The PFAS Health Study

Katherine Todd and Cathy Banwell visited Katherine NT for the week of 18 June. They attended a Community Walk-In Session that was organised by the Department of Defence, as well as working a shop-front desk for two days during their stay. This was attended by approximately 25 people, including 5 who were specifically interested in the study. Katherine and Cathy also ran a Community Consultation session describing the study and how community members could become involved, and met with local Aboriginal Community members and researchers to discuss the study and seek advice on Aboriginal engagement in the project, as well as meeting with local Defence personnel and health workers. This was in the lead up to the focus group discussions which we hope to run in late July/early August.

The PFAS Study team have also been busy drafting research protocols for the upcoming blood serum study and cross-sectional survey, which will be rolled out later this year. We continue to receive blood samples from Williamtown and Oakey, and will receive our first shipment of blood samples from the Katherine region the week beginning 25 June. 

The Relief in MS Study

Emily Wilford has commenced work as the trial coordinator for the Relief in MS Study. This is a multi-site clinical trial of a nutraceutical intervention aimed at reducing fatigue in people with MS. We are currently developing information sheets etc in preparation for ethics submission. The study is funded by the Medical Research Futures Fund.

Papers accepted/published:

1. Tang SM, Lau T, Rong SS, Yazar S, Chen LJ, Mackey DA, Lucas RM, Pang CP, Yam JCS. Vitamin D and Its Pathway Genes in Myopia: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. British Journal of Ophthalmology (accepted 5 June 2018)
2. Trend S, Jones AP, Cha L, Byrne SN, Geldenhuys S, Fabis-Pedrini MJ, Carroll WM, Cole JM, Booth DR, Lucas RM, Kermode AG, French MA, Hart PH. Higher serum IgG3 levels may predict the development of multiple sclerosis in individuals with clinically isolated syndrome. Frontiers in Immunology (accepted 27 Jun 2018)

Presentations

Robyn Lucas presented to the International Advisory Committee Meeting on Non-ionizing Radiation (20-22 June), on “Ozone depletion, UV radiation and health in a changing climate: an update 2018”

Outreach

Robyn Lucas attended a webinar hosted by CAPHIA and PHAA on “Public health workforce issues in the Pacific”

Other

Robyn Lucas has been invited to join the subcommittee on Prevention for the revision of the Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (and related lesions) – a guide to clinical management in Australia