Research Pulse: Future focussed health insights

Victoria discovered her passion for nursing through her strong desire to help others. As a dedicated nurse leader, she has gained experience across various specialties, but now proudly calls Heart and Lung, her professional home. Her role as Nurse Lead involves working in a team caring for patients who are extremely vulnerable, and critically unwell in challenging situations. Victoria is proud of a core component of the Heart & Lung program - the daily huddle – a communication initiative designed to ensure support patient and staff safety, drive care coordination as well as creating a culture of high performing teams. The daily huddle creates a dedicated space for the team to connect, align on priorities and identify and address risks and barriers, taking timely action to deliver better outcomes for patients. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse Podcast | Season 3 episode 6 | In this episode of Research Pulse, we learn about the pituitary gland, an organ in your brain which controls the key hormones that keep you healthy. We speak to endocrinologist Associate Professor Sunita De Sousa, Senior Staff Specialist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. As well as seeing patients, Sunita is passionate about her research to improve diagnosis and care for patients with tumours of the pituitary gland, known as adenomas. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse Podcast | Season 3 episode 6 | Delivering healthcare in hospitals and clinics requires intense focus on the present. But there's another aspect of healthcare that helps doctors learn from the past, and design for the future. It’s called epidemiology. Epidemiology is a field of science focused on the ‘how many people?’ and ‘why?’ of diseases and health conditions. In this episode of Research Pulse we learn more about epidemiology, including why CALHN established the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, also known as the Adelaide Epicentre, in January 2024. We speak to Professor Stephen McDonald, Director at the Adelaide Epicentre and Senior Staff Nephrologist at the Central Northern Renal and Transplantation Service based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse Podcast | Season 3 episode 4 | Has your doctor ever given you a ‘nature prescription’? It’s a written instruction to spend time in nature, and can create benefits such as improved mental health. But perhaps there's more to the story. In this episode of Research Pulse, we learn about a new study looking at nature-induced health benefits linked with your immune system. We speak to Dr Jessica Stanhope, Chief Medical Scientist in the Rheumatology Unit at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH). Jessica is investigating access to green spaces and experiences of pain and arthritis in people living in the suburbs of Adelaide. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse Podcast | Season 3 episode 3 | What is breast density? It's nothing to do with how breasts look or feel, but it can be linked with your breast cancer risk. In this episode of Research Pulse, Associate Professor Wendy Ingman shares her latest research findings on women's understanding of breast density. She provides a simple explanation of what breast density actually means and how it relates to breast cancer. Wendy is Head of the Breast Biology and Cancer Unit in the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, based at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. As one of Australia’s leading breast researchers, she’s passionate about improving the evidence and awareness around breast density. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 3 Episode 2 | Recent decades have seen an explosion in the techniques scientists use to study genes. In this episode of Research Pulse, we learn how knowledge about genes can have life-changing impact for families experiencing difficult and sometimes devastating health challenges. Examples include inherited forms of blood cancer, and pregnancy loss due to genetic factors. We speak to Hamish Scott, Professor and Head of Genetics and Molecular Pathology at SA Pathology. Hamish says genetic technologies can solve medical mysteries and ease emotional turmoil for families in South Australia and across the world. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 3 Episode 1 | Global data tell a clear story: on average, men die around five years earlier than women. Better management of diseases such as diabetes and depression could help -- but for this to happen, men need to seek health support earlier and more regularly than they currently do. In our first episode of Season 3, we explore the idea that going 'below the belt' could improve how men communicate with their doctors, leading to earlier disease identification, better management and men enjoying their lives more. We speak to Dr Sam Tafari about supporting men to stay ahead of the game when it comes to their health. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 8 | In this episode, we discuss the Adelaide Facial Bone Rule, a screening tool to reduce exposure to CT facial scans, which frequently accompanies a CT brain scan for patients admitted following a fall or accident. We speak to Sarah Constantine, a consultant radiologist at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, who led the first large study investigating the possibility of using information from the CT brain scan to predict the need for a CT facial bone scan to reduce the radiation dose to individual patients. Sarah is also a perinatal and craniofacial radiologist at The Women’s and Children’s Hospital, is a forensic Radiologist, clinical Senior Lecturer, at the University of Adelaide’s Dental School and was a member of the SA Radiation Protection Committee between 2007 and 2022. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 7 | Most people know that a nutrient-dense diet of whole foods can improve your health. But if you live with ulcerative colitis – a disease which can cause painful inflammation in your digestive system – this maxim isn’t so straight forward. Today we speak to Dr Alice Day about her work that is uncovering exactly what type of diet is best for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which can be a lifelong debilitating condition with no cure. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 6 | In this episode, we discuss work towards overcoming resistance to ovarian cancer treatment. Our guest is Dr Melissa Pitman, ovarian cancer researcher at the Centre for Cancer Biology. We learn about: If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 5 | In this episode, we discuss research using machine learning to predict patient outcomes within the first 24 hours of arriving at hospital after a stroke. We speak to Dr Stephen Bacchi, neurology registrar and researcher the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Stephen won the SA Health Young Professional of the Year award in 2021, and was a finalist in the SA Science and Innovation Excellence Awards for his PhD research. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 4 | In this episode we’re focussing on work to combat the hidden pandemic of post-operative complications. Our guest is Professor Guy Ludbrook, Director of PARC Clinical Research at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Professor of Anaesthesia at the University of Adelaide. We learn: If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 3 | Whether they’re being treated for a broken leg or receiving dialysis, many patients throughout different areas of a hospital also have diabetes -- which adds an extra layer of complexity for both themselves and doctors. In this episode, we speak to Research Nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Dr Rebecca Munt, who is leading work to better understand the hospital landscape in South Australia for patients with diabetes. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 2 | Could vitamin C save the lives of people in the intensive care unit? In this episode, we discuss exciting new research using megadoses a derivative of vitamin C called sodium ascorbate that could change the way sepsis is managed worldwide. We’re speaking with Associate Professor Mark Plummer, Head of Research and Innovation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 2 Episode 1 | For some people, parenthood is an important life goal. But for women who have received a kidney transplant, concerns about safety have made planning for parenthood full of uncertainty. Today we speak to Clinical Associate Professor Shilpa Jesudason about her amazing work uncovering the data that is reassuring patients and clinicians about what to expect from pregnancy after a kidney transplant. Shilpa is a Staff Specialist Nephrologist and Chair of the Clinical Research Group at the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplant Service (CNARTS). If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 1 Episode 8 | In this episode we’re talking about going beyond a one-size-fits all approach to bowel cancer treatment, and tailoring treatment to each individual patient. Our guest is Associate Professor Tarik Sammour, colorectal surgeon and researcher at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and The University of Adelaide. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 1 Episode 7 | Today we’re focusing on chronic myeloid leukaemia, and learning about research on why some patients don’t respond to therapy. We’re speaking to Professor Susan Branford from SA Pathology and the Centre for Cancer Biology, an alliance between and SA Pathology and the University of South Australia. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 1 Episode 6 | In this episode we’re focussing on important research in psychology relating to healthcare and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our guest is psychologist and researcher Taryn Lores from the Royal Adelaide Hospital. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 1 Episode 5 | In this episode we learn that neighbourhood characteristics (such as amount of green space) can have a significant impact on older people’s ability to age successfully at home. We speak to Dr Danielle Taylor, health geographer and postdoctoral research fellow, and learn: the Healthy Ageing/Vulnerable ENvironment (HAVEN) Index If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au

CALHN Research Pulse podcast | Season 1 Episode 4 | This episode focuses on a leading innovation in stroke research: the multicentre EVACUATE trial. Our guest is Professor Tim Kleinig, Head of Stroke at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Clinical Professor at Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide. If you would like to get in touch, you can email us at healthCALHNcommunications@sa.gov.au