Dear all,
Welcome to the October edition of the NCIC newsletter!
As we approach the year's end, we have many exciting announcements to share that highlight the outstanding work being accomplished at NCIC so far.
Also, we look forward to November hosting an array of incredible symposiums and events.
These events are a fantastic opportunity to hear from ID experts so be sure to sign up and register your attendance!
2024 NCIC SYMPOSIUM!
Next Friday the 1st of November is the NCIC's annual symposium, this year promises to be an exciting and insightful event, focusing on “Tackling Fungal Infections: Novel Immune & Diagnostic Approaches.”
Guest international speaker Prof. Dimitrios Kontoyiannis from MD Anderson will delve into the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in managing invasive fungal infections. We will also hear from other guest speakers on their topics all set to be fantastic presentations.
The symposium will also feature a panel discussion with experts including Prof. Monica Slavin, Prof. David Gottlieb, Dr. Shivani Pasricha, and Dr. Julian Lindsay. Together, they will explore future directions for immune therapies in treating fungal infections.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided, so be sure to register your attendance to ensure you don’t miss out!
Announcements and Achievements
Congratulations Prof Monica Salvin - Inducted into Royal Melbourne Hospital Research Hall of Fame 2024
Earlier this month, The Royal Melbourne Hosptial (RMH) held their 2024 Research Conference. During the closing remarks Prof Monica Slavin was honoured with the award by becoming inducted into the RMH Hall of Fame. This award recognises her dedication, commitment and contributions to infectious diseases research.
Congratulations to Dr. Victoria Hall for winning the 2024 Dean's Award for Excellence in Graduate Research
This award recognises the outstanding achievements in the previous calendar year across three categories; Research Publications/ Outputs; Recognition of Excellence (awards and prizes); Research Impact and Engagement (contributions to, and engagement with faculty, UoM and external community groups).
Special thanks to Tori’s primary supervisor, Dr. Ben Teh, and co-supervisors Professor Monica Slavin, Michelle Yong, and Professor Katherine Kierderska.
Congratulations A/Prof Michelle Yong: Appointed Board Director of the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium
The Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium unites leading researchers and clinical organisations to create a central hub that fosters collaboration across diverse disciplines. Well done, A/Prof Michelle Yong, on this important appointment! Your commitment to collaboration and expertise will play a vital role in improving outcomes for children with cancer and their families.
Congratulations to Dr Morgan Rose for passing his PhD
Dr Morgan Rose’s PhD focus was on Antibiotic Allergy in Critical Care and Cancer: Implementation of novel digital health solutions and health service models.
Your hard work has paid off, and this recognition is well-deserved. Well done!
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Workshop
Infectious disease experts propose trials network dedicated to immunocompromised patients. ImmunOptimize workshop convened stakeholders across disciplines to brainstorm infectious disease clinical trials network designed to serve people with weakened immune systems.
“We need roots, not parachutes,” said Fred Hutch Cancer Center infectious disease expert Joshua Hill, MD, who headed the ImmunOptimize scientific committee. “We need a grassroots effort to address the unmet needs of immunocompromised patients. The time is right to bring the conversations to the forefront.”
Feature Paper
NCIC PhD candidate Dr Olivia Smibert has recently published details of the HOMISPEC project which aims to collect paired stool and saliva from up to 768 participants over 5 years with the aim of exploring the link between gut microbiota and health in organ transplant and immunocompromised patients.
Global Health Celebrations
World Pharmacist Day: NCIC Pharmacy Careers
World Pharmacist Day internationally recognises and celebrates the crucial role that pharmacists play in the creating healthier communities. At NCIC, we recently held a successful Pharmacist Career Info Night, where we showcased the remarkable career paths of our pharmacy PhDs. This event highlighted their achievements and offered valuable insights into the diverse opportunities at the NCIC.
Please watch below video recording of this meeting.
World Sepsis Day
September 13th is World Sepsis Day; it is a global initiative that aims to raise awareness about this life-threatening condition. NCIC’s expert Infectious Diseases Nurse Practitioner Belinda Lambros says that the faster we recognise those signs, the faster we can treat them, and the better the outcome.
To spread the awareness of Sepsis please read and share below the information document below.
Upcoming Events
Australia Centre for Transplantation excellence and research (ACTER) - CMV &Transplant Infectious Diseases Symposium
Monday 11 November 2024 2:00pm
The Austin Hosptial
The ACTER Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Transplant Infectious Diseases Symposium will bring together clinicians from various specialties to discuss updates on CMV management in solid organ transplant and address clinical challenges related to infection risks in deceased organ donors.
Keynote speaker Associate Professor Camille Kotton will lead the discussion, followed by patient case reviews and networking opportunities.
Please see below QR Code and button to sign up.
Forbes Week 2024
13-15 November, 2024
Host Sites: Alfred, RMH/Peter Mac, Monash
Fellow: Dr. Camille Kotton, MGH
Dr. Kotton is an esteemed clinician with extensive expertise in transplant infectious diseases, particularly in CMV, vaccines, and travel health.
On Thursday, November 14, the oration will take place at Peter Mac Centre from 5:45 PM, followed by a dinner at Red Spice Road at 7 PM. Tickets are $150, which includes a multi-course meal and drinks.
Please book your tickets via Forbes Week Dinner below.
ICHS Webinar: Landscape of CMV Management in Transplant Recipients
5th December, 2024
This series will provide dynamic, interactive content based on needs assessments and feedback from our scientific sessions. The goal is to deliver comprehensive scientific programming, insights into cutting-edge research, innovative care practices, and Q&A opportunities with a diverse range of experts.
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