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SCS research and awards news

For all our research and awards news, please visit our news page.

Tuesday 19 August 2014

SCS and MIMR-PHI Open Day - tomorrow 5.00 - 7.30pm

Why study with us?
The School of Clinical Sciences (SCS) at Monash Health and MIMR-PHI Institute of Medical Research are all about innovative research techniques in (but not limited to); molecular biology, genetics/genomics, structural biology, physiology, cell biology, clinical research and animal models.
What's more, we're a clinical teaching school and research facility located in a unique translational research environment. Our researchers, clinician-scientists and students benefit from our strong partnerships with Monash University, the soon-to-open Monash Health Translation Precinct, Monash Health and many prestigious institutes and centres in Australia and around the world.
This is why we're the perfect place to undertake your Honours (including Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS Hons), Bachelor of Science (BSci Hons), Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BBioMedSci Hons) and Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci Hons)), Masters and/or PhD degree.

The Pfizer Centre for Therapeuti​c Innovation at Monash University

Message from Professor Christina Mitchell, Vice President for Health and Professor Ross Coppel Deputy Dean Research

It is with great pleasure that we can announce a major new opportunity to build on our capabilities in biologics, especially in the therapeutic antibody space.  CTI (a semi-independent subsidiary of Pfizer) has executed an agreement with Monash giving us access to very generous terms to translate some of our great basic research into new therapies.  
CTI will invest significantly in early stage projects, sharing their expertise in developing new strategic assets.  Under this option agreement CTI will fund the project through to the end of Phase 1, at which point Pfizer may step in and convert the option agreement to a full license.    Further should CTI (or Pfizer) choose to terminate a joint research program, all assets developed under the agreement are made available for Monash via a research license.  Projects selected for funding will support 1-2 post-docs for each project, a percentage of the PI’s salary, all supplies necessary for the project as well as indirect costs.  

Important notice for staff and any potential candidates for the MD (Unsupervised)

As you would be aware, the new Monash University (Academic Board) Regulations were promulgated on 28 May 2014.  The regulations resulted in a number of changes to higher degrees by research (HDR), including the disestablishment of all unsupervised HDR programs, namely the Staff PhD and the MD (unsupervised).  This change to practice arose following a review of programs within the Go8 which revealed that Monash is the only University that has allowed unsupervised HDR enrolment. Unsupervised enrolment is not endorsed by the Australia Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies (DDoGS) and is also not supported by the Higher Education Standards Panel Research Training Standards coming into effect next year.  Current enrolments in the unsupervised HDR programs are not affected by the changes in the regulations. 

Not sure what to do after your PhD? Wondering if there are other options besides a post-doc?

Come to the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences CAREERS EVENING to hear from speakers with PhDs in medical research who have gone on to various careers, including clinical research, government and patent law.
Wed 20 August, 6-8pm, South 1 Lecture Theatre. Guest speakers & panel discussion. Pizza, soft drink, wine & beer provided. 
See attached poster for more details! Please register for this event here:

Call for New Projects - IITB-Monas​h Research Academy

Greetings from The IITB-Monash Research Academy (“The Academy”). 

This is to inform you that the December 2014 intake process for the IITB-Monash Research Academy ("The Academy") has now commenced.  We start this process always with the definition of new collaborative projects between faculty members at IITB and at Monash. 
A series of advertising in major Indian newspapers will take place which will certainly lead to an large amount of traffic to the Academy website. Collaborative projects, once defined, will be advertised on the website with a view to attracting good students.This means that if you have any new project proposal ideas, now is the time to submit.

Compliment​ary Registrati​on: World Health Summit 2014, Berlin

Annually, the World Health Summit (WHS) brings together experts from academia, politics, industry, and civil society to mutually address the most pressing issues facing medicine and health care in the coming decade and beyond. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the French Republic François Hollande, and the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso support this unique global event with their high patronage.

On Sunday, October 19, German Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will ceremonially open the World Health Summit 2014 in the prestigious "Weltsaal" of the Federal Foreign Office. He will be joined by keynote speakers including Barry J. Marshall (Nobel Prize Laureate in Medicine, 2005). 


The program of this year's World Health Summit will focus on four major topics:
 1. Climate Change and Health
2. Healthy Aging, Healthy Cities & Prevention
3. Universal Health Coverage
4. Medical Education
 

Inaugural Gustav Nossal Medal for Global Health and Jacques Miller Medal for Experiment​al Biomedicin​e

The Australian Academy of Science is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the Gustav Nossal Medal for Global Health and Jacques Miller Medal for Experimental Biomedicine. 

The Gustav Nossal Medal for Global Health has been established to honour the contributions made to fields of cellular immunology, antibody formation and tolerance and vaccine research science by Sir Gustav Nossal, AC CBE FAA FRS FTSE. 
The award is open to candidates with a demonstrated excellence in research in Global Health.

The Jacques Miller Medal for Experimental Biomedicine has been established to honour the contributions made to science by Professor Jacques Miller AC FAA FRS that include the discovery of the function of the thymus and the identification, in mammalian species, of the two major subsets of lymphocytes and their functions.The award is open to candidates with a demonstrated excellence in research in Experimental Biomedicine.

Candidates for both awards may be up to 15 years post PhD in the calendar year of nomination, except in the case of significant interruptions to a research career.

Nomination details and guidelines can be found here - http://www.science.org.au/awards/

Deadline for nominations is 24 September 2014.

PhD opportunity in applied-clinical toxicology


1olp opm by Andrei Lomize
under licence Creative Commons

Project outline: Assessment of the disposition, bioavailability and toxicity of orally administered lipophilic drugs during intravenous lipid emulsion therapy.
Intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) is an increasingly recommended therapy
for severe cardiovascular drug poisoning in the clinical setting. It is currently recommended as a part of the clinical treatment for accidental intravenous local anaesthetic toxicity and is also suggested as a potential treatment for severe poisoning from orally ingested CVS toxins unresponsive to standard therapies. Preliminary data suggest that timing of ILE administration after oral lipophilic drug exposure may affect intestinal drug absorption and result in adverse outcomes.

Professor Louise Newman calls on health professionals to speak out on Australia’s asylum seeker policies

Professor Louise Newman, School of Clinical Sciences, has written an open letter to the Prime Minister outlining the devastating impact of detention on asylum seekers, particularly children.
Croakey  http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2014/08/18/jaccuse-call-on-health-professionals-to-speak-out-on-australias-asylum-seeker-policies/

Leading Transformational Change

An informative seminar presented by Maureen Bisognano, CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Thursday 4 September, 2-3pm, Lecture Theatre 2, Monash Medical Centre

In these challenging times for health care, incremental improvements are no longer sufficient. To meet the needs of our populations, and to keep our promises as care givers, we need to transform our systems of care to improve patient experiences, improve population health, and lower health care costs. More information here.

Immunology Group of Victoria (IgV) Annual Retreat, 1 - 2 September 2014

All staff and students interested in Immunology are invited to the Immunology Group of Victoria (IgV) Annual Retreat from 1 - 2 September 2014.

Be part of this exciting two-day conference in the beautiful surrounds of the Forest Novotel in Creswick (just outside Ballarat). Great opportunity to hear from Victoria's most respected immunologists and network with colleagues at the Conference Dinner and Trivia Evening. For more information and online registration visit: http://www.immunology.org.au/regional-branches/victoria-tasmania-branch/

Cancer Cell Signalling and Immune Cell Signalling


The Faculty of Biomedical and Psychological Sciences is hosting two mini-symposia on Cancer Cell Signalling and Immune Cell Signalling on Friday, 26 September 2014 from 8:50 am -5:00 pm.
Each symposium will be accompanied by a Biomedicine Discovery Lecture, which will be introduced by the Monash University Vice-Provost (Research and Research Infrastructure) Professor Ian Smith.
Dr John Blenis from Harvard Medical School will be discussing mTOR Complex 1:Signal Integrator and Regulator of Cell Growth. (see flyer)
Dr Alfred Singer from NIH will be discussing Negative Selection and Regulatory T Cell Development in the Thymus. (see flyer)
Please register your attendance at the free symposia and/or Biomedicine Discovery Lectures at www.med.monash.edu/research/mini-symposium.html.


MNHS Inaugural Research Week - "The Future of Research"

This week is the Faculty’s inaugural Research Week (18-22 August), targeted this year at HDR students and Early Career Researchers. The Faculty has organised an exciting series of FREE seminars and workshops over the week, covering a range of topics.  Examples of events include:
 ·         Mon 18 August, 6-8pm: Panel discussion to launch the opening of Research Week, looking at the future of research from a global and local perspective
·         Wed 20 August, 6-8pm: HDR Careers Evening
·         Thurs 21 August, 4-5pm: Faculty ECR Publication Prize
·         Fri 22 August, 1-2.30pm: Faculty 3 Minute Thesis Final
The full program including registration for each event can be found on the Faculty’s website at: http://www.med.monash.edu.au/research/research-week-2014.html


Peter Ebeling comments on a call for more research into pregnancy induced osteoporosis

Endocrinologist, Professor Peter Ebeling comments on an uncommon form of osteoporosis that is caused by pregnancy.  Professor Ebeling suggests the cause may be an imbalance of  calcium-regulating hormones including parathyroid hormone-related protein, and recommends pregnant women take Vitamin D supplements.  Watch the full 7.30 Report story here.