was very successful, with nine excellent presentations on a tremendous variety of research ranging from working with patients to laboratory based research elaborating fundamental mechanisms. Dr Kathryn Hackman (Medicine/AIRmed & affiliated with the Alfred Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes) was the winner & Ms Jodie Abramovich (Immunology/AIRmed) and Dr Kirk Kee (Medicine/AIRmed) were tied runners-up.

Central Clinical School goes visual: Pinterest social media photoboard

Central Clinical School, Monash University comprises about 800 people who study, teach and do medical research, starting at 18 and going up... Curiousity never stops! Our school is based at the Alfred Hospital precinct in Melbourne, Victoria and we have a lot to do with the hospital as much of the research has a big clinical component.

Recent Central Clinical School publications

Cashin K, Gray LR, Jakobsen MR, Sterjovski J, Churchill MJ, Gorry PR (2013). CoRSeqV3-C: A novel HIV-1 subtype C specific V3 sequence based coreceptor specificity prediction algorithm. Retrovirology, 2013.

Lupus therapy: one size does not fit all

Lupus is not a simple disease. This disease can be categorised into different clinical subtypes according to the major organ involved, such as brain or kidney. Monash Immunology researchers have shown that two clinical subtypes of lupus defined by major organ involvement, one affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and the other affecting the kidneys, have associated, distinctive patterns of immune response.

Position vacant: Clinical Research Fellow - HealthMap, InfectiousDiseases

Work type: 0.5 EFT; Fixed term: Initial 12 months. Closing date 19 July 2013.

HealthMap is a 5-year NHMRC-funded Partnership Project, which is developing a novel approach to the care of people living with HIV. Within a framework of chronic disease self management, the project will evaluate in a large cluster randomised trial the effect on cardiovascular risk of an online environment with interactive health care plans and health coaching.

Participants sought for research study on gaze pattern and mirrorneuron activity

The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) is looking for healthy right-handed adult participants aged 18-40 years to take part in a study investigating the relationship between gaze pattern and mirror neuron activity in the brain. The study involves the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a painless, safe, and non-invasive means of stimulating nerve cells in the brain.

Congratulations to Prof Paul Fitzgerald on ARC Linkage grant

Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, has been successful in obtaining an ARC Linkage Grant LP130100448, for $581,643 across 2013-2016. The title is 'The development and testing of a device to enhance the application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)'. For more about Paul's research and the technique of TMS, see http://www.maprc.org.au/professor-paul-fitzgerald.