AAS Email – November 2011
Welcome to the last AAS newsletter for 2011. The year has ended in fine style with our recent highly successful and enjoyable joint ANZOS and AAS meeting held at the picturesque National Wine Centre in Adelaide. As we gazed around the venue on that first morning, our initial thoughts of flowing cask-matured red wine were soon to be replaced by cutting edge research delivered with clarity by our invited speaker Prof Ira Tabas. The tone was set for what was to follow and we were treated time and again to outstanding presentations from both Societies in our quest to better understand themes like the vulnerable plaque, obesity, to regulation of molecular pathways in atherosclerosis. In keeping with the theme of our recent meeting, our final newsletter includes pieces written by our Student (Oral and Poster) and Young investigator “winners” for 2011. In addition, our “most steps” winner, Francine Petrides, shares her fitness secrets!
This edition also contains information regarding meetings for next year and in particular the upcoming International Atherosclerosis Society meeting to be held in Sydney in March. Please make every effort to attend as the program looks varied and stimulating. Furthermore, enjoy reading the last newsletter for 2011. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all again in 2012!
Judy de Haan, November 2011
ISA2012 and satellites (HDL, Plaque, Ageing)
Webcasts - Diabetes & CVD EASD Study Group Meeting
Meetings – awards available for English speaking abstracts to JAS
AAS ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING 2011 – Winners galore
Congratulations to all those who were selected as finalists, and also to the winners of the various prizes
- Stephen Gray – Young Investigator Award (YIA)
- Hamish Prosser (BioAssayLINK/Runnerup YIA )
- Katrina Hadfield (Runnerup YIA )
- Ben Chen (Student Oral)
- Melinda Phang (Student Poster)
- Francine Petrides Best Stepper (over 25,000 steps in just one day!)
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Student Poster Winner: Melinda Phang The Australian Atherosclerosis Society was one of the first societies I joined since enrolling into my PhD program in 2009. Since becoming a student member of the AAS, I have attended each meeting and each time have taken away with me new perspectives and ideas on my research project and progression. This year's AAS meeting provided an interesting scientific program and for myself personally (being in my final year of my PhD), I found it be to very inspiring towards my future research path and development. In particular, I was interested in the session and topics on the novel aspects of lipoproteins in vascular disease as it allowed insight into potential research projects extending from my PhD. My PhD research is on the differential effects/mechanisms of the individual long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on platelet aggregation. From a student's perspective, I have found the AAS meetings to be very supportive, motivational and above all encouraging. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the AAS organising committee for their support. |
Young Investigator Runner-up: Kate Hadfield I am a relative new comer to the field of atherosclerosis research and the 2011 Annual Scientific meeting was the second that I have attend. I thoroughly enjoyed the content of this meeting, especially the invited speakers. I particularly enjoyed the presentations by Professor Ira Tabas and Professor Mark Febbraio as they provided some thought provoking ideas and discussion with their data. Their enthusiasm for research was evident from the way they engaged with the audience and I found this very motivating. The combined presentations with the Obesity Society were also very interesting, clearly outlining the significant correlations between environmental stresses and the development of disease, which was very evident in the Australian Aboriginal population. The format of the meeting allowed delegates to meet and talk with each other in a relaxed environment and I met a spoke to a number of people whom I did not know previously allowing me to establish more connections in this field of research. I hope to be able to utilize these connections to further my career, perhaps with a position overseas and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to attend and present at this conference. |
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Young Investigator Awardee: Stephen Grey In October of 2011, I was able to attend the Australian Atherosclerosis Society annual meeting in Adelaide and present my research on the role of oxidative stress in the development of diabetic related atherosclerosis. I was fortunate enough to be able to present my work in the young investigator award category, for the second year in a row. After listening to the presentations from fellow members within the category, notably Katrina Hadfield and Hamish Prosser, I didn’t hold out high hope for a win. However, through some divine creation, I was awarded the young investigator award. For me this award means a lot, at the end of my PhD I took a relatively dramatic change in fields into atherosclerosis development, from the field of developmental physiology, a field that I had prepared for my entire undergraduate degree. To be able to prove to not only myself, but to have it recognised by my peers within the field that I have managed to push myself and wrap my head around a very complex and fast moving field, achieving such an award was very humbling. This year AAS was fortunate enough to have Ira Tabas attend and present the work being conducted by his research team on atherosclerotic plaque stability, which reinforced to me that I have a long way to go to fully understanding atherosclerosis development. On the Thursday the AAS linked up with Obesity Society annual meeting and this provided a refreshing change of scope providing an introductory insight into a different field, however, it also left me feeling a little guilty for having a chocolate filled croissant for breakfast. Listening to the broad spectrum of presentations across the three days provided useful novel ideas and thought process to incorporate new techniques and pathways that I may never have thought of into my research, giving me ample of ideas for the up-coming grant season. |
Fitness is only a step away: Francine Petrides While attending the recent AAS meeting in Adelaide a “most steps in one day” competition was announced. The competition entailed that everyone involved in the contest would have to wear a pedometer and count the steps they undertook in one day. To add to the rivalry we were not only trying to take the most steps individually but we were also competing with ANZOS conference, also taking place at the same time. I immediately thought that this would be a fun way to stay fit while launching a friendly battle with my fellow work colleagues. While undertaking the ‘steps’ competition I began to reflect on my personal fitness regime and in turn the benefits of regular exercise and conditioning. An active person by nature, I have always enjoyed keeping busy and packing my days with work, exercise and socialising. I have found a combination of all these elements have helped me to stay healthy, sane and productive. In particular my fitness routine involves a mixture of programs which include cardio workouts, boot/X-camp classes, lunch time personal training sessions and some dancing (including to the radio in the lab at times!). The combination of these programs is designed purposely to gain the maximum benefits for the body while stopping me from getting bored. Cardio workouts such as running or bicycling get your heart rate up and are a great way of losing weight, improving fitness and strengthening muscles, including those in your heart. Weightlifting develops the muscle definition while increasing bone density. This is particularly important for females as 1 in 2 Australian women over 60 years will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture. Exercise for me is also an effective way of reducing stress. There is nothing like a boxing class after a bad day a work – it relieves tension while triggering the secretion of endorphins in the body. Not to mention the other long-term benefits of regular exercise include reduced blood pressure, reduced cholesterol levels, lower incidences of coronary problems and a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Overall though exercise should be fun, as for anything in life if you enjoy what you’re doing you will continue on with it. At the Heart Research Institute in Sydney we have an active team of work mates who all encourage and spur on. We go to the local gym together, do lunch time personal training sessions and have even been known to undertake a Zumba class or two in the seminar room. As for winning the ‘steps’ competition my secret was simple, a spot of late night shopping for shoes (because a girl can never have enough!) and a night out dancing with the lab group defiantly racked up those steps. |
Thanks to everyone who participated in SCOLAR – speakers and attendees around the country. If you missed a session or would like to listen again, please click here, The overwhelmingly positive response was very encouraging, and the Executive are pleased to announce that a similar program will be repeated in late 2012. A very big vote of thanks to Heather Medbury and Alison Heather for organising such a successful day.
ISA 2012 – Early bird registration closes December
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ISA2012 | Early Bird Registration - Save $250! |
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The Early Bird Registration Deadline for ISA2012 is 13 December 2011. Don't miss this event! |
HDL Satellite @ ISA2012
PROVISIONAL PROGAM NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
We are pleased to advise the Symposium provisional program is now available online: Please click here. The program will feature invited keynote presentations by leading researchers, selected oral presentations and poster sessions.
ONLINE REGISTRATION OPEN
Register before Tuesday 13 December to receive the early bird discount ($100 less than the standard rate).
http://www.hdlcairns2012.com.au/
Basic and Clinical Aspects of Plaque Progression Satellite @ ISA2012
- Goran Hansson (Karolinska Ins, Sweden)
- Andrew Newby (Bristol Uni, UK)
- Stefen Blankenberg (JGU Hospital, Germany)
- Bart Staels (U of Lille, France)
- Jacques Mizrahi (Roche, Switzerland)
- Elliot Chaikof (Harvard Stem Cell Institute, US)
- Daniel Radar (U of Pennsylvania, USA
- Alan Remaley (NIH, USA)
Registration is now open for abstracts. We have kept costs to the minimum and students can register with 50% discount. There will be poster awards and opportunities for moderated poster sessions. The meeting will be held here on the AMREP precinct. As there will be a limitation on registrations due to space constraints (100 registrants), I urge you and your students to register early. Registration is online at www.isa-satellite.platformtechnologies.org
Healthy ageing Satellite @ ISA2012
The Dubbo Study is pleased to invite you to The HEALTHY AGEING Symposium.
A 1-day satellite symposium – Friday March 30, 2012
Learn more about The Symposium Program here
Click here to Register
Like to learn more about diabetes?
Please find the links to the Webcasts of the lectures of the 4th Annual Meeting of the Diabetes & CVD EASD Study Group Meeting, 27 - 29 October 2011, Munich. Excellent key note lectures on diabetes and CVD were presented:
• Cardiovascular function in the diabetic heart
• Genetic susceptibility and pathophysiology: Effects on diabetic cardiovascular function
• Strategies to reduce the excessive mortality in diabetes
• The value of self management and cardiac rehabilitation in diabetes
• GLP-1-based treatment approaches: Effects beyond glucose control
• CVD Outcome in Diabetes
More information on the Diabetes & CVD EASD Study Group can be found at www.dcvd.org
RESEARCH FELLOW – VASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY, SCHOOL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, SYDNEY MEDICAL SCHOOL - REFERENCE NO. 1883/1011
· NHMRC funded project
· Ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic researcher – Academic Level A or B
· Fixed term (12 months) full-time, remuneration package: $90K-$102K p.a. which includes leave loading and up to 17% super)
The Sydney Medical School is part of the University's Faculties of Health, the largest and most comprehensive grouping of health and medical education and research in the Asia Pacific region. It conducts cutting-edge research and provides medical education and training in more than 100 associated teaching hospitals and research institutes and centres. The Centre for Vascular Research is a research-focused, multi-institutional group of laboratories with an outstanding reputation internationally as a centre for excellence in vascular biology research. At the University of Sydney, the Centre is headed by Professor Roland Stocker and is part of the School of Medical Sciences’ Discipline of Pathology and the Bosch Institute.
We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to be responsible for the day-to-day running of the newly funded NHMRC Project aimed at identifying active substance(s) that regulate vascular tone in the context of vascular health and disease. This will include arterial relaxation and blood pressure studies, cellular and biochemical studies, analysis of human and animal tissue, human and animal ethics applications and writing up of results. In this role you will:
- Design, conduct, record and analyse animal, cellular and in vitro studies directly related to the Project
- Perform vascular reactivity and blood pressure measurements in mice
- Conduct and teach surgery required for animal studies related to vascular function and blood pressure
- Provide general research guidance to other research staff and students involved in animal research related to vascular health and disease
- Take a leading role in preparing human and animal ethics applications, modifications and reports
- Complete research projects efficiently and in a timely manner to facilitate publication of the outcomes of the projects in leading scientific journals
- Proactively assist in the design and/or the operation of the laboratory in the conduct of advanced research procedures
- Provide written and oral reports and presentations on research findings and contribute to the writing of academic publications inclusive of abstracts
- Assist the Chief Investigator in the writing of grant applications
- Attend professional activities, including attendance at local and other conferences and seminars
To succeed in this role you will have:
- PhD in a relevant area
- Demonstrated first-hand experience in the conduct of arterial relaxation studies, preferably in the mouse
- Experience in blood pressure determination in research animals
- Demonstrated first-hand experience in the conduct of cellular and molecular studies
- Demonstrated success in publishing medical research as lead or senior author in international, preferably high impact, journals
- Previous experience in the day-to-day management of a research project including trouble shooting unanticipated methodological problems
- Well developed research skills, including problem solving, data gathering, analysis and reporting, particularly with animal and human tissue
- Excellent communication and organisational skills with the demonstrated capacity to prioritise tasks and to work independently as well as part of a team
- Willingness and capacity to implement required Animal Ethics and OH&S policies and safe work practice
This is a rare opportunity to develop your research career and participate in an NHMRC funded project under highly esteemed researchers. All applications must be submitted via the University of Sydney careers website. Visit sydney.edu.au/positions and search by the reference number for more information and to apply by 4 December 2011.
· ISA2012 – and associated satellite meetings, March 2012 – see www.isa2012.com
· 59th Annual Conference of the Israel Heart Society in association with the Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 16-17 April, 2012 in Tel-Aviv, Israel http://www.israelheart.com/en/
· 44th Japan Atherosclerosis Society Annual Meeting, 19-20 July 2012 http://www.congre.co.jp/jas2012/eg/index.html
o Travel grants available for the ten most outstanding reseearchers conducting research on the underlying mechanism of atherosclerosis
o Abstract submission from January 12 - February 29, 2012
Kind regards
Jennifer Seabrook
Meetings First
PO Box 448
YARRA JUNCTION VIC 3797
Phone +61 3 5967 4479
Fax +61 3 9015 6409
Email aas@meetingsfirst.com.au
Website www.athero.org.au