Around the Precinct – 22 April 2021

As Winter weather arrives in Melbourne, our research has been helping to heal broken hearts, shed light on often overlooked fungal infections and improve the performance of stroke response teams. We look at how immunisation needs to be considered in the treatment of MS, explore new technology to test life-saving drugs in real time, report on the roadblocks to COVID-19 testing & global recovery, and expand cancer clinical trials. Welcome to this week at Alfred Research Alliance.

ALFRED HEALTH

Shedding light on overlooked infections

Alfred Health researchers will play a major role in developing a global Fungal Pathogen Priority List (PPL) which will shed light on an often-overlooked group of infections. With fungal infections on the increase, it’s important work which will address the high rates of these often deadly infections. The list is funded by the World Health Organisation. Read more…

Expanding access to cancer clinical trials

In another example of Alfred Health expertise bringing much-needed services to where they are required, a new expansion of TrialHub, based within Alfred Health’s clinical trial units, is working alongside Latrobe Regional Hospital to expand cancer clinical trials which can not only give patients access to new medicines and therapies, but contribute to future life-saving or life-enhancing treatments. Read more…

BAKER HEART AND DIABETES INSTITUTE

New equipment allows scientists to test life-saving drugs in real time

A new $1.5 million multiphoton microscopy platform is helping Baker Institute scientists with ground-breaking projects to advance precision medicine, develop smarter clot busting drugs, and prevent damage after a heart attack. The state-of-the-art equipment allows researchers to look at living mouse models to track disease processes and novel treatments in real time. Read more…

MONASH UNIVERSITY – CCS AND SPHPM

Research finds a way to mend broken hearts

A Monash CCS team led by Prof Sam El-Osta has found a way to prevent and reverse damage caused by broken-heart syndrome. Also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the condition mimics a heart attack and is brought on by stressful emotional triggers like the death of a loved one or family separation. The world-first study showed a drug called Suberanilohydroxamic acid, or SAHA, dramatically improved cardiac health and reversed the broken heart. Read more…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and immunisation

The immunisation status of patients newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) must not be overlooked when beginning treatment with immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), say researchers from Monash CCS and Alfred Health. The study authors, led by A/Prof Anneke van der Walt, say determining immunisation status, and taking an individualised approach to risk–benefit assessment when considering vaccinations, is vital. Read more…

Acute stroke treatment improved by adding emergency pharmacist to the team

A well known saying in the field of neurology is ‘time is brain’ and for a recent study conducted by the Monash CCS Dept of Neuroscience, Monash SPHPM and Alfred Health, that adage couldn’t be more true, as every minute a stroke sufferer isn’t treated, more damage takes place. The study found adding an emergency medicine pharmacist improved acute stroke care by an average of 12 minutes. Read more…

BURNET INSTITUTE

Shame, stigma barriers to COVID-19 testing for young & culturally diverse, report finds

Shame and stigma are preventing young Australians and key community groups from deciding to be tested for COVID-19 in situations where testing is warranted, new collaborative research led by Burnet Institute found. The Optimise Study, led by Burnet Institute with the Peter Doherty Institute , has been following a group of over 300 participants from key groups for the past six months. Read more…

Surging global cases of COVID-19 threaten Australia’s exit strategy

The race to vaccinate the world is not keeping pace with accelerating rates of transmission driven by viral variants of concern writes Burnet’s Professor Mike Toole AM and Professor Brendan Crabb AC in the Sydney Morning Herald. Uneven and inequitable distribution of available vaccines, and the rise of new variants are just two factors suggesting a ‘vaccine-plus’ strategy, rather than jabs alone, is needed. Read more…