Promising approach to improve testing coverage for chlamydia and gonorrhoea

The WHO commissioned Eric Chow (left) and Jason Ong (right) to
 review alternative methods of STI testing from molecular methods.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day. 

As most STIs do not present with any symptoms, screening is critical for early detection and management to avoid the development of complications in the infected individuals and onward transmission to others. Testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea using molecular methods is costly, prohibiting its widespread use globally. There is a possibility to reduce testing costs if pooling samples from the same individual is feasible. 

Congratulations to Dr Jess Borger on winning the Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion

Dr Jessica Borger (left) being given the award
by Professor Margaret Gardner, Vice-Chancellor
of Monash University

Congratulations to Dr Jessica Borger, who has won the 2021 Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion. See full list here.

Dr Borger said, "I felt very humbled to be awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award in Diversity and Inclusion.

"I am the first to admit, it would not be possible if not for the support of the amazing networks of women in STEM I have surrounded myself with, as well as the wholehearted support of so many at Monash University, especially the CCS GEDI committee.

Prof Velandai Srikanth to be new director of the National Centre for Healthy Ageing

Professor Christina Mitchell AO and Felicity Topp, NCHA Co-Chairs, write:

Congratulations to Professor Velandai Srikanth, who will be commencing as the Director of the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA) from 1 January 2022. The NCHA is a joint venture between Peninsula Health and Monash University, which aims to create an academic and research hub for leading the transformation of health care for our ageing population.

Gemma Sharp finalist for Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award

Dr Gemma Sharp is a tireless community advocate,
and is also a co-host for 3RRR "Radiotherapy"

Congratulations to Dr Gemma Sharp who is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow and clinical psychologist in the Central Clinical School's Department of Psychiatry. She was one of only five national finalists for the Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award. 

Dr Sharp was nominated by her supervisor and Head of Psychiatry, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, for her significant contribution to the field of body image and eating disorder clinical research in her short career. 

Controlling AML maturation can reduce disease relapse

AML group led by A/Prof Ross Dickins. Authors on the paper on AML therapy are bolded. L-R: Mr Max Garwood, Ms Jade Jowett-Crociani, Dr Katharine Goodall, A/Prof Ross Dickins, Dr Steven Ngo, Mr Ethan Oxley, Ms Skye Ho

Associate Professor Ross Dickins and colleagues have discovered a promising approach to the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). 

AML is a type of cancer that affects immature progenitor cells (which haven't yet differentiated into a specialised white blood cell type) living in bone marrow. 

Neuroscience researchers receive $1.45M from US Department of Defense for research on Post-Traumatic Epilepsy

Dr Idrish Ali (left) & Dr Pablo Casillas-Espinosa (right)

by Dr Loretta Piccenna

International funding totalling $1,450,575 from the US Department of Defense (DoD) Epilepsy Research Program has been awarded to early career researchers - Dr Idrish Ali (EP200033) and Dr Pablo Casillas-Espinosa (EP200022) - within the Department of Neuroscience, to each individually advance translational research on Post-Traumatic Epilepsy. This will further efforts to improve detection and minimise related health risk factors in individuals affected, especially Service members and Veterans. 

Viertel award to drive research on optimising care for people with new-onset or first seizures

Dr Emma Foster has been awarded a
Viertel Clinical Investigator Award

Congratulations to Dr Emma Foster, who has been awarded a Viertel Clinical Investigator Award from The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation, for $90,000. 

Dr Foster is a practising neurologist at Alfred Health and an Early Career Post-doctoral Research Fellow, in the Epilepsy and Personalised Medicine (Kwan) research group in the Department of Neuroscience at the Central Clinical School. She recently completed her PhD on the Optimisation of First Seizure Management.