Around the Precinct – 31 March 2022

Debunking common myths about coffee, a new registry to track treatment and outcomes of mesothelioma, and how analysing gut microbiome could aid in the early detection of liver disease – this week at the Alfred Research Alliance.

Baker gut microbiome and liver disease

Researchers from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute have found that analysis of gut microbiome could help predict liver disease.

Alfred Health

Coffee the secret to a long life
Drinking coffee could help you live longer according to world-first research by heart specialists at The Alfred.
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Diet giving fresh hope to epilepsy patients
Over one-third of patients at The Alfred’s specialist epilepsy nutrition clinic have experienced a reduction in seizures since beginning dietary treatment.
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Monash University – Central Clinical School

Brain wave signatures enable faster diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis
Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a brain inflammation disorder caused by antibodies. Researchers have been able to differentiate particular subtypes of AE using electroclinical biomarkers.
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Funding to break the research participation barrier in spinocerebellar ataxia
Congratulations to Dr Ian Harding, Department of Neuroscience, for obtaining a Young Investigator grant of USD $50,000 from the National Ataxia Foundation for research on spinocerebellar ataxias.
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Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE) launch
Associate Professor Jason Ong was recently awarded $667,191 by the National Health and Medical Research Council for an NHMRC e-ASIA 2021 Joint Research Program, “Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE)”.
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Eye movements may be key to chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis
A Monash Central Clinical School scientist has been awarded $180,000 over three years to develop a way to help diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
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Monash University – School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

New mesothelioma registry to track treatment and outcomes
The care experience, treatment pathways and outcomes for people diagnosed with mesothelioma is the focus of a new registry within our Cancer Research Program, thanks to a recent grant provided by Cancer Council Victoria.
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Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute

Sophisticated analysis of our gut microbiome could provide early prediction of liver diseases
Analysing the micro-organisms in our gut utilising sophisticated computing and DNA technology has shown it could substantially improve early prediction of liver diseases.
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Burnet Institute

Concern over slow third-dose take up
Professor Brendan Crabb is concerned about the slow take up of third COVID-19 doses in Australia and the prospect that new variants will emerge.
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Burnet’s commitment to TB elimination
On World TB Day 2022, Burnet Institute reaffirms its commitment to the ambitious global target to eliminate TB as a public health threat by 2030.
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