Protection against asthma from gut metabolism by-product

A study into the impact of gut bacteria on the immune system has led to the extraordinary discovery of two molecules that can not only provide profound protection in experimental models of asthma, but can also substantially reduce the severity of an attack.

Neither of these molecules, one of which is already commercially available in a diet supplement, were previously known to have an effect on asthma. Additionally, they appear, from animal studies, to have a beneficial role in treating the respiratory illness that is prevalent, and often fatal, in people with serious COVID-19.

Drug clinical trial improves survival for AML patients

Prof Andrew Wei has led a global trial for patients with AML

A landmark paper published today in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) describes the results from a global trial across 148 sites in 23 countries, showing a 30% improvement in survival in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

The Phase 3 clinical trial called QUAZAR, showed that a drug, called CC-486, significantly improved survival in older patients, over the age of 55, with the disease. 

Long-lasting COVID immunity gives real hope for the long-term protection of vaccines

Australian researchers have revealed – for the first time – that people who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus have immune memory to protect against reinfection for at least eight months.

The research is the strongest evidence for the likelihood that vaccines against the virus, SARS-CoV-2, will work for long periods.  

Bad Body Image Day? The KIT chatbot can help

KIT the chatbot

KIT, the world's first positive body image chatbot, is helping thousands of people since its launch mid November 2020. Psychology Today has published an essay by Dr Charlotte Markey on KIT, "Bad body image day? It's possible that a chatbot could make a difference".

Dr Gemma Sharp said that KIT "has had a wonderful first two months of life since launching on the Butterfly Foundation's website".

What has KIT been up to? 

To see a perfectly fine body, just look in the mirror

Ellie Aniulus

Opinion published in the Herald Sun 10 Jan 2021
by Ellie Aniulis
PhD student at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre

For many, becoming a ‘new me’ represents the desire to finally get that body. This desire is reinforced every new year with an abundance of advertisements showcasing a variety of weight loss methods. 

These advertisements are full of slim, toned and seemingly happy individuals who represent who you could be, and even more so who you should aspire to be. These people seem to say: If I can look like this, why can’t you?

The issue here is that the repeated use of slim and toned bodies in our advertising creates a very narrow window for what is considered an acceptable body in our society; one which almost all of us will never look like without developing serious eating disorders which impact more than 1 million Australians. Sadly, less than 1 in 4 of these people will ever receive help.

Working towards gender equity at CCS

Dr Jess Borger

by Dr Jess Borger
CCS GEDI committee chair

Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world, the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, has stated, and this call to action is reflected in the forthcoming International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February 2021.

Mapping the impacts of the COVID -19 pandemic on the medical research workforce

The 2020 CCS GEDI committee authored the survey to assess
the pandemic's impacts on medical researchers. See CCS intranet

“We are all in this together” was the rallying call of our political leaders regarding the effects of the pandemic and our responses to it. The Central Clinical School's Gender Equity Diversity and Inclusion (CCS GEDI) committee teased out the specifics with a survey to map the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on CCS's  medical research workforce. They discovered both positive and negative impacts on medical researchers, some immediate and some with a much longer tail.