Research Achievements

BSc(Hons) Poster Prize

The 2007 Department of Medicine Poster Prize for BSc(Hons) students has been awarded to Mr Jia Wei Teo, for his study on the role of bone structure and architecture in the incidence of hip fractures in elderly people. Mr Teo is doing his BSc(Hons) year in the Seeman research group, and for this award he receives a Certificate of Excellence and a $100 bursary. Previous winners of the BSc(Hons) Poster Prize are listed here.

American Epilepsy Society Award in Clinical Research

The American Epilepsy Society has announced that Prof Ingrid Scheffer is the 2007 recipient of the Research Recognition Award in Clinical Research. Prof Scheffer co-heads the Epilepsy research group with Sam Berkovic, investigating the genetic basis of inherited forms of epilepsy. The awarded will be presented to Prof Scheffer at the AES meeting in Philadelphia, December 2007.

PhD Poster Prize

Mr Salvatore Mangiafico and Ms Bashair Mussa were the joint recipients of the 2007 Department of Medicine PhD Student Poster Prize. This prize is judged on posters presented during Austin Health Medical Research Week, held in October, and the winners receive a Certificate of Excellence and share a $250 bursary. Mr Mangiafico is doing his PhD in the Proietto research group, and the title of his poster was "Investigating the link between obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia". Ms Mussa is doing her PhD in the Verberne research group, and her poster was entitled "Vagal preganglionic neurons and receptors that affect pancreatic function".

The judges commended both students on the quality of their research. Previous winners of the PhD Poster Prize are listed here.

Research Grants Awarded in 2008

Congratulations to the following people within the department who were awarded research grants for funding commencing in 2008.

• Sof Andrikopoulos, Barbara Fam. NHMRC Project Grant. Understanding the cause and coonsequence of impaired insulin secretion in the NZO mouse a model of diabetes. 2008 – 2010, $684,375

• Peter Angus, Louise Burrell. NHMRC Project Grant. Novel vasoactive pathways in liver disease:  experimental & clinical studies 2008 – 2010, $513,750

• John Archer. AHMRF.  Benign focal epilepsies of childhood, maturational disorders of sensory cortices. 2008, $15,000

• Scott Baker.  NHMRC Medical Postgraduate Scholarship. Investigating the physiological and clinical differences in weight loss in obese subjects with & without diabetes. 2008 – 2009,  $64,006

• Sam Berkovic, Melanie Bahlo, Jim Stankovich, Leanne Dibbens. NHMRC Project Grant. The genetic basis of familial syncope. 2008 – 2010,  $383,650

• Sam Berkovic. NHMRC Australia Fellowship.  2007 – 2012,  $4,000,000

• Luke Burchill.  NHF Postgradualt Medical Research Scholarship. Novel components of the renin-angiotensin system  in cardiac disease. 2008, $31,905

• Louise Burrell.  Australian Diabetes Society ADS-Servier National Diabetes Strategy Grant. Do abnormalities on cardiac echocardiography predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes? 2008, $25,000

• Louise Burrell, George Jerums, Nagesh Anavekar. NHMRC Project Grant. Novel approaches to risk stratification in patients with type 2 diabetes. 2008 – 2010,  $488,250

• Cherie Chiang.  NHMRC Medical Postgraduate Scholarship. The role of androgens in osteoblast development and bone metabolism. 2008 – 2010,  $80,008

• Rachel Davey.  The University of Melbourne Melbourne Research Grants Scheme. The mechanisms of the anabolic actions of androgens in bone. 2008,  $27,192

• Barbara Fam.  The University of Melbourne Melbourne Research Grants Scheme. Role of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in body weight regulation. 2008, $27,192

• Mathis Grossmann.  RACP Osteoporosis Australia RACP Research Fellowship. Effect of rosiglitazone on bone microarchitecture in women. 2008,  $30,000

• Emma Hamilton.  RACP Rowling Trash & Treasure Research Entry Scholarsip in Arthritis Research. The relationship between testosterone & the architecture of bone in normal and hypogonadal males. 2008, $29,000

• David Howells.  AHMRF.  Biosafety changing station to permit effective use of micro-isolators. 2008,  $15,000

• Frank Ierino, Nicole Isbel, Henry Krum. RACP Jacquot Collaborative Research Initiative Grant.  A  randomised controlled trial of the beta-blocker carvediol versus placebo to reduce cardiovascular morbitiy and mortality in patients receiving dialysis. 2008 – 2010, $704,400

• Michael Krezel.  Kidney Health Australia Scholarship. Function of a novel growth factor inhibitor - ATIP1 - in diabetes.  2008, $28,000

• Simon Louis.  Kidney Health Australia Seeding Grant. Anti-growth factor actions of ATIP1 (AT2-receptor interacting protein) in diabetes. 2008,  $15,000

• Sherie Ma.  NHMRC Peter Doherty Fellowship. Relaxin-3 systems in brain: neurophysiology & behaviour.  2008 – 2011, $279,000

• Helen MacLean, Rachel Davey.  NHMRC Project Grant. Role of non-classical actions of androgens in musculoskeletal physiology. 2008 – 2010, $673,375

• Scott Patterson.  NHMRC Medical Postgraduate Scholarship. Clinical studies of novel antiviral therapies in advanced chronic hepatitis B virus infection. 2008 – 2009, $64,006

• Joe Proietto, Adamandia Kriketos. NHMRC Project Grant. An investigation of physiological adaptations contributing to weight regain after weight loss. 2008 – 2010,  $292,750

• Kesha Rana, Helen MacLean.  AHMRF.  The role of androgens in the regulation of fat mass and metabolism  in males.  2008,  $10,000  

• Daniela Sartor.  ANZ Charitable Trusts Medical Research & Technology Grants. Role of gut peptides in high blood pressure associated with obesity. 2008, $5,000

• Daniela Sartor.  The University of Melbourne Early Career Researcher Grants Scheme. The role of a leptin-cholecystokinin interaction in obesity-related hypertension.  2008, $28,962

• Andrew Turner, Rachel Davey. AHMRF.  The physiological role of the calcitonin receptor during lactation. 2008, $15,000

• William VanGaal, Louise Burrell. RACP Pfizer Medical Research Fellowship. Novel markers of myocardial injury in man. 2008, $50,000 

• Taryn Wills.  NHMRC Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship. The therapeutic potential of neuroepithelial cells in the injured rat spinal cord.  2008 – 2009, $44,514  

• Jeffrey Zajac, Julie McManus.  The University of Melbourne Melbourne Research Grants Scheme. The role of androgens in erythropoiesis. 2008, $27,068

• Sakenah Zraika.  Diabetes Australia Research Trust Research Grant. Investigation of the role of neprilysin in insulin secretion and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction.  2008, $50,000

International Young Investigator Award

Mr Ali Ghasem-Zadeh has been selected by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry to receive their International Young Investigator Award. Mr Ghasem-Zadeh, a member of the Seeman research group, received $2000 and a certificate for this award. Mr Ghasem-Zadeh's abstract, entitled Micro-structural basis of bone fragility in women and men was presented at the ISCD's annual meeting in San Francisco in March 2008.

American Society for Bone & Mineral Research Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr Rachel Davey is this year's recipient of the ASBMR Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award. This award recognises an individual in the early stage of his or her career who displays a strong commitment to teaching and learning. Dr Davey is Head of the Bone Biology Laboratory in the Molecular Endocrinology Research Group, and has also been Honours Coordinator for the department's BSc(Hons) program for the past three years. The award recipients are recognised for their significant impact on students' intellectual development by providing them with opportunities to develop their interests in science generally and for creating a research or learning environment characterised by enthusiasm for teaching and learning, effective teaching and mentoring strategies, high expectations, and outstanding results. Dr Davey is the first non-American to receive this award from the ASBMR. The award includes a $1,500 honorarium and a plaque that will be presented to Dr Davey at the Annual Meeting in September 2008.