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HSANZ congratulates Rithin Nedumannil on being awarded an HSANZ / Leukaemia Foundation PhD scholarship to commence in 2025.
Rithin Nedumannil is a dual-trained haematologist, currently completing a Fellowship in Acute Leukaemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He has research interests in the use of novel targeted therapies in myeloid malignancies and the molecular mechanisms that lead to treatment resistance.
Lay summary of project:
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer with poor survival outcomes and around 900 people are diagnosed with the condition in Australia each year. A protein called menin is essential for the growth of cancer cells in certain subtypes of AML. Menin inhibitors are a promising therapy that has recently shown potential in treating these AML subtypes. However, resistance to this therapy can develop, making the treatment less effective over time. Dr Nedumannil’s research will use advanced technologies to investigate this resistance in an attempt to identify which genetic and epigenetic changes help leukaemia cells survive despite menin inhibition. By integrating data from these cutting-edge techniques, Dr Nedumannil hopes to uncover new therapeutic approaches to overcome resistance. This research has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for patients with menin-dependent AML by providing a deeper understanding of the disease and paving the way for more effective therapies.
HSANZ is pleased to be a partner with ASH 2025 for the Highlights of ASH in Asia-Pacific meeting in Yokohama, Japan from 22 - 23 February.
HSANZ funds an HSANZ / ASH Abstract award each year, and we hope you will support our trainee members and Council members who attend.
If you are not attending ASH next week, make a booking for Japan to hear the highlights:
At the 2025 Highlights of ASH in Asia-Pacific, you can join leading international faculty to recap standout abstracts from the annual meeting and prepare for how rapidly evolving developments in classical and malignant hematology will affect your practice.
Experience interactive discussions and small-group networking! Register now for the only official Highlights of ASH in Asia-Pacific: https://www.hematology.org/meetings/highlights/asia
Clinical Associate Professor Tracy King was unable to attend Blood this year to receive the HSANZ Leadership in Haematology Award in Brisbane, so was invited to the NSW meeting last night to receive her Award from Council member Adam Bryant. Tracy was the co-founder and past President of the HSANZ Nurses Group and has been tireless in haematology and specifically Myeloma both in Australia and globally. She is recognised internationally for her research and leadership in Myeloma
The photographer was very busy as usual at Blood and below are a few photos from the conference and Gala Dinner, including your Council under the jacaranda tree
Blood 2024 was a huge success, with compliments received from both delegates and sponsors, saying that this was a very friendly and collaborative conference.
One of the most important, rewarding and positive aspects of the Society is the support we provide for members to pursue haematology research through our Scholarships and Fellowships programs.
It is with great pleasure that we congratulate this year's recipients.
HSANZ LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION NEW INVESTIGATOR PHD SCHOLARSHIPS 2024 FOR 2025
Elizabeth Goodall
Elizabeth Goodall is a clinical haematologist and early career researcher at Monash Health, with specific interest in the patient’s end-to-end experience throughout their journey of lymphoma. Her PhD will examine the current gaps in Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PRO/Ms) collection and reporting, and then develop a more uniform reporting structure to accurately measure the patient’s experience during their cancer care. She aims to develop a framework that allows the streamlined use of patient-reported information to guide future drug development for better cancer therapies.
Sean Harrop
Sean Harrop is a dual-trained haematologist, currently undertaking a Fellowship in Aggressive Lymphoma at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He has research interests in novel immunotherapies in lymphoma and the mechanisms that lead to treatment resistance.
It is still unclear how CD4+ T cells contribute to killing DLBCL tumour cells after TCE treatment and if, in some circumstances, they have deleterious effects leading to disease progression or relapse. In his PhD project, Sean aims to dissect these T cell responses to TCE therapy and identify new immune targets for future combination therapies for DLBCL patients.
HSANZ New Investigator PhD Scholarship 2024 for 2025
Nathanael Lucas
Nathanael Lucas is a final year Joint FRACP/FRCPA Paediatric Haematology trainee who completed the majority of his training in Christchurch, New Zealand, and recently completed a Fellowship in Paediatric Haematology/Cellular Therapies at Manchester Children’s Hospital. He has a special interest in Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes and optimising treatment for New Zealand patients.
Causes of Bone Marrow Failure (BMF) can be inherited or acquired. Inherited conditions often present at earlier ages and may be associated with additional clinical features and specific genetic findings in some, but not all, patients. In contrast, onset of acquired BMF can occur at any age. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve treatment outcomes of these conditions, some of which can progress to haematological and other cancers. Nathanael aims to expand the Aplastic Anaemia & Other Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes Registry (AAR) to include and analyse data from New Zealand, then create a model that can help determine whether a patient is more likely to have a germline or acquired BMF. Lastly, he wants to examine certain mutations known or suspected to be more prevalent in indigenous populations, and understand the implications of these diseases for patients and their families.
HSANZ New Investigator Clinical Fellowships 2024 for 2025 - we acknowledge support from Janssen and Novartis
Katie Lewis
Katie Lewis is an early career clinical and laboratory haematologist based in Perth, Western Australia. Her professional interests include genetic haematopathology, flow cytometry and the diagnosis and management of acute leukaemias. She is the recipient of a 2024 Western Australian Cancer Fellowship and is currently undertaking twelve months of haematopathology training in cytogenetics, to complete a RCPA extension of scope of practice certification.
Trung Ngo
Trung Ngo is a final year haematology trainee. He is interested in the intersect between myeloid malignancies and molecular studies. He will be based in the genomics laboratory at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
Trung will focus on identifying biomarkers in myeloproliferative neoplasm with reduced life expectancy due to a predisposition to thrombosis and transformation to myelofibrosis or acute leukaemia. A clear map of the genomic landscape of essential thrombocythaemia is an area of unmet need. Trung will be based in UCLH’s spatial transcriptomics facility, where he will focus on identifying biomarkers in myeloproliferative neoplasms to aid with diagnosis and therapeutic targets.
HSANZ / ALLG Clinical Trials Fellowship 2024 for 2025
Arina Martynchyk
Arina Martynchyk is a qualified Haematologist from Ukraine. She had been working at the Department of Lymohoproliferative Diseases of the National Cancer Institute in Kyiv from 2007 to 2022, where Arina and her colleagues set up autologous stem cell transplantation. In 2022 she relocated to Australia where she is retraining as a haematologist (due to the requirement of AHPRA) and working as a Research Fellow at Austin Health and ONJ Cancer Research Institute.
Arina and her colleagues’ research project “Hearing Patient Voices in Blood Cancer Research: Patient Reported Outcome use, implementation and reporting in trials conducted by the ALLG” aims to fully analyse the use of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs), methodology and results reported in ALLG clinical trials. The results will help to define the optimal PROs and the most appropriate timepoints of their application, improve development of new trials, aim to inform patient experience of treatments employed by the high-quality studies of the ALLG, and enhance the reputation for PRO research of this leading national trial group.
Albert Baikie Memorial Medal and Award
Yin Yuan (right), presented by President Peng Lee
At the HSANZ AGM Two Life Members were welcomed:
Anthony (Tony) Dodds
Pauline Warburton
HSANZ Mentorship in Haematology Award
Ian Irving
HSANZ Leadership in Haematology Award
Tracy King
Carl de Gruchy Medal and Oration
Prof Paula Marlton
Pitney Fellow 2025-2026
Prof Wendy Erber
HSANZ Nurses Group Awards
Best First Time Oral Presenter: Emily Minopoulos with Andy Steele, HSANZ Nurses Group Lead
Best Poster: Robyn Western
Best Oral Presentation: Ty Simpson
HSANZ Nurses Travel Grants
HSANZ has endorsed the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) VAD Guidelines, Section 2: Vessel Health and Preservation
The launch event will be on Tuesday 19 March 2023
In 2021, CNSA launched the first topic of the Vascular Access Clinical Practice Guidelines: Patency, occlusion prevention and management. These guidelines have been implemented in healthcare settings across the country.
Since then, CNSA's Vascular Access Device and Infusion Therapy (VAD & IT) SPN has been working hard to draft Section 2: Vessel Health and Preservation, which incorporates device selection and difficult intravenous access for patients with cancer.
We invite you to join us for the on-line launch event on Tuesday 19 March - click here to find out more.
The Department of Health & Aged Care makes funding available through the Specialist Training Program (STP) for Support Projects.
There is now an opportunity to apply for Commonwealth funding for Specialist Training Program (STP) support projects through the Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP). Final review and approval is made by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
The College seeks your assistance to notify your Haematology Society of Australia & New Zealand colleagues about this funding opportunity.
New 2024-2025 STP support projects applications are now open
The RACP is accepting new applications for upcoming support projects that provide support for, and clearly benefit, existing STP trainees in settings outside traditional metropolitan teaching hospitals, including regional, rural, remote and private facilities.
Cultural safety training
Projects that provide cultural safety training in Indigenous healthcare settings will also be considered, and these can be whole of college activities aimed at cultural and/or behavioural change.
The Department will only approve STP support projects that are clearly and specifically supporting trainees in existing STP posts. While Support Project resources developed may also be relevant to the College’s broader training requirements, it is important to differentiate between projects that benefit all trainees and those aimed at trainees in STP posts as part of your application.
Please refer to the STP page of the RACP website for details on how to apply, key dates and what are the priority projects the Department is looking to support over the next 24 months.
Applications must be received on or before Monday, 11 March 2024.
Despite the Australian health workforce becoming increasingly diverse, women from culturally or racially diverse backgrounds continue to face barriers relating to both gender and racial and cultural background. These barriers contribute to their under-representation in the profession and ultimately negative disparate outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals.
As part of our Link and Grow pillar of activities, The Link at ANU is delivering a Mentoring Program in 2024 which aims to grow the careers of mid-career culturally diverse (non-Anglo Celtic) women in medicine. The inaugural pilot program has been developed in partnership with Franklin Women and facilitated by Seredis Leadership consultants. It will also support mentors to better understand the unique experiences of culturally diverse women in the workplace and to become inclusive mentors and leaders.
The Link and Grow Mentoring Program is a 6-month virtual program that combines informal mentoring sessions between mentees and mentors, with facilitated and structured workshops and events. The workshops provide career, mentoring and inclusive leadership development of mentees and mentors. They also provide a safe place for participants to network, and to share and reflect on the experiences of culturally diverse women in medicine and discuss the role of leaders in shifting culture within teams and workplaces.
Individuals who identify as culturally or racially diverse women, and who are at the middle stage of their career (~3-12 years post fellowship), looking for a mentor and peer-support community to grow their careers. We expect mentees will want to mentor within the program in future.
Individuals of any gender who are trained in medicine and who are now in leadership roles in the healthcare and health and medical research sector. This includes but is not restricted to clinician researchers, specialist medical practitioners or executives who are committed to inclusive leadership practices. Mentors are not required to identify as culturally diverse.
Applications are open to individuals who would like to participate in the 2024 Mentoring Program as either mentees or mentors until Friday 29 March 2024.
There is a participation fee for Mentees to take part in this 6-month, expertly facilitated mentoring program. If you are interested in taking part, please contact the Link via email at international.health@anu.edu.au for associated costs. There is no fee for mentors to participate
The Committee for Joint College Training (CJCT) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for an Advanced Trainee Representative on the Committee.
The CJCT is seeking EOIs from second year Clinical Haematology and Joint Haematology Advanced Trainees, preferably from Victoria, to join as the Advanced Trainee Representative.
The Fellows of the Royal Australian College of Physicians recognises that trainees, as future Fellows of the College, have a very important role in the College’s training program. As such, the College involves trainees in all aspects of its complex governance as representatives of their fellow trainees.
Being an Advanced Trainee (AT) Representative will also allow you to be involved and understand how the training committee makes decisions to support individual trainees’ progression throughout the course of their training.
For more information go to the RACP website
EOIs are due by Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Following an excellent Blood meeting in Melbourne last week, we acknowledge all our Scholarship, Fellowship and Award recipients.
HSANZ LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION NEW INVESTIGATOR PHD SCHOLARSHIPS 2023 FOR 2024
Helen Cashman
Helen Cashman completed dual haematology specialist training in 2022 in Sydney and has a strong interest in lymphoma biology and treatments.
Eric Wenlong Li
Eric is an early career haematologist who has completed his haematology specialist training in NSW. His personal experience with a blood cancer, and having benefited from a cure enabled by breakthroughs in genetic cancer research, has led him to pursue a career in haematology.
Eric’s project at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute will focus on improving our understanding of a recent breakthrough anti-cancer drug venetoclax. Venetoclax is highly effective against numerous blood cancers including Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). However, despite its ability to allow patients to enjoy longer periods in remission, patients invariably relapse. Current scientific evidence points to sophisticated genetic and epigenetic (cell environment where genes operate) causes of venetoclax resistance. This project will discover these causes using new and advanced techniques that can see genetic and epigenetic changes at a single cell level.
Damian D’Silva
Damian graduated BSc with Honours from WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) / Melbourne University, where he will undertake his PhD studies in the Strasser Lab, within the Blood Cells and Blood Cancer (BCBC) division.
Damian has a keen interest in programmed cell death and associated biological pathways in the context of blood cell derived cancers, as well as the development of novel, targeted anti-cancer therapeutics. The goal of this project is to advance the highly promising MCL-1 inhibitors in clinical trials for cancers like leukaemia – and ultimately – the clinical treatment of patients with blood cancers.
HSANZ Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation PhD Scholarship
Michael Ashby
Originally from Tasmania, Michael graduated from the University of Tasmania and subsequently completed physician and haematology training in Melbourne. He has a sub-interest in myeloid disorders including AML, MDS, MPN as well as ALL and bone marrow transplant. He is passionate about and aims to complete further work in translational research and development and management of clinical trials.
Michael’s PhD project at Monash University will study methods of preventing acute myeloid leukaemia relapse following allogeneic stem cell transplant. Bone marrow transplantation remains the best chance of cure for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Transplantation of cells from a compatible donor works by the new donor immune cells recognising the leukaemia cells as ‘foreign’ and eliminating them. Unfortunately, recurrence (relapse) of the leukaemia occurs within 2 years of transplant in up to one half of all patents and this relapse is usually untreatable.
HSANZ Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand PhD Scholarship 2023 for 2024
Paul Owaci – Malaghan Institute
Paul is a Masters of Clinical Immunology graduate from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, currently working as a research technician at Malaghan Institute of Medical research.
HSANZ New Investigator Clinical Fellowships 2023 for 2024 with support from Janssen and Novartis
Aditya Tedjaseputra –Adi’s Clinical Fellowship will focus on molecular and MRD in AML at the Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Guy’s Hospital at King’s College London. He plans to integrate cutting-edge, multi-omics techniques for baseline diagnostics and MRD monitoring into the Australasian context upon his return.
Kenneth Lim – Kenneth’s Clinical Fellowship will focus on determining the prognostic impact of 1q21 gain and amplification (1q21+) in Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients treated with Anti-CD38 antibodies at the Mayo Clinic.
HSANZ / SNOWDOME MID-CAREER AWARD
Ross David, for his work with the Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) research group in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), who have been world leaders in showing that around half of carefully selected patients with CML can safely stop their chemotherapy treatment and remain in remission long-term.
ALBERT BAIKIE MEMORIAL MEDAL AND AWARD
Jamie Kuzich
Life Members:
Ruth Spearing CNZM
Michael Harvey
Devinder Gill
Phoebe Joy Ho AM
Pitney Fellow 2023-2025
Carl De Gruchy medal and oration
Prof Andrew Roberts AM
HSANZ NURSES GROUP AWARDS
Best Presentation: Priscilla Gates
First Time Presenters: Catherine Vassili
Best Poster: Tracy King
Sarah Murray
Madeline McKeague
Elise Toyer
Kari Mudie
Lauren Brennan
Gisha George
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