Message from the Chair of MUSAG - Professor Julian Smith

Incoming RACS CEO visits Monash Medical School

Ms Mary Harney, a distinguished member of the Monash University Alumni and the incoming CEO of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, is a well-established and respected member of the health, science and agricultural sectors in Australia.

Whilst attending the recent Monash Global Leaders' Summit at the Clayton Campus Ms Harney took the opportunity to meet with the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Professor Christina Mitchell, and with surgical educators and researchers at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and also at the Central Clinical School.             
                         

What's new in Research - around the campuses

                                          Monash Health

Monash Health would like to highlight the impressive work of their Upper GI/HPB unit over the past 12 months.

  

This unit is now running 6 clinical trials, has been involved in the establishment of the Victorian Upper GI cancer registry – both pancreatic and oesophago-gastric modules – and have been instrumental in linking a tissue bank with the pancreatic registry.  

The unit has had 2 PhD students submit theses in the past year and has a further PhD student enrolled with another about to commence as well as one Master’s student.

They have had 11 publications and have helped to arrange a state-wide symposium on the optimal pathways of care for patients with Oesophageal Cancer.  

New Professor of Surgery - Eastern Health: Dr Shomik Sengupta

Dr. Shomik Sengupta is a consultant urologist with a uro-oncology subspecialty interest – including open, laparoscopic and robotic cancer surgery. Prior to his appointment to Eastern Health, Shomik was a VMO with the Department of Urology at Austin Health, including as Director of Training & Research from 2012 to 2017. He has also been a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne since 2014. Shomik undertakes private practice based in Glen Waverley and East Melbourne.

Monash Researches Lead the Way in Saving Lives and Limbs

Originally published http://scsenews.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/monash-innovation-will-save-limbs-and.html

Monash University and Monash Health researchers/clinicians have led a collaboration of Australian organisations to solve a global medical problem that will save lives around the world.

Fulbright Fellow to visit Monash University Department of Surgery - Alfred

You are invited to attend a public lecture on 2 November being given by Professor T. Clark Gamblin on male cancers. Professor Gamblin is being hosted by the Alfred-Monash Department of Surgery.

• Register online for the 2 Nov 2017 public lecture

Polglase visiting Professorship in Colorectal Surgery - Cabrini Health

The Cabrini Department of Surgery will soon welcome Professor David Larson as part of the 2017 AL Polglase Visiting Professorship in Colorectal Surgery. Dr Larson is Chair of Colorectal Surgery at the world renowned Mayo Clinic, Rochester Minnesota USA.

Alfred hosts leading Osteointegration expert

The Alfred Department of Surgery and Plastic Unit were pleased to host Dr Max Ortiz Catalán. During his visit he visited with research groups and also gave a public lecture that shed light on how biology and mechatronics, can integrate man and machine through intuitive prosthetics, controlled by the mind.

Monash University surgeons awarded Australian Honours

Two surgeons affiliated with Monash University have been recognised in this years Queens Birthday Honours.

Professor Jonathan Serpell awarded honorary Fellowship

Congratulations to Professor Jonathan Serpell who was awarded a Fellowship ad hominem at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinborough Diploma Ceremony on 7 July 2017. Professor Serpell is Professor and Director of General Surgery at the Alfred Hospital, Monash University and Director of Breast, Endocrine and General Surgery Unit at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. He has become internationally known for his work on the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the safe and efficient practice of thyroidectomy and neck exploration.

Professor Wendy Brown awarded John Mitchell Crouch Fellowship

Professor Wendy Brown, Chair of the Monash University Department of Surgery at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne has just been awarded the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) John Mitchell Crouch Fellowship valued at $150,000. Professor Brown, a General Surgeon specialising in oesophago-gastric cancer, gastrooesophageal reflux disease and bariatric surgery, is the first woman to have been awarded the honour in a long list of awardees dating back to 1977 when the Fellowship was first established.

Post graduate careers in Surgical Research

The Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery recently employed two new Post-doctoral researchers; Dr Christine Koulis and Dr Rebekah Engel (below is a brief Q&A).

Teaching update

Undergraduate teaching

Surgery is one of the pillars of the Monash University medical degree. Monash students are fortunate to have access via their clinical schools to a world class surgical education, thanks in the most part to the commitment, experience and enthusiasm for teaching of hundreds of surgeons throughout Melbourne, regional Victoria and Malaysia.

 Elements of surgery are taught across all years of the program and at almost twenty clinical sites. In 2016 Monash University appointed Mr Peter Evans and Mr Tristan Leech, both practising surgeons, to the position of Curriculum/Assessment Leads for Surgery.

MUSIG 2017

The Monash University Surgical Interest Group (MUSIG) is a not-for-profit, student run organisation, dedicated to promoting the profession of surgery to medical students at Monash University. Since the last edition of the Cutting Edge, MUSIG has been busy with several key events.

An Introduction to Surgical Research - Short Course

by Mr James Lee

There is no doubt that surgical research is an integral part of surgical training. Over the last 12 weeks, a group of aspiring surgeons have completed “An Introduction to Surgical Research” short course. They come from diverse backgrounds – ranging from 3rd year medical students to surgical registrars – with some commuting from Newcastle, NSW for each of the 3 weekends. But they had one thing in common – an insatiable appetite for knowledge.

Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME)

The Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME) is able to connect surgeons at hospitals affiliated with Monash University with Monash University engineers.  Our first two years of seed grants are currently being reviewed in terms of their outcomes, impact and future potential for commercialisation. A new round of seed grants will occur in 2018.

Monash Partners

Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre continued to work towards our vision of enhancing the health of our community.

Upcoming funding opportunities

We list below a few of the research grants that are currently open and available to surgeons.  Dr Daphne Vogiagis, Business Manager at the Alfred Department of Surgery, maintains a complete list of upcoming grants.  She can be contacted by email Daphne.Vogiagis@monash.edu.

Contributions Please!

Professor Wendy Brown

We hope you have enjoyed this second issue of “The Cutting Edge”.

Our next issue will be in six months.  If you would like to contribute information about your research or teaching activities, or if you would like to highlight other surgical activities that might be relevant to our Departments we would be delighted to include them in the next edition.

Please email contributions to:

Jacki Sievers
PA to Professor Wendy Brown
                                    Jacki.Sievers@monash.edu

Until next time!

Wendy Brown