Dear all,
Welcome to the June newsletter, acknowledging the past few weeks. As the international conference excitement simmers down, the NCIC community is still jam packed with new announcements, achievements, and new conferences to look forward to!
Announcements
Congratulations to Dr Julian Lindsay on being one of three finalists in the HSR category of the 2024 Victoria Premiers Award for Science!
Julian completed his PhD looking at antimicrobials as prophylaxis in Haem patients at NCIC in 2023 and has since gone to join the Fred Hutch as a Clinical Pharmacist. Julian recently co-authored a Transplant Infectious Diseases publication on the role of Pharmacists in the clinical care of Haem patients.
Specialist pharmacists are becoming increasingly important in the care of cancer patients with infections. We have successfully developed and implemented a NCIC AMS pharmacist role to provide supervised research opportunities, build a track record and prepare to enter a PhD program. With close ties to our sister CREs The National Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship, and CRE-Respond we have opportunities for pharmacists to work with leading collaborators in PK/PD modelling, antibiotic drug level monitoring, and national antimicrobial stewardship programs. Our website has more info on the pharmacist PhD pathway.
Monica ranked #50 within Australia and 1 of 5 women within the top 50. Well done, Monica!
Research. Com's best researchers ranking is a lineup of leading scientists from the discipline of Microbiology, created using a thorough study of 166,880 scientists identified from multiple bibliometric data sources. For the discipline of Microbiology, over 44555 scientists were examined.
World-first PMCC study into penicillin allergy in critical illness
Dr Morgan Rose, a Peter Mac PhD student and infectious diseases physician at the PMCC Infectious Diseases Unit’s National Centre for Infections in Cancer (NCIC), recently published a world-first study into penicillin allergy in leading critical care journal, Intensive Care Medicine.
Dr Morgan Rose
Dr Rose completed the world’s first randomised control trial of a tablet test dose for low-risk penicillin allergy in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study included 80 critically ill patients who reported a penicillin allergy in four Melbourne ICUs. Each patient consented to being randomly assigned to receive either a penicillin test dose or routine care without a test dose.
Dr Rose found that 98% of patients tested were found to no longer be allergic, even after repeat doses of penicillin. There were no serious adverse reactions identified following penicillin testing.
Whilst penicillins are often the antibiotics of choice for critically ill patients, almost 7% of ICU patients believe they have a penicillin allergy and therefore receive alternate therapies.
Dr Rose's work will be of great benefit to the hospital’s sickest patients. “Patients in intensive care have a greater need for antibiotics. By demonstrating that ICU patients no longer have a penicillin allergy, we can offer them the best possible care at a time when they need it most.”
Professor Monica Slavin, PMCC Infectious Diseases and NCIC Director says "This work highlights the strong collaborative links between PMCC/NCIC as world-leaders in antibiotic allergy research and improves the equity of access to allergy assessment in some of our most vulnerable patients."
This groundbreaking research helps to expand the equity of access to timely antibiotic allergy assessment. Dr Rose plans to build on the findings of this study to explore the impact of penicillin allergy testing on subsequent antibiotic use within the intensive care unit setting.
Congratulations Dr Morgan Rose for completing his PhD!
Dr Morgan Rose’s project: antibiotic allergy in critical care and cancer: implementation of novel digital health solutions and health service models. Supervised by Prof Monica Slavin, A/Prof Jason Trubiano, Dr Natasha Holmes and mentored by Dr Janine Trevillyan.
Past events
Celebrated International Nurses Day
We celebrated International Nurses Day on the 12th of May. We recognise the societal benefit nurses provide by contributing to the advancement of medical science. Everyday our nurses are putting in the hard groundwork and by doing so, deliver amazing care to patients, consumers, and each other. At NCIC our nurses are the future; with nurse led research, Antimicrobial Stewardship CNS, Nurse Practitioner pathways and practice changing clinical trials all currently underway!
American Transplant Congress 2024
The American Transplant Congress (ATC) is the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and the American Society of Transplantation (AST). The educational offerings provide attendees the opportunity to learn cutting-edge advances in research and exchange of ideas and practice in the field of solid organ and tissue transplantation.
Prof Monica Slavin recently presented at the 2024 American Transplant Congress, Philly on managing infection risk in SOT with additional immune suppression conditions. Looks like a great meeting!
Upcoming Events
Registration opens the 22nd of May 2024 and closes the 5th October 2024
Kind regards,
Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology
Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer and Transplantation