This month we announce the Foundation for High Blood Pressure lecturer who will present one of
the keynote lecturer at the Annual Scientific meeting in December (see
Jaye’s section). Our intrepid program secretary
has been in the thick of things while on sabbatical in Britain (see meeting news). We also have this month’s feature
article from the Pharmacology Department at Monash
University which was skilfully compiled by Rob Widdop. We have updated our list
of future meetings of interest to members, particularly those coming up in 2006
(see below). This years Queen’s Birthday Honours list
included two notable persons. Congratulations indeed to our Clinical Liaison
executive member Professor Lindon Wing who has
received the OAM (general Division) for
service to medicine, particularly in the areas of clinical pharmacology and
hypertension. We would also like to congratulate Emeritus Professor
Saxon WHITE, who received an AM in the
General Division for service to medicine and to medical education, particularly
through the planning and development of innovative curriculum, as a researcher
in the field of human physiology, and to the Hunter Valley community. Our
heartiest congratulations to corporate
liaison executive member Louise Burrel for her recent promotion to Professor of
Medicine! On a rather sadder note we note the passing of Patricia Dorward well
known to many and long time member of the society in the 1980’s (see
below).
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE from Stephen Harrap
Doug
McKitrick has being doing a terrific job drumming up membership for the
Council. I'd like to add my support by asking all of you to look around for colleagues
and students who are working the blood pressure and cardiovascular fields and
encourage them to join. We'd like to see the Council grow in strength and a
healthy membership list is crucial to that goal.
I
mentioned last time that there would be more news regarding the generosity of
the Foundation for High Blood Pressure Research who are not only supporting a
new lecture, but will also will be sponsoring a prize for New Investigators.
More details will follow.
In
the meantime, the British Hypertension Society has responded encouragingly to
our plan for a reciprocal visit by our top student presenters at our respective
meetings.
All
of these new initiatives are designed to support and develop the careers of our
up and coming students and early postdoctoral researchers - and they are
excellent reasons to join the Council!
I
should like to particularly congratulate Geoff Head for establishing the
Feature Articles section in eNews. These are fantastic opportunities to learn
more about the fascinating members of the Council and their work. Thanks to
Sydney, WA and Victoria, so far. We shall collate these so that we can paint
the picture of the Council in greater detail on our website (that we are
redeveloping).
Finally,
the Annual Scientific Meeting approacheth. Expect your invitation and call for
abstracts soon!
MEETING NEWS from Jaye Chin Dusting
Dear all,
I am writing this from sunny Edinburgh where I am
seconded for the next 3 months on study leave with David Webb at the New Royal
Infirmary. En route to Edinburgh I had
two days in London the first of which coincided with the "first" of
the London bombings. With a son in each
hand, I had just turned into Travistock Sq (where the bus exploded), to come
face to face with the disaster. We
worked out later that we must have arrived about 1 min after the bomb went
off. At that point in time, no one knew
what was happening - we saw the bus - except it bore no resemblance to the much
loved London double-decker. We were
rapidly ushered away from the area when the crowd (loads of people - as buses
were all off-loading their passengers mid-road) broke into a mild panic when
some female screamed (she had her mobile phone) - 'omigod, they are targeting
Russell Sq' - (which of course was exactly where we were). People started running full pelt away from
the area. We kept very calm but indeed too moved rapidly towards Covent
Garden. I managed to catch what must
have been the last free cab in central London (I think the driver, bless his
soul, felt sorry for the kids) and holed up in a friend's home for the rest of
the day. By this time people (officials
and otherwise) were yelling for everyone to get off the streets. Fun it was not; but memorable for my boys,
who don't seem to have been too traumatised by the events.
27th ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING in 2005
While in Edinburgh, the wheels continue to grind with
our plans for the Annual Scientific Meeting.
This month, we are delighted to announce that the Foundation for High Blood Pressure
Research lecturer for our annual scientific meeting will be A/Prof
Shaun Jackson (see photo at left hand side of page). He is currently a NH&MRC Research Fellow
at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases and was the Co-founder, Board
Member and Principle Scientist for Thrombogenix Pty Ltd. He is the
President-Elect for the Australian Vascular Biology Society and has been
elected to the council of the Australian Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Dr Jackson is also a member of the Victorian State Government¹s Strategic
Health Research Investment Committee.
Last month
we are announced that the 2005 Annual Scientific Meeting will be held at the Bio21 Institute from the 7th to 9th
of December, the latest University of Melbourne show-case building at the Parkville
Precinct. The venue is well serviced by
public transport, has a state-of-the-art 200 seat lecture theatre, an atrium
which is ideal for Posters and Trade Displays and a lovely court-yard for
catching up with colleagues and friends. That's all
from me for
now, tune in next month to hear a review of the Edinburgh International
Festival.
Cheers – Jaye
Click here
for information about other
scientific meetings of interest.
THE BEILIN SYMPOSIUM
Don’t
forget to also come to the Beilin Symposium which will be held on December 6
and 7th this year. The program for the Beilin
Symposium has just been finalised and all members of the HBPRCA will be emailed
the invitation brochure with an early-bird registration opportunity shortly.
Keep an eye on your emails! Also for further information
please click here
MEMBERSHIP NEWS from Doug
McKitrick
Just a little more friendly
coercion to remind supervisors that your graduate students can enjoy free
membership in the HBPRCA. It might be the first important scientific society
membership for a research student just starting out or an important additional
contact group for someone who has been around for a little while. For either
group demonstrated membership in relevant scientific societies factors into
outside assessments for positions, awards and funding. Similarly membership for
post-docs or even senior laboratory staff might provide a benefit well beyond
the direct social and scientific benefits of HBPRCA membership. If you’re not
sure if someone you know qualifies for membership feel free to contact us for
advice.
As we are starting to
strengthen our clinical ties, perhaps too its time to start thinking about who
of your clinical colleagues might be interested in membership with Australia’s premier
society for hypertension-related research and information. More information on
clinical membership will follow in the coming months.
If you have specific
comments or concerns with your membership, or issues affecting membership
generally, accept the invitation to communicate them directly to the Membership
Secretary, Dr Doug McKitrick, via contact details available on the HBPRCA
website.
Hypertension Research at Monash
Pharmacology in 2005
This months Hypertension feature article
focuses on hypertension-related research carried out within the Department of
Pharmacology at Monash University that is performed by four main groups. In addition to the cardiovascular research,
as featured in this article, the department performs research on a number of
fronts including G-protein coupled receptors and relaxin (Professor Roger
Summers), confocal microscopy and placental function (Associate Professor Roger
King), Australasian venom research (Associate Professor Wayne Hodgson), neuropharmacology
and neurodegeneration (Dr Richard Loiacono) and methods of pharmacological
teaching (Dr Elizabeth Davis).
In 2005,
Professor Harald Schmidt was appointed Head of Pharmacology, which complemented
existing research within the department.
Professor Schmidt was previously Head of the Department of Pharmacology
at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen, Germany, and his research interests
are nitric oxide, cyclic GMP and reactive oxygen species in vascular biology
and disease. Professor Schmidt brings a molecular and biochemical focus and an
ideal fit to the classical pharmacological approaches that are already
well-established at Monash for studying in
vitro and in vivo cardiovascular
function. He will be joined by several German fellows moving with him from
Gießen, Frankfurt and Magdeburg. As a former co-head of a Vascular Centre of
Excellence at his home university and a Max-Planck-Institute, he is working on
setting up several European-Australian research links, including postgraduate
research training programs and program grants.
This newly formed international team of
vascular pharmacologists at Monash aims at establishing a Centre for Vascular
Biology and Medicine in Melbourne, with a distinct focus on vascular disease
mechanisms, early diagnostics and innovative mechanism-based therapeutic
approaches. Such research endeavours will be headed by the Department of
Pharmacology at Monash and its international and Industry links and shall include
other high-profile cardiovascular groups within Monash University (notably
groups within the Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Clinical
Departments) as well as Greater Melbourne researchers from other workplaces
with a similar research focus. Intense collaborations of this Centre with
Australian groups and related Centres is also encouraged in order to help
making Australian high blood pressure research in general a big player in the
world-wide scene.
As a
first initiative, the Departments of Pharmacology and Physiology will be
hosting a meeting entitled
‘Frontiers
in Vascular Medicine’ which will bring together a range of outstanding
international and national
speakers
on August 26-28, 2005. For more details or to register for this event. Please see the following
website:
http://www.conferences.monash.org/fvm
Free Radical signalling Laboratory
Professor Schmidt heads this
laboratory which consists of 4 post doctoral fellows who will be arriving at
the end of 2005, and he is expecting to develop an active postgraduate student
base as well as international exchange programs and bi-national and
international program grants. Projects include genetic models of vascular
signalling enzymes, subcellular protein-protein interaction and protein
trafficking, target validation in vascular oxidative stress, modulators of cGMP
and early diagnostics. In all these projects, tight links with clinical
scientists are essential in order to validate findings in a medical relevant
setting.
Vascular Pharmacology Laboratory
Dr Barbara Kemp-Harper and Dr Joanne Favaloro head this laboratory. Dr Kemp-Harper’s research focuses on the
control of vascular tone by the nitric oxide/soluble guanylate cyclase (NO/sGC)
signalling pathway under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. She
is particularly interested in the function of resistance vessels and oxidative
modification of sGC under disease conditions such as hypertension. Recent studies in the laboratory have
examined the role of different redox species of NO in the modulation of
vascular smooth muscle function.
Together with Dr Joanne Favaloro,
she identified for the first time an ability of the nitroxyl anion (NO-)
to modulate vascular tone via mechanisms distinct to those of the uncharged
form of NO (NO.). Dr Joanne Favaloro combines her
expertise in small vessel myography and electrophysiological techniques to
explore the ability of NO to regulate vascular function via sGC-independent
pathways such as the activation of K+ channels.
The laboratory currently comprises a PhD student, Ms Jennifer Irvine, and
several Honours students who are investigating the role of endogenously and exogenously
generated NO- in the control of vascular function both in vitro and
in vivo.
The laboratory has collaborative links with Professor Chris
Triggle, Dr Karen Andrews and Mr Mike Hashem at RMIT University, studying the
endogenous production of distinct redox forms of NO in the resistance
vasculature and alterations in vascular function in diabetes.
Vascular Oxidant Mechanisms Laboratory
Dr Grant Drummond heads this
laboratory that consists of a postdoctoral fellow, Dr Courtney Judkins, and
several Honours students. Dr Drummond
is a newly-appointed Monash University Fellow who has NHMRC funding with both
Dr Chris Sobey in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, and
Associate Professor Greg Dusting at the Bernard O’Brien Institute of
Microsurgery, as well as commercial funding via his role as Senior Scientist
and stake holder in the start-up company, Radical Biotechnology Dr Drummond’s research is focussed on
identifying the major sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the vasculature,
not only during disease states (e.g. hypertension, atherosclerosis) where
excessive production of these molecules leads to oxidative stress, but also
during normal physiology, when tightly controlled production and removal of ROS
allows them to be utilised as important signalling molecules. To this end, Dr Drummond’s team has recently
identified a family of enzymes called NADPH oxidases (Nox) as major
contributors to vascular oxyradical production. The team is now attempting to determine which isoforms of Nox
(Nox1, Nox2 or Nox4) are most important for physiological (i.e. beneficial) ROS
production, and which are responsible for the excessive ROS production that
occurs in pathophysiological settings.
The ultimate goal of these studies is to identify a drug target for
therapeutics aimed at preventing oxidative stress and the ensuing vascular
remodelling and inflammation associated with diseases like hypertension,
diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Integrative Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Laboratory
Associate Professor Robert Widdop heads
this NHMRC-funded laboratory that consists of two postdoctoral fellows (Gaspari
& Jones), a research assistant, Iresha Weungoda, and several PhD and Honours
students. Associate
Professor Widdop’s research is focused on the functional roles of
angiotensin (Ang) receptor subtypes in normal and pathophysiological settings
such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke and aging. In particular, the potential role of the AT2
receptor subtype as a novel target in its own right is being studied, as well
as its complementary role in the actions of ‘sartan’ compounds. As part of this research, the physiological
effects of a number of Ang peptide fragments, including Ang-(1-7), Ang III and
Ang IV, are also being examined as they appear to contribute to some of the
counter-regulatory mechanisms that oppose the effects of the classical effector
peptide, Ang II. A variety of in vivo (regional haemodynamics,
telemetry in rats and mice), in vitro
(vascular reactivity) and ex vivo
(hypertrophy, fibrosis, histology) techniques are used.
Dr Tracey Gaspari has been
studying the role of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) in the development and
progression of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease in
which one of the earliest symptoms to become apparent is that of endothelial
dysfunction. Ang II has a number of
pro-atherogenic actions. Clinically AT1 receptor antagonists and ACE
inhibitors have been found to significantly lower total mortality and incidence
of stroke in patients with high risk for cardiovascular disease. Importantly, the ‘mix’ of Ang peptides may
change substantially during chronic RAS inhibition, therefore the focus of this
research is to delineate the roles the various angiotensin peptide fragments
and receptors. Currently, a PhD student, Antony (Bill) Vinh, is
investigating the role of Ang IV in the prevention of endothelial dysfunction
and on the development of atherosclerotic lesions in the apolipoprotein
E-deficient mouse model of atherosclerosis.
With Dr Anthony Dear at AMREP, we are also examining
novel treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysms in the Ang II-infused
apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model.
Dr Emma Jones has been
studying the role of the AT2 receptor during chronic AT1 receptor
blockade in aged rats. It is
hypothesised that stimulation of unblocked AT2 receptors by raised
levels of endogenous Ang II, during AT1 receptor blockade, may
contribute to some of the beneficial effects of sartans. Indeed, this appears to be the case in aged
normotensive rats since the AT2 receptor antagonist PD123319 could
reverse the beneficial remodelling (anti-hypertrophic and antifibrotic effects
in heart and vasculature) effects of sartans.
Future studies will be performed on anaged hypertensive cohort. In addition, a PhD student, Claudia McCarthy, is
examining analogous functional interactions between AT1 and AT2 receptors in an
experimental model of stroke, in collaboration with Dr Jenny Callaway at the Howard Florey Institute. Associate Professor
Widdop has a number of overseas and local collaborations,
including role of AT2 receptors in the renal medullary circulation
(NHF-funded, Dr Roger Evans et al, Dept Physiology Monash University) and human arteries obtained at coronary artery bypass
grafting (NHF-funded, Associate Professor David Hare, Dr Anthony Zulli et al,
Austin Repat Hospitals).
by Sandra
Burke
It
is with great sadness that we report the death of Pat Dorward, on 21st June
after an 18 month battle with cancer. In a moving service in Melbourne, she was
farewelled by family and friends, among them a number of colleagues from her
days at Monash University and the Baker Heart Research Institute.
Pat
was born in Poona, India in 1940 where her father, a medical officer in the
British Army, was stationed. She spent her formative years in India and
Singapore but there were periods when she and her sister attended boarding
school in Australia. As well as excelling academically, in her younger years
Pat was an accomplished ballet dancer, champion swimmer and keen sailor. She
graduated from Cambridge University and later returned to Australia to
undertake a PhD with Archie McIntyre at the new Monash University, her thesis
on the electrophysiology of vibration sensors in the feet of birds. There she
met and married Doug Dorward, an ornithologist, and they brought up their two
daughters, Fiona and Emma, on a lovely property by the Yarra at Warrandyte.
In
1976, Pat took up a position with Paul Korner at the Baker Institute to set up
a neurophysiology laboratory where she remained for 13 years. With her
experience in electrophysiology, Pat initially worked on renal sympathetic
nerves in anaesthetised rabbits. However, lack of stability of the recording
system, electrical noise and the effects of anaesthesia set her on the path to
developing an electrode which could be implanted chronically and used in
conscious animals. This was a difficult problem which had been abandoned by
many before her, but Pat had an adventurous streak and was not afraid to tackle
a new challenge. Over several years, she worked at designing and refining the
chronic recording electrode which many laboratories around the world now use
routinely. She applied the new electrode to a number of landmark studies
characterizing the renal sympathetic baroreflex, as well as important work on
resetting of baroreceptors, haemorrhage and angiotensin. Her 1985 paper on “The
renal sympathetic baroreflex in the rabbit” published in Circulation Research
has been cited 189 times. Her 1982 paper “Rapid resetting of the aortic
baroreceptors in the rabbit also published in
Circulation Research has been cited 149 times to date. During this time
Pat was an active member of the High Blood Pressure Research Council of
Australia. Pat collaborated with many overseas visitors - Masami Iriki from
Japan, Walter Riedel from Germany, Len Bell and Mike Andresen from the US
(during Mike’s visit in 1980, he and Pat helped established the first data
recording computer at the Baker), Marta Weinstock (Israel), and Wilfrid Jänig
in an important study on renal single neurons. Pat left the Baker in 1991 and
continued to pursue her interests in physiology first at Monash University and
also at the Royal Melbourne Hospital with Professor John Ludbrook. In 1994 she
changed direction and began 3 years of study in Financial Planning, working in
that area until recently.
Those
of us who worked closely with her remember her as being warm, open and full of energy.
She was also a dedicated and disciplined scientist who was respected by her
peers and friends and will be greatly missed.
Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology
(CEPP) is Free to HBPRCA members
CEPP aims to make a
substantial contribution to effective and productive communication between
scientists throughout the world who are working in these interrelated
disciplines. The journal provides a medium for the rapid publication of
original research papers, short communications, rapid communications and
theoretical articles (hypotheses) on the results of clinical and experimental
work in pharmacology and physiology. Invited review articles are published
occasionally.
To
access the journal online visit http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/ and log in or register
if you are a new user. Once you are logged in follow the three simple steps
below:
Click on the blue ‘My Synergy’ tab and
the top of the screen and then click the blue ‘Access’ tab in the middle of the
screen.
1. Enter
CEPHBPTRIAL2005 in the ‘Access Token’ box exactly as it appears here. You will
only need to enter this code the first time you use Blackwell Synergy
2. Now click
‘Continue’
You will have access to all content in CEPP every time you log in
until 31st of December 2005.
Manuscripts
can be submitted to CEPP via http://cepp.manuscriptcentral.com/
MONASH MICRO IMAGING WORKSHOP
Monash University are still running workshops in microscopy techniques. If you are interested in attending, find out more by contacting the organisers or downloading a copy of the brochure.
Call for Abstracts : Hormones Fertility and Cancer, ASMR National Scientific Conference.
The Australian Society for Medical Research is delighted to announce that the 44th National Scientific Conference will be held at the beautiful location of Couran Cove in Queensland from November 20th to 23rd 2005. This will be a focussed meeting on "Hormones, Fertility and Cancer".
We have an exciting line up of international and national speakers discussing topics such as
• Hormone Action, Disease and Infertility
• Molecular Regulation of Development
• Transcriptome Regulation and its Consequences
• Cell Signaling in health and disease
Abstract deadline is the
19th of August. Additional information on abstract submission, program and
registrations is available at http://www.asmr-nsc.org.au/
Please click here for a copy of the conference brochure
ASMR JULY NEWSLETTER
Please click here to view the july edition of
their newsletter.
AUSTRALIAN
SOCIETY FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH
ASMR needs your help during 2005, to ensure that medical
research in our country remains competitive and translates to better health and
economic outcomes for all Australians. You need to act now:
¨
Visit your local member twice in 2005. Once before June and again before October.
¨
Before September, write to: your local member;
the Health Minister; the Treasurer; the Prime Minister
Points of focus:
(use examples from your field) Medical research is vital to Australia’s future,
it,
®
underpins the health of all Australians
®
delivers exceptional returns on investment
®
creates knowledge-based jobs
Please click here to view information on the ASMR Campaign to increase Health and Medical Research Funding.
With best wishes,
A/Professor Geoffrey A. Head
_____________________________
Website
Meetings
First
t 61 3
9739 7697
f 61 3 9739 7076
MEETINGS IN 2005
|
|
International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis
Sydney Convention
and Exhibition Centre, Sydney, AUSTRALIA Saturday, August
6 – Friday, August 12, 2005 Click
here for meeting website Click
here for society
website |
Frontiers in Vascular Medicine
August 26-28th
2005 Monash
University, South 1 Lecture Theatre Click here for the meeting
website |
European Society of Cardiology
Annual Scientific
Meeting Stockholmsmässan,
Stockholm, SWEDEN Saturday,
September 3 – Wednesday, September 7, 2005 Click here for the meeting
website Click here for the
society website
|
Canadian Cardiovascular Society
Annual Scientific
Meeting Quebec, CANADA Saturday, October
22 – Wednesday, October 26, 2005 Click
here for meeting website Click here for society website |
|
American Heart Association 59th Annual Fall
Conference and Scientific Sessions of the Council for High Blood Pressure
Research in association with the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease Click here for the meeting
website Click
here for the society website |
|