Health and Medical Sciences Semester One 2020 Highlights
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Health and Medical Sciences Semester One 2020 Highlights
Reflecting on a historic semester
Welcome to the Semester One, 2020
edition of The University of Western
Australia’s Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences Highlights.
It is a great honour to be appointed The teaching semester was completed While it is a challenging environment,
Executive Dean of this Faculty and I successfully, with our staff rising to I believe excellence and optimism will
am delighted to serve in this role. the occasion of these challenging be rewarded, and we can build on the
What is already clear to me is the circumstances. We have adapted to great work our predecessors have
quality and excellence of our Faculty an online environment and proven done. Within this publication we
in teaching, research, and service. our agility and responsiveness, celebrate the stories of students,
We have some terrific global ensuring to support students academics and staff who have gone
rankings and a high reputation in through this time. above and beyond in their work and
many areas. As our valued alumni, are recognised for their contributions
you can be rightly proud of the work As my role becomes established to our mission of advancing life-long
that has been done and the during these unusual times, I will health through education, research
traditions we uphold. continue to develop and deliver and innovation.
on our world-class research and
The COVID-19 virus has had a rapid teaching efforts. We have new courses We are here at UWA to make a
and unprecedented impact on our being developed, current courses difference, and to serve our students
local and global communities. Our evolving, research partnerships and and our communities, and I feel
clinical and research leaders here in links expanding, and international honoured to contribute to that aim.
the Faculty are actively involved in relationships and local partnerships
mitigating this threat by working with growing and developing. A key With best wishes,
WA Health and the Federal priority will be to strengthen these
Government to inform policy, public partnerships with government, Jon
health advice and patient care. industry and the community.
The pandemic will change the way
we work and collaborate longer Professor Jon Watson
term, and we aim to be at the Executive Dean
forefront of this. Faculty of Health and Medical
Sciences
2 The University of Western Australia
Profile:
Professor Jon Watson previously served as Dean of Medicine at Deakin
University, Victoria, Australia, from 2014-2019. He is a Fellow of the Royal
College of Physicians of London and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College
of Physicians, and was appointed in 2012 to the National Examining Panel of the
Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Jon Watson attended Cambridge studies into Hepatitis C Virus infection
University for his undergraduate and liver disease. He was awarded the
degrees in Medicine (BA and MA in European Certificate of Completion
Medical Sciences), and Oxford of Specialist Training (CCST) in 1998.
University for his clinical studies He then migrated to Australia, with
(Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of his family.
Surgery). He trained as a physician
and gastroenterologist in Oxford, Learn more about Jon’s career and
London and Newcastle upon Tyne. research interests at uwa.edu.au/
Whilst working in Newcastle upon health/profile/jon-watson
Tyne, he was awarded a PhD for
uwa.edu.au/health 3
UWA’s response by Professor Tobias Kollmann from
Telethon Kids Institute.
to COVID-19 Trial participants are randomised to
receive the BCG vaccination and the
influenza vaccination or the influenza
vaccination alone.
The BCG vaccine was developed against
In a defining moment of history, the pandemic has affected every country tuberculosis (TB) and given widely in WA
in the world and has disrupted lives in unprecedented ways. University as a protection against TB until the mid
research is key to COVID-19 breakthroughs, and UWA’s researchers have 1970s. Previous studies have shown the
responded in the collaborative defence against COVID-19. This short BCG vaccine boosts people’s ‘frontline’
summary of activities demonstrates how the University community has immunity, training it to respond to other
energised, focussed and rapidly responded to create solutions for the subsequent infections with greater
public good. intensity. Researchers hope
this improved ‘innate’ immunity will
provide crucial time to develop and
importantly, validate, a specific
COVID-19 Research Clinical Database anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
Response team A COVID-19 patient database and
data linkage has been established. “The BCG vaccine may well be a
WA’s COVID Research Response (CRR), Combined with laboratory research, protection for all Australians once the
with World Health Organization- the database determines how different borders are opening and once social
endorsed protocol, is being patients respond to the infection. distancing is loosened.” Professor
coordinated by the WA Health Giving insights into treatments for Lucas said.
Translation Network (WAHTN) and people who are severely infected
“It is designed as a population vaccine,
brings together the efforts of UWA with the virus.
so everyone could have it to give them
with four other universities, six major
research institutes, public and private Vaccine development, that advantage. If we see a significant
hospitals and the WA Department research and clinical COVID-19 outbreak across Australia,
of Health. treatment trials then participants may be protected from
UWA researchers are hopeful local developing severe disease and hospital
Professor Jon Watson, Executive Dean trials of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin admission.” Professor Lucas said.
of the Faculty of Health and Medical (BCG) vaccine will not only determine
Expert advice to Federal
Sciences, and his team have secured if it is an effective way to boost the
and State governments,
$804,623 in funding to develop an immune systems of frontline health
community and media
integrated data and biobanking workers but show whether it can be
UWA contributed nine top researchers
platform in collaboration with the used as a whole-population COVID-19
to a taskforce of more than 100 experts
Western Australian Health Translation protection measure when Australia’s
across the Group of Eight (Go8)
Network and with WA health services, borders are opened again.
Universities. The taskforce released a
to record and collate essential clinical
Leading the trial at Sir Charles Roadmap to Recovery report, designed
information on patients infected with
Gairdner Hospital, UWA clinical to help the Federal Government plot the
the COVID virus, and to assess and
immunologist Professor Michaela best path through COVID-19.
compare the results of COVID-19
research and treatment trials. Lucas said the importance of the
The UWA expert series for community
BRACE trial, a multi-centre randomised
awareness showcased the health and
The system will coordinate with WA controlled clinical trial of the BCG
medical expertise of Faculty clinicians,
health service systems to provide vaccine against COVID-19, should
academics and researchers leading
a truly integrated clinical research not be underestimated.
efforts to address the health crisis.
pathway. Scientists will be able to
access real time patient clinical data The clinical trial is endorsed by the
The series is complemented by
combined with essential laboratory World Health Organization and is run
an experts guide for media seeking
biomedical information, to help our in partnership with Murdoch Children’s
evidence-based input from UWA
development of the best research Research Institute in Melbourne, led
academics across a broad range
and treatments for this virus. by Professor Nigel Curtis, and for WA
of subject areas and specifically,
COVID-19.
4 The University of Western Australia
WA’s COVID-19 (hydroxychloroquine) and we have
learned that ‘a good idea’ does not
research translate into patient benefit. These
drugs need to be properly tested to
find what works and ensure that they
We caught up with UWA’s COVID may not actually worsen the situation
clinical trial leader, Professor Toby due to side effects. The largest
Richards, who says WA’s success at breakthrough in clinical care has
flattening the curve has bought come from the use of steroids, this
enough time to combine the efforts only happened as a result of a large
of hundreds of its best minds and put clinical trial.
it in a unique position worldwide to
identify the most effective treatments “In WA the Covid Research
and therapies for COVID-19.
Response is a clinical trial
“The only way to develop platform where any patient
the best COVID treatment seen in any public hospital
options is in a robust scientific can volunteer to help. Their “We are all coming together
environment,” Professor data and samples can be to find answers and we are
Richards said. “In WA, we collected in a unified manner asking the people of WA to
have had time to catch our to support WA researchers, help us, and WA has a history
breath, watch and learn from no matter which hospital and of saying ‘yes’ with incredible
the rest of the world. The with minimal paperwork. track records form the Raine
key is collaboration to bring “Similarly, only by analysing the data and Busselton studies.
together WA’s best doctors, and looking at patterns and testing
“Although WA has one of the lowest
researchers and scientists in a can we work out if you present with
global infection rates the CRR
COVID, are you safe to go home or do
cohesive platform.” platform has captured data on over
you need to come into hospital, if it is
half of all the patients. We are working
“We have an illness that has not really likely that you might respond to drug
with the Australian National Phenome
hit us yet and we have no proper A versus drug B or are you likely to
Centre to investigate novel
treatment. There are many proposed require to be on a ventilator in
biomarkers that may predict outcome
drugs, but these were designed for intensive care.
and even identify COVID before
other conditions such as other viruses traditional testing. Collaboration
or even the treatment of malaria also exist with Respiratory and
Immunology teams to develop new
tests and treatments. Pivotal to WA’s
response has been the collaboration
from the Department of Health &
Public Health through to the
researchers and scientists to deliver
the best resources for patient
benefit.”
Professor Toby Richards with members
of the Covid Research Response team
uwa.edu.au/health 5
Advocating for the Research translation to practice
can take years, but COVID-19 is
keenly aware that their home is not the
safest place for them to be and others
most vulnerable challenging this. Within four days, the are discovering this for the first time.
members of our UWA Home2Health team led by A/Prof
Wood analysed, shared data and Hospital data from the Australian
society adapted a UK evidence model to Institute of Health and Welfare shows
prevent and protect people sleeping that people living in remote or very
Homelessness rough from COVID-19. remote areas are a staggering 24
While Australians were urged to stay times more likely to be hospitalised
home and self-isolate, more than The UWA team also partnered with for domestic violence than people in
100,000 Australians experiencing Homeless Healthcare and Shelter WA major cities.
homelessness are at high risk of to develop COVID-19 information
tailored to the challenges faced by Professor Sandra Thompson is the
COVID-19 because of chronic health
people experiencing homelessness. Director of the WA Centre for Rural
conditions and no home in which
Health “This is a stressful time for
to isolate.
“You can’t stay home if you don’t everyone. Unfortunately, mandated
Associate Professor Lisa Wood (BCom have somewhere to live, regular public social distancing measures
‘88, PhD `06) from The School of hand washing is difficult, as is social due to COVID-19 can increase family
Population and Global Health said in distancing if huddling with others on violence in the private space, through
Perth alone, it was estimated 1000 the street to keep warm and safe at intensifying opportunities for
people were sleeping rough and night,” said A/Professor Wood. surveillance and social isolation
requiring urgent accommodation. (preventing people from seeing family
With an increase in people sleeping and friends) which are common
rough in WA since March, A/Professor
“Our research data shows coercive control tactics. This makes
Wood and her team are also evaluating it even harder for victim-survivors to
that more than one-third the range of health needs being seen access the support that they need.
of people sleeping rough in by Homeless Healthcare GPs and It is important that people who are
Perth last year have been to nurses who have been funded by the experiencing family violence know that
hospital within the last three Department of Health to do additional support services continue to operate
street outreach as a result of COVID-19. and there is help available.” Said
years for at least one of the
Rural and Remote Professor Thompson.
health conditions that puts
people at much higher risk of communities
As communities retreated into the
COVID-19 death or medical safety of their homes to combat the
complications.” A/Professor spread of COVID-19, some women were
Wood said.
Resources provided self-isolation from COVID-19 have
been provided with hand sanitiser
to fight COVID-19 through a new initiative led by UWA
in collaboration with Federal MP,
Face shields Celia Hammond.
UWA, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical
Research, WA Department of Health Professor Tony O’Donnell, Executive
and Adarsh Australia teamed up to Dean of the Faculty of Science
manufacture up to 10,000 face-shields commented on the University’s unique
initially to support the WA health opportunity to contribute due to our
system and protect frontline workers world-class laboratories and team of
responding to COVID-19. experienced scientists. “We are in a
strong position to be able to make a
Hand sanitiser difference in the community at a very
Some vulnerable groups such as the difficult and challenging time.”
elderly, small businesses and people in
6 The University of Western Australia
A graduate’s key role
The skills and experience gained from Since being appointed a Deputy Chief
working in some of the world’s most Medical Officer Dr Coatsworth said he
vulnerable and war-torn countries had received many messages of
helped UWA medicine graduate Dr Nick support from his fellow graduates.
Coatsworth (MBBS ‘02) secure the role
“One of the best things about being in
of Deputy Chief Medical Officer
the job is that a lot of old mates from
of Australia.
uni have contacted me, which has been
An infectious diseases and respiratory really positive. I would love to come
medicine specialist at Canberra back and visit family and friends once
Hospital and Australian National those borders are open and it’s great
University academic, Dr Coatsworth that people have continued to get in
was appointed as one of four deputies touch with me.”
to Chief Medical Officer Brendan
Murphy in April, joining fellow UWA
medicine graduate Dr Paul Kelly (MBBS
‘84) on the front line of the country’s
medical response team to the COVID-19
pandemic.
UWA set to University and the Monash Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is
“Defence personnel are often deployed
to regions where the bacteria are
fight against focused on delivering novel present, and against which existing
antibiotic-resistant therapeutics. antibiotics may be ineffective,”
she said.
bacteria Dr Sarkar-Tyson said there was a
particular protein present within all The next steps for the team will be
UWA Researchers are part of a global pathogenic bacteria that was known to test ways to make the inhibitors
research team that is developing to be important for the spread of much stronger and commence
ways to slow the spread of antibiotic- drug-resistant bacteria in people. pre-clinical trials.
resistant bacteria. The outcomes could
enhance Australia’s preparedness to
“We are looking at how to
deal with emerging diseases that are a effectively disarm this protein,
threat in both public and military providing an opportunity for
health contexts. the host immune system to
Lead researcher Dr Mitali Sarkar-Tyson, fight the bacteria without
from the School of Biomedical resulting in antibiotic
Sciences, was recently presented with
resistance.”
an Award for Excellence at the DMTC
2020 Annual Conference, recognising Having successfully demonstrated that
her contribution to the development of the protein inhibitors work, the team is
Australian medical countermeasures. now testing to see if the same
The DMTC project is a collaboration compounds can be used to target other
between UWA, the University of agents that cause bacterial infection,
Würzburg, Defence Science Technology including meningococcal disease.
Laboratory (DSTL), Murdoch Dr Sarkar-Tyson said not only was the
research important for public health
but also for defence in Australia.
uwa.edu.au/health 7
Health Humanities:
creating calm in COVID times
https://youtu.be/
igNhWrb9OWU
Health humanities is a dynamic, evolving interdisciplinary
field that draws on humanities and the arts to develop
an understanding of health, illness, and what it means to
be human. It encompasses medical humanities, narrative
medicine, and arts in health while drawing on the varied
theoretical approaches of the humanities.
The discipline champions a space that Humanities lecturer, Dr Bríd Phillips
is shared by healthcare professionals, (BA ’11, MMEMS ’13, PhD ‘17) believes
carers, and consumers and values the the study of ‘stories’ has an important
therapeutic application of humanities role to play in preparing the next
and the arts in any way that has generation of health workers. For Dr
positive benefits to both the individual Phillips, pursuing studies in humanities,
and society as a whole. and in particular, the History of
Emotions, provided insights in social
Australia’s first undergraduate major and cultural ideas that open up ideas
in Health Humanities, ‘Humanities in about what it means to be human.
Health and Medicine’, commenced Working in critical care can often be
in 2019 at UWA. This major prepares messy and uncomfortable and daily
students aspiring to any profession events can be difficult to articulate and
in health by bringing the traditions of process, working through narratives
humanities, inquiry, compassion and often helps this processing.
judgement to bear on the management
and promotion of health and the Dr Phillips coordinates the Narrative
treatment of illness. Medicine for Research, Education, and
Practice unit in the Health Humanities
Speaking about the major, its major, which uses narratives from
coordinator Professor Sandra Carr diverse aspects of health and illness
(MPH ’99, PhD ‘15) notes, “In order to be to bring understanding and meaning
effective, health professionals need to to the lived experience. Through
understand not only the workings of literature, students are able to
the body from a scientific perspective, understand different constructions
but also know how people and of health and illness from multiple
societies function, that is, the art and perspectives. Students also learn to
science of caring for people. Any be comfortable with the concept of
students planning a career in health ambiguity. “Initially, this idea of
will benefit from completing ambiguity can be stressful for students
this major.” but by the end of our course and its
Having worked for many years in projects, this is something that we
emergency nursing, UWA Health really strive to make students
comfortable with,” says Dr Phillips.
8 The University of Western Australia
“That particularly when it professionals on the frontline, were One staff member noted “even when
thrown into turmoil. However, the having virtual catch-ups or drinks with
comes to being human,
experience of COVID in the community friends there are constant questions
it’s messy - there is no did not necessarily reflect that the directed at me about COVID, I can’t
right answer.” One student emotionality of hospital staff on the get away from it.”
responded, “I feel that this frontline. Dr Phillips spoke to a range of
clinical staff working in COVID-19 times. To support well-being and to prevent
project helped me with my burnout, virtual narrative medicine
“We need to consider the emotional
active and attentive listening responses of frontline healthcare groups for hospital staff are being
skills. It also allowed me to workers here in WA, because there trialled by Dr Phillips as a measure to
help deal with stress, fear and anxiety
apply critical, reflective and is quite a disconnect between what
they are experiencing and what the of this time. Attended by a range of
creative writing skills to a health workers, the weekly UWA-
community in general is hearing and
health topic, which allowed experiencing. “I think that has been provided hour-long study sessions
me to see the impact of forgotten to a larger extent and I am involve a “no expectations, no
preparation” discussion of a relevant
narrative medicine.” really passionate that we bring that to
the public forum.” text and creative writing, offering busy
The relevance of health humanities hospital staff the chance to stop,
is only heightened in desperate times Dr Phillips uncovered emotional reflect, and process their experiences
such as the current pandemic. We have responses ranging from fear and through literature.
seen creative practices in the arts and anxiety to stress and guilt. Fear that WA
might be hit hard the first time around Post pandemic, Dr Phillips believes the
humanities improve the health and
and, when that did not happen, fear literature groups could play an ongoing
well-being of many individuals and
that a second wave coming in winter’s role in addressing healthcare worker
groups in the community. There
flu season would play out differently. burnout and she is currently in
are also many stories of health
discussions to extend the programme
professionals humanising the
There is fear that staff could infect to more workplaces over a longer time
pandemic experience through their
their families, their communities, period. “Stories help give some shape
efforts to connect with stricken
or themselves if there were even to what we are living through and an
patients. But even more than that,
microscopic breaches in infection understanding that we can come out
health humanities, through a focus
control protocols. Guilt stems from the the other end - that a new normal
on the social and cultural factors,
fact that other parts of the world have will appear.”
facilitates big picture analysis and
been hit hard. There is a strong feeling
narrative engagement to untangle the
that globally all healthcare workers
social and political forces that are at
are our colleagues and we are able
play in a pandemic event.
to learn from both their mistakes and
One such force is the gap between the successes. “We all feel lucky and guilty
experience of healthcare workers and at having the gift of time to prepare
the community as a whole. On March which has not been the case for many
15, the government of Western others.” A lot of the clinical staff are
Australia declared a state of emergency from overseas and they are directly
which was followed by a hard border affected by events happening to family
closure from 11.59pm on Sunday 5 April and former colleagues adding to a
2020. In a few short weeks, lives, and sense of guilt and helplessness. There
particularly those of healthcare is stress because there is no down time.
uwa.edu.au/health 9
Three UWA graduates boost
the number of Australia’s
Indigenous dentists by 6%
Three Indigenous women were among 232 students to graduate in December last year, at a ceremony held in Winthrop
Hall. Hira Rind (BHlthSc ’13, DMD ‘19), Patricia Elder (DMD ‘19) and Ashlee Bence (DMD ‘19) were awarded a Doctor of
Dental Medicine, boosting the number of Australia’s Indigenous dentists by more than six per cent. Indigenous Allied
Health Australia data shows there are approximately 48 Indigenous dentists practising around Australia.
From L-R: Dr Hira Rind, Dr Patricia Elder, Dr Ashlee Bence
Dr Rind, a 29-year-old Yamatji woman dentistry at UWA. “I’m going to work for “They are such great role
originally from Mt Magnet but raised in the State Government’s Dental Health
Perth, began her studies at UWA in the Service as part of the rural and remote models for Indigenous
Aboriginal Orientation course in 2008 program in Kununurra,” she said. people and will be working
and graduated with a Bachelor of
Health Science in 2013. She went on to Dr Bence (30) also worked as an to improve oral health,
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse in
work in health and study oral health
Melbourne before moving to Perth to
particularly in regional and
before enrolling in Dental Medicine.
“I’m planning to work in the North West study dentistry at UWA. She’s working remote areas of our state,”
for Derbarl Yerrigan Aboriginal Service
of WA as part of the rural and remote
in Perth as well as in private practice.
Professor Milroy said.
program,” Dr Rind said.
Originally from Northampton, Dr Elder Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous
(29) is a Yindjbardni/Yamatji woman Education) Professor Jill Milroy said it
who obtained a Bachelor of Nursing was wonderful to see three Indigenous
from ECU in 2011 and worked as a women graduate from a highly
registered nurse before commencing demanding course.
10 The University of Western AustraliaScholarship
recipient
determined to
make a difference
to dental health
in rural WA
A second-year Doctor of Ms Grigo said she had an interest in is also on Ms Grigo’s agenda. “I am
Dental Medicine student is this treating and educating children in the very enthusiastic about getting
year’s recipient of the Country Wheatbelt, South West and Midwest involved in such substantial public
Women’s Association of regions of WA and shaping early health matters and, once I have
Western Australia Rural Dental mindsets towards oral hygiene. graduated and gained more
Scholarship. The scholarship “I have seen a disparity in dental experience, contributing to finding
will enable Ebony Grigo, 22, health standards between remote ways to solve them,” she said.
from Bunbury, to achieve her and rural areas compared to
career goal of improving metropolitan areas,” she said. “When State President of the CWA of WA,
dental healthcare in rural and I was growing up in Bunbury, I did not Elaine Johnson said the Association
disadvantaged communities. receive the same interactive learning was very proud to work closely with
Country Women’s Association about dental hygiene that benefitted UWA to offer the Rural Dental
(CWA) scholarships offer my city colleagues. I want to see Scholarship as well as a Rural Medical
financial support to students this change. Scholarship. “Our collaboration with
working in regional and rural UWA has been ongoing for over 30
“I also feel that regional centres such years to achieve better health care for
areas of the State who are
as Bunbury and Dalyellup that don’t people in regional and rural areas of
improving health care and
have access to fluoridated drinking the State by encouraging students to
education in regional WA.
water is saddening. These areas are work outside of metropolitan Perth,”
far from remote, and fluoridation is a Mrs Johnson said. “Our most recent
simple, safe and effective means of dental scholarship recipient Dr Rani
reducing tooth decay. Such Flynn, commenced in private practice
preventative measures are in Esperance this year. “We look
particularly important in regional forward to watching Ebony progress
areas where access to a dentist can be through her studies and wish her
difficult and infrequent.” Affordability every success in fulfilling her dreams
of dental treatment for rural residents to work as a dentist in regional WA.”
uwa.edu.au/health 11Research centre
to help improve
safety on WA roads
A new centre to carry out road safety research has been established
at UWA, which has been awarded the State Government’s $4.6 million
road safety research contract for the next five years with support from
the Road Safety Commission. The new Western Australian Centre for
Road Safety Research brings together a multi-disciplinary team to https://youtu.be/
deliver research on key impacts affecting road safety in WA. 7rxB60Ho3kI
Road trauma is one of WA’s biggest UWA Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) Road Safety Council Chairman Iain
public health issues with one person, Professor Andrew Page said the centre Cameron (BPed ’83, GradDipEd ‘84)
on average, admitted to a WA hospital would bring together world-leading said thorough research provided a
every four hours as a result of road scientists in fields such as health strong foundation for road safety
trauma. In 2018, 159 people lost their sciences, psychology, economics, policies and strategies and enabled the
lives on WA roads, and around 2000 engineering, mathematics and Road Safety Council to provide
more suffered injuries, some life- statistics. “We are delighted to receive recommendations to the Minister for
changing. The UWA-led research centre support from the State Government Road Safety informed by evidence.
will play a pivotal role in supporting the to develop a centre to carry out vital “The work of the Western Australian
WA State Government’s “Towards Zero” research designed to provide the Centre for Road Safety Research will
road trauma strategy. evidence needed to make our roads help reduce the number of people
safer,” Professor Page said. killed and seriously injured on our
roads during the next five years, and
“UWA’s School of Population and
beyond,” Mr Cameron said.
Global Health is one of the leading
public health schools globally and is “The ripple effect of any
well-placed to carry out this research
fatal or serious road crash is
with important connections to
industry, research and government.” enormous; it’s a traumatic
experience for responders,
“It is clear that new and families and friends.
innovative insights are needed
to understand the changing Sound data, analysis and research
informs our advice, actions, programs
nature of crashes, driver and campaigns that ultimately will help
behaviour and the safety of make our roads safer. The new Western
our infrastructure. The new Australian Centre for Road Safety
centre will support State Research will play an important role.”
Government strategies to
address existing and evolving
road safety challenges.”
12 The University of Western AustraliaThe high cost challenge
of personalised screening
for bowel cancer
https://youtu.be/
Personalised screening could improve the diagnosis of bowel cancer and e85vB7iPGOU
re-shape the future of Australia’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
(NBCSP), according to new research.
The study, published in Cancer
Epidemiology, Biomarkers and
Prevention; a journal of the American
Association for Cancer Research,
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and
Prevention; hopes to improve health
outcomes by targeting screening at
those with a higher risk of developing
the condition, while reducing the
burden for those at a lower risk.
Ms Dayna Cenin (BSc ’02, GradDipEd
’03, BSc(Hons) ’04, MPH ‘12) from the
School of Population Health said the
research focused on the benefits of
personalising screening in the future,
however, this method was not feasible
right now due to the high costs
associated with determining an
individual’s risk. “As technology
The NBCSP invites eligible Australians Melissa Ledger (MPH ‘14), Cancer
becomes more affordable and
to screen for bowel cancer every two Prevention and Research Director
accessible it will allow us to move
years, using a postal home screening at the Cancer Council WA said the
towards precision medicine,” Ms Cenin
kit. “The findings continue to support organisation was proud to fund local
said. “Analysing personal information
the NBCSP program, highlighting that research and researchers working with
such as genes and family history will
until personalised screening becomes international collaborators that could
allow us to estimate individual risk
viable, improving participation in the help to inform the future of bowel
levels to provide a more personalised
existing screening program is cancer screening in Australia. “Since
screening experience.
warranted. Sadly, only four out of every the NBCSP began, about 5.5 million
ten Australians invited to screen screening tests have been completed,
“Once we reach this point,
currently complete the test, suggesting with about 280,000 participants
it will be cost-effective a need to focus on increasing advised to follow up a positive
to start screening those participation,” Ms Cenin said. screening result.
with the highest risk of
The research, funded by Cancer “Screening kits have saved the lives
developing bowel cancer Council WA, was a collaboration of almost 10,000 Australians so far,
more intensively. Those at between researchers at Erasmus however we need to focus efforts on
lowest risk won’t need to start University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, getting eligible Australians to complete
Curtin University, University of the kit they get in the mail, it could save
screening until later.”
Melbourne, Sir Charles Gairdner their life, while building the evidence to
Hospital and UWA. improve the program in the future,”
Ms Ledger said.
uwa.edu.au/health 13Rural areas in need
One iconic image of Australia in the
world’s collective imagination is that
of wide-open spaces and endless
of more local mental kilometres of saltbush plains. A land
that breeds toughness in its native
health services
plants and animals, and for the
Australian people, who appear to
possess a mystique of resilience
against the harsh, arid backdrop.
The myth of remote deficit and Dr Coleman is based in Albany, at “Those in rural areas, who
resilience is nonsense, says Dr Mathew The Rural Clinical School of Western
are able to do well enough
Coleman, Psychiatrist and UWA’s Australia. From here, he undertakes
Associate Professor of Rural and teaching, research and importantly,
in school, and want to go
Remote Mental Health Practice. advocacy, for access to and to university to become
“Broad sweeping concepts and sustainability of, rural mental health a professional, need to
statements about rural and remote services. He is particularly interested inevitably, move to a capital
mental health undermine the in promoting new postgraduate
city for further education
subjective and contextual complexities training models for specialist
bush communities experience,” training in psychiatry throughout and training,” Dr Coleman
Dr Coleman said. regional Australia. said. “This is especially so
Australian rural areas are particularly The main priority being, to enable a
for postgraduate medical
vulnerable to stress factors and issues. readily available and sustainable rural training which can last
Fires, droughts, floods and the impact mental health workforce, to bolster between 5-6 years and that’s
of climate change disproportionately service access and delivery, both in where we lose people. They
affect rural communities. These face-to-face and digital or telehealth
need to move to the capital
factors occur continuously, in a based services. “To ensure a
cumulative way, and are experienced sustainable workforce for the mental cities and it’s harder for
in the collective mental health of health system in rural areas, system- people to come back.”
these communities. wide rethinking of how and where we
train specialists is needed.” Dr Coleman “These are crucial years in someone’s
said. “Trainee doctors should be life. They’re having children, they’re
afforded the opportunity to live, work buying a house, they’re finding a
“As a wealthy and train in rural locations. With an partner – when all that occurs in
increase in rural student selection to a capital city, it’s very difficult for
developed country, medical schools, we need to build on people to return to the country.”
I think that most those opportunities for rural students
Currently, postgraduate training in
to obtain specialist training in rural
Australians in locations. Psychiatry should be
Psychiatry is very metropolitan-centric.
The pipeline to provide medical
metropolitan areas leading the way.”
graduates into rural areas stops at
are unaware of how The diverse interpretation of regional junior doctor level. “The recruitment
and remote, or simply rural, adds to model of getting specialists into rural
difficult it can be to areas has failed strategically, and
the complexity, but Dr Coleman
access health services, advocates for structured solutions, sustainably, because we continuously
driven from a social justice platform. need to recruit in an endless cycle
living regionally,” of instability and uncertainty,” Dr
Ultimately calling for a unique regional
Dr Coleman said. sustainability model rather than Coleman said. “Whereas, if we were
the current system of deficit to have a whole system rethink, and
and dependence.
14 The University of Western Australiadevelop dedicated specialist rural service. Then they often have to
training pathways and enable speciality contend with long waiting times before
postgraduate programs in rural areas, seeing significantly overstretched and
then we would have an in-situ under resourced services, heavily
workforce that lives, works and trains reliant on transient locum or ever
in the country.” changing fly-in, fly-out staff. I’m not
critical of those that work hard and do
“Psychiatry lends itself well to
amazing work in these services, but
supporting rural based training
rather the systems that undermines
programs, because we’re not confined
their ability to do better.”
to technologies or large hospital based
systems. My own experience resulted “People with mental
in me spending the majority of my
health or substance use
psychiatry training in Perth, before
having to relocate to Sydney to problems have to access
complete addiction and child care away from their
psychiatry training. That’s not great communities and supports, “We need to move away
preparation for dealing with the from the administration
have to drive hundreds of
complexities of providing mental
health care in the bush. The reality is
kilometres, or are flown in of these systems from
that most of that training could have excess of 400 kilometres, capital cities, particularly
been completed in rural areas if the to be able to access more
system promoted and was resourced in Western Australia.
acute services. It’s quite a
to enable it.” The current system is so
traumatic experience and
“My dream is to one day, an expensive one.” centralised, that people
have a system where can’t see beyond that
The vulnerabilities of rural and
we’re oversubscribed with remote communities are frequently metropolitan context.
specialists in the country and exposed with increasing events
related to climate change, including
The diversity of what
that rural training programs
supply metropolitan areas droughts, fires, storm events and constitutes rural and
floods. Biosecurity issues are always
with specialists. Wouldn’t an additional factor in sensitive
remote is lost, and
that be an achievement?” agricultural and remote areas, but with it the flexibility
COVID-19 became a tipping point for
Approximately 7 million Australians live some communities. “We are all under
to attend to local needs.”
outside capital cities, with 2.5 million of particular stressors because of
those living in outer regional and COVID-19, including economic
remote areas. Sadly, they do not have stressors, social isolation, fears of
equity of access to services that people contagion and these sorts of things, Dr Coleman seeks to look beyond this
in metropolitan areas have. “You can go but in rural areas COVID-19 has and has an advocacy role within the
from the northern to the southern exposed a lot of the health service Western Australian Mental Health
parts of Perth and essentially have vulnerabilities for rural communities. System, is a Commissioner for the
fairly equitable, good, universal access For example, there were no Intensive National Mental Health Commission
to mental health services. But the Care Unit (ICU) beds in my own and an Associate Professor of Rural
expectation for people in regional regional area in the Great Southern, and Remote Mental Health Practice.
areas will be to travel significant which magnified the fact that we did Highlighting both a need in government
distances, sometimes hundreds of not have the same equitable access to and institutions, for a focus on mental
kilometres to access a face to face resources that people in metropolitan health as an Australian community.
areas have.”
uwa.edu.au/health 15The Barry Marshall Microblitz Internship
Earlier this year, eight Bachelor of Biomedical Science students participated in the Barry Marshall Microblitz Internship.
The internship consists of two weeks’ practical experience, one week in Professor Barry Marshall’s Helicobacter Pylori
Research Laboratory at the QEII Medical Centre, and one week in Professor Andy Whiteley’s “Microblitz” Soil Science
Laboratory at UWA’s main campus. Below, the students reflect on the experience, their motivations for choosing this
opportunity and their future career aspirations.
Beth Mills Nicholas Ellison Bradley Guest
Pharmacology major Medical Sciences major Laboratory and Pathology
Direct Pathway to Master of Teaching Medicine major
“When I graduated school, I was
- Secondary
fascinated with the human body and “Throughout my childhood I have
“After finishing Year 12, I knew I wanted how it functions. Biomedical Science always been interested in the sciences.
to pursue a degree in the health or was an opportunity to develop my The subjects; physics, chemistry,
biological sciences. A degree in understanding about the form and and human biology all captured my
Biomedical Science opens up a whole function of the body. The practical attention, it was inevitable I was going
world of career opportunities. nature of the degree meant upon to study something in the sciences. My
graduating, I could apply my skills decision to specialise in the Biomedical
I applied for the Barry Marshall
to have a positive impact on Sciences came down to the thought of
MicroBlitz Internship as I was very
the community. ‘If I can help people in some way for my
interested in meeting and learning from
job, that would be complimenting to
world-class researchers. I also wanted I decided to apply for the Barry my life values.’ Having the opportunity
to be able to integrate the learning Marshall Microblitz Internship because to work in Professor Barry Marshall and
from the internship into my studies, of the opportunity to work in two Professor Andy Whitley’s laboratories
particularly by applying new lab advanced labs with internationally gave us great knowledge and
techniques into my pharmacology renowned researchers and the experience. Working in these
degree, and my new understanding of potential to go to a non-metropolitan laboratories has inspired me to pursue
science communication and outreach school and inspire the students about the field of diagnostics for my future
into my future studies in the Master of the world of science. The internship has study/career. From culturing E. coli
Teaching program. certainly advanced my laboratory skills to extracting DNA for polymerase chain
and exposed me to equipment and reaction (PCR) reactions, all the
The science outreach part of the
methods that I would not have had activities contributed to an enjoyable
internship valuably taught us about
the opportunity to use in my degree. and insightful internship. My career
the diversity of education and science
communication throughout Australia. goal is to become a Clinical
In the future, I hope to be studying
Learning about Indigenous Pathologist. Gaining valuable work
Medicine. The internship opened my
perspectives and the need for good experience between now and the day
eyes to the world of medical research,
educators in regional and remote areas I complete my studies will give me a
which was something I had not
of Australia really encouraged me to great foundation for my future career,
previously considered.”
investigate how my future career as which the Barry Marshall MicroBlitz
a teacher will be able to reach this internship has given to me.”
significant part of our community.”
16 The University of Western AustraliaJoel Watts Lauren Clarke
Pharmacology major Pathology and Laboratory
Direct Pathway to the Medicine major
Doctor of Medicine
“Since I was young I have always had “The internship encourages networking
“I chose to study Biomedical Science a keen interest in science. Throughout with professional researchers that can
because I have a direct pathway into my school years this evolved into a contribute to future study and work
Medicine. I chose Biomedical Science fascination with human biology and opportunities. The science outreach
because I was interested in the body disease. When I left school I wondered allowed us to focus on our leadership
and its workings and I thought having a what I could study that would and presentation skills that are also
good foundation of this will set me up encompass all of my interests, science, important for our degrees as well as
well for medicine. I did the internship to medicine, the human body and future careers.
help decide whether I wanted to do disease. That is how I came across the
clinical or research medicine. This In the future I see myself working in the
Biomedical Science degree at UWA. I
internship gave me experience in two laboratory as a medical scientist. I am
chose the Microblitz Internship to get
of the best research labs that UWA has interested in diagnostics but also
a taste of the day to day workings of a
and thus I now have a taste of what would love to be involved in research,
medical research laboratory as well as
research would be like as a career. particularly cancer research. The Barry
to help improve my skills in the lab to
Another reason I did the lab was for the Marshall Microblitz internship also
help me in my degree. I was able to
networking opportunity, I got to meet opened up the possibility of science
experience both medical and
and work with professors from lots of teaching as I surprisingly found the
environmental sides of science and
different disciplines as well as like- science outreach component of the
research to help me assess my fields of
minded students who I completed my internship with the high-school
interest and what area I would consider
internship with. I also got to meet students very enjoyable.”
as a future career path.
Professor Barry Marshall and pick his
brain about how he became so
successful. In the future my career
goals would be to become some sort of
specialist doctor, maybe a paediatric
oncologist.”
uwa.edu.au/health 17New course to tackle
growing eye disease
among Australians
https://youtu.be/
JpZcdSWyVxc
From 2021, UWA will offer the State’s only Optometry degree to help tackle an increase in eye complications from chronic
diseases and conditions suffered by millions of Australians. The Doctor of Optometry degree is part of a partnership
between UWA, Lions Eye Institute, and optometry industry leaders, and will broaden the scope of health practitioner
courses to produce more vitally needed professionals.
Eye disease is the most common development of the next generation of
“UWA, through this
chronic condition in Australia, with high-calibre optometrists, and would
more than 12 million Australians partnership with Lions Eye work with UWA on the research
reported to have long-term eye component of the course. “We are
Institute and key industry
conditions, although more than 90 very pleased to be partnering with
per cent of all vision impairment is partners, is taking the UWA to bring the ophthalmology and
preventable or treatable. optometry disciplines closer together
lead in tackling a growing
in a way that will greatly benefit
Professor Rhonda Clifford, Head of problem by delivering an patients all over the state,” Professor
UWA’s School of Allied Health, said Morgan said. “As a result, graduates
there was increasing demand for optometry course with a
will be well-positioned to tackle the
eye-care services and an undersupply focus beyond best practice growing eye-healthcare challenges
of eye-care professionals. Australia’s affecting Australians.”
ageing population and complications eye-care to develop socially
from other chronic health conditions and culturally-aware The three-year postgraduate Doctor of
had also added to demand. “Our Optometry will be available to students
new degree will help address the optometry leaders,” he said. for 2021 entry, and is administered by
undersupply of eye care professionals the School of Allied Health. Students
in WA, while helping with the The new course will produce optometrists who have successfully completed a
distribution of practitioners in regional with a focus on early detection, diagnosis, Bachelor of Biomedical Science or
and remote parts of the State,” treatment and management of eye equivalent degree and meet any
Professor Clifford said. “Professor Garry diseases, and rehabilitation of conditions additional admission requirements,
Fitzpatrick will lead the new Doctor concerning the visual system. As part of can apply for entry into the Doctor of
of Optometry course, contributing their study, students will gain hands-on Optometry. Entry will be competitive,
decades of industry and clinical direct patient experience through with up to 59 domestic and five
experience to ensure its success.” extended clinical placements with international places offered in the
industry partners including Lions Eye first year.
Professor Fitzpatrick said the Institute and its Lions Outback Vision
importance of culturally-aware division, Specsavers, and Luxottica across UWA has applied to the Optometry
eye-care professionals continues metropolitan, regional and remote areas Council of Australia and New Zealand
to grow, with the rate of blindness of Western Australia. for the Doctor of Optometry to be
among Aboriginal and Torres Strait recognised as a qualification leading
Islanders three times higher than Professor Bill Morgan (MBBS ’84, PhD ‘00), to registration as an optometrist in
non-indigenous Australians. Managing Director of Lions Eye Institute, Australia or New Zealand.
said the Institute was committed to the
18 The University of Western AustraliaCells lose their ability
to share resources
as we get older
https://youtu.be/
ZWu7yhVLobc
Published in the journal Science “However as people
Advances, the paper Endoplasmic
A UWA research team
reticulum mediates mitochondrial get older, their cells
discovered that our cells
deteriorate and share fewer
transfer within the osteocyte dendritic deteriorate and lose
network also involved scientists from
resources as we age, which can
the Perron Institute for Neurological their ability to share
lead to the onset of diseases
such as osteoporosis, arthritis,
and Translational Science and from resources,” Professor
China, the US and Japan.
cardiovascular disease Zheng said.
and cancers. Lead author Professor Minghao Zheng
(PhD ‘94, DM ‘00), who is the Faculty’s “This results in body health declining,
Associate Dean (International) and with some cells unable to perform their
head of Brain and Bone Axis Research usual tasks which can lead to the onset
at the Perron Institute, said cells in the of diseases.”
body have individual tasks and usually
work together as a team, sharing Professor Zheng said mitochondria, the
resources to repair damage and powerhouses of cells, played a critical
maintain healthy bodily functioning. role determining how resources were
shared between cells.
“There have been many studies on
mitochondria, but what makes them
share resources remains unclear,”
Professor Zheng said.
The researchers found the relationship
between the mitochondria in bone
cells (osteocytes), and the dendritic
network, which connects cells together,
determines; what makes cells share or
not share resources.
“The intricacies of how the relationship
works between mitochondria and the
dendritic network is complex and is
something we are investigating,”
Professor Zheng said.
“The findings are important and could
aid the development of improved
medical treatments and health benefits
for the future.”
uwa.edu.au/health 19More accurately
detecting breast
cancer during surgery
A team of researchers from UWA and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical
Research has developed a new way to more accurately detect breast cancer
in patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery. The study, published
in Cancer Research, will significantly impact the way surgeons are able to
detect microscopic traces of tumour that could previously not be detected https://youtu.be/
by sight, touch or even X-ray imaging during surgery. kYbSlA5BVOI
The team combined an imaging the presence of cancer within the “Despite living in the digital
technique that used light waves to surgical margins before they were
age, surgeons must routinely
generate three-dimensional images of submitted for standard pathological
tissue, optical coherence tomography, processing. The sensitivity and
rely on their eyesight and
with one that produced three- specificity was then calculated for sense of touch to determine
dimensional maps of tissue elasticity, both imaging methods. if they have removed the
micro-elastography. Cancer cells are entire tumour during breast-
The study showed that the micro-
stiffer than benign tissue and by
elastography technique developed conserving surgery,” Professor
measuring the elasticity of the tissue,
the team could more accurately detect
by the research team was significantly Kennedy said.
more accurate than optical coherence
cancer cells surrounding the area
tomography alone in detecting the “Due to lack of adequate tools, 20 to
where the tumour was removed.
presence of cancer cells within the 30 per cent of patients must return
Professor Christobel Saunders from surgical margins. for additional surgery, resulting in
UWA’s Medical School said beyond substantial physical and financial
Lead researcher, Associate Professor burdens and increased risk
surgeons’ native senses of sight and
Brendan Kennedy from UWA’s School of complications.”
touch, X-rays were often used during
of Engineering and the Harry Perkins
surgery to detect tumours within the
Institute of Medical Research, said that Professor Kennedy said the technique
margins of the area being removed.
while numerous emerging imaging had the potential to significantly
“While useful in some cases, this techniques had been proposed, such reduce re-excision rates in breast
method can’t detect small microscopic as optical coherence tomography, they conserving surgery and remove the
traces of tumour that surgeons often had typically been demonstrated on subjectivity that was inherent to the
miss,” Professor Saunders said. “As a gross tumour from mastectomy surgeon’s sense of touch.
result, it is widely accepted that higher specimens that was often easy to
“Our goal is to develop a handheld 3D
resolution intraoperative detection detect with the naked eye, while
tool to enable intraoperative imaging,”
techniques are needed.” his team had focused on the more
he said.
clinically relevant and harder to
The study assessed 90 patients detect case of tumour at the edges of Next, the team hopes to perform
undergoing surgical treatment for breast-conserving surgery specimens. the imaging during surgery and
breast cancer. Following surgery, the
immediately after the cancer has
two imaging techniques were used
been removed to give surgeons a
simultaneously to attempt to detect
direct indication of whether any
tumour has been missed.
20 The University of Western AustraliaYou can also read
