MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS

Medicine Handbook 1996

Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

Caution Copyright © Monash University 1996
ISBN 1037-0919

Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996


GRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAMSPart 2

CONTENTS

  1. Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  2. Paediatrics
  3. Pathology and Immunology
  4. Pharmacology
  5. Physiology
  6. Psychological Medicine
  7. Social and Preventive Medicine
  8. Surgery
  9. Affiliated institutes
  10. Subfaculty of Nursing

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Head: Professor D L Healy

Address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9550 5374

Human infertility; in vitro fertilisation and related reproductive technologies; implantation and embryogenesis; endocrinology of human pregnancy and parturition; role and control of eicosanoids in human reproduction; pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia; endocrine, haemodynamic and transfer functions of human placenta; aetiology and prevention of preterm labour; fallopian tube microsurgery; application of laser surgical techniques to gynaecological disorders; use of GnRH analogues in gynaecology; cause and treatment of endometriosis; molecular obstetrics and gynaecology.


Paediatrics

Head: Professor R Doherty

Address: Department of Paediatrics, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9550 4491

Fetal and neonatal respiratory physiology in experimental animals; lung growth and development; ion transport in the fetal and newborn lung; cardiovascular adaptation at birth; cot death studies involving sleep arousal; home apnoea monitoring and its impact on families; obstructive sleep apnoea; respiratory problems in the newborn; periventricular haemorrhage in preterm infants; computer applications in neonatal medicine; gastro-oesophageal reflux and infant posture; embryological development of the kidney and ureteric bud using morphological and monoclonal antibody techniques for analysis of cell adhesion molecules; development of animal models for fetal surgical procedures; in utero correction of fetal malformations; molecular genetics of blood disorders; growth disorders in childhood; childhood diabetes; characterisation of calcium regulating hormones in the placenta; immunological mechanisms in focal glomerulosclerosis; molecular regulation of viral gene expression; transcription factors; antiviral therapy.


Pathology and Immunology

Head: Clinical Associate Professor B H Toh

Address: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahran, 3181

Phone: (03) 9276 2713

Molecular basis of systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases, identification and molecular cloning of target autoantigens, delineation of the role of T lymphocytes in the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune gastritis and mechanisms of tolerance to extrathymic gastric autoantigens; structure-function studies of surface membrane proteins on plasma cells; molecular analyses of the obesity gene; allergy; generation of T cell clones to defined grass allergens and study of the role of T cells in the genesis of allergic responses; asthma: role of T cells in airway inflammation (in collaboration with Professor E H Walters, Department of Medicine); developmental molecular biology: regulation of gene expression of a defined gastric mucosal gene, the gastric proton pump; molecular biology of the Golgi complex: identification and cloning of Golgi autoantigens; identification and definition of the molecular signals which retain proteins in the Golgi complex; molecular biology of endocytosis; identification, cloning and functional analyses of proteins associated with early endosomes; molecular biology of cell division; identification, cloning and functional analysis of proteins regulating cell division; cytokines: role in human diseases; thymus biology: the role of the thymic stroma in the intrathymic development of T lymphocytes; generation, identification, and functional characterisation of monoclonal antibodies to the thymic stroma; the role of MHC molecules in antigen presentation and immunological tolerance; structure and function of T cell receptors; fine specificity of T cell receptors.


Pharmacology

Head: Professor B Jarrott

Address: Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9905 4860

Studies on the properties of drugs which affect the cardiovascular system, particularly those which affect autonomic reflexes and vascular smooth muscle; the pharmacology of antihypertensive agents and eicosanoids; vascular complications of diabetes; studies of the effects of pregnancy on cardiovascular responses and the uterine vasculature; pharmacological modulation of potassium ion channels; pharmacological and biochemical investigations of the effects of drugs on smooth muscle within the reproductive tract; the effects of drugs on vascular function and transport in the human placenta; drug receptors as membrane-bound enzyme systems; hormonal modulation of drug receptors; studies of the properties of newly synthesised novel compounds of potential therapeutic use (eg anti-HIV agents, neuroprotective drugs), in collaboration with chemists; studies on the pharmacological properties of novel compounds extracted from marine organisms; neurochemical studies of neurotransmission; pharmacology of novel neuroprotective agents; applications of fibre optic confocal imaging and microscopy in pharmacology; applications of cell cultures for studying drug action.


Physiology

Head: Professor G D Thorburn

Address: Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9905 2555

+ Fetal and neonatal development Development of the lungs and respiratory control in the fetus and newborn, sudden infant death syndrome, fetal-maternal endocrinology and fluid balance, fetal responses to stress, control of events leading to parturition, development of the central nervous system and vulnerability of the brain to hypoxia; control of fetal and placental growth, control of fetal muscle development.

+ Reproductive biology Production and secretion of reproductive hormones, role of hypothalamus and pituitary, responses of endocrine cells to stimuli; hormonal control of sexual differentiation; contraceptive effects of breastfeeding and population control; development of techniques for fertility control in feral animals; hormonal control of oestrous cycle, menstrual cycle and early pregnancy.

+ Autonomic neurobiology Mechanisms of smooth muscle contraction; ion channels and their modulation, spread of excitation, roles of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, function of autonomic ganglion cells, enteric nervous system; peripheral neural networks, neuroendocrine cells, pineal function and innervation of adrenal chromaffin cells; simultaneous measurement of muscle tension, electrical events and intracellular calcium concentration.

+ Regulation of muscle function The interrelationship between calcium, contraction and energy output of muscles; physiological determinants of oxygen usage in heart muscle; effects of age on mechanical and energetic properties of cardiac muscle; control of smooth muscle contraction by calcium and other second messenger systems; the mechanisms whereby second messengers modulate contractile activity and metabolic consequences of this; mechanisms of relaxation of smooth muscle; mechanical and energetic aspects of fatigue in skeletal muscle.

+ Neuroscience Muscle sense organs, their development and regeneration, internal functioning and spinal reflex action; recovery from nerve and muscle injury, nerve regeneration, axonal sprouting and deafferentation, exercise-induced changes in skeletal muscle, structural and mechanical aspects of muscle development; brain processing of auditory signals, plasticity of the auditory cortex and deafness, function of auditory efferent systems, sound localisation, comparative aspects of hearing in Australian native animals; brain pathways involved in movement control; function of the cerebellum, development of somatic sensory receptors and pathways and central connections; control of motor function in the primate, movement programming by cortical motor areas and basal ganglia.

+ Exercise physiology Effect of alterations in blood glucose levels on hepatic glucose production and glucose uptake during intense exercise in humans; energy state in contracting human muscle at the point of fatigue; causes of fatigue during intense exercise in trained and untrained individuals; importance of fluid ingestion during intense exercise.

+ Cellular physiology Membrane transport processes studied in the red blood cell; regulation of ionic transport; intracellular buffering of magnesium; computer modelling of the interaction of the red cell with its environment.

+ Molecular neurobiology Regulation of gene expression in brain in response to stress neurodegeneration and aging; molecular mechanisms of cell death/cell survival in adult brain; neurotrophic factors.


Psychological Medicine

Head: Professor B J Tonge

Address: Department of Psychological Medicine, level 3, block F, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9550 1477

Consultation-liaison psychiatry; stress in surgical patients; the experience of bone marrow transplantation; psycho-oncology; psychophysiological aspects of hypnosis, stress and pain; psychological aspects of in vitro fertilisation; adolescent mental health; depression in the medically ill; psychosomatic medicine; clinical and experimental psychoneuro-endocrinology; schizophrenia phenomenology, classification and treatment; treatment-resistant schizophrenia; community treatment and epidemiology of psychoses; neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease; outcome measures in therapy; amines and peptides in animal models of behaviour; neuronal growth and transmitter function; disaster studies; survivor psychology; medical education; ethnic psychiatry; gender issues; psychopathology and intellectual disability; anxiety disorders in children; autism; post natal mental health; compliance with treatment of serious renal disease in childhood; psychoanalytic theory; psychogeriatrics; forensic psychiatry; psychopharmacology; attitudes to neo-natal death; first onset psychosis in adolescents; mother-infant interaction; child psychoanalytic psychotherapy; psychopathology of sexual abuse in children.


Social and Preventive Medicine

Head: Professor J J McNeil

Contact: Dr A B Forbes, Research Director

Address: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahran, 3181

Phone: (03) 9276 2645

+ Preventive medicine Measuring the progression of atheroma using ultrasonography; prevention of arterial damage in smokers using antioxidants; prevention of cataract development using antioxidants; assisting smoking cessation using various forms of nicotine replacement; clinical trials of new anti-hypertensive drugs.

+ Asthma epidemiology Determining the prevalence of asthma; relation of asthma symptoms to pollen levels and other environmental factors; role of drug therapy in sudden death in asthmatics; genetic factors in asthma.

+ Drug assessment and safety issues Risk factors for development of drug induced jaundice; risk factors for the development of `surgam cystitis'; adverse effects of non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients undergoing surgery; risk of adverse reaction to aspirin.

+ Neuroepidemiology Prevalence study of stroke; risk factors and prognosis of intracerebral haemorrhage.

+ Quality assurance and health outcome Value of patient satisfaction surveys; assessment of key markers of quality care.

+ Cost effectiveness Cost-effectiveness of various strategies to improve water quality; cost-effectiveness of recombitant blood products.

+ Occupational health Long term respiratory health amongst employees in the aluminium industry; role of occupational chemical exposures in the aetiology of brain tumour; safety of organophosphorus insecticides when used for grain protection; safety of phosphine and other fumigants used for grain protection.

+ Environmental health Health effects from residence on soil with high arsenic levels; risk factors for high levels of organochlorine chemicals in breast milk.

+ CRC for water quality and treatment Development of health risk assessment methods applicable to water quality; measurement of health consequences of aluminium levels in water.


Surgery

Alfred Hospital

Head: Professor P E O'Brien

Address: Department of Surgery, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahran, 3181

Phone: (03) 9276 2608

Factors influencing growth of experimental colorectal cancer; experimental and clinical studies of liver metastases; experimental and clinical studies of the vasculature in acute and chronic inflammation; the process of healing of experimental gastric ulcers; the effects of age on the development and healing of gastric ulcers; prevention and treatment of surgical infections; surgical treatment of obesity; development of laparoscopic surgery; road trauma research; burns care; culture of isolated keratinocytes and other cell types; applications of cultured epidermal autografts and allografts in the treatment of burns and other skin defects.

Monash Medical Centre

Head: Professor V C Marshall

Address: Department of Surgery, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9550 5500

+ Transplantation Studies in tissue and organ transplantation - preservation studies involving kidney, heart, liver and pancreas; studies in immuno-suppression in relation to organ transplantation and especially chronic allograft rejection; analysis of human kidney transplantation results on follow-up data, correlating donor and recipient details; analysis of experimental transplantation data correlating structural, functional and experimental procedures; experimental studies of donor management to improve organ quality.

+ Microsurgical studies Composite flaps (bone, muscle and skin). Analysis of microsurgical techniques in relation to vascular grafts.

+ Gastrointestinal surgery Studies in oesophageal motility assessing pharmacological modification of oesophageal motility; studies in anorectal function and physiology; studies of gastrointestinal haemorrhage and portal hypertension; studies in nutrition comparing the effects of intravenous and enteral feeding.

+ Surgical education Problem solving in clinical surgery; medical student assessment and evaluation; assessment of audit and quality assurance in clinical surgery.


Affiliated institutes

Below are listed the interests and opportunities for research available at affiliated institutes/centres, which have connections with the Faculty of Medicine. Although students may undertake their research at an affiliated institute/centre, they can only be enrolled at Monash University through a department or an accredited academic unit of the faculty. Such students will be required to meet all the requirements and obligations of the designated department. In addition, all aspects of their candidature and scholarships will comply with Monash University regulations.

Baker Medical Research Institute

Director: Professor J W Funder

Location: Commercial Road, Prahran

Postal address: PO Box 348, Prahran, 3181

Phone: (03) 9522 4333

+ Alfred and Baker Medical Unit Therapy of hypertension and atherosclerosis; drug and non-drug methods; radiotracer studies of sympathetic nervous system function; exercise physiology; heart failure pathophysiology and treatment; cardiovascular responses to stress; new methods of cardiovascular risk assessment and reduction; clinical pharmacology of new cardiovascular drugs; human brain neurotransmitters.

+ Experimental Cardiology Laboratory Mechanisms of noradrenaline release during acute cardiac ischaemia; local modulation of neurotransmitter release during cardiac failure, and its role in the development of arrhythmias; the role of the phosphatidylinositol turnover pathway in causing ischaemic arrhythmias and new therapeutic strategies.

+ Cell Biology Laboratory Membrane ion (sodium and calcium) transport processes in cardiac and vascular cells; growth factors in vascular growth and development; local endothelial and smooth muscle-derived growth factors in vascular hypertrophy in hypertension; regression of vascular and cardiac hypertrophy.

+ Cardiac Surgical Research Unit Storing and protecting donor hearts for transplantation; enhancing myocardiac metabolism; pharmacology and structure of coronary bypass grafts; clinical projects with cardiac surgery and transplant units.

+ Cardio-Renal Laboratory The mechanism of splanchnic vasoconstrictor effects of ANP/ANP actions on post-prandial gut blood flow; the role of ANP in the control of heart rate reflexes; haemodynamic responses of ANP, BNP and renomedullary vasodepressor mechanisms.

+ Cellular Biochemistry Laboratory Phosphatidylinositol turnover pathway and the development of hypertrophy in myocardium and vascular smooth muscle; cellular recognition and signal transduction processes; vascular smooth muscle cells, mitogenic and contractile stimuli; molecular pharmacology of endothelin receptors.

+ Lipoprotein And Atherosclerosis Group Structure, function and regulation of apolipoprotein gene expression; high density lipoprotein (HDL) receptors; gene regulation of plasma factors and enzymes affecting lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

+ Molecular Hypertension Laboratory 11ß hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoforms; tissue-specific regulation of 11ß hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase gene expression; structural analysis of the structure of the 11HSD2 gene; analysis of the 11HSD gene in hypertension.

+ Molecular Physiology Laboratory POMC synthesis, ACTH and -endorphin in anterior pituitary, AtT20 cells and isolated neurointermediate lobe; proto-oncogenes and the pituitary response to stress hormones; cardiac fibrosis, salt and aldosterone; the neurobiology of mineralocorticoid receptors in the central nervous system; GR, MR, 11HSD1, 11HSD2 knock outs; pseudohypoaldosteronism; estrogens and vascular disease; menopause.

+ Morphology Laboratory Heparin and smooth muscle growth in hypertension; genetic factors and vessel wall growth in hypertension and in vascular injury; the role of angiotensin II in promoting growth of vascular smooth muscle cells.

+ Neuropharmacology Laboratory CNS monoamine neurotransmitters noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine; CNS renin-angiotensin system and endothelin in cardiovascular regulation; central antihypertensive drugs; hypertension-induced changes in circulatory control.

+ Peptide Biology Laboratory Hypothalamic and pituitary peptides; post-translational processing, stress and steroid excess; interactions between neuroendocrine and cardiovascular-derived peptides in the hypothalamo-pituitary axis; metalloendopeptidases; novel C-terminally amidated cardiac hormones.

+ Renal Laboratory Renal hypertension; regulation of glomerular function, micropuncture and morpho-metry; local intrarenal factors (including EDRF and endothelin); renal hormones; sympathetic nerves and renal function.

+ Sir Thomas Ramsay Electron Microscopy Laboratory Ultrastructure; structural relationships of sympathetic axons and vascular smooth muscle cells; sympathetic innervation of the kidney.

+ Vascular Biology Laboratory Von Willebrand Factor structure and function; von Willebrand Factor dependent platelet adhesion to damaged blood vessels; roles of the cell adhesion molecule, GMP-140, in modulation of the neutrophil inflammatory responses and haematopoiesis; roles of the membrane glycoprotein, PECAM-1, in cell adhesion and function; in vitro and in vivo models of thrombosis, inflammation and angiogenesis.

Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research

Director: Professor J Mills

Location: Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield

Postal address: PO Box 254, Fairfield, 3078

Phone: (03) 9280 2823

Research in conjunction with the Department of Microbiology

+ Hepatitis A virus Studies of virus replication strategies; development of high-replicative capacity variants; studies of virus binding and entry to cells.

+ Hepatitis B virus Structure of the DNA replicative intermediate, and mechanisms of transcriptional control; pathogenesis and treatment of hepatitis B in ducks.

+ Hepatitis E virus Development of new diagnostic tests and vaccines.

+ HIV Numerous projects, including genetics of drug resistance; control of transcription by cellular factors; mRNA splicing mechanisms and significance; mechanism of cell killing; replication strategies in stationary cells (including T-cells and monocyte-macrophages); mechanism of action of ancillary proteins; immune response to HIV infection; control of reverse transcription; transcription and translation in monocyte-macrophages; studies on assembly and maturation of HIV; biology of HIV infection of macrophages; interactions between other viruses and HIV; and development of attenuated variants of HIV.

+ Respiratory syncytial virus Studies of the cell receptor for human and animal RSVs, and structural, functional and chemical studies of the attachment protein (G protein) of RSV. Development of a genetic system for in vitro mutagenesis of RSV cDNA.

+ Rubella virus Morphogenesis and replication strategies of rubella virus; mechanism of mitochondrial injury by rubella virus.

Mental Health Research Institute

Director: Professor D Copolov

Location: Cnr Oak Street and Poplar Road, Parkville

Postal address: Private Bag 3, Parkville, 3052

Phone: (03) 9388 1633

Research at the institute focuses on schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

+ Alzheimer's Disease research group The role of amyloid precursor protein in Alzheimer's disease; the role of metal ions (specifically zinc) in dementia.

+ Biostatistics and psychometrics Latent trait and class modelling of psychiatric symptoms and disorders; development and assessment of psychological tests; covariance structure analysis; computationally intensive statistics.

+ Brain dynamics The use of multi-channel EEG measures in detecting functional abnormality in schizophrenia; computer simulation of cortical activity.

+ Cell biology Neuronal development, neurotransmitters and schizophrenia.

+ Cognitive neuropsychiatry Neuropsychological deficits in schizophrenia; structural and functional imaging studies; the association of olfactory deficits with psychotic symptoms.

+ Genetics Twin and family studies; children of psychotic parents.

+ Neurochemistry Pharmacological, biochemical and molecular studies aimed at identifying changes in brain tissue and blood from schizophrenic subjects; studies of neurochemical changes that occur in response to neuroleptic drug treatment.

+ Neurophysiology and neurovisual research Neurophysiological investigations of ocular motor and attentional function in Alzheimer's disease, the AIDS dementia complex and schizophrenia; brain mapping of ocular motor and attentional functions using evoked potentials and PET.

+ Psychopharmacology and clinical neuroendocrinology Evaluation of new antipsychotic drugs; the role of sex hormones in patients with psychoses; studies of psychopathology related to post-mortem brain chemistry.

Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research

Director: Professor H G Burger

Location: Level 4, Block E, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton

Postal address: PO Box 5152, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9550 4372

+ Research in conjunction with Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre Molecular endocrinology; steroid hormone action including resistance syndromes; intestinal biology including studies on the molecular basis of intestinal adaptation; molecular oncology; infertility, menopause, osteoporosis, hormone replacement therapy, reproductive biology; prostatic disease including prostatic cancer.

+ Research in conjunction with Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Studies on reproductive endocrinology, and reproductive hormones, in the male and female; studies on the biology of the uterus, particularly during menstruation and implantation; ovarian cancer endocrinology; studies of the molecular endocrinology of pregnancy and parturition.

+ Research in conjunction with Department of Pharmacology The autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular control; signal transduction processes in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle, receptors involved in modulation of transmitter release in the central nervous system; hormonal regulation of the cardiovascular system.

+ Research in conjunction with Department of Physiology Neuroendocrinology and endocrinology including studies relevant to nutrition, reproduction, growth, lactation, cancer and stress. Work is carried out using sophisticated in vivo and in vitro models and molecular and single cell techniques.


Subfaculty of Nursing

The following is a brief list of the principle areas of research in the Subfaculty of Nursing. At present, students wishing to undertake research for a MSc or PhD in the subfaculty will need to enrol through an appropriate department of the Faculty of Medicine.

Head: Professor J Bowers

Address: Subfaculty of Nursing, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168

Phone: (03) 9905 4034

Nursing therapies and practices; nursing information systems and nursing informatics; community health and primary health care; health promotion; rural health issues; issues of professionalism; nursing education practices; nursing research methodologies; patient perspectives of pain/illness/nursing care; ethical/moral issues; health service delivery models; legal issues; health care; policy and management; transcultural nursing.


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