The Eureka Prizes - Our Top Medical Researchers

Evaluating the Impact of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

Medical Research Future Fund - A Nation-Building Opportunity

This article was published in our Spring 2014 edition of Australian Hospital and Healthcare Bulletin. In light of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) passing Senate last week, we have republished it to remind you of the key issues under discussion.

Stress Leads to Chronic Illness and Premature Ageing

Professor Timothy Olds from the University of South Australia will present his findings next week that stress leads to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, stroke, asthma, heart disease, depression and osteoporosis as well as premature aging.

Queensland Public Doctors Receive New Contract

Health Minister Cameron Dick said that the government had reached agreement with the doctors’ main bargaining bodies- Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation Queensland as well as Together Queensland- over a new enterprise agreement.

Seeking Medical Selfies

A medical researcher from QUT is completing her PhD on patient-generated health data, where patients track and collect data on their own health using wearable technology, smartphone apps and selfies.

Intracellular Microlasers to Track Cancer Migration

Intracellular microlasers - or microscopic lasers introduced into the interior of live cells - could perhaps be used to track cancer cells as they move throughout the body. At least, that’s the hope thanks to a study published in Nature Photonics, which described the study of lasers tracking white blood cells through animals’ bodies for a number of days.

Remind Me Again, How Can Companies Patent Breast Cancer Genes?

Luigi Palombi, Murdoch University

Nominate Your Colleagues for the ACHS Safety & Quality Awards

Do you know someone who is an advocate for the promotion of quality and safety in healthcare in Australia? Nominations for the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards 2015 ACHS Medal are now open.

MERS Leaves South Korea, Suspected in UK

After more than two months from its first reported case, South Korea is ready to declare itself safe from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Improved Gastric Banding Device Developed

Current gastric banding devices use elastic in their function in nutritional modulation for bariatrics, ingestible electronics for diagnosis and monitoring, and gastric-retentive dosage forms for prolonged drug delivery. They have to be tough to survive the acid encountered in the stomach, yet flexible so they can be manipulated through the oesophagus and other narrow parts of the digestive system.

A New Test for Assessing Suicide Risk

The Suicidal Affect Behaviour Cognition Scale (SABCS) is a more accurate predictor of suicidality than other methods, and has the potential to save lives, according to its developer psychology researcher Dr Keith Harris.

Micro-Laparoscopy Tool Developed for Trans-Cranial Neurosurgery

Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee have developed a revolutionary device for performing endoscopic surgery using a device based on needlescopic or micro-laparoscopy tools which allows transnasal brain surgery.

LASA Slams Aged Care E-Services System Failure

The delay in the processing abilities of the electronic claims systems supplied by the Department of Social Services for providers of aged care has been slammed by Leading Aged Services Australia.

Ethics and Costs under Question in Improved Fetal Screening

Fetal screening is commonplace among pregnant women these days. Somewhere around 10 weeks into their pregnancies, most women undergo ultrasounds accompanied by aneuploidy sampling which determine if further diagnostic tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling are required.