Lung tissue bank to be established at the Alfred from a CSL grant

Associate Professor Glen Westall has received a support grant of $216,000 from the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories to establish a lung tissue bank for Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) at the Alfred. This is a significant development in research capacity for a disease affecting many thousands of Australians.
See more about A/Prof Westall's work and research at:
www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/airmed/staff/westall.html

Dr Kirk Kee has received an Abstract Scholarship to attend the 2014 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference in San Diego, on behalf of the Assembly on Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology (SRN).

Ivan Cash Lung Foundation Australia Grant ($5000) awarded to Dr Ian Glaspole: "The effect of persistent anxiety and depression in IPF."

Is baby health affected by taking antipsychotic medications during pregnancy?

There is a great need for safety and efficacy information about the use of antipsychotic medications in pregnancy. A Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre (MAPrc) team have published research in PLOSOne based on data from the National Register of Antipsychotic Medications in Pregnancy, which they established in 2005. Live, healthy babies are the most common outcome following the use of antipsychotic medication in pregnancy, but the MAPrc research concludes that clinicians should be particularly mindful of neonatal problems such as respiratory distress. Reference: PLOS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094788. Monash story link. Radio National RN Drive transcript link.

Anaesthetic nitrous oxide no longer an enigma: results of international trial announced

Video of Paul Myles
describing ENIGMA-II

The ANZCA Trials Group recently announced the much anticipated results of the ENIGMA-II trial. Professor Paul Myles, Director of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at Alfred Hospital and the Monash department of the same name within Central Clinical School, presented the results at the combined plenary session at the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetist (ANZCA) ASM and Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) ASC on May 6, 2014. Verdict: Nitrous oxide is safe.

What is the FODMAP content of coconut water?

 The Translational Nutrition research group receives many enquiries about the FODMAP content of coconut water. Recent testing has shown that coconut water, at a standard serving size of 250 ml (8.45 fluid oz), is high in FODMAPs (overall rating is red).  The serving size of 250 ml contains high amounts of the Polyol- sorbitol and moderate amounts of the Oligos-fructans.  Intake at this serving size should be avoided. See link for detail: www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/diet-updates/coconut.html

Faculty of 1000 Prime selects Department of Immunology Leukemia article

Post publication peer

review acknowledgement

Congratulations to the Department of Immunology researchers! Their article on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been recommended by the Faculty of 1000 as being of special significance in its field. The reviewer, Dr Philippe Saas, writes,  "these data may explain the vulnerability of CLL patients to viral infections and provide therapeutic approaches (Flt3L plus CpG ODN or anti-TNF plus anti-TGF-beta antibodies) to restore PDC number and PDC capacity to produce type I IFN in peripheral lymphoid tissues." References:

Congratulations for CCS researchers for their travel grants

CCS Travel grants were awarded to five staff members to visit institutions or attend conferences for presentations and posters on their research areas. Congratulations to:

• Dr Charbel Darido, Medicine (PTEN Pathways and Targets, New York, USA)
• Dr Devy Delante, Immunology (Angiotensin Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and Conference (GRC), Tuscany, Italy)
• Dr Sebastian Dworkin, Medicine (11th International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics, Madison, Winconsin and invited seminars)
• Dr Bernadette Fitzgibbon, MAPrc (Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, Boston, and Harvard University on non-invasive brain stimulation)
• Dr Rebecca Segrave, MAPrc (64th Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting)

2014 Advancing Women's Research Success Grant to Maithili Sashindranath

Congratulations to Dr Maithili Sashindranath, who has been awarded a 2014 Advancing Women's Research Success Grant for $10,500 by Monash University. The funds will complement funds that she received from the Dementia Research Foundation to investigate how traumatic brain injury leads to dementia. Maithili is a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Rob Medcalf's Fibrinolysis and Gene Regulation Laboratory (ACBD). See more about the scheme.