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RESEARCH AT SYDNEY MEDICAL SCHOOL NEPEAN
Sydney Medical School Nepean is located at Nepean Hospital, approximately 50km west of Sydney CBD at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Medical research is a major aspect of the School’s activities. Many postgraduate research students undertake their training towards a higher degree in the facilities of the School, under the supervision of scientists and clinicians conducting research programs in a wide variety of fields.
Nepean has built a well-deserved reputation for innovative research and educational programs with a strong emphasis on giving students access to a broad range of clinical and research opportunities. Research training is coordinated by our Sub-Dean of Research and Postgraduate Coordinator Professor Ralph Nanan and Research Support Officer Ms Susan Dowd. What we offer:
Well equipped laboratories
New clinical areas which host patients who participate in clinical research
Internationally recognised experts in all our disciplines who combine laboratory based research with clinical research
Research that is focused around translational medicine
Biostatics support
Postgraduate support
Ethics and Research Administrative support
2013 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS
CARDIOLOGY The Department of Cardiology participates in international trials involving patients with acute coronary syndromes, atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Research Interests: Cardiac electrophysiology and pacing. 1. Heart failure and ACS outcome studies. 2. Interventional cardiology.
Associate Professor Drew Fitzpatrick Contact: [email protected]
Dr David Coulshed Contact: [email protected]
CRITICAL CARE
Clinical Professor Anthony McLean – Head of Discipline, Critical Care Sydney Medical School The Critical Care Research Team is a leading group in Australian intensive care research. In the group are: Dr Benjamin Tang, Dr Maryam Shojaei, Amy Phu, Grant Parnell, Dr Marek Nalos, Professor Stephen Huang, Professor Anthony McLean Research interests: Our research focus is in general immunology, functional genomics and severe infection and combines both clinical and laboratory science. We use the latest analyses tools, including genome-wide expression analyses, proteomics and meta-analysis. We are seeking well motivated students/researchers to join our team as we expand our research program.
1. Influenza Infection. We have recently discovered a biomarker of circulating dendritic cells in patients with severe influenza infection. This discovery allows us gain important insights into the dysregulated immune response in influenza infection. Current projects: • Validation of dendritic biomarkers in patients presented to emergency department with
suspected influenza infection. • Identification of dendritic cell proteomic marker in peripheral blood during influenza
infection • Further investigation on the role of dendritic cells in immune response to influenza virus.
2. Immune Suppression in Severe Infection. Our laboratory has made several important discoveries in the mechanism of immune suppression during severe infection. We used sophisticated genome-wide analysis to identify the exact molecular pathways that have been associated with immune suppression.
Current projects: • To further delineate these pathways in patients with severe infection • To develop an assay that allows the use of these pathway information at bedside. 3. Genetic Polymorphism in Drug Response Individuals respond differently to drugs. Much of this variability is genetically based. Understanding this variability is important because it helps identify high risk patients who may have inadvertent response to drug, or those patients who may suffer excessive toxicity in dosage that is otherwise safe for other patients. Currently, there is no systematic way to identify and measure this genetic variability. • The identification of this genetic variability in critically ill patients. Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
GASTROENTEROLOGY/ ADDICTION MEDICINE
Clinical Associate Professor Martin Weltman The discipline of Addiction Medicine is an exciting area of medicine with a wealth of opportunities for learning and research. Drug and alcohol use affects and impacts all body systems, affecting individuals, families and societies. It offers opportunities to be involved in novel innovative research utilising a full spectrum of skills, and scientific techniques. As the discipline is still developing and growing, it offers an ideal opportunity for students in a myriad of projects- whether these are completed as Independent Learning Activities, electives, research projects, Honours, Masters or indeed PhD theses. The service at Nepean Blue Mountains LHD comprises inpatient and outpatient services, community clinics delivering services from Penrith to Lithgow in diverse styles to patients aged from 12 through to 100. Each clinician has various interests and projects available for students, and are happy to discuss student initiated ideas. Research Interests: 1. Gastroenterological impacts of addiction particularly alcohol/addiction pharmacotherapies/ hepatitis C genetics, burden of disease and innovations for screening and, treatment 2. Drink driving and recidivism/the role of NGO’s and addiction treatment options/optimising care for improving overall health outcomes for patients and families living with dependency.
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Winston Kardell Addiction and social determinants of health/dual diagnosis/addiction, dependence the media and the law/ ethics.
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Karen Fisher Adolescence and addiction.
Contact: [email protected]
MEDICINE
Endocrinology Professor Jack Wall - Nepean Head of Discipline, Medicine Dr Hooshang Lahooti, Dr Bernard Champion and Associate Professor Emily Hibbert Clinical Research. Professor Wall and his team carry out basic and clinical research into Graves’ disease, the associated ophthalmopathy and related thyroid and orbital autoimmune disorders. 1. His main area of research interest has been the eye muscle component of thyroid- associated ophthalmopathy for which he is known internationally. 2. He was the first to focus on the autoimmune basis of ophthalmopathy and identify serum autoantibodies and to recognize the importance of the serum eye muscle antibodies as markers of eye muscle damage. 3. He is a pioneer in the use of real-time thyroid ultrasonography in Australia. 4. The main methodology used in his studies include; gene sequencing, cell sorting, immune- histochemistry, Western blotting, T cell enumeration and functional studies, antibody testing and development of in vitro and animal models for thyroid associated ophthalmopathy Contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Medical Education Research. At Sydney Medical School Nepean we have a formal medical education group, meeting regularly to plan medical education research and teaching participation. Associate Professor Emily Hibbert, Dr Bernard Champion and a number of others are interested in supervising honours students who would like to undertake projects in this area.
Associate Professor Emily Hibbert Recent areas of education research focus on strategies to optimize the learning experience of medical students and doctors in training: Research Interests: 1. Development of videos demonstrating common endocrinology clinical tasks and looking at the impact of these on student performance of the tasks in an observed structured clinical examination. 2. Recruitment of patient volunteers for clinical teaching with the aim of enhancing student learning through increased student contact time with patients with conditions students need to learn about. 3. Exploration of the factors which affect retention of patient volunteers in a teaching program
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Bernard Champion Research Interests: 1. Residents As Teachers Program (RAST)- A pilot program recruiting junior doctors to teach medical students in an apprenticeship model with senior tutors and providing them with specific teaching skills through a seminar program. 2. Evaluation of assessment models such as MCQ, EMQ, MiniCEX, script concordance tests. 3. Evaluation of learning experiences in non-traditional settings such as specialist private rooms.
Endocrinology and Diabetes Research. Additionally Emily and Bernard have a number of projects available in the areas of endocrinology and diabetes.
Contact: [email protected]
GERIATRICS
Professor Gustavo Duque The Ageing Bone Research Program integrates three main components: Basic, translational and clinical. Research Interests:
1. Basic Science Research utilises mesenchymal stem cells to develop new medications for osteoporosis and to understand the mechanisms of ageing in bone. We also investigate the odd relationship between bone and fat.
2. Translational Research aims to develop new diagnostic methods of osteoporosis using marrow fat quantification. The program is developing two phase two trials to assess new therapeutic compounds for osteoporosis.
3. Clinical Research. This Unit conducts clinical trials on a number of areas of significant relevance to the older population, such as osteoporosis, falls and balance disorders. Currently there are three clinical trials in progress. The ViDaBE study (The effect of Vitamin D on Balance Performance in Elderly Fallers) is investigating the effects of high dose intramuscular Vitamin D supplement on balance performances in older people who suffers from balance disorders and have low Vitamin D status. The ZED study (Zoledronic acid and Endothelial Dysfunction) is investigating the mechanisms of the mortality benefit of Zoledronic acid in Osteoporosis treatment. The QoL study is a multicenter study involving other leading osteoporosis centres in Australia examining the true burden of fragility fractures in our ageing population.
Contact: [email protected]
HAEMATOLOGY
Dr Stephen Fuller Is a Clinical Haematologist at Nepean Hospital and is responsible for investigating and treating outpatients and inpatients with a range of malignant and non-malignant Haematological disorders. In addition to Clinical Haematology, Dr Fuller is qualified in Laboratory Haematology and is the Head of the Flow Cytometry Service at Nepean. Dr Fuller is the Head of Academic Haematology at Sydney Medical School Nepean and is Chair of the Stage 1 Haematology Block for Sydney Medical School. Research Interests: 1. Biology of the ATP-gated, cation-selective, P2X7 receptor and significance to human infectious, malignant and autoimmune diseases.
2. The genetics of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Contact: [email protected]
OBSTETRICS, GYNAECOLOGY & NEONATOLOGY (OG&N)
Professor Hans Peter Dietz – Nepean Head of Discipline, OG&N
Research Interests: 1. Pelvic Floor Trauma in childbirth: diagnosis, prediction, prevention,
surgical correction. This project focuses on delivery-related trauma to the levator ani muscle which we have shown to be the main aetiological factor in female pelvic organ prolapse. We have developed novel surgical procedures to close the resulting defects, restore functional anatomy or, if this is impossible, to compensate for functional deficits. This project will follow the first cohort of patients for the first 6 months and will generate data for a future randomised controlled trial.
2. The aetiology of female stress urinary incontinence. It is assumed that stress urinary
incontinence is due to either defective urethral fixation to the pelvic sidewall or abnormal anatomy and/or function of the urethral rhabdosphincter, or a combination of these factors. We have developed a methodology that allows the analysis of urethral mobility at high spatial and temporal resolutions, facilitating new insights into the interaction between these factors. This project will focus on voiding function, and the way in which urethral kinking influences continence.
3. The pelvic floor in women after Vesicovaginal fistula: lessons from the Fistula
Hospital, Addis Ababa. Vesicovaginal fistula is a common problem in the developing world. Short of maternal death, it is the worst-case scenario for obstructed labour, and it results in a unique combination of anatomical abnormalities, many of them persisting even after successful fistula repair. While most fistulae can be cured with the primary repair, many women continue to suffer from severe stress urinary incontinence, and the vagina often does not return to a normal functional state. This project will explore opportunities for further improvement.
Contact: [email protected]
Professor Michael Peek – Associate Dean, Sydney Medical School Nepean
Research Interests: 1. Pre-eclampsia screening using ultrasound.
2. Medical disorders in pregnancy.
3. Also many projects in collaboration with paediatrics such as the role of Treg cells in pre-eclampsia.
4. Two current NHMRC Project Grants. One looking at national reporting systems for obstetric morbidity and the other investigating rheumatic heart disease in pregnancy.
5. Participation in a number of multicentre RCTs including PROMPT and Progress Trials.
Contact: [email protected] Associate Professor George Condous - Obstetrics and Gynaecology Associate Professor Condous oversees the Acute Gynaecology Service at Nepean Hospital. The service sees women with emergency gynaecological as well as early pregnancy complications (miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy). He is also responsible for the One-Stop Ultrasound based diagnostic clinics; which review women with abnormal uterine bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, adnexal pathology as well as post-menopausal bleeding. He also performs Advanced Endosurgery procedures for women who need intervention for pelvic masses, frozen pelvis, endometriosis or hysterectomy.
Research Interests: IPULA Study 1. The principal aim of this project is the multi-centre prospective evaluation of newly developed mathematical models for the classification of PULs into failing PULs, intra- uterine pregnancies and ectopic pregnancies. 2. The secondary aim is to collect data for the development of new mathematical models (such
as artificial neural networks (ANN), least-squares support vector machines (LS-SVM), and Bayesian networks) specifically designed to classify clinically difficult PUL cases; assess the variation between centres in outcomes of PULs and the performance of the model.
Project design:
1. Prospective non-interventional observational multi-centre study. 2. The Randomisation of Ectopic Pregnancies to Surgical, Medical or Expectant 3. Management. 4. Maternal Serum Biochemistry in Early Pregnancy as Markers for Adverse Pregnancy. 5. Outcome.
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
SURGERY
Professor Michael Cox – Nepean Head of Discipline, Surgery Professor Cox sees his role as Professor to function as a surgical leader both within and beyond Nepean hospital, to foster clinical research within Nepean, to maintain a strong clinical presence in elective upper GI surgery and acute general surgery and to inspire and mentor students and graduates into the fulfilling and satisfying career offered by surgery and general surgery in particular.
Contact: [email protected]
Professor Mohamed Khadra - eHealth and Surgical Education Research Nepean Hospital has been at the forefront of research into eHealth and more recently, surgical education.
Research Projects: 1. Telemedicine. Nepean Hospital developed the world’s first Virtual intensive
care unit which is an advanced application of telemedicine. Research needs to be conducted around improving the user interface, the patient context, clinical applications, development of newer forms of interface, rural and regional applications.
2. Second Life is a virtual world where participants take on avatars and are able to explore anonymously and safely in an online environment free of the tyranny of distance. We have developed a Sydney University teaching hospital in second life and have populated it with PBL from the curriculum. There are a number of research questions around how well is this received? Are there applications for patients in terms of rehearsing the illness journey or as a means of patient education? What are the implications for surgical consent?
3. Surgical Competence - How do we define it, test for it, assess it, train it and maintain it? There is scope for considerable research in this area with questions about simulation, its role for surgical training, competency based training, continuing assessment of surgeons.
Contact: [email protected]
Associate Professor Guy D. Eslick Guy is a Co-Director of The Whiteley-Martin Research Centre, where there is a strong emphasis on evidence-based surgery, surgical oncology and cancer epidemiology. Research Interests: 1. Aetiology of cancer 2. Oesophageal cancer 3. Gastrointestinal diseases and symptoms 4. Surgical outcomes and surgical evidence 5. Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
We welcome all research ideas from any prospective students, please come and discuss your potential projects with us.
Contact: [email protected]
PAEDIATRICS
Professor Ralph Nanan – Nepean Head of Discipline, Paediatrics Research Interests: 1. Professor Nanan has a special research interest in infectious diseases,
clinical immunology and neonatology. Professor Nanan is investigating the role of T regulatory cells at the level of the feto maternal interface. This is an important area of research to better understand why the fetus is tolerated by the maternal immune system. Breakdown of this tolerance is associated to the most common disorder in pregnancy, pre-eclampsia.
2. How events in pregnancy affect a child later in life. In this context he is interested in antenatal risk factors, which can impact on allergies and autoimmune disease.
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Anthony Liu Research Interest: The effect of illicit drugs taken during pregnancy and the effects on the newborn infant, in particular t the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Dr Liu has published in this area and has presented at international meetings. Dr Liu has a passion for medical student teaching and has completed a Master in Medical Education degree at the University of Sydney.
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Alison (Sally) Poulton, Senior Lecturer Research Interests: 1. Dr Poulton is interested in the effects of stimulant medication on growth, body composition, appetite and appetite related hormones. She has studied these collateral effects of stimulant medication in the context of the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 2. Therapeutic effects of stimulant medication which Dr Poulton's clinical observations suggests are closely related:
- The effect on concentration, motivation and application to task. - appetite suppression..
3. To investigate the use of dexamphetamine for the treatment of obesity in adults. The focus
here is similar to its use in ADHD, adjusting the dose to optimise behavioural outcomes (ability to comply with lifestyle changes to promote weight loss), rather than relying on the appetite suppression - an approach which has previously been associated with abuse and toxicity.
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Girish Deshpande
Research interests: Dr Deshpande from Sydney’s Nepean Hospital and Nepean Clinical School is one of the leaders in the probiotics research, which are “good bacteria.” Since the year 2011 the Nepean Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was the first NICU in Australia to offer Probiotics as a routine therapy in premature babies for prevention against NEC. He aims to prove that Probiotics is the silver bullet for the prevention of this deadly disease. His other areas of interest are neonatal nutrition including parenteral nutrition, intravenous lipids and evidence based medicine, Cochrane systematic reviews. His current research is focused on probiotics and meta-genomics, randomized controlled trials of newer lipids and evaluation of body composition after selective nutritional interventions in preterm neonates. Contact: [email protected]
PSYCHIATRY
Associate Professor Vladan Starcevic – Nepean Head of Discipline, Psychiatry
Research Interests: 1. Anxiety disorders 2. Benzodiazepines and other anxiolytic medications 3. Obsessive-compulsive disorder 4. Mood disorders 5. Somatization, health anxiety and hypochondriasis 6. Excessive/problem use of video games and the Internet 7. Psychopathology 8. Classification of mental disorders 9. Measurement instruments in psychiatry and mental health
Research Projects: 1. Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, impulse control disorders and quality of life in
Parkinson’s Disease 2. Subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder 3. The psychopathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder 4. Survey of the use of benzodiazepines and other medications for anxiety disorders 5. Health anxiety and hypochondriasis: diagnostic issues 6. Recognition of anxiety and depressive disorders by general practitioners and psychiatrists 7. Cross-sectional and longitudinal psychopathology and co-occurrence of various anxiety
disorders in an anxiety disorders clinic 8. Problem video game use: Assessment, characteristics and relationship to psychopathology 9. Validation of the Nepean Dysphoria Scale
Contact: [email protected]
Dr Vlasios (Bill) Brakoulias – Clinical Lecturer, Discipline of Psychiatry
Research Interests: 1. Obsessive-compulsive disorder 2. Delusional disorders and aberrations of belief. 3. The role of carers in mental health and psychotherapy.
Research Projects: 1. The Nepean OCD Study – a longitudinal assessment of the characteristics of OCD. 2. GP’s and the management of anxiety/ depression study. 3. Validation of the Nepean Dysphoria Scale. 4. Parkinson’s disease and impulse control disorders. 5. Sedative-hypnotic agents in the hospital setting. 6. Cognitions regarding auditory hallucinations. 7. Social cognition in borderline personality disorder. 8. Anxiety sensitivity and self-harm. 9. Validation of the Nepean Belief Scale (NBS). 10. Distinguishing beliefs in OCD and schizophrenia.
Contact: [email protected] Some of our 2012 Graduates
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Website: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/nepean
Professor Ralph Nanan, Sub-Dean Research and Postgraduate Coordinator for Nepean Contact: [email protected] Professor Jack Wall, Honours Coordinator Contact: [email protected] Susan Dowd, Research and Honours Support Officer Contact: [email protected] Phone: (02) 4734-2682 Maree Yabsley, Postgraduate Support Officer Contact: [email protected] Phone: (02) 4734-3205 Merrilee Kessler, Ethics and Research Administration Officer Contact: [email protected] Phone: (02) 4734-3277
Research at Sydney Medical School Nepean is supported by:
Web: http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/nepean/nmrf/
Australian Women & Children’s Research Foundation Web: www.ozwac.com.au
