Newsroom

Tackling kidney disease requires laboratory and clinical approaches to bring cutting-edge discoveries to the bedside. This is where Clinician Research Fellow Dr Monica comes in - to bring new diagnostic tests and therapies to people with chronic kidney disease!

Dr Monica is a Clinician Research Fellow, Nephrologist, Translational Kidney Pathobiology Group Leader and Clinical Trials Unit Chair at the Metro North Kidney Health Service. Her team’s work aims to develop new minimally-invasive tests from extracellular vesicles (a.k.a. nanoparticles in the urine) to reduce the need for kidney biopsies.

She leads studies in the clinic to evaluate new drugs to treat different causes of chronic kidney disease and reduce kidney failure.

“Chronic kidney disease affects more than 2 million Australians and has significant impacts on how people live their lives” she said.

“By bringing ground-breaking laboratory techniques used in other fields to kidney disease research, we can develop new clinical tools that work better, reduce complications and halt the inexorable progression to kidney failure."

Dr Monica and her team’s work was recently presented in the Discovery and Translational Award Session at the Australia and New Zealand Society of Nephrology Congress in Perth.

Great work Dr Monica! ...

Advanced Care Planning Facilitators like Desre help us plan for our future, by identifying goals, values, and wishes for end-of-life care.

But Desre is also a myth-buster, visiting homes and presenting to community members on the importance of taking the fear out of the advanced care planning. 📜

While she acknowledges that decision making in a time of crisis is a hard thing to do, she says forward-planning can make all the difference.

"We want to look after you in a way that is meaningful, based on your values and needs, if the time comes that you cannot speak for yourself," Desre says.

"I`ve had so many people tell me that they feel better after the conversation, grateful that their wishes are known."

👏 Shoutout Saturday to Desre for her decades of dedication, both at Caboolture Hospital in advanced care planning and throughout her time at Metro North Health. ...

Queensland Schoolies Week kicks off tomorrow, and we want to say a big congrats to all our school-leavers, and the parents who have helped them get here! 🎉😁

Dad to teenagers and Director of Addictions at Metro North Mental Health, Dr Tom, says that that talking to your kids about drugs and alcohol can be scary, but is the best way forward ahead of a big party event like Schoolies. 🤗

“I think curious communication is key,” says Tom, adding that a non-judgemental conversation around what a night out might look like, can go a long way.

“Talk to your kids about what their back up plan is if it goes awry. And encourage young people to buddy up and look after their mates,” he said.

“I think in the young person space, the biggest risks and trends remain around alcohol misuse, and the potential for misadventure. But the importance is to seek help through friends, family, emergency services or other people if you need it - we have a great community around us, and someone is always there to help.” ...