Research Roundup:
March 2018
Welcome Message
March – the month of NHMRC project grant submissions and the TSANZSRS18. We hope that all grants where submitted smoothly yesterday. Please take a moment to register for the conference!
We would like to highlight that this year we will be holding the inaugural Respiratory Research Excellence Awards which you are all invited to and encouraged to attend. Please join us and show your support and thanks to your colleagues, collaborators, and our sponsors. This session is in lieu of all ASM Awards sessions which have previously occurred over the duration of the conference, thus allowing more time in the program for research presentations, discussion and collaboration. Due to this change, SIG awards will be announced following the ASM by the TSANZ Central Office.
We wish you all the best in your preparation. See you in Adelaide.
Enjoy the March edition of your research roundup.
Prof Phil Hansbro
Prof Sandra Hodge
Co-Chairs, Research Sub-Committee
Open Awards
Vertex Cystic Fibrosis Research Awards
Lung Foundation Australia / A Menarini Pty Ltd 2018 Travel Awards
How to participate
Follow the links above to access each award application form and download the information sheet.
Please email the TSANZ Awards Coordinator with any questions, comments or enquires.
Watch this space for more award announcements…
The following articles will take you to thelimbic.com
TSANZSRS 2018 preview: what’s on the program in Adelaide?
Valuable lessons learned from RESPIRE bronchiectasis trial
Prof Guy Marks: why it’s time we quit research into smoking
Lung microbiome is key to COPD exacerbations
IPF: cautious optimism in new position statement
Lung disease risk will persist despite asbestos ban, experts warn
Prof Robyn O’Hehir: Sublingual immunotherapy for thunderstorm asthma
Respirology Issue 23.3 – Editor’s Choice
Short-term respiratory effects of e-cigarettes in healthy individuals and smokers with asthma
Andreas S. Lappas, Anna S. Tzortzi, Efstathia M. Konstantinidi, Stephanie I. Teloniatis, Chara K. Tzavara, Sofia A. Gennimata, Nikolaos G. Koulouris, Panagiotis K. Behrakis
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13180
The Greek study team at the George D. Behrakis RESEARCH LAB in Athens. From left to right – seated: Panagiotis K Behrakis, Anna Tzortzi and Nikolaos G Koulouris ; standing: Chara K Tzavara, Stephanie I Teloniatis, Sofia A Gennimata, Efstathia Konstantinidi and Andreas Lappas.
Unfavourable outcome of glucocorticoid treatment in suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Ivo A. Wiertz, Wim A. Wuyts, Coline H.M. van Moorsel, Adriane D.M. Vorselaars, Hendrik W. van Es,
Matthijs F.M. van Oosterhout, Jan C. Grutters
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13230
Unfavourable outcome of prednisone treatment in possible idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients
Medical Research Future Fund Grants
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is providing grants of financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation, with the objective of improving the health and wellbeing of Australians.
TSANZ is willing to partner with members on suitable (subject to review) MRFF projects, offering in-kind support by way of:
- providing guidance in meeting the requirements of the grant
- assistance in review of progress and data
- promotion of the trial among members
- meeting support for investigators
- access to a conference call system (video or teleconference)
- access to a venue for face to face meetings
Please contact hayley.see@thoracic.org.au to discuss partnership possibilities.
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead: CF Research Funding
Funding is available for new or existing projects in paediatric Cystic Fibrosis to be conducted at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Application form Deadline: 23rd March, 2018 5pm AEDT.
For more information contact peter.cooper@health.nsw.gov.au
Research Project and Survey Requests
Explaining chronic breathlessness
Chronic breathlessness has been defined as ‘breathlessness that persists despite optimal treatment of underlying pathology and results in disability’ (Johnson et al. Eur Respir J 2017;49 (5)). This symptom is a common daily experience for people with a range of malignant and non-malignant respiratory, cardiovascular and neuromuscular conditions.
We know very little about how health professionals explain chronic breathlessness to people living with this symptom. This survey seek to collect information on the explanations health professionals, from a variety of professional disciplines, use when explaining chronic breathlessness to people living with this symptom (and their views on whether there is specific information which should and should not be included in explanations).
This electronic survey contains 13 questions and should take not more than 10 -12 minutes to complete. All responses will be confidential and anonymised by allocating an ID code to each participant. Details concerning the process including data management and privacy consideration are included in the Participant Information sheet included within the opening screens of the survey.
Ethical approval has been received from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of South Australia (ID: 200896)
For further information or to participate, please click here:
‘Explain chronic breathlessness’ or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Explain-Chronic-Breathlessness
For further information please contact Dr Marie Williams (E: marie.williams@unisa.edu.au or Ph: +61-8-8302 1153, University of South Australia) on behalf of the research team (Dr Kylie Johnston and Prof Dina Brooks)
‘Usual’ antenatal asthma management
Our research team at the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and University of Newcastle is conducting a nationwide survey to determine what ‘usual’ antenatal asthma managementconsists of. Gaining this knowledge will help to form a foundation on which to build improved antenatal asthma management across Australia.
If you are a health professional who provides antenatal care within Australia then we invite you to participate in a survey. This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Ethics approval has been granted for this study (NSW HREC Reference No: HREC/16/HNE/394). All responses will be anonymous and confidential. Further information about the project and request for consent is outlined once you click on the survey link. If you have any questions regarding this research, please do not hesitate to contact Vanessa Murphy at Vanessa.Murphy@newcastle.edu.au or Karen McLaughlin on 0425277200.
Please click on the link below to proceed to the survey. If the link fails to load automatically, please cut and paste it into your internet browser:
https://redcap.hmri.org.au/surveys/?s=NR78PWYW49
Thank you,
Dr Vanessa Murphy, Vanessa.Murphy@newcastle.edu.au
Ms Karen McLaughlin, Karen.McLaughlin@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Australian Lung Cancer Conference
Register to hear the latest evidence-based information on the impact of immune-oncology, ALK, EGFR and ROS 1, staging of lung cancer, managing toxicity, stigma and survivorship and surgery.
The program features international speakers including:
- A/Prof Marianne Davies, Acute Nurse Practitioner, Yale University School of Nursing
- Dr Hisao Asamura, Thoracic Surgeon, Tokyo National Cancer Centre Hospital
- Dr Jose Belderbos, Radiation Oncologist, Netherlands Cancer Institute
- A/Prof Justin Gainor, Medical Oncologist, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Prof Tony Mok, Medical Oncologist, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Prof Thomas Lynch, Medical Oncologist, Yale Cancer Centre.
Click here for the full program. Please note: this is currently being updated.
Industry Sponsored Symposiums
Seven Industry Sponsored Symposiums will be hosted as part of the ALCC including:
- Pfizer evening symposium – Thursday 5 April
- AstraZeneca morning symposium – Friday 6 April
- Roche lunch symposium – Friday 6 April
- BMS evening symposium – Friday 6 April
- Slater and Gordon evening symposium – Friday 6 April
- MSD morning symposium – Saturday 7 April
- Roche-Foundation Medicine lunch symposium – Saturday 7 April
When registering be sure to select the industry sponsored symposium you would like to attend. If you would like to amend your registration to change or include these, please email Amelia Parsons via ameliap@lungfoundation.com.au
Australia New Zealand Lung Cancer Nurses Forum (ANZ-LCNF) Workshop
The workshop will be held on Thursday 5 April featuring international nurse speaker A/Prof Marianne Davies. Key topics include:
- Importance of understanding biomarkers
- Immunotherapy from the nurses perspective
- Targeted therapies
- Self-care for health care professionals
- The latest in mesothelioma
Faculty of Radiation Oncology Lung Interest Cooperative (FROLIC) Workshop
Join the FROLIC committee for the first workshop at the Australian Lung Cancer Conference, featuring international radiation oncologist Dr Jose Beldebos. Topics include:
- Thoracic radiotherapy for Stage I-III small cell lung cancer
- Future directions for radiation therapy in Stage III non-small cell lung cancer
- Future directions for SABR in Stage I non-small cell lung cancer