December 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the final NCIC Newsletter of the year. This 2025 edition reflects on a year of achievement, highlighting the progress, partnerships and innovations that continue to strengthen our network. I am very proud of our team and look forward to what we can accomplish as we transition into 2026. Wishing everyone a calm and restful holiday break, and a fresh start to the new year.

ELSA-Adult Study Launches

The ELSA-Adult study has launched at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital to assess whether antibiotics can be safely stopped early in high-risk cancer patients. Funded by Tour de Cure and VCCC, the study focuses on patients receiving intensive chemotherapy, stem cell transplants or CAR T-cell therapy. These patients often receive prolonged antibiotics for fever despite no infection being found.

Embedded in the electronic medical record, ELSA-Adult is adapted from the successful paediatric ELSA study at the Royal Children’s Hospital. The trial compares standard antibiotic duration with early cessation under strict safety criteria, aiming to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while maintaining patient safety.

2025 in review

We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our colleagues across the department.

Awards and Recognitions

Prof Karin Thursky celebrated a series of major achievements:

· Launch of the Health Services Research Department at PMCC

· Recipient of a VCCC Leadership Award

· Inducted into the RMH Hall of Fame

Associate Professor Ben Teh, Professor Monica Slavin, Professor Karin Thursky were recognised as the Top 2% cited scientists worldwide

Prof Leon Worth was promoted to full Professor, UoM Sir Peter MacCallum Dept. Oncology

A/Prof Gabrielle Haeusler was appointed Head of Department, Infectious Diseases at the Royal Children’s Hospital

Prof Monica Slavin joined JAC as Editor in Chief

Grants, Presentations & Publications

Doctor Abby Douglas was awarded the 2025 Peter Mac Research Early Career Development (RECD) Award

Associate Professor Michelle Yong and the trials team had a high-profile publication in Clinical Infectious Diseases “Interferon-α nasal spray prophylaxis reduces COVID-19 in cancer patients; A randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial”, CID 2025

Associate Professor Ben Teh and Doctor Victoria Hall had a high-profile publication in the New England Journal of Medicine “Influenza Vaccination Strategies in Patients with Hematologic Cancer” NEJM 2025

Doctor Zoe Neoh– Won Best Poster at the Mycology Masterclass and awarded a Pfizer ISR Grant “Isavuconazole treatment and prophylaxis in adult and paediatric patients with cancer - a multicentre national study (the SHIELD study)”

In 2025 we held the NCIC showcase

The showcase was a fantastic opportunity to highlight the work of the National Centre for Infections in Cancer- who we are, the projects we’re leading, our achievements, and what lies ahead. 

Part 1: Intro to the Centre + Surveillance Stream on detecting & monitoring infections in the immunocompromised host (ICH) in the digital health era.
Watch part 1.

Part 2: Innovations Stream on new diagnostics & treatments in precision medicine + Implementation Stream on improving practice through health services research.
Watch part 2.

NCIC Recent Publications

• Garg P, Yong KY, Khanina A, Yong MK, Hall L, Slavin MA, Smibert O, Worth LJ Infection Prevention and Surveillance in the Care of Australasian Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients Transpl Infect Dis. 2025

• Reynolds GK, Slavin MA Reporting infections in cellular therapies Blood Adv. 2025 Dec

• Yeoh DK, Butters C, Clark JE, Slavin MA, McMullan BJ, Haeusler GM, Blyth CC Invasive mould infection in children – advances made or obstacles remaining? Clin Microbiol Infect. 2025

• Khanina A, Singh N, Wen J, Chen C, James R, Kong DC, Slavin MA, Thursky KA Antifungal use and appropriateness: a study of Australian Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey data Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2025

• Neoh CF, Yong MK, Rowley L, Roberts AW, Kennedy GA, He S, Schwarer AP, Bilmon IA, Wei AH, Slavin MA Antifungal prophylaxis in patients with FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukaemia receiving sorafenib during induction and consolidation (ALLG AMLM16 trial) J Antimicrob Chemother. 2025

• Martin-Loeches I, Cornely OA, Denning DW, Guinea J, Bassetti M, Maertens J, Hoenigl M, Kanj SS, Slavin M, Ostrosky-Zeichner L, Muñoz P Invasive candidiasis in intensive care medicine: shaping the future of diagnosis and therapy Intensive Care Med. 2025

Upcoming Events

Please join us for the ICHS symposium, the event offers comprehensive scientific programming, insights into cutting-edge research, innovative care practices, and effective management strategies for immunocompromised hosts.

Abstracts Deadline Extended!

The Call for Abstracts for the ICHS 24th Biennial Symposium deadline has been extended to Monday, January 5, 2026.

This is a firm deadline. We strongly encourage you to submit your abstract at least one day before the deadline to avoid any technical delays. 

Submit your abstract to be considered for an oral or poster presentation during the Symposium. 

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

November 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the November edition of the NCIC newsletter. Recently we have made a strong impact in research and clinical leadership; Dr Gemma Reynolds delivered her PhD completion seminar on the CLARITY Study, Prof Karin Thursky was inducted into the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Hall of Fame and received a VCCC Leadership award, Dr Zoe Neoh won best poster at Mycology masterclass and was awarded a Pfizer ISR grant and A/Prof Ben Teh was awarded a Dalgleish Centre Mid Career Fellowship!

We are very proud of the dedication and excellence the NCIC team continues to showcase.

Research Updates

Dr Gemma Reynolds recently delivered her PhD completion seminar encompassing the CLARITY Study, an important investigation into infection risks associated with novel immunotherapies.

Infections remain a leading cause of non-relapse mortality following CAR-T and bispecific antibody (BsAb) therapies. However, infection data from clinical trials are often incomplete, lack pathogen-level detail and rarely capture late infectious complications. The CLARITY Study aims to address these gaps by generating real-world, longitudinal infection data with extended follow-up.

Dr Reynolds’ findings revealed that 49.5% of patients receiving CAR-T therapy experienced at least one infection. Among these:

• 37% viral, primarily respiratory viruses, CMV, and HHV infections;

• 22% bacterial, including bacteraemia, C. difficile, and gram-negative pneumonia;

• 7% fungal, such as yeast and Aspergillus infections; and

• 35% clinical infections, including respiratory infections and 7 cases of fatal sepsis.

These results underscore the significant infectious burden in CAR-T recipients and highlight the need for ongoing surveillance and risk prediction to improve outcomes for patients receiving these advanced therapies.

NCIC leaders, Prof Karin Thursky, Prof Monica Slavin, and A/Prof. Ben Teh, have been recognized among the top two percent of most-cited scientists worldwide, according to the newly released Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List for 2025. This prestigious annual list celebrates the world’s leading researchers who have made a significant impact in their fields through their citation influence.

The study, based on data from Elsevier’s Scopus database and updated to the end of 2023, identifies the top 100,000 researchers across all disciplines according to a composite citation score. The ranking highlights the influence and impact of research through citations, while also considering co-authorship and author order.

Congratulations, Prof Karin Thursky, Dr Zoe Neoh and A/Prof Ben Teh!

Prof Thursky received the VCCC Outstanding Team Leader award for driving collaboration through the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer.

Prof Thursky inducted into the Royal Melbourne Hospital Hall of Fame

A/Prof Teh was awarded the Barrie Dalgleish Centre for Myeloma & Related Blood Cancers Mid-career Fellowship

To continue his work on IMProving understanding of Response to vaccination and Infection Immunity with New Treatments for haematological malignancy (the IMPRIINT Study). Ben will be investigating the retention of immunity and response to vaccination during bispecific ab therapy for haematological malignancies

Mycology Masterclass: Dr Zoe Neoh won the Best Poster Prize

Also, a big congratulations to Zoe on her Pfizer grant for the Isavuconazole treatment and prophylaxis in adult and paediatric patients with cancer - a multi-centre national study (the SHIELD study) which aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of isavuconazole for treatment and prophylaxis in adult and paediatric cancer patients.

Professor Monica Slavin invited guest speaker at the Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand

Professor Monica Slavin spoke on the topic "New Directions in the Diagnosis and Management of Infection in Haematologic Malignancy and ICH" and participated in clinical teaching activities at Mahidol University in Thailand, hosted by A/Prof Siriorn Watcharananan at Ramathibodi Hospital. She was warmly welcomed by the faculty and trainees, and her visit fostered strong connections for future collaborations.

Visiting Fellow Program

Welcome Dr Cherie Gan Le Si, Infectious Diseases physician in Yvone at the Singapore General Hospital. 

NCIC Recent Publications

• Tio, S.Y., Neoh, C.F., Ritchie, D., Chee, L., Kong, D.C.M., Worth, L.J., Yong, M.K., & Slavin, M.A. The changing epidemiology of breakthrough invasive fungal disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients in the era of modified-release posaconazole prophylaxis. Transplant Infectious Disease. 2025.

  Mikulska, M., Robin, C., Neofytos, D., Oltolini, C., Piekarska, A., Reigadas, E., Gil, L., Chemaly, R.F., Groll, A.H., Munoz, P., & Teh, B.W. Management of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with haematological malignancies and after cellular therapy: guidelines from 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL-10). EClinicalMedicine. 2025.

  Kinsella, P., Thursky, K., Slavin, M.A., & Reynolds, G.K. From guesswork to guidelines: advancing diagnostic stewardship in immunocompromised hosts. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy. 2025.

  Hill, J.A., Boonyaratanakornkit, J., Mikulska, M., Teh, B.W., Hahn, W.O., Haidar, G., Liu, C., Kumar, D., Ison, M.G., & Halasa, N. Innovation in active and passive immunisation of people who are immunocompromised: a call to action. Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2025.

  Zhu, V.Z., Garg, P., Singh, N., Selby, P.R., Ierano, C., & Yong, M.K. Understanding antiviral intolerance in the management of cytomegalovirus: a scoping review. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2025.

  Yong, K.Y., Tio, S.Y., Sim, B.Z., Sasadeusz, J., Rivalland, A., Chee, L., Szer, J., Spelman, T., Slavin, M., Ritchie, D., & Yong, M.K. Incidence and clinical outcomes of multiple viral infections after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2025.

Upcoming Events

The Call for Abstracts for the ICHS 24th Biennial Symposium are now open! Renowned experts of the ICHS Program Committee are preparing for a state-of-the-art scientific program that includes the most updated information about all aspects of infections and immunodeficiency. 

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

October 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear Colleagues,

NCIC recently made a strong impression at two major mycology events in Bilbao. At the TIMM conference (European Confederation of Medical Mycology), I participated in two plenary sessions, one reviewing the top 10 mycology papers and another on the updated response criteria for clinical trials of invasive fungal disease (IFD), where I presented on aspergillosis and moulds. NCIC’s work was referenced in several sessions, highlighting our global influence. The Women in Mycology event, organised by Ana Alastruey, brought together colleagues from the US, Europe, and India to celebrate and promote the contributions of women in mycology. These events showcase NCIC’s ongoing leadership in mycology, research and clinical practice and was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our international networks and collaborations.

Women in Mycology Event, Bilbao Spain organiser Ana Alastruey

Research Updates

NCIC Team Publishes Key Findings on Breakthrough Fungal Disease in Transplant Recipients

The NCIC team and collaborators have a new publication in Transplant Infectious Disease (Wiley). This single-center retrospective cohort study on 300 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients from January 2017 to May 2020, in which posaconazole modified release was the most common primary antifungal prophylaxis, demonstrated a breakthrough invasive fungal disease (bIFD) rate of 9%, with associated significant all-cause mortality at 12 weeks. Ongoing surveillance of IFD including resistant organisms is warranted to optimize treatment and patient outcome.

World Sepsis Day

“Sepsis can escalate within hours, particularly in cancer patients, so having a clear, evidence-based pathway is essential to keeping our most vulnerable patients safe”

— Belinda Lambros

Infectious Diseases nurses Belinda Lambros and Evona Fung recently visited wards and units across Peter Mac to thank our nursing and medical teams for their incredible work in recognising and responding to sepsis.

Belinda is Australia’s first accredited Nurse Practitioner specialising in infections in cancer, antimicrobial stewardship, allergy, and sepsis. She leads Peter Mac’s involvement in Safer Care Victoria’s Victorian Sepsis Program, a statewide initiative that supports fast, evidence-based treatment through a structured Sepsis Pathway. Peter Mac contributes cancer-specific expertise to help protect immunocompromised patients.

“Patients with cancer are up to ten times more likely to develop sepsis,” Belinda explains. “That’s why it’s so important that we recognise the signs early and act quickly.”

During her recent visit, Belinda spoke with one of her former patients who shared his experience with sepsis. He remembered feeling that something was very wrong but couldn’t describe exactly why. Subtle signs were not recognised early, and his condition worsened — leading to a four-month recovery before he was able to return home. Cases like this remind us of how sepsis awareness and early intervention and is critical.

Associate Professor Michelle Yong presented at the International Congress of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ICBMT 2025) in Busan, Korea

Her presentation, “CMV Infection in Allogeneic HSCT: Risk Stratification and Prevention”, focused on advances in prophylaxis for cytomegalovirus (CMV) management after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). She discussed the clinical benefits of identifying early risk factors for infectious complications and extending therapy to 200 days, highlighting the importance of prevention strategies in transplant patients.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Yong for representing the NCIC and sharing these important insights with the global transplant community!

NCIC Recent Publications

• From Guesswork to Guidelines: Advancing Diagnostic Stewardship in Immunocompromised Hosts. Kinsella P, Thursky K, Slavin MA, Reynolds GK. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2025 Sep;23(9):723-737. doi:10.1080/14787210.2025.2545504. Epub 2025 Aug 18. PMID:40785091.

• Management of Clostridioides difficile infection in patients with haematological malignancies and after cellular therapy: guidelines from 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukaemia (ECIL-10). Mikulska M, Robin C, Neofytos D, Oltolini C, Piekarska A, Reigadas E, Gil L, Chemaly RF, Groll AH, Muñoz P, Teh BW. EClinicalMedicine. 2025 Aug 7;87:103371. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103371. Epub 2025 Sep. PMID:40823499. Free PMC article.

• Innovation in active and passive immunisation of people who are immunocompromised: a call to action. Hill JA, Boonyaratanakornkit J, Mikulska M, Teh BW, Hahn WO, Haidar G, Liu C, Kumar D, Ison MG, Halasa N. Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Aug 11:S1473-3099(25)00345-7. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00345-7. Epub 2025 Aug. PMID:40812340.

• The Changing Epidemiology of Breakthrough Invasive Fungal Disease in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients in the Era of Modified-Release Posaconazole Prophylaxis. Tio SY, Neoh CF, Ritchie D, Chee L, Kong DCM, Worth LJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA. Transpl Infect Dis. 2025 Sep 26:e70104. doi: 10.1111/tid.70104. Epub 2025 Sep. PMID:41004247.

Upcoming Events

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

September 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

Welcome to the September edition of the NCIC newsletter. It’s been a highly productive period at NCIC, with our teams advancing a broad spectrum of impactful research across transplant, cancer, and immunocompromised patient populations. Over the past few months, our work has included clinical trials, point prevalence studies, innovative diagnostic tools, and immune profiling, resulting in a number of key publications in leading journals such as Clinical Infectious Diseases, BMJ Open, Transplant Infectious Disease, Mycoses, and Clinical & Translational Immunology.

Research Updates

Recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, the C-Smart trial demonstrated that a nasal spray containing interferon-alpha (IFN-α)—a naturally occurring protein with broad antiviral properties—reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection by 40% compared with placebo.

The study gained significant media attention, with 44 articles published across Australia, the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Collectively, print and broadcast coverage reached more than 310,000 people.

Congratulations to the team on this important collaboration, which represents a novel and impactful advance in protecting immunocompromised patients.

Senior author, Associate Professor Ben Teh, has recently led the development of new international guidelines for the management of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a common and potentially serious gut infection.

Published by the 10th European Conference on Infections in Leukemia (ECIL-10), the guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to address the unique challenges of diagnosing and treating CDI in haematology patients, who are at significantly higher risk of severe illness and complications.

We are pleased to announce that the protocol for the PROSPER point prevalence study - aiming to estimate the prevalence of key healthcare-associated and opportunistic infections in Australian transplant and cancer populations, has been published in BMJ Open (Volume 15, Issue 7, e100798).

This study represents Australia’s first multi-site, ICH-adapted point prevalence survey (PPS) focused on cancer and transplant patients, employing a surveillance methodology based on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s PPS protocol. It will capture crucial data on infection prevalence, current infection prevention and control practices, and surveillance strategies across multiple healthcare facilities.

With ethical approval secured from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre’s Human Research Ethics Committee, the study will enrich future IPC policy and surveillance frameworks tailored to this highly vulnerable population.

NCIC Recent Publications

• Interferon-α Nasal Spray Prophylaxis Reduces COVID-19 in Cancer Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
  Yong MK, Thursky K, Crane M, Spelman T, Mahar RK, Simpson JA, Scott AM, Harrison SJ, Szer J, Pellegrini M, Lingaratnam S, Pang KC, Tennakoon S, Sim BZ, Blyth E, Gan HK, Quach H, McIntosh MP, Page H, Woolstencroft R, Slavin M. Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Aug 28:ciaf409. doi:10.1093/cid/ciaf409. Epub ahead of print. PMID:40874769

• From Guesswork to Guidelines: Advancing Diagnostic Stewardship in Immunocompromised Hosts.
  Kinsella P, Thursky K, Slavin MA, Reynolds GK. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2025 Sep;23(9):723-737. doi:10.1080/14787210.2025.2545504. Epub 2025 Aug 18. PMID:40785091

• Automated Detection of Invasive Fungal Infections in Clinical Reports Using Medical Language Models.
  Han W, Martinez D, Rozova V, Cavedon L, Khanina A, Worth LJ, Slavin MA, Thursky KA, Verspoor K. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2025 Aug 7;329:1002-1007. doi:10.3233/SHTI250990. PMID:40776008

• Elucidating Novel Immune Profiles for Predicting Infection in High-Risk Cohorts: A Pilot Study in Patients With Relapsed and Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia.
  Williams LJ, Li-Wai-Suen CS, Garnham AL, Bader SM, Tam CS, Whitechurch A, Slavin MA, Doerflinger M, Teh BW. Clin Transl Immunology. 2025 Aug 3;14(8):e70049. doi:10.1002/cti2.70049. PMID:40766049; PMCID:PMC12318685

• Estimating the Prevalence of Key Healthcare-Associated and Opportunistic Infections in Australian Transplant and Cancer Populations: Protocol for the PROSPER Point Prevalence Study.
  Garg P, Singh N, Liu AJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Hall L, Worth LJ. BMJ Open. 2025 Aug 1;15(7):e100798. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100798. PMID:40750274; PMCID:PMC12314944

• Current Practice Patterns and Educational Needs of Immunocompromised Infectious Diseases Physicians in Australia and New Zealand.
  Marinelli T, Teh B, Giannella M, Ison MG, Roberts MB, Bupha-Intr O, Slavin M; Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases Immunocompromised Host Special Interest Group. Transpl Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 29:e70087. doi:10.1111/tid.70087. Epub ahead of print. PMID:40729421

• Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients With Cryptococcaemia From a Large Population-Based Cohort.
  Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Gassiep I, Koo S, Hammond SP, Chen SC, Slavin MA. Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70091. doi:10.1111/myc.70091. PMID:40626385

• Epidemiology, Significance and Clinical Outcomes of Bloodstream Infections Caused by Non-Candida and Non-Cryptococcus Yeasts.
  Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Slavin MA, Chen SC. Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70093. doi:10.1111/myc.70093. PMID:40626381

• Current Practice Patterns and Educational Needs of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts.
  Giannella M, Riccucci D, Pascale R, Cordero E, Mueller NJ, Slavin M, Ison M; ECCMID study groups on Invasive Fungal Infection and Infection in Immunocompromised Hosts. Transpl Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 8:e70076. doi:10.1111/tid.70076. Epub ahead of print. PMID:40625111

PMCC ID Unit meeting -Special Presentation: NCIC Showcase

Upcoming Events

Tomorrow is 2nd Antifungal Stewardship Workshop

Join us for the 2nd Antifungal Stewardship Workshop- a dynamic in-person event dedicated to exploring critical and emerging issues in antifungal stewardship.

Date: Saturday 6th of September
Location: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Expressions of Interest for Full time Research Fellow Position

We also, taking expressions of interest for a full time Research Fellow position available for 2026. This research position is not accredited. AHPRA certification (or ability to gain) and at least 1-year advanced training in Infectious Diseases is highly desirable. You will be paid as a full time Research Assistant and will be embedded in our clinical research team. We are looking for local or international ID physicians who want to gain research and trials experience.

Please reach out to Monica.slavin@petermac.org if you would like to discuss either of these opportunities further.

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

July 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

Welcome to the July edition of the NCIC newsletter. We’re excited to share that in early August we’ll be hosting our inaugural NCIC Showcase, highlighting the diverse and impactful work underway at the NCIC, a centre of research excellence at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. We invite colleagues and external partners to join us in person or online to learn more about our research projects, clinical trials, PhD pathways, and the wide range of services we lead. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may be interested to join us for this session.

PMCC ID Unit meeting -Special Presentation: NCIC Showcase

Please join us on Thursday 7th of August for a very special showcase event of all the fantastic work done out of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre of Research Excellence – the NCIC!

Please forward among your networks to anyone you think may be interested. This showcase will be hybrid, so if you intend to attend in person, please email megan.crane@petermac.org, as we will be providing some nibbles. The session will be recorded if you can’t make it and will be available on our website.

NCIC Showcase Meeting Details:

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Meeting ID: 477 786 103 141
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teams@meet.petermac.org.au

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Research Updates

Recently published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, the Phase 2b open‑label study (Study 32, n = 202) evaluated oral olorofim, a first‑in‑class orotomide DHODH inhibitor, across difficult‑to‑treat invasive fungal diseases—covering resistant Aspergillus, Lomentospora prolificans, Scedosporium, Coccidioides and more.

Results showed:

◼️ Global success rates (complete + partial + stable disease) reached ~75% at Day 42 and ~63% at Day 84

◼️Durable responses seen in highly immunosuppressed patients and infections in challenging sites like brain and bone

◼️Generally well tolerated, including with extended therapy beyond Day 84

“Very pleased to be part of this important study of olorofim, a novel antifungal drug for difficult-to-treat fungal infections. It was active against infections resistant to or failing existing treatments and offers a much-needed option for our patients”

— Prof Monica Slavin

Professor Karin Thursky leads the inaugural Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

The Centre aims to drive system-level improvements in the delivery of cancer care, with a strong focus on collaboration and impact. These improvements will be guided by real-world patient experiences, helping to shape smarter, more equitable, and patient-centred approaches to accessing care. The NCIC will work in strong collaboration with the Centre to ensure that insights and innovations are translated into meaningful, system-wide change.

NCIC Recent Publications

• Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients With Cryptococcaemia From a Large Population-Based Cohort.

  Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Gassiep I, Koo S, Hammond SP, Chen SC, Slavin MA.Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70091. doi: 10.1111/myc.70091.PMID: 40626385

• Epidemiology, Significance and Clinical Outcomes of Bloodstream Infections Caused by Non-Candida and Non-Cryptococcus Yeasts.

  Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Slavin MA, Chen SC.Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70093. doi: 10.1111/myc.70093.PMID: 40626381

• Current Practice Patterns and Educational Needs of the ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hots.

  Giannella M, Riccucci D, Pascale R, Cordero E, Mueller NJ, Slavin M, Ison M; ECCMID study groups on Invasive Fungal Infection and Infection in Immunocompromised Hosts.Transpl Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 8:e70076. doi: 10.1111/tid.70076. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40625111

• Influenza-Specific T-Cell Responses to Vaccination Are Independent of Underlying Hematological Malignancy: Analysis of a Randomized Influenza Vaccination Trial.

  Hall VG, Nguyen THO, Smibert OC, Allen LF, Sullivan SG, Fox A, Carolan L, Wheatley AK, Kent SJ, Gilbertson B, Lim C, Barr IG, Peck H, Fuge-Larsen P, Klimevski E, Tennakoon S, Saunders NR, Joyce T, Whitechurch A, Khot A, Anderson MA, Trubiano JA, Worth LJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Kedzierska K, Teh BW.J Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 2:jiaf297. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf297. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40600710

• Management of COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients: an European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases consensus document.

  Bartoletti M, Azap O, Barac A, Ben Selma M, Ergonul O, Gkrania-Klotsas E, Grossi PA, Krause R, Nagavci B, Paño-Pardo JR, Pierrotti LC, Power N, Rodríguez-Baño J, Sibani M, Slavin MA, Szabo BG, Tazza B, Yung Tsang NN, Tsiodras S, Zollner-Schwetz I, Chemaly RF; ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts and the ESCMID Study Group for Respiratory Viruses.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2025 Jun 23:S1198-743X(25)00281-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2025.05.032. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40562174

• Olorofim for the treatment of invasive fungal diseases in patients with few or no therapeutic options: a single-arm, open-label, phase 2b study.

  Maertens JA, Thompson GR 3rd, Spec A, Donovan FM, Hammond SP, Bruns AHW, Rahav G, Shoham S, Johnson R, Rijnders B, Schaenman J, Hoenigl M, Morrissey CO, Mehta SR, Heath CH, Koehler P, Paterson DL, Slavin MA, Fortún J, Nguyen MH, Patterson TF, Uspenskaya O, Van de Veerdonk FL, Verweij PE, Aoun M, Georgala A, Alexander BD, Chayakulkeeree M, Mehra V, Miceli MH, Sikka MK, Solé A, Walsh TJ, Aguado JM, Holland SM, Moussa M, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Bazaz R, Schwartz S, Walsh SR, Plate M, Yehudai-Ofir D, Brüggemann RJ, Cornely OA, Ostrosky-Zeichner L, Vazquez JA, White PL, Cornelissen K, Ross GG, Fitton L, Dane A, Zinzi D, Rex JH, Chen SC.Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Jun 17:S1473-3099(25)00224-5. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00224-5. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40541222

• Influenza-Specific T-Cell Responses to Vaccination Are Independent of Underlying Hematological Malignancy: Analysis of a Randomized Influenza Vaccination Trial.

  Hall VG, Nguyen THO, Smibert OC, Allen LF, Sullivan SG, Fox A, Carolan L, Wheatley AK, Kent SJ, Gilbertson B, Lim C, Barr IG, Peck H, Fuge-Larsen P, Klimevski E, Tennakoon S, Saunders NR, Joyce T, Whitechurch A, Khot A, Anderson MA, Trubiano JA, Worth LJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Kedzierska K, Teh BW.J Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 2:jiaf297. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf297. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40600710

• American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Series #11: Updated Cytomegalovirus Guidelines in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy Recipients.

  Khawaja F, Zamora D, Yong MK, Hakki M, Goscicki BK, Danziger-Isakov L, Lin A, Carpenter PA, Boeckh M, Papanicolaou GA, Dadwal SS, Chemaly RF.Transplant Cell Ther. 2025 Jun 26:S2666-6367(25)01268-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.06.025. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40581305 

To discuss or arrange a date please contact our ID fellow Nalian.Ibrahim@petermac.org or Michelle.Yong@petermac.org

Upcoming Events

Visiting Fellow Program and PhD Projects

Our visiting fellow program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies.

Fellows will be guided by experienced supervisors, and we welcome applications from both national and international locations to join this collaborative learning opportunity. We’ve already received numerous applications for this year, so if you're interested in the program, please don't hesitate to reach out and learn more.

As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

Expressions of Interest for Full time Research Fellow Position

We also, taking expressions of interest for a full time Research Fellow position available for 2026. This research position is not accredited. AHPRA certification (or ability to gain) and at least 1-year advanced training in Infectious Diseases is highly desirable. You will be paid as a full time Research Assistant and will be embedded in our clinical research team. We are looking for local or international ID physicians who want to gain research and trials experience.

Please reach out to Monica.slavin@petermac.org if you would like to discuss either of these opportunities further.

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

June 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

I am now returned to Melbourne after a very successful sabbatical in several North American and European Cancer Centre’s. All the centres we visited were incredibly welcoming and keen to share insights into the care and management of infections in the immune compromised host. I will be sharing my insights and findings at an upcoming forum- keep your eye out for more information on that!

Research Update

Last week we celebrated International ID Pharmacist Day, recognising the vital role Infectious Diseases (ID) Pharmacists have in patient care. NCIC AMS-ID Pharmacists Anna Khanina, Nikhil Singh, Dr Zoe Neoh and Violet Zhu are the embodiment of this year’s theme “Innovation in ID: Pharmacists Leading the Way.” We thank them for their AMS leadership and innovative research which are crucial in improving patient lives and in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance. 

NCIC Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) ID Pharmacist and PhD candidate Anna Khanina has recently published the results of the 22/23 Antifungal National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS). Development of the Antifungal NAPS module was a labour of love for Anna, which she completed as part of her PhD under Professor Thursky and Slavin’s supervision and mentorship. Eleven hospitals contributed data for over 500 antifungal prescriptions given to more than 400 patients between October 2022 and June 2023.

Anna’s findings showed that 77.1% of these prescriptions were appropriate and 73.6% were compliant with guidelines. Fluconazole was the most commonly prescribed agent with the highest rate of inappropriateness. Anna explains that these findings highlight the importance of antifungal stewardship (AFS) programmes to guide optimal prescribing. The development and implementation of an AFS programme is Anna’s next focus. 

NCIC Recent Publications

• Predictors of early line removal and successful line retention in potential central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) in haematology patients: A retrospective cohort study. 

  Thorburn S, Vogrin S, Garner S, Smibert O, Reynolds G, Kwong J, Trubiano JA, Douglas AP. J Hosp Infect. 2025 May 6: S0195-6701(25)00121-5.  

  DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2025.04.019.  

• The role of antibacterial prophylaxis in high-risk neutropenia: benefits, risks, and current perspectives. 

  Douglas AP, Stohs E, Mikulska M. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2025  

  DOI: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000001114.  

International Nurses Day

In celebration of International Nurses Day earlier in May, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Annual Nursing Awards recognised the outstanding contributions of nursing staff across the organisation. The antibiotic allergy clinic was nominated!

“Being nominated by a colleague for this award is a special honour for our antibiotic allergy nursing team. It reflects the trust and respect we’ve built through our shared commitment to patient care.”

— Belinda Lambros

International Clinical Trials Day

To celebrate International Clinical Trials Day, the NCIC Trials team came together for a wonderful lunch. Clinical trials are such an important part of research and central to what we do here at NCIC.

Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases 2025

The NCIC team recently took part in the Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in the Immunocompromised Host, a premier global event held over two and a half days in Seattle, Washington.

Bringing together leading researchers and clinicians from around the world, the symposium served as a dynamic platform for sharing the latest developments in infectious diseases affecting immunocompromised patients.

Our team was proudly represented by trainees Dr Gemma Reynolds, Dr Beatrice Sim, and Violet Zhu, with Dr Priya Garg presenting a research poster. The event also featured A/Prof Michelle Yong, Dr Ben Teh, and Professor Monica Slavin, who delivered an oral presentation.

Peter MacCallum Research Symposium

Michelle Yong, Featured Plenary Speaker

Michelle delivered a deep dive into "Transforming the care of Infectious Diseases in Cancer Patients” at the annual Peter Mac Research Symposium. She highlighted both the groundbreaking research already underway and the exciting future directions in fungal, viral, bacterial, and vaccine-related clinical trials. 

Farewell to our visiting fellow from Spain

Last week, we said farewell to Dr Sastre, our visiting research fellow from Spain

Enric spent the last 3 months with us and although his stay was short, Enric made a significant impact during his time here. It was a pleasure having him as part of the team, and we’re grateful for his valuable contributions. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors!

“My experience at the National Centre for Infections in Cancer has been tremendous, allowing me to continue my professional training alongside outstanding healthcare professionals and share knowledge and perspectives. Being able to see other ways of doing things well is always enriching. It has also been an honor to witness such a large, efficient, and well-structured research group. I will personally continue to dedicate myself to the care and research of immunocompromised oncohematological patients, so I am convinced we will be able to continue sharing nice moments at scientific conferences and in future collaborative projects.
”

— Enric Sastre Escola

Fascinating clinical case discussion at our NCIC meeting

Our new NCIC research fellow Dr Lauren McShane presented a case of disseminated Strongyloidiasis infection in a young immunecompromised host.

Summary:

A patient on significant immunosuppression for pemphigus vulgaris developed disseminated strongyloidiasis, despite negative pre-immunosuppression Strongyloides serology. She presented with pancolitis and respiratory failure, complicated by disseminated Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, ileus requiring subcutaneous ivermectin, and eosinophilic meningitis. She developed encephalopathy with features of ivermectin toxicity and was found to have an ABCB1 drug efflux pump mutation. Despite supportive care, her encephalopathy persisted six weeks post-ivermectin cessation. An intralipid infusion for ivermectin toxicity was trialled, with objective neurological improvement.

A great opportunity to present a Clinical Case at our weekly NCIC/ID meeting:

We invite registrars/fellows or clinicians to present a clinical case in the area of infection in an immunecompromised host (haematology, transplant, immunodeficiency) to a large national and international audience to expand knowledge and/or to seek expert discussion.

Duration: 30 minutes (10–15-minute case presentation, followed by 10-minute brief literature review then 5-minute questions)

When: Thursdays 12.30pm (AEST time) – Microsoft teams

Topics: Diagnostic dilemnas, breakthrough infections, novel diagnostics, interesting radiology, management issues with intolerance, drug interactions or adverse effects.

Contact: To discuss or arrange a date please contact our ID fellow Nalian.Ibrahim@petermac.org or Michelle.Yong@petermac.org

Upcoming Events

International Immunocompromised Host Society

Visiting Fellow Program and PhD Projects

Our visiting fellow program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies. Fellows will be guided by experienced supervisors, and we welcome applications from both national and international locations to join this collaborative learning opportunity. We’ve already received numerous applications for this year, so if you're interested in the program, please don't hesitate to reach out and learn more.

As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

Job Opportunity

Registrar - Infectious diseases- Peter Mac Callum Cancer Centre

The 2026 Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre ID Registrar position is now recruiting. This is a fully accredited advanced trainee position for an ID physician looking for further training in the Immunocompromised Host and is based at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne Australia.  

You can view and apply for the Advanced Trainee position at https://careers.petermac.org/job-invite/5557/

Applications Close: 29 June 2025

Position Summary

To provide a high-quality infectious diseases care and treatment for both inpatient and outpatients at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and participate in education and research in the field of infectious diseases. 

Expressions of Interest for Full time Research Fellow Position

We also, taking expressions of interest for a full time Research Fellow position available for 2026. This research position is not accredited. AHPRA certification (or ability to gain) and at least 1-year advanced training in Infectious Diseases is highly desirable. You will be paid as a full time Research Assistant and will be embedded in our clinical research team. We are looking for local or international ID physicians who want to gain research and trials experience.

Please reach out to Monica.slavin@petermac.org if you would like to discuss either of these opportunities further.

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

May 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

Last month was a busy one for NCIC, with participation in major events like ESCMID Global and the ASID Annual Scientific Meeting. These gatherings provided excellent opportunities to share updates on our work in the immune-compromised host space. Looking ahead, we have more valuable events and meetings lined up for later this year. As we settle back into our routine, I’m currently on sabbatical, gaining insights from infectious disease departments at various sites to further enhance our work and collaborations.

NCIC team at ESCMID Global 2025, Vienna Austria.

NCIC Recent Publications

• Fosmanogepix for the Treatment of Invasive Mold Diseases Caused by Aspergillus Species and Rare Molds: A Phase 2, Open-Label Study (AEGIS).

  Hodges MR, Tawadrous M, Cornely OA, Thompson GR 3rd, Slavin MA, Maertens JA, Dadwal SS, Rahav G, Hazel S, Almas M, Jakate A, Pypstra R.Clin Infect Dis. 2025

• Antibiotic Exposure and Risk of Allograft Rejection and Survival After Liver Transplant: An Observational Cohort Study From a Tertiary Referral Centre.

  Smibert OC, Vogrin S, Sinclair M, Majumdar A, Nasra M, Pandey D, Jahanabadi H, Trubiano JA, Markey KA, Slavin MA, Testro A, Kwong JC.Transpl Infect Dis. 2025

• Blood culture collection and administration of intravenous ceftriaxone by paramedics in patients with suspected sepsis (the pass trial).

  Cudini D, Smith K, Shao J, Bernard S, Okyere D, Nehme Z, Nehme E, Anderson D, Magnuson N, Thursky K, Mori D, Oosthuizen W, Udy A.Emerg Med Australas. 2025

• Enhancing antimicrobial stewardship: recommendations to support implementation of the 2024 UN General Assembly political declaration on antimicrobial resistance.

  Medioli F, Peiffer-Smadja N, Catteau L, Murri R, Schouten JA, Thursky K, de Boer MGJ, Ashiru-Oredope D; ESCMID Study Group for Antimicrobial Stewardship (ESGAP).Clin Microbiol Infect.

PMCC Infectious Diseases Unit Meeting: Mycobacterium Ulcerans

A great opportunity to present a Clinical Case at our weekly NCIC/ID meeting:

We invite registrars/fellows or clinicians to present a clinical case in the area of infection in an immunecompromised host (haematology, transplant, immunodeficiency) to a large national and international audience to expand knowledge and/or to seek expert discussion.

Duration: 30 minutes (10-15 minute case presentation, followed by 10-minute brief literature review then 5-minute questions)

When: Thursdays 12.30pm (AEST time) – Microsoft teams

Topics: Diagnostic dilemnas, breakthrough infections, novel diagnostics, interesting radiology, management issues with intolerance, drug interactions or adverse effects.

Contact: To discuss or arrange a date please contact our ID fellow Nalian.Ibrahim@petermac.org or Michelle.Yong@petermac.org

Recent Events

Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases

Earlier this month, the NCIC team travelled to Canberra to attend the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) Annual Scientific Meeting. The event brought together infectious diseases experts from across Australia and New Zealand, offering a national platform to share and celebrate cutting-edge work in the field.

Our incredible NCIC team was proud to present a series of poster presentations, highlighting their ongoing dedication to advancing care in the ICH space.

Key Highlights:

• A/Prof Michelle Yong led an insightful symposium on CMV

• Dr Ben Teh chaired the “What’s New in...” session for ICHSIG

• Dr Priya Garg delivered a compelling talk on developments and ongoing gaps in ICHS

• Dr Nalian Ibrahim was awarded Best Poster Award — congratulations!

ESCMID Global 2025

The NCIC team recently travelled to Munich, Austria for ESCMID Global 2025. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with global leaders in the field, share groundbreaking research, and showcase NCIC’s growing impact on the world stage.

Prof Karin Thursky

Prof Karin Thursky delivered a keynote on The New Frontiers in Antimicrobial Stewardship, followed by a Fireplace Session exploring innovations in the field. She also chaired a session discussing the use of macrolides in community-acquired pneumonia, addressing the balance between therapeutic benefit and overuse.

Dr. Abby Douglas

Dr Abby Douglas during question time delivering her work on emerging insights into viral metagenomics as a diagnostic tool for persistent unexplained neutropenic fever.

Upcoming Events

Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in Immunocompromised Host  

May 11 – 14, 2025, in Seattle, Washington

International Immunocompromised Host Society

Visiting Fellow Program and PhD Projects

Our visiting fellow program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies. Fellows will be guided by experienced supervisors, and we welcome applications from both national and international locations to join this collaborative learning opportunity. We’ve already received numerous applications for this year, so if you're interested in the program, please don't hesitate to reach out and learn more.

As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

March 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

Welcome to this month's edition of our newsletter. Many significant and valuable Infectious Diseases events are just around the corner, including ESCMID, ICHS, Fred Hutch, and more, where many NCIC colleagues will be contributing and presenting their research. Both Professor Karin Thursky and I are on sabbatical where we will be visiting multiple countries and centres to connect with international colleagues and learn about how different infectious disease departments operate.

Research Updates

Doctor Abby Douglas and Associate Professor Michelle Yong travelled to Honolulu for the Tandem2025 meeting. Abby presented her latest guidelines on rare moulds for the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), while Michelle participated in the ASTCT Infectious Diseases Special Interest Group meeting!

Doctor Abby Douglas presented the American Society of Cellular Transplantation (ASTCT) #8 Management and Prevention of Non-Aspergillus Molds Guidelines

Doctor Abby Douglas was the invited first author for these international guidelines to answer clinical questions on risk factors, diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment for difficult molds such as Mucormycosis, Fusariosis and Scedosporiosis/Lomentosporiosis. Gathering all the evidence and studies (largely non-RCT) together in conjunction with working with experts across the globe, the guidelines answer important questions such as utility of galactomannon, PCR testing, treatment drug interactions and whether we can proceed with transplantation.

A/Professor Michelle Yong - Refractory and Resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Mucocutaneous Infections in Immunocompromised Patients: Literature Review and Proposed Definitions for Use in Clinical Trials

Associate Professor Michelle Yong was part of the writing group for the first ever proposed definitions of resistant refractory HSV infections. This viral infection largely affects haploidentical allogeneic or cord blood transplants, carrying a high mortality rate with very few treatment options. Testing capabilities are limited in many countries, but the publishing of these definitions will help shape trial design to advance new therapies.

NCIC Recent Publications

• Efficacy and safety of sipavibart for prevention of COVID-19 in individuals who are immunocompromised (SUPERNOVA): a randomised, controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Haidar G, Thomas S, Loubet P, Baker RI, Benfield T, Boonyaratanakornkit J, Kiertiburanakul S, Kim AHJ, Longbrake EE, Molina JM, Paredes R, Tucker D, Uriel A, Weinmann-Menke J, Aksyuk AA, Clegg LE, Currie A, Yang H, Flyrin K, Gibbs M, Shroff M, Perez JL, Chang LJ, Cohen TS; SUPERNOVA study group. Lancet Infect Dis

• Are contemporary antifungal doses sufficient for critically ill patients? Outcomes from an international, multicenter pharmacokinetics study for Screening Antifungal Exposure in Intensive Care Units-the SAFE-ICU study.

  Roberts JA, Sime FB, Lipman J, Hernández-Mitre MP, Baptista JP, Brüggemann RJ, Darvall J, De Waele JJ, Dimopoulos G, Lefrant JY, Mat Nor MB, Rello J, Seoane L, Slavin MA, Valkonen M, Venditti M, Ceccarelli G, Wong WT, Zeitlinger M, Roger C.Intensive Care Med.

• A systematic review on how primary care electronic medical record data have been used for antimicrobial stewardship.

  Cheah R, Chen C, Capurro D, Manski-Nankervis JA, Rozova V, Thursky K.Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol.

• "It's a risk-benefit analysis": Qualitative perspectives on barriers and enablers to post-treatment vaccination from adults affected by a haematological malignancy in Australia.

  Chung H, Krishnasamy M, Joyce T, Dryden T, Whitechurch A, Baden P, Harrison S, Teh BW.Vaccine. 2025

NCIC Updates

Farewell and Welcome

This month marks Jia’s final month with the NCIC. Before her departure, we asked her about her experience during her 12-month stay as our clinical visiting fellow:

'My time at the National Centre for Infections in Cancer has significantly enhanced my understanding of managing infections in immunocompromised patients.

Beyond clinical management, I've gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of robust infection prevention strategies, antimicrobial stewardship, diagnostic stewardship, antibiotic allergy assessment and de-labelling, as well as the integration of digital health in delivering improved patient care.

Additionally, the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and research has not only deepened my knowledge but also broadened my perspective in the research field.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to be involved in both clinical practice and research, and I look forward to applying this knowledge to help improve patient care and infectious disease management in the future. '

Farewell: Doctor Jia HuiLoh (Visiting 12 month stay Fellow from Malaysia)

Welcome: Doctor Enric Sastre (Bellvitge University Hospital, University of Barcelona) Doctor Jessica O’Keefe (Barwon Health) and Doctor Lan Lan Chan (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)

Sabbatical Updates

Professor Karin Thursky is currently in Padua, Italy for the World Health Forum. Karin is visiting with Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Verona, Italy, Evalina Tacconelli.

Professor Monica Salvin is currently in the United Kingdom attending a workshop for her new appointment of as the new Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (JAC), BSAC’s flagship journal. We’re proud to have her leadership and look forward to the continued advancements she’ll help drive in the field. Congratulations, Monica.

Upcoming Events

Tomorrow- 15th Febrile Neutropenia Symposium
March 15 - 16, 2025
Online 

Free for ICHS Members!

This year’s Symposium will focus on reviewing this unpublished, cutting-edge information, with presentations by experts directly involved in the development of the recent review of the ECIL 10 Guidelines. Additionally, a distinguished group of international speakers will deliver lectures on the latest advancements in the management of immunocompromised hosts.

ESCMID Global 2025, April 11- 15, 2025, Vienna, Austria

We’re just one month away from the 2025 ESCMID meeting in Vienna, and we’re excited to share that a large contingent from NCIC will be heading to Australia to present their research.

The NCIC ESCMID timetable is available below, and you can also download a PDF version here to easily access and plan for all NCIC presentations. With so many excellent talks, we want to make it simple for you to attend and not miss any of the exciting sessions!

Special lecture series hosted by The National Center Child Health and Development, Japan

Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in Immunocompromised Host  

May 11 – 14, 2025, in Seattle, Washington

Education opportunities

Visiting Fellow Program and PhD Projects

Our visiting fellow program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies. Fellows will be guided by experienced supervisors, and we welcome applications from both national and international locations to join this collaborative learning opportunity. We’ve already received numerous applications for this year, so if you're interested in the program, please don't hesitate to reach out and learn more.

As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

Follow us!

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

First Edition 2025 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

Welcome to NCIC’s first newsletter of 2025! We're excited for a year filled with research, events, and updates on Infections in Cancer, both in Australia and globally. Already, the NCIC has made great strides with several publications, including research from Associate Professor Ben Teh and Dr. Victoria Hall featured in the New England Journal of Medicine. We're also thrilled to welcome Dr. Nalian Ibrahim as our 2025 Clinical Registrar in the Infectious Diseases Department at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. We look forward to an exciting year of national and international meetings ahead!

Research Updates

NCIC lead researchers Associate Professor Ben Teh and Doctor Victoria Hall's research has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine!

Research led by Doctor Victoria Hall and Associate Professor Ben Teh found that for blood cancer patients, a single dose of an age-appropriate flu vaccine is sufficient, with no added benefit from using adjuvanted vaccines or two doses.

Their study simplifies vaccination strategies, ensuring better use of resources and improving access for immune-compromised patients. The next focus is increasing vaccine uptake and finding additional ways to protect those with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

NCIC 2025 Publications

This year already, NCIC has been busy, they have authored and co-authored a suite of clinical publications on the treatment and management of a range of infections in the Immunocompromised Host. To read all NCIC publications please find the link to our website here.

• Emerging concepts of CMV in transplantation. Westall GP, Gottlieb D, Hughes P, Marinelli T, Rawlinson WD, Ritchie D, Sasadeusz J, Yong MK. Internal Medical Journal

• Glucocorticoid dosing and implications for vaccination: Evolution of global definitions. Wang X, Patel C, Giles ML, Burns P, Macartney K, Teh B, Williams PC. Clinical Infectious Disease

• The bottom line of CAR-T fungal risk: low incidence, high stakes and the need for individualised antifungal prophylaxis. Reynolds GK, Slavin MA.

  Transplant Cell Ther.

• Clostridioides difficile infection and recurrence in cancer patients (CIRCA): a multicentre, international study. Puerta-Alcalde P, O'Keefe J, Woolstencroft R, Kaul S, López N, Cronin K, Lim A, Garcia-Pouton N, Álvarez M, Chee L, Espasa M, Grafia I, Suárez-Lledó M, Smibert O, Garcia-Vidal C, Slavin MA, Yong MK, Soriano A, Worth LJ. Internal Journal Infect Dis.

• Influenza Vaccination Strategies in Patients with Hematologic Cancer. Hall VG, Smibert OC, Sullivan SG, Lim C, Barr IG, Peck H, Fuge-Larsen P, Demajo J, Klimevski E, Tennakoon S, Saunders NR, Joyce T, Whitechurch A, Khot A, Anderson MA, Trubiano JA, Yong MK, Worth LJ, Spelman T, Slavin MA, Teh BW. New England Journal

• Management, outcomes and predictors of mortality of Cryptococcus infection in patients without HIV: a multicentre study in 46 hospitals from Australia and New Zealand. Coussement J, Heath CH, Roberts MB, Lane RJ, Spelman T, Smibert OC, Longhitano A, Morrissey CO, Nield B, Tripathy M, Davis JS, Kennedy KJ, Lynar SA, Crawford LC, Crawford SJ, Smith BJ, Gador-Whyte AP, Haywood R, Mahony AA, Howard JC, Walls GB, O'Kane GM, Broom MT, Keighley CL, Bupha-Intr O, Cooley L, O'Hern JA, Jackson JD, Morris AJ, Bartolo C, Tramontana AR, Grimwade KC, Au Yeung V, Chean R, Woolnough E, Teh BW, Slavin MA, Chen SC. Clinical Infectious Disease.

• Antifungal stewardship in Australian hospitals: defining the scope and future targets
  Urbancic KF, Kong DCM, Johnson PDR, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Thursky K. Internal Medical Journal.

NCIC Updates

Welcome new starter: Doctor Nalian Ibrahim

We are excited to welcome Dr. Nalian Ibrahim as the 2025 Clinical Registrar for the Infectious Diseases Department! Nalian joins us from her previous role as an Infectious Diseases Advanced Trainee at Royal Melbourne Hospital and Monash Health. With a strong research background, she is a fantastic addition to our team. We’re thrilled to have such a talented and dedicated new member taking on the Clinical Registrar role for 2025!

NCIC Opportunities

Education opportunities

Visiting Fellow Program

This year, we hosted many visiting fellows from various global locations, Italy, Spain, Singapore and many more. It was a successful year in promoting collaboration and education, all aimed at improving outcomes for immunocompromised patients. This program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies.

PhD Projects

Next year, the NCIC will offer several PhD opportunities. As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

Upcoming events

Australian Society for Antimicrobials 24th Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

20th -22nd February, Melbourne, Australia

The 2025 Howard Florey Oration will be delivered by Karin Thursky from The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

The programme's symposia cover many different aspects of antimicrobials and sessions including:

• Complex AMR Infections in Vulnerable Populations

• Mycobacteria

• Mycology

• Post COVID: Ongoing Public Health Challenges

• Gram-negative Bacteria

ESCMID GLOBAL 2025

April 11- 15, 2025, Vienna, Austria

We look forward to seeing you in Vienna for the 2025 ESCMID meeting! A large contingent from NCIC will be heading to Australia to present their research, and we’re excited to announce that Professor Karin Thursky will be a keynote speaker.

Stay tuned for our upcoming NCIC ESCMID timetable, featuring all NCIC presentations. With so many high-quality talks, we want to make it easy for you to access and attend them. We’ll provide a downloadable PDF with a clear layout of the sessions to ensure you don’t miss a thing!

Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in Immunocompromised Host  

May 11 – 14, 2025, in Seattle, Washington

Please join us on May 11 – 14, 2025, in Seattle, Washington, for the 5th Symposium on Infectious Diseases in the Immunocompromised Host. Mark your calendar for an expanded two and a half-day program that brings together leaders and trainees in research and clinical care of infectious diseases in the immunocompromised host.

The NCIC is on BlueSky now!

We are excited to share that the NCIC will be transitioning to BlueSky.

Make sure to follow us on BlueSky and stay tuned for more developments as we settle into this new space and don’t forget, you can always stay connected with the team and community on LinkedIn for the latest updates and news. 

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer

End of Year 2024 - NCIC Newsletter

Dear all,

This year has been another highly productive one for our team and our wonderful collaborators.

I want to congratulate everyone on their achievements and contribution to progressing our research vision of preventing and better treating infections in people with cancer. Everyone’s work is very important and much valued in working towards this goal.

With the award of a new CRE we will be looking to expand our team in 2025 with new PhD candidates and a clinical research fellow, see link here.

Hoping you all have some rest and opportunity to spend time with loved ones over the holiday period and look forward to another bumper year in 2025.

2025 Opportunities

Job opportunity- NCIC Research Fellow

The National Centre for Infections in Cancer (NCIC) Clinical Research Fellow will provide high quality oversight and care for patients enrolled in infection clinical trials, assist in developing studies and study conduct including protocol development, sponsorship and ethics applications, determining eligibility, screening, consenting, enrolment, co-ordinating and conducting study visits, and capturing adverse events. The fellow will perform data collection, manuscript writing and participate in Infectious diseases unit education and team meetings and will participate in education and research in the field of infectious diseases.

Education opportunites

Visiting Fellow Program

This year, we hosted many visiting fellows from various global locations, Italy, Spain, Singapore and many more. It was a successful year in promoting collaboration and education, all aimed at improving outcomes for immunocompromised patients. This program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies.

PhD Projects

Next year, the NCIC will offer several PhD opportunities. As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.

2024 NCIC Symposium

Two weeks ago, the NCIC hosted its annual symposium, focused on the theme “Tackling Fungal Infections: Novel Immune & Diagnostic Approaches.”

Thank you to all our speakers and participants for making this symposium such a success.

The 2024 NCIC Annual Symposium recording

To view the recording at your convenience, please find the video below and also on our YouTube channel.

Feature Paper

The study highlights limitations in the EORTC/MSGERC criteria for diagnosing invasive aspergillosis (IA), particularly regarding host factors and repeat molecular testing. These criteria require clear host risk factors and repeated positive molecular or microbiological findings to classify a case as "proven" or "probable" IA. However, the study shows that patients who do not meet these criteria still experience high mortality rates, indicating the need to reconsider how these factors are applied in clinical practice.

NCIC 2024 Publications

This year NCIC has been busy, they have authored and co-authored a suite of clinical publications on the treatment and management of a range of infections in the Immunocompromised Host. To read all NCIC publications please find the link to our website here.

Some of the highlights include:

• Identifying Gaps in the International Consensus Case Definitions for Invasive Aspergillosis: A Review of Clinical Cases Not Meeting These Definitions

• Antibacterial prophylaxis for neutropenic and high-risk hematology patients-Do the benefits outweigh the risk?

• High Rates of Seroprotection and Seroconversion to Vaccine-Preventable Infections in the Early Post-Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Period

• Antimicrobial use and appropriateness in neutropenic fever: a study of the Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey data

• Protocol for a clinically annotated biorepository of samples from Australian immune-compromised patients to investigate the host-microbiome interaction

In 2024 the NCIC Welcomed

The NCIC is thrilled to welcome new staff members and various visitors throughout 2024. We are proud to have such a dedicated and skilled workforce, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration and growing with our team into 2025. At the NCIC, our goal is to foster teamwork and enhance infection management skills for individuals with diverse cancers and transplant recipients. Additionally, we offer honorary positions for overseas fellows to join and work alongside our NCIC team. Learn more about our visting fellow program here.

Evona Fung and Sapna Dhunlall

Evona is our AMS- Clinical Nurse Specialist and Sapna our clinical trials administration assistant

Jia Hiu, Zenina Andrews, Violet Zhu

Jia Hiu is Infectious Diseases visiting fellow, Zenina is the infectious diseases research assistant, Violet is the antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist

Beatrice Miani

Infectious Diseases International visiting research fellow

Dr Ian Lim

Infectious diseases consultant, international short-term fellowship

Daphne

nfectious Diseases International visiting fellow

Priya Garg

Infectious Diseases clinician and PhD student.

Julia Zhevelyuk

Visiting Biomed student

Galadriel

Infectious Diseases International visiting fellow

Michelle Balm

Visiting Infectious Diseases clinician from New Zealand

Dr Alice Liu

Infectious Diseases Registrar

2024 Awards and Achievements

Dr Abby Douglas

Peter Mac Lea Award and the ICHS best poster award

A/Prof Michelle Yong

Appointed Associated Proffessor, ICHS 2030 Melbourne President and Board director of the ictorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium

Dr Victoria Hall

University of Melbourne 2024 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Research and a highly competitive international Moderna Fellowship award

Dr Morgan Rose

Phd Completion

Dr Julian Lindsay

One of three finalists for the HSR category of the 2024 Vicotria Premieers award for science.

Prof. Monica Slavin

Royal Melbourne Hosptial Research Hall of Fame and the Melbourne Medical School Brownless medal

Grants in 2024

NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence 

Transforming infection management in the era of emerging cancer therapies is the second NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) grant awarded to the NCIC team. Building on our initial CRE in 2017 and ongoing Synergy grant (awarded in 2022) we will lead a programme aimed at improving infection management for patients undergoing new cancer therapies. With the rise of immune system-targeting treatments like CAR T-cell therapy and small molecule inhibitors, survival rates for cancer patients have increased dramatically. However, these therapies come with a heightened risk of infections, which remain a leading cause of mortality among treated individuals. 

ANZMIG and Pfizer research grants awarded to Dr Zoe Neoh 

Susceptibilities of clinical non-Aspergillus mould (NAM) isolates to current and new antifungal agents in Australia and New Zealand or the NAM study has received funding support from ANZMIG to perform isolate susceptibility testing in conjunction with NCIC collaborator Prof Sharon Chen, Westmead, Sydney. Zoe was also successful with a Pfizer project grant to evaluate isavuconazole use in Australia.

Dr Abby Douglas Project ’Improving outcomes in high-risk cancer patients through rational antimicrobial use

This program will study new cutting-edge diagnostic tests and clinical trials of antibiotic cessation to reduce antibiotic use and improve patient care successfully funded through an NHMRC investigator grant.

Dr Gabrielle Haeusler Project - Reducing the burden of infection for children with cancer 

 Dr Haeusler’s research program will explore new ways to detect and monitor complicated infections, assess the safety of shortening antibiotic courses and develop national guidelines for infection management to improve outcomes of childhood cancer. Successfully funded through an NHMRC investigator grant VCCC alliance and Tour de Cure foundation.

Upcoming events

ICHS Webinar: Controversies in the Vaccination of Immunocompromised Patients

Australian Society for Antimicrobials 24th Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

The 2025 Howard Florey Oration will be delivered by Karin Thursky from The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

The programme's symposia cover many different aspects of antimicrobials and sessions including:

• Complex AMR Infections in Vulnerable Populations

• Mycobacteria

• Mycology

• Post COVID: Ongoing Public Health Challenges

• Gram-negative Bacteria

  Important Dates

  Abstract Submission Deadline Friday 13 December 2024 11:59 PM AEDT

  Abstract Notification Deadline Friday 3 January 2025

  Early Bird Registration DeadlineFriday 10 January 2025 11:59 PM AEDT

Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in Immunocompromised Host  

Please join us on May 11 – 14, 2025, in Seattle, Washington, for the 5th Symposium on Infectious Diseases in the Immunocompromised Host. Mark your calendar for an expanded two and a half-day program that brings together leaders and trainees in research and clinical care of infectious diseases in the immunocompromised host.

The NCIC is on BlueSky now!

We are excited to share that the NCIC will be transitioning to BlueSky.

Make sure to follow us on BlueSky and stay tuned for more developments as we settle into this new space and don’t forget, you can always stay connected with the team and community on LinkedIn for the latest updates and news. 

We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Kind regards,

Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer