(Jo Dono, Kerry Ettridge, Jacquie Bowden, Caroline Miller, Katrina Stamp)

The Population Health Research Group, directed by Dr Caroline Miller, was established in July 2013 and is a new and developing research group within SAHMRI, working across the Cancer and Heart Themes. The Group focuses on behavioural research and policy research to inform interventions aimed principally at whole populations and population sub groups. They achieve research translation by engaging with policy makers and non-government agencies and provide evidence based information to inform policies for improved health outcomes.

The Research Group has formal research collaborations with the University of South Australia School of Population Health, the University of Adelaide School of Population Health, Flinders University School of Health Sciences, Curtin University School of Psychology, Cancer Council SA and Cancer Council Victoria.

The group brings together researchers with strengths in the areas of tobacco control and unhealthy weight and excessive alcohol consumption risks, all of which are critical for prevention of cancer and heart disease. The group works on: the science and psychology behind social marketing campaigns; plain packaging and health warning labels on tobacco; community understanding of health recommendations and risk factors for disease; community support for public health policy measures; as well as monitoring rates of smoking, healthy weight, physical activity and alcohol consumption. The Group also incorporates the Tobacco Control Research and Evaluation Program (TCRE) which is funded by the SA Government and administers the Central Coordination unit of the South Australian Clinical Cancer Registry and Northern Territory Cancer Registry.

Jacquie Gould (Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children Theme) has been named as one of the three-finalists for the 2014 Young Investigators Award.   It was a very tough field of competition, so this is a really great achievement!

Dr Adeline Lau (Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit) has been successful in receiving a travel award from the CASS Foundation to attend the Gordon Research Conference and Seminar on lysosomal diseases, to be held in in Texas, USA, in March 2015.

Ms Meghan Setford (Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit) has been successful in receiving a travel award from the Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association Inc. to attend the annual conference held in Canberra in September 2014.

Dr Karlea Kremer of the Stroke Research Group – part of the Heart Health theme, was awarded the 'Elizabeth Penfold Simpson Prize' from the Brain Foundation (Australia).  This prize recognises the best piece of original neuroscience research (in any field) within the last 2 years.  The work Dr Kremer undertook was substantially conducted in South Australia. The award was presented in Sydney and is worth $20,000.  Dr Karlea Kremer has donated this award to furthering stem cell research for stroke.

Kate Vandyke from the Myeloma Research Laboratory in the Cancer Theme has had her abstract entitled “Identification of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like programme in t(4;14)-positive multiple myeloma reveals novel targets for therapeutic intervention” accepted for an oral presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco in December.

Dr Eva Nievergall and Ms Liu Lu (PhD student) from the Cancer Theme have also had their research work accepted for presentation at the (ASH) meeting.   Abstract acceptance is highly competitive for this meeting.

Congratulations to SAHMRI's Director of Cancer Research, Professor Deb White, who won the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Leading Light Award 2014 for Leukaemia Research. The ASMR SA Leading Light Award recognises the exceptional research output by mid-career researchers who have pursued an independent research program and highlights the outstanding work being undertaken by these leading medical researchers in South Australia.

Professor Prash Sanders and Dr Dennis Lau (Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide, SAHMRI Heart Health, Adelaide, Department of Cardiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital) have developed pre-clinical physician training for a novel leadless pacemaker.

Project Background:
Cardiac pacemaker technology has improved significantly over the last few decades.

The leadless pacemaker system has been developed to eliminate the need for pacing leads, pacemaker pockets and connectors required by conventional pacemakers thereby eliminating the associated complications such as lead failure and device pocket infection. This technology has potential to improve patient comfort and quality of life.

This device has been implanted overseas with good initial results. Currently, a large multinational trial (LEADLESS II) is underway to further evaluate the performance of this novel product, of which several Australian centres are involved. Given that the technology is novel, training of implanting physician is crucial and this is best done in a pre-clinical setting such as the Large Animal Research and Imaging Facility (LARIF).

Pre-clinical Training:
Initial training of 3 physician investigators from 2 different states (including Professor Sanders and Dr Lau from South Australia) was successfully conducted at the LARIF facility based at Gilles Plains, Adelaide, South Australia on the 6th August 2014. In an anesthetized adult sheep, investigators were able to access the right ventricle apex via the right femoral vein using the Phillips flat- detector C-arm fluoroscopy. The investigators were able to familiarize the procedures for delivering, fixing, maneuvering and retrieving the leadless pacemaker device in the sheep heart.

This training was followed by the first successful cases of leadless pacemaker implants in Australia in 2 patients on the following day by Professor Sanders and Dr Lau at The Royal Adelaide Hospital.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nklybkr4x1k&index=1&list=UUhAumjy26uts_hvywCSdgvQ

The authors acknowledge the technical support of the Preclinical, Imaging and Research Laboratories node of the National Imaging Facility.

SAHMRI is committed to conducting and supporting methodologically and ethically sound research that adheres to, and is conducted in accordance with, ethical principles, guidelines for responsible research conduct, legislation and regulations.

Responsibility for ensuring research governance requirements are met falls principally to the institution that hosts the research and the researchers who conduct health and medical research.

To address this, SAHMRI has developed a Research Governance Framework for all research involving human participants to ensure compliance with these requirements.

This Research Governance Framework is intended to provide guidance to researchers, both those employed by SAHMRI and external researchers seeking access to the SAHMRI site, data and/or staff, of SAHMRI’s research governance requirements.

When do I need to apply the Framework and complete a Site Specific Assessment form?

The SAHMRI Research Governance Framework applies to researchers involved in the conduct of health and medical research involving humans that:

• Is conducted on the SAHMRI site (i.e. the North Terrace Building) and includes the clinical rooms on Level 4; and/or
• Involves the use of samples/data/records or other material held and managed by SAHMRI  

The Framework applies equally to employees of SAHMRI and external researchers who are undertaking research at the SAHMRI site.

The Site Specific Assessment is a component of research governance and involves assessing the suitability of the resources at the SAHMRI site, and whether they are sufficient to ensure the satisfactory conduct and completion of the project. It also considers whether appropriate consultation and approval has been granted by local decision makers to permit the project to the undertaken at SAHMRI.

This Framework does not apply to research undertaken by SAHMRI staff at external institutions e.g. public health organisation. Local policies will apply at these institutions and must be adhered to at all times.

Compliance with this Framework is mandatory. The form required is available here.

Once completed, the SSA form must be submitted to the Research Governance Officer at SAHMRI via email researchgovernance@sahmri.com

The NHMRC has released "A Guide to the care and use of Australian native mammals in research and teaching (the Guide)".

The Guide supports the implementation of the Australian Code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes 8th edition, 2013 (the Code) and seeks to ensure that any care and use of Australian native mammals for the purpose of research and teaching is ethical, humane and responsible, and accords with current best practice.  An obligation to respect animals underpins the Guide and the Code. Any use of animals must be justified, must have scientific or educational merit, must be beneficial to humans, animals or the environment and must be conducted with integrity.  The specific and unique needs of Australian native mammals must be met when these animals are used for scientific purposes.

The Guide is available on the NHMRC website.

On Tuesday 2 September the South Australian Aboriginal Health Research Accord was signed as a commitment to conduct Aboriginal health research in South Australia in alignment with nine principles.

PRIORITIES: Research should be conducted on priorities arising from and endorsed by the Aboriginal community to enhance acceptability, relevance and accountability.
INVOLVEMENT: The involvement of Aboriginal people and organisations is essential in developing, implementing and translating research.
PARTNERSHIP: Research should be based on the establishment of mutual trust, and equivalent partnerships, and the ability to work competently across cultures.
RESPECT: Researchers must demonstrate respect for Aboriginal knowledge, Aboriginal knowledge systems and custodianship of that knowledge.
COMMUNICATION: Communication must be culturally and community relevant and involve a willingness to listen and learn.
RECIPROCITY: Research should deliver tangible benefits to Aboriginal communities. These benefits should be determined by Aboriginal people themselves and consider outcomes and processes during, and as a result of, the research.
OWNERSHIP: Researchers should acknowledge, respect, and protect Aboriginal intellectual property rights and ensure transparent negotiation of intellectual property use and benefit sharing.
CONTROL: Researchers must ensure the respectful and culturally appropriate management of all biological and non-biological research materials.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION AND EXCHANGE: Sharing and translation of knowledge generated through research must be integrated into all elements of the research process to maximise impact on policy and practice.

For further information please visit the website.

The NHMRC have announced their latest round of funding. Further detail regarding funding provided to SAHMRI and partner staff will be provided in the November edition of "Under the Microscope". In the meantime, please visit the NHMRC website for further detail regarding these results.

We would like to congratulate the following recipients of grant funding:

Prof Joseph B Selvanayagam (Heart Health): Research Grant of $3.1Million  and $4.8Million in Devices from Biotronik for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance GUIDEd management of mild-moderate left ventricular systolic Heart Failure (CMR GUIDE HF) clinical trial. This international, multicentre clinical trial sets out to test the hypothesis that among patients with mild-moderate heart failure, a routine CMR guided management strategy of implantable defibrillator (ICD) insertion is superior to a conservative strategy of standard care.

Sue Heatley, Genomics Research Team Leader, Cancer Theme for receiving a $75,000 Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Grant titled “Developing a robust screening tool to identify Children with high risk “Ph-Like” Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) that will lead to improved outcomes through the use of targeted therapies”.

Some recent publications for your information:

D T Yeung, D J Moulton, S L Heatley, E Nievergall, P Dang, J Braley, S Branford, S Moore, C G Mulligan, T P Hughes and D L White.  Relapse of BCR-ABL1-like ALL mediated by the ABL1 kinase domain mutation T315I following initial response to dasatinib treatment.   Leukemia (2 September 2014) | doi:10.1038/leu.2014.256 

Zacher M, Bayly M, Brennan E, Dono J, Miller C, Durkin S, Scollo M, Wakefield M. Personal tobacco pack display before and after the introduction of plain packaging with larger pictorial health warnings in Australia: an observational study of outdoor café strips. Addiction. Epub January 2014.

Netting MJ, Middleton PF, Makrides M.  Does maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation affect allergy outcomes in their offspring?  A systematic review of food based approaches.  Nutrition DOI:10.1016/j.nut2014.02.015 Epub ahead of print  Due to be in Nov/Dec print issue.

Lui G, Muhlhausler B, Gibson RA.  A method for long term stabilisation of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in dried blood spots and its clinical application. Prostaglandins, Leukot EssentFatty Acids.  DOI:10.1016/j.plefa.2014.09.009  Epub ahead of print.

Hassiotis S, Beard H, Luck A, Trim PJ, King B, Snel MF, Hopwood JJ, Hemsley KM.  Disease stage determines the efficacy of treatment of a paediatric neurodegenerative disease.  (2014)  Eur J Neurosci.  39: 2139–2150.

Vimaleswaran KS, Cavadino A, Berry DJ,  (106 others),  Hyppönen E. A causal association between vitamin D status and hypertension: a Mendelian Randomization study in up to 146,581 individuals. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014 Sep;2(9):719-29.

The Australian Government’s Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme replaces Commercialisation Australia and several other innovation programs terminated in the federal budget.

The Research Connections stream is now open and includes grants for SMEs to collaborate with the research sector to develop new ideas with commercial potential.

The Commercialising Ideas stream (replacing Commercialisation Australia) will commence on 1 November 2014.

The JDRF “Participation of Clinical Centres & Concept Proposals for Clinical Research Studies” Request for Applications for the Australian Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network is now open for online applications. Applications close 24 October 2014.

To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s launch of the initial Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative, three new initiatives aimed at creating breakthroughs in science have been launched.

The three new initiatives being announced are:

All Children Thriving – focusing on developing new tools and holistic approaches to help mothers and children thrive in the developing world  by ensuring a healthy birth for both mother and child and setting children on a path to healthy physical growth and cognitive development. All Children Thriving includes new initiatives and commitments from Grand Challenges Canada (Saving Brains); the Saving Lives at Birth partnership (including the US Agency for International Development, the Government of Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada and the UK Department for International Development); the Governments of Brazil, India, and South Africa; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Putting Women and Girls at the Center of Development - focusing on a rigorous understanding of women’s and girls’ needs and preferences and gender inequalities and supporting new approaches to promote women’s and girls’ empowerment that will enhance the ability to achieve multiple health and development goals.

Creating New Interventions for Global Health – focusing on accelerating the translation of original and innovative concepts for vaccines, drugs and diagnostics into safe, effective, affordable and widely used interventions for diseases in the developing world.

For more information go to http://grandchallenges.org

SAHMRI will be holding an informal lunchtime discussion on NHMRC grant application preparation on 3 November at 12.00pm to 1.30pm in the SAHMRI Auditorium, North Terrace.

We have assembled a panel of individuals who have experience in writing, reviewing and chairing NHMRC panels (Professor Brown, Professor White, Professor Nicholls, Associate Professor Lynn).

The forum will be a relaxed discussion and question session focussing on strategies to maximise NHMRC success rates in next year’s round providing guidance for the preparation of competitive applications, compiling background data and writing rebuttals.

Anyone planning to submit an NHMRC Project Grant for next year's round is welcome to attend.

Please RSVP to the Research Office by Monday 27 October. A light lunch will be provided.

When:               10th November, 2014
Speaker:           Professor Leon Lack
Topic:               Development of psychological treatments for sleep disorder
Time:                1-2pm
Location:          Level 3 Auditorium, SAHMRI

Are you a bioethics researcher intending to submit a grant to either the ARC, NHMRC or Discovery Early Career Researcher Award?

The SAHMRI Health Research Ethics Panel would like to invite you to attend a Grant Preparation Workshop, where bioethics researchers will work together to review draft applications and provide constructive feedback on grant applications.

This workshop is an opportunity for you to work with others in your field to enhance your chances of funding success.

WORKSHOP DETAILS:
Thursday 22nd January
9am – 5pm
Level 8, SAHMRI Building, North Terrace

If you would like to be involved in this workshop, please forward your expression of interest (including project title, abstract, research scheme) to Sarah Lawson via email by 21st November.

You will then be required to submit an advanced draft of your application one week prior to the workshop for distribution to other participants.

Further information regarding this workshop can be obtained by contacting the SAHMRI Research Office.

The 53rd National Scientific Conference (NSC) of the ASMR will take place as a component of the - 7th Australian Health and Medical Research Congress, Melbourne  Convention and Exhibition Centre, November 16-19 2014. Further information can be found at the website.

Flinders Centre for Cancer Innovation

2015 Survivorship Conference

6-7 February, Adelaide, South Australia 

For more information, visit the website.  

The CRC for Cell Therapy Manufacturing has unveiled its new Entrepreneurial PhD (ePhD) Program, which incorporates industry-relevant education into traditional PhD studies. The ePhD Program will support Australia’s expanding biomedical and cell therapy industries.

Scholarships, which are co-sponsored by the Playford Memorial Trust Inc., are now available for exceptional students to pursue their PhD studies with the CRC.

The first of four modules for the ePhD Program will be delivered in early 2015 and scholarships for the Program are now available to pursue research on various topics impacting cell therapies. Current opportunities exist at UniSA, the University of Adelaide and the University of Sydney and can be found through the CRC’s
website.

The date for the next student networking event is Friday 31 October, to coincide with Friday SAHMRI drinks. The meeting will start at 4 pm in the Boardroom on level 4.

3 PhD students will be presenting their projects:

Kartini Asari (Cancer Theme) - "Investigating drug sensitivity and modes of therapeutic resistance in high-risk Philadelphia-chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph-like ALL)"

Antonio Inserra (Mind and Brain Theme) - "Depression and immune system, where is the link?"

Karen Best (Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children) - "Six year follow up of the DOMInO Trial - Docosahexaenoic Acid to Oprimise Mother and Infant Outcomes"

ECR Network: Towards research independence
RiAus
Thursday, 30 October 2014
5:30 PM to 8:00 PM (ACDT)
Adelaide, SA

Visit the website for bookings.

2015 student projects are available in the Lysosomal Diseases Research Unit.  Honours projects can be viewed on the SAHMRI Intranet (Student Opportunities).  PhD projects are also available in the Unit.  Students are encouraged to contact the Unit via email to discuss potential PhD projects.

Committee deadlines:

SA Health Human Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 17th November

RAH Human Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 12th November

QEH Human Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 19th November 

WCH Human Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 29th October

Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 24th October

University of Adelaide HREC
Proposals due: 11th November

University of South Australia HREC
Proposals due: 28th October

Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 17th November 

Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee
Proposals due: 20th November

The next meeting of the SAHMRI AEC will be held on 11th December. Applications for this meeting must be submitted by 27th November. For further information, please visit the AEC website.

The next meeting of the IBC will be held on Thursday 6th November.

For further information about the Committee, please contact the SAHMRI IBC Executive Officer via email or visit the website.

Bioresources is presently on-track for rederiving all lines into the facility. We currently have over 50 colonies. We now have a new line available for researchers, the nude CD-1 line. This will be of use to researchers performing xenotransplantation studies.  This is in addition to the core C57BL/6JSah and CD-1 mice we offer researchers. Sperm and embryo freezing has commenced. New rodent imaging equipment has arrived and been commissioned including the Albira PET/SPECT, the ICON MRI and the Skyscan 1176 micro–CT. Our new system for tracking of rodents in tests like Open-Field and Morris Water Maze has arrived and will be installed shortly.

An update about research infrastructure within the building:

The Bruker Skyscan 1176 microCT is being installed this week.  Please contact Marianne Keller to discuss your needs for this instrument.

The loan cryogenic ‘mule’ tank to transfer samples from your previous work sites will be returned in the next week or so – please contact Tina Schultz immediately if you need to use this tank

The consumables store is running well.  If you have feedback, please add comments via issue tracker.  We will be stocking Corning flasks and plates in there soon

Our equipment and services booking system, PPMS is being rolled out this week to all users in SAHMRI.  Paper booking sheets next to equipment will no longer be used for booking – please use PPMS for this purpose

We have obtained a Panomics L100 luminometer/luminescent plate reader.  This is on trial for two weeks while we ascertain its sensitivity and suitability for current operations.  If you have any luminescent samples to read, we would appreciate your feedback on this instrument – please contact Kris in the Stem Cells group (5 North) to arrange a time

Cryogenic storage database – Freezermax – this will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

We have undertaken a review of the processes and needs of researchers within SAHMRI and have revised some of our prices.

The “full histology service” for samples is now only $15 per sample/cassette, and includes processing, embedding, sectioning, staining and scanning of 2 slides per cassette. We also have 8 special stains now available: alcian blue, congo red, gram stain, luxol fast blue, Masson’s trichrome, oil red O, PAS and reticulin stain; and we are accepting IHC projects/stains. 

If you have any queries please contact the Histology Laboratory on extension 84643 or visit the website. 

Think you may have the Flu? Or someone you know?

SAHMRI are looking for volunteers to participate in an influenza study.

SAHMRI are participating in the SMART ID trial for early detection of the Flu. You will have 3 samples collected from the nose or throat and be notified of the result.
For more information call us on 8 128 4597 or 0418 205 210

As part of the Boosting Dementia Research measure, the NHMRC is seeking views on dementia research and translation priorities from researchers, clinicians, dementia patients and their carers. The identified priorities will inform the strategic roadmap for the new NHMRC National Institute of Dementia Research. Stakeholders interested in participating should contact the NHMRC

Submit your feedback on revised list of standard clinical trial items
The NHMRC and the Department of Industry are undertaking work to improve the clinical trials environment in Australia. A list of standard clinical trial items was developed following stakeholder consultation. The report from the consultation is now available online. Deadline for submissions is 31 October 2014.