Prestigious fellowships will allow RBWH researches to continue groundbreaking work

Three RBWH researchers have recently been successful in their applications for prestigious fellowships, greatly enhancing their ability to carry out their important work.

Neurologist Dr Lata Vadlamudi, infectious diseases physician Dr Krispin Hajkowicz, and nephrologist Dr Eoin O’Sullivan were successful in their submissions for Queensland Health Targeted Clinical Fellowships.

Dr Hajkowicz’s project will develop a fully implementable clinical genomics in the RBWH haematology ward to allow same-day diagnosis – ensuring patients receive the antibiotic treatment that they need and importantly avoid the overuse of antibiotics, which drives resistance.

Dr Hajkowicz said getting the right diagnosis of a microorganism (germ) causing an infection is critical for people with weakened immune systems and is strongly associated with better survival rates and fewer days in hospital.

“The fellowship will allow the establishment of a flourishing clinical and research partnership between the haematology and infectious diseases departments at RBWH, the Herston Infectious Diseases Institute and UQCCR,” Dr Hajkowicz

Dr Vadlamudi’s research looks at the management of women with epilepsy, a health priority with enormous implications in terms of societal and economic burden.

“Women with epilepsy present with unique challenges due to the cyclical fluctuation of hormone levels affecting seizure control,” said Dr Vadlamudi.

“To date, there are no longitudinal studies of women with epilepsy, needed to better understand the current landscape, to facilitate future targeted research for greatest impact.”

She said the project forms the framework for longer-term health and social impacts, with the development of evidence-based practice and consumer guidelines.

“The new knowledge gained from this project in conjunction with future national and international collaborations will inform more targeted research, for greater impact for women with epilepsy.”

Dr O’Sullivan’s research aims to discover new treatments to stop the progression of chronic kidney disease.

“The fellowship provides crucial support to allow me carry out research with the support of people living with kidney disease in Metro North, build a network of like-minded researchers and use cutting edge single cell transcriptomic techniques to find biomarkers, new insight and ultimately treatment to change the course of their kidney disease,” Dr O’Sullivan said.