ANZCA Foundation update - August 2024
15 August 2024
New W. John Russell ANZCA Research Award, Melbourne Research Awards, AMA honours ANZCA Fellow, grant outcomes reports received
Foundation establishes the W. John Russell ANZCA Research Award
Thanks to the generous benefaction of Mrs Jan Russell, the ANZCA Foundation is delighted to announce that it has received the unanimous approval of the ANZCA Research Committee for the establishment of the new ‘W. John Russell ANZCA Research Award’.
The new award will run for at least two years and be awarded at the Research Committee’s discretion to encourage high-quality studies in anaesthetic engineering or equipment, patient safety or teaching.
This ANZCA Foundation named research award will honour the outstanding career and contributions to the practice and teaching of anaesthetics by ANZCA Robert Orton medallist, Adelaide’s Dr W. John Russell, in the above areas of clinical and academic anaesthesia. The Foundation is deeply privileged to be able to facilitate this prestigious honorary award.
Winter Anaesthesia Meeting Melbourne Research Awards
At the Winter Anaesthesia Meeting in Melbourne on 27 July, Dr Ned Douglas was presented with the ‘ANZCA Melbourne Anaesthesia Emerging Researcher Award’ by award benefactor and Foundation Governor Patron Dr Peter Lowe. The award was for the study ‘A pilot trial of midodrine, atomoxetine or placebo to prevent ward hypotension after major non-cardiac surgery’.
Dr Lowe also presented the ‘ANZCA Melbourne Emerging Researcher Scholarship’, which went to Dr Luke Fletcher to assist his PhD based on the study ‘Haemodynamics & Assessment in Real-time of Left Atrial Pressure (PHARLAP)’.
Dr Lowe provides $15,000 through the AMEARA award and $25,000 through the scholarship for emerging researchers every year, as part of his passion for supporting talented and dedicated ‘young’ academic anaesthetists.
Fellow receives national AMA Award
On 3 August, Brisbane anaesthetist, researcher and teacher Professor André Van Zundert, FANZCA, received the Australian Medical Association’s highly prestigious ‘Excellence in Healthcare Award' for 2024 at the annual meeting of the Australian Medical Association.
AMA president Professor Steve Robson said it was a privilege to present Professor Van Zundert with the award in recognition of his commitment to medicine, research, teaching and volunteering.
"Professor Van Zundert's efforts in healthcare are exemplary, and they are matched equally by his efforts in many other fields," he said.
"Professor Van Zundert is a wonderful anaesthetist, anaesthesia researcher and teacher, who strives to be a role model and inspire his PhD-students. André has supervised nearly 50 PhD candidates, ten of whom have become full professors." André demonstrates a continuous commitment to serving his community, including through his contributions to Scientific Societies such as The European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy in roles including President, Secretary-General, and Chair of the ESRA Exam; The Dutch Society of Anaesthesiology, where he established the Pain Society; and ANZCA as a member of the ANZCA Research Committee. He has held several editorial positions for prestigious scientific journals, and is a retired Lieutenant Colonel and Advisor to the General at Military Headquarters in Brussels with 30 years as a reservist in peacekeeping missions. He is a dedicated volunteer with Emmanuel City Mission serving Brisbane's homeless and vulnerable populations".
Selected to receive the award from among all physicians across Australia, Professor Van Zundert said it "feels like winning Olympic Gold for Queensland and ANZCA".
Final grant reports update
Eighteen final reports were received in 2023 for ANZCA Foundation-funded studies, which have generated a wide range of publications in leading peer-reviewed medical journals. Many have been presented at scientific meetings around the world.
The Academic Enhancement Grant report from Professor Victoria Eley (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital) was a highlight, outlining a program of work including five studies related to perioperative blood pressure measurement in obese patients. A sub-study was included to measure renin and aldosterone levels in the blood and MR expression in the adipose tissue, and compare concentration of inflammatory markers in the blood and adipose tissue of patients with a body mass index (BMI) of over 35 kg/m2.
Professor Eley’s team aimed to deliver outcomes to help improve care of obese patients, for whom inaccurate blood pressure measurements are known to compromise quality. Specifically, the team identified that available finger cuff technology did not fit the target population and was not sufficiently accurate to replace invasive arterial monitoring.
After realising anaesthetists are frequently unaware of post-discharge complications of arterial lines, they developed a health services evaluation project “Perioperative arterial catheterization: a prospective evaluation of ultrasound, infection and patient-focused outcomes”, and a local flow-chart for patients with symptoms following arterial catheterization.
The RBWH team of ten, including seven FANZCAs and one provisional fellow, have been shortlisted for the ‘Metro North Research Excellence Awards’ for their work “optimizing the perioperative care of patients with obesity.”
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