NTRI Forum report: Optimising support for informal carers of the long-term disabled

The National Trauma Research Institute Forum has released a report on how to help the helpers:

• What challenges are currently faced by informal (unpaid) carers of people with a long-term disability, and how are these challenges being met?
• How can knowledge of optimal strategies be applied locally to address these challenges over the lifetime of a person with a long-term disability?

See Executive summary or the full report

Perimenopausal depression may look different compared to depression in childbearing years

MAPrc researchers have published a study which found that symptoms of depression during perimenopause were found to present as subtly different to that seen during the childbearing years, with milder symptoms of depression, increased anger, reduced sleep quality, and increased fatigue that was independent of sleep quality.

Lung transplantation as rescue therapy in patients too sick to be discharged from acute care

A recent CCS study has looked at an increasing demand for lung transplantation in patients in advanced respiratory failure. Although many of these patients do not require mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, an increasing number are critically ill.

The study analyses lung transplantation in subjects who were inpatients at the time of their transplant and not expected to survive to discharge.

Study looks at small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with Parkinson's disease

Source: shakeitup.org

CCS researchers conducted a study this year which looked at small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in Parkinson's disease, and a possible association with gastrointestinal symptoms and worse motor function.

Dr Eric Chow wins Burnet Prize for Infectious Diseases Research

Congratulations to Dr Eric Chow, whose poster won the Burnet Prize for Infectious Diseases Research from  those submitted for the Alfred Research Week. The poster was entitled ‘Ongoing decline in genital warts among young heterosexuals seven years after the Australian Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme’. Eric is a Research Fellow at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. See more:

• about the research at BMJ publication of the same title
• More 2014 Alfred Research Week prizes.

Professor Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld becoming Director of Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME)

From Head of School, Professor Stephen Jane:

It is with great pride (and a certain degree of sadness) that I write to announce that Professor Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld AM, OBE, KStJ has signalled his intent to step down as Professor and Head, Division of Clinical Sciences and Department of Surgery, Central Clinical School, Monash University, and Professor and Director, Department of Neurosurgery, Alfred Hospital to assume the prestigious and strategically pivotal position of Founding Director, Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME).

AMREP Research Prize 2014 for original basic research to Prof Fabienne Mackay

The AMREP Research Prize 2014 for the article describing original basic research published in the journal with the highest impact factor in 2013 was awarded to Professor Fabienne Mackay (Department of Immunology, Monash University). The prize was one of a suite awarded for work presented during the Alfred Research Week 27-31 October 2014. See more:

• Alfred Research Week prizes. 
• Article reference
  Figgett WA, Fairfax K, Vincent FB, Le Page MA, Katik I, Deliyanti D, Quah PS, Verma P, Grumont R, Gerondakis S, Hertzog P, O'Reilly LA, Strasser A, Mackay F. The TACI receptor regulates T-cell-independent marginal zone B cell responses through innate activation-induced cell death. Immunity 2013;39(3):573-83. [IF:19.795]
• Video of Fabienne describing the research
• Animation of B cell interaction