Saturday 28 March 2015

Monash Partners announced as an NHMRC Advanced Health Research and Translation Centre

Today (Saturday 28th March), the NHMRC announced that four national Advanced Health Research and Translation Centres had been established (link). Monash Partners was one of the four.

The Ritchie Centre is a proud member of Monash Partners, providing the research and research training capabilities for the Monash University Departments of Paediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology and for the clinical services at Monash Children's and Monash Women's. Within the Women's and Children's Theme at Monash Partners, The Ritchie Centre is the largest provider of women's and children's research.

We are thrilled to be recognised as part of a new NHMRC Advanced Health Research and Translation Centre and eagerly look forward to working with our colleagues at Monash Health to define and deliver tomorrow's best care.

Well done all.

Euan Wallace
Executive Team, Ritchie Centre

Thursday 26 March 2015

Ritchie Centre Professor elected to Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

The Ritchie Centre's Professor Euan Wallace has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

At an event held at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra last night, Euan was among 116 newly elected Fellows to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. The Academy is Australia's newest learned Academy. Professor Ian Frazer AC is the President of the Academy. Euan was elected for his work in obstetrics and perinatal medicine.

Congratulations Euan.

Friday 17 October 2014

NHMRC Funding Successes

Today was THE day. The day NHMRC released its funding announcements for new funding commencing 2015.

How did we do? ...........

GREAT.

Ritchie Centre scientists have been awarded 7 new Project Grants and 2 new Fellowships, totalling over $5.6M new funding.

Overall, Centre success rate for Project Grant funding was 39%. The national average was 15%, the WEHI was 27%.

Well done to all at TRC. What a team!!!!


Euan Wallace
Co-Director (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

Tuesday 14 October 2014

2014 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award to Centre Director

We are thrilled and delighted to announce that at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards ceremony held last night, Centre Director, Professor Euan Wallace was awarded the Minister’s Health Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Victorian public health system.  This award is the Minister’s highest honour for an individual.


We are very proud of you.

Wednesday 9 April 2014

The Ritchie Centre scoops prizes at PSANZ Annual Meeting

The Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) is being held in Perth, WA this week.

At the Congress Dinner four prestigious awards were won by Centre staff and students.

Dr Annie McDougall won the 2014 David Henderson Smart Award and a Cerebral Palsy Alliance award for her work on cerebellar development in the growth restricted fetus.

Medical student and PhD student James Aridas also won a Cerebral Palsy Alliance award for his research on protecting against brain injury in the newborn.

PhD student Melinda Dolan won the PSANZ Respiratory Research Award.


Great effort guys. Fabulous science.

Euan Wallace
Centre Head (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)


#onlyacurewilldo

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Dr Anna Vlahandonis announced the 2013 Mollie Holman Medalist

A Ritchie Centre scientist, Dr Anna Vlahandonis (nee Kourbasis) has been awarded the Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal for the best PhD thesis awarded in 2013 from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University.

In 2013, there were 148 PhD theses awarded. Anna's thesis "Long-term sleep and cardiovascular outcomes in children with sleep disordered breathing: a four year follow-up" was judged as the most outstanding of all.

Well done to Anna and her supervisor, Professor Rosemary Horne. An outstanding achievement, well deserved.

Euan Wallace
Centre Head (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)


Monday 11 November 2013

Dr Sarah Biggs on the importance of sleep

Dr Sarah Biggs participated in The Conversation this week, talking about sleep.

http://theconversation.com/regular-bed-times-as-important-for-kids-as-getting-enough-sleep-19396

So, what's so important about sleep?

Sarah's research tells us that sleep is critical for normal child development. However, it is not just about total hours of sleep. Having a regular bedtime is important.

Sit up, all parents!

Children who go to bed at a regular time each night are much less likely (as much as half as likely) than children who have irregular bedtimes to have hyperactivity and behavioural problems. A child whose bedtime varies from night to night by as much as 2 hours is 6 times more likely to have behavioural problems.

The key message?

Each child needs to have a regular bedtime and have 9-11 hours sleep each night.

An early night anyone?

Well done Sarah.


Euan Wallace
Director, The Ritchie Centre