Newsletter July 2024
Institute for Musculoskeletal Health
A partnership in musculoskeletal health and physical activity with University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District
Welcome to the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health's second quarterly newsletter for the year. In this issue we welcome new students and staff, celebrate our latest achievements, and provide updates on new trials?which are currently recruiting participants.
Please join us in welcoming Rowena Charteris, Isaac Ceroni, Melody Leung and Jeremy Chang?to the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health.
We look forward to getting to know our new team members over the coming months and seeing what they can achieve.
Three new trials coming soon!
Researchers at the Institute have been awarded three large competitive grants to run clinical trials which will help to?advance knowledge and improve patient care of common and disabling musculoskeletal conditions.
The ADAPT-ED trial was awarded $3,100,000?and involves a collaborative multidisciplinary team led by chief investigator, Dr Gustavo Machado from the Institute, and joined by fellow colleagues?Prof Chris Maher , Dr Adrian Traeger, Prof Christine Lin and Clinician Researcher, Dr Bethan Richards . The trial, will use a non inferiority design to test various non-opioid medications and treatments against the most commonly prescribed opioid, oxycodone, to manage non specific low back pain. It?will be run in five different emergency departments across NSW and QLD and has been funded from 2024 to 2028, by the MRFF?Clinical Trials Activity Scheme.
The Safer AnalGEsia (SAGE) project, supported by a $2,888,744 grant from the MRFF,?is funded for five years to evaluate a new multidisciplinary approach to assist in reducing dosages and de-prescribing of?high risk medications such as opioids and?benzodiazepines in chronic low back pain patients. The intervention will look at using alternate evidence based methods to treat chronic low back pain. The trial will be led by?A/Prof Christina Abdel Shaheed from the Institute and she will be supported by fellow researchers?Prof?Chris Maher and Dr Gustavo Machado.
Finally, the Early Pain Intervention after Knee replacement (EPIK) trial, was awarded $2,100,000 from 2024 to 2029?by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and will investigate different types of pain interventions post-knee replacement operations.?The project will be?led by Dr Sam Adie from NeuRA, and includes Dr?Giovanni Ferreira, Dr Josh Zadro, Prof Ian Harris and Prof Chris Maher from the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. These grants will significantly support the Institute's mission to improve clinical outcomes,?pain management and healthcare delivery.
?? Calling all Physiotherapists!
??♂? WHAT? We are investigating what influences the language physiotherapists use to communicate diagnostic labels and advice for low back pain.
?? WHO? If you are a registered and practicing physiotherapist who manages people with low back pain, we invite you to participate in our important study.
?? HOW? Click on the survey link below to learn more about this research: https://sydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4VJNvUtovGW5A7I
Participation will involve a short survey (~5 min) followed by an interview (~30 min). We greatly appreciate you for supporting this important research.
Recruitment milestone
The?Active Women over 50?study has successfully recruited its first 150 participants! There are still plenty of spots left. The study is looking for women aged 50+ to participate in a program aiming to increase physical activity. Learn more and share with your colleagues, friends and family who may be interested:?https://www.activewomenover50.org.au/
PROMOTE-PA trial now recruiting
The PROMOTE-PA trial is recruiting community teams and?outpatient clinics (public and private) working in?adult?and paediatric?settings across Sydney.
?This trial is investigating the impact of physical activity promotion on physical activity participation among children and adults with disability, and older adults. Clinical teams will be recruited and randomly allocated to either the ‘early support group’ to receive support to promote physical activity immediately, or the ‘delayed support group’ (to receive support after recruiting patients). Each clinical team will be asked to recruit? approximately 20 patients. Patients will complete surveys at baseline, 3-months and 6-months. Contact Kate and Jennifer at?[email protected]?for more information. This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee (RPA Zone) of the Sydney Local Health District .??
领英推荐
Dr Rik Dawson appointed as President Elect of?the Australian Physiotherapy Association
Dr Rik Dawson from the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health was appointed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) as the next president elect. Rik has been the Vice President for the APA since 2021.?He will be taking over the reigns from Scott Willis GAICD as President in January 2025.
Rik brings a?wealth of knowledge to this role, as he?has held several leadership positions within the APA and?has been actively involved in government consultations including?the Department of Health’s Aged Care funding reforms and the?National Aged Care Alliance. Rik recently completely his PhD with the IMH looking at the use of telehealth to prevent falls in older adults. His experience as a titled physiotherapist, business owner, leader within the APA, government liaison, advocate for the profession?and academic with a budding research career make him an excellent candidate for this role and we are excited to see what he can achieve.?
Two NHMRC Investigator Grants awarded
We are excited to announce that Prof Christine Lin and?Prof Chris Maher have both been awarded prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Leadership Investigator Grants. Chris Maher received the NHMRC Leadership 3 Investigator Grant for 2026-2030, securing $2,981,630 to ensure?Australians with back pain receive the right care. Professor Christine Lin was awarded the NHMRC Leadership 2 Investigator Grant for 2025-2029, receiving $2,924,080 to manage musculoskeletal pain by testing treatment effectiveness and reducing medication-related harm.?These grants represent a significant step forward in improving the treatment and management of musculoskeletal pain in Australia.
Dean's Merit Award
IMH Higher Degree Research student,? Gemma Altinger received the Dean’s Merit Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Gemma began her PhD last year at the Institute, whilst?also finishing her Master's degree in Behavioural Economics through the 澳大利亚悉尼科技大学 (UTS) Business School.?Gemma?graduated?at the top of her course in the?Masters of Behavioural Economics at UTS. She was also within the top 1-2% of all graduates in the School of Business. We are incredibly proud of her exceptional performance and ability to manage both of these academic commitments simultaneously.
The TOP UP Team selected for the?Healthcare Innovation Initiative
Congratulations to TOP UP researchers?in partnership with?Prof Judy Kay's team (Faculty of Engineering and IT)?for?progressing?to Stage 1 of the Faculty of Medicine and Health-Engineering Healthcare Innovation Initiative: Sprint to Create. This collaborative team has been awarded $20,000 to develop a proof-of-concept design for Stage 2 of the competition. The TOP UP team is one of ten to receive this funding from the Faculty of Engineering as part of the Healthcare Innovation Initiative (HII), which aims to transform healthcare through innovative technology, partnerships, and research.
The TOP UP program delivers personalised physiotherapy and home exercise programs to older adults safely,?via telehealth. The app is designed to improve the accessibility, ease, and engagement of evidence-based falls prevention exercises for older adults. With input from experts from?the Human-Centered Technology Research Cluster, this collaborative team will enhance the app by exploring and improving the consumer?experience. The HII funds will be used to support this additional phase of the TOP UP project.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the project!
15?August, 5:30?- 6:30?PM,?RPA Hospital,?Research Innovation Forum?
The RPA's Institute for Academic Medicine will hold is Research Innovation Forum on the 15th of August at Scot Skirving Lecture theatre. The forum will feature?Dr Bethan Richards, Staff Specialist, Rheumatology, Co-Director?Institute for Musculoskeletal Health and Professor Chris Maher, Co-Director?Institute for Musculoskeletal Health?their talk will focus on research partnerships. The second part of the forum will be focussed on research metrics and will be?presented by?Kachana Ekanayake and Bernadette Carr who are?Academic Liaison Librarians involved in research from the University of Sydney. We hope to see you there!
13?September, ICC Sydney,?Sydney Spinal Symposium
Join some of our researchers at the 8th Annual?Sydney Spinal Symposium at the ICC in Darling Harbour. The theme for this year's conference is Spinal Arthritis and the conference has?an impressive line up of?national and international keynote speakers for the event.?The Sydney Spinal Symposium is welcoming all?who wish to learn more about spinal research including?practitioners, educators and sponsors. A rich program of keynote speakers, featuring visiting professors and surgeons, will be complemented by leading researcher talks with abstract and poster presentations.?