Join HSANZ
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has commenced a new Medicines Repurposing Program (MRP) to expand treatment options and improve health outcomes for Australians.
The MRP will identify new uses for existing medicines registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). It aims to facilitate and encourage the ARTG registration and consideration by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) for listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
More information on the Medicines Repurposing Program is available on the TGA website.
Identification of potential medicines suitable for repurposing
The program will work with clinicians, health organisations, patient groups, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and other interested members of the public to identify opportunities for repurposing.
Individuals and organisations, can propose new uses for existing medicines, supported by accepted clinical practice and/or publicly available literature, through the nomination form. The program is encouraging nominations with a clear public health benefit substantiated by evidence of established clinical practice.
Submit your candidate medicine nomination
The program is now open for nominations via the candidate nomination form.
Nominations will be assessed in batches on a rolling basis to allow review of eligible medicines at the Advisory Committee on Medicines (ACM) meetings which are held at regular intervals. While there is no cut-off date for nomination submission, nominations submitted by Wednesday, 17 April 2024 will be considered at the June 2024 ACM meeting. Eligible candidate nominations received after 17 April 2024 will be presented at subsequent ACM meetings.
Program overview webinars
The program is hosting webinars for interested parties, focusing on the candidate nomination process.
Online webinars are scheduled for 11:00-11:30pm AEDT Tuesday 12 March and 2:00-2:30pm AEDT Tuesday 19 March 2024.
Please note that the content being presented at both Medicines Repurposing webinars will be the same.
Share with your networks
We encourage you to share this information with your members and stakeholders. Please use the following links:
· Medicines Repurposing Program on the TGA website
· Webinar registration
The MRP has been developed in consultation with stakeholders and we thank all the contributors for their inputs that have helped shape the program. As a newly created program, we will continue to work with stakeholders to refine processes to best ensure the program meet its goals.
The HSANZ New Zealand branch meeting will be held in Hamilton, 9-11th May 2024. Attendees from across New Zealand and Australia are welcome to attend. The line-up of speakers from both nations and from further afield will cover a wide range of haematological fields. Of course, no work without play is never a good idea and the social function is always great fun with plenty of dancing to be had. The NZ organising Committee look forward to you joining them. Information can be found at:
Registration form or link
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
Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand is proud to co-host this meeting with American Society of Hematology. Join your colleagues in Sydney, for the 2024 Highlights of ASH® in Asia-Pacific on February 16 – 17, 2024. International hematologists will present an unbiased expert analysis of the most influential research presented at the 2023 ASH Annual Meeting as well as discuss the breakthroughs that will influence the Asia-Pacific region the most.
Join in the following activities:
Registration is available at https://www.hematology.org/meetings/highlights/asia.
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
HSANZ Mentorship in Haematology Award
Devinder Gill
HSANZ Leadership in Haematology Award
Phoebe Joy Ho AM
Pitney Fellow 2023-2025
Prof Paula Marlton
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
HSANZ Nurses Travel Grants
Sarah Murray
Madeline McKeague
Elise Toyer
Kari Mudie
Lauren Brennan
Gisha George
The Centre for Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies (CBTCT) brings together the largest allogeneic stem cell transplant units in Australia with a focus on identifying transplant and cell therapy strategies to reduce graft versus host disease and improve patient and disease outcomes after transplant. In this webinar series, speakers will review major topics in stem cell transplantation and cell therapy, highlighting how key advances are addressing the current challenges in stem cell transplantation. In this webinar, Dr Ray Mun Koo will be outlining the current role of reduced intensity conditioning regimens in allogeneic stem cell transplant and potential pathways to optimization of post-transplant outcomes. Dr Ashvind Prabahran will be speaking on evaluation of immunological parameters in aplastic anaemia and poor graft function and potential therapeutic interventions.
Speakers:
Dr Ashvind Prabahran – Royal Melbourne Hospital / Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr Ray Mun Koo – Royal Melbourne Hospital / Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
When: Wednesday 18 October 2023, 1pm AEDT
Link to webinar:
Link to CBTCT website for all webinar recordings:
For more information see flyer
The Centre for Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies (CBTCT) brings together the largest allogeneic stem cell transplant units in Australia with a focus on identifying transplant and cell therapy strategies to reduce graft versus host disease and improve patient and disease outcomes after transplant. In this webinar series, speakers will review major topics in stem cell transplantation and cell therapy, highlighting how key advances are addressing the current challenges in stem cell transplantation. The second webinar of 2023 features Professor Robert Zeiser, who is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Tumour Immunology at the Department of Haematology, Oncology and Stem-Cell Transplantation at the Medical Center, University of Freiburg in Freiburg, Germany. His research group has focused on utilizing a range of cutting edge imaging techniques to monitor the fate of different cell types in living animals, leading to several publications in the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, Blood, Nature Communications and the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Professor Zeiser has over 250 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to 14 book chapters. In this webinar, Professor Zeiser will outline the translational pathway of promising, novel therapies for graft vs host disease from murine models into clinical practice.
Speaker:
Professor Robert Zeiser – University of Freiburg, Germany
When: Monday 23 October 2023, 5pm AEDT
https://bloodcelltherapy.org.au/
for more information see flyer
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