Several Menzies' researchers have been featured in the October edition of Microbiology Australia. The issue – Infectious Diseases in Northern Australia - covers a broad range of health challenges and highlights research and workforce training in both northern Australia and neighbouring countries.
.png)
On the cover:
Featured on the cover of this edition is artwork by Menzies-Ramaciotti Centre undergraduate student, Jayde Hopkins, a Gurindji and Woolwonga woman from the Northern Territory.
Jayde’s artwork shows an agar plate with the well-known Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) on the left with the newly discovered Staphylococcus argenteus (Silver Staph) on the right.
The shapes around the agar plate depict the scientific community involved in the discovery, surrounded by Menzies iconic colour – orange. The three largest shapes represent three scientists key to this discovery at Menzies: Steven Tong, Deborah Holt and Philip Giffard.
Spreading from either side of the agar plate is the knowledge passed on to the greater community. The background of the painting represents the clustered cocci Gram-positive stain as seen under the microscope.
This explanation of Jayde’s artwork can also be found on page 129 of the edition.
In the issue:
Mark Mayo, Menzies Associate Deputy Director of Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, Melioidosis Program Manager and Senior Researcher, Dr Sean Taylor, Menzies Deputy Director of Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, and Professor Bart Currie, Menzies Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases team leader, highlight how dedicated research teams are helping to uncover solutions to complex health issues, in their guest editorial.
Menzies is proud to showcase its work in tackling rheumatic heart disease, microbiology for hearing and infectious diseases as well as programs to increase capacity and build a local health workforce in the Northern Territory and Timor-Leste. Links to these papers are included below:
- Bridging the gap between science and indigenous cosmologies: Rheumatic Heart Disease Champions4Change – by Vicki Wade, and Maida Stewart
- Building health workforce capacity in Northern Australia – by Michael Johnston, A/Prof Heidi Smith-Vaughan , Sophie Bowman-Derrick , Jayde Hopkins, Kelly McCrory, Raelene Collins , Dr Robyn Marsh, Dr Kalinda Griffiths and Mark Mayo
- Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes in the north: distinctively different – by Deborah Holt and Philip Giffard
- What does microbiology have to do with the Hearing for Learning Initiative (HfLI)? By Professor Amanda Leach
- Strong relationships between the Northern Territory of Australia and Timor-Leste – by Nevio Sarmento, Tessa Oakley, Endang Soares da Silva, Dr Ari Tilman, Dr Merita Monteiro, Lucsendar Alves, Ismael Barreto, Dr Ian Marr, Anthony Draper, Gloria de Castro Hall, Dr Jennifer Yan and A/Prof Joshua Francis.
Menzies' researchers have also been collaborating with other organisations, to contribute to the following papers featured in the edition:
- Skin health in northern Australia – Menzies PhD Candidate Dr Victoria Cox contributed to this paper.
- Vaccine success and challenges in northern Australia - Menzies PhD Candidate Dr Bianca Middleton and Menzies Principal Fellow A/Prof Jane Davies were key contributors to the paper.
- Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in northern Australia – Menzies PhD Candidate Dr Ella Meumann is the lead author of the paper.
- A project to validate the GLU test for preterm birth prediction in First Nations women – Menzies' researchers Dr Kiarna Brown and Dr Holger Unger were key contributors to this paper.
In total, Menzies was involved in nine of the ten research articles featured in this edition of Microbiology Australia, highlighting the range of research being undertaken.
Read the publication in full: https://www.publish.csiro.au/ma/issue/10822