Research Opportunities - Queensland

Queensland

Princess Alexandra Hospital

Introduction

The Princess Alexandra Hospital Renal Unit is one of the few medical research groups in Australia to have received NHMRC Centre of Clinical Research Excellence status and funding. As a further endorsement by NHMRC, the Princess Alexandra Hospital Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Kidney Disease Group CCRE funding has now been extended for an additional 5 years (until the end of 2012). In 2004, our unit also received the endorsement of, and funding by, Kidney Health Australia, the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology and the National Health and Medical Research Council to act as the central co-ordinating centre for the Australasian Kidney Trials (AKT) Network (a clinical trials network set up to conceive, co-ordinate and run multicentre clinical research trials in nephrology). The University of Queensland Centre for Kidney Disease Research (CKDR) is also based at the PAH Nephrology Department and conducts a large number of research activities at both the clinical and basic science levels (including renal transplantation, peritoneal dialysis, haemodialysis and general nephrology). Registry data analyses are also possible through our links with the Queensland Renal Collaborative for Healthcare Improvement database, the Queensland Live Donor Registry and the ANZDATA Registry. There are over 80 projects currently underway in the Department, examining such diverse areas as infection control, anaemia management, cardiac risk factor intervention, optimal timing of dialysis commencement, metabolic syndrome and kidney disease, enhancement of dialysis adequacy, novel prevention strategies for acute renal failure, preservation of kidney function, monitoring healthcare delivery quality, optimization of the safety of anti-rejection drug protocols in transplantation, immunosuppressive drug pharmacokinetic studies, and skin cancer and lymphoma prevention in kidney transplant patients. Over the last 5 years, several of our research trials have earned national research awards (including the Australian Kidney Foundation Clinical Research Award and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology TJ Neale Award for “Outstanding Contributions to Nephrologic Science”) and prompted changes in clinical practice guidelines. Our unit also offers extensive training in basic and clinical research, trial design, epidemiology and biostatistics.

A fully-funded ($110,000 p.a.) Research Fellow position, as well as a number of Practitioner Fellowships and Postgraduate Research Scholarships are available to advanced trainees and nephrologists (see below). In addition, our hospital has 5 advanced nephrology training positions.

Basic Science Research

Clinical Research

(a) Peritoneal Dialysis

(b) Haemodialysis

(c) Transplantation

(d) General Nephrology

Renal Research Fellow

The Princess Alexandra Hospital has a Renal Research Fellow Position available for advanced trainees to pursue clinical renal research.

Practitioner Fellowships and Postgraduate Research Scholarships

The Renal Unit forms part of the Princess Alexandra Hospital Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Group, which has been funded by the NHMRC as a “Centre of Clinical Research Excellence.” A number of Practitioner Fellowships and Postgraduate Research Scholarships are available to advanced trainees and nephrologists.

Practitioner Fellowships and Postgraduate Research Scholarships are also available to advanced trainees or nephrologists who wish to undertake a higher degree in clinical nephrology research through the Australasian Kidney Trials (AKT) Network. These scholarships are funded by the School of Public Health and the University of Queensland.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital also provides a Research Scholarship ($50,000 per annum) to registrars who wish to undertake basic science or clinical research (preferably towards the attainment of a higher degree).

Contact:

Professor David Johnson
Chair of Medicine, Director of Renal Medicine
Ph +61 7 3240 5080
Fax: +61 7 3240 5480
Email: david_johnson@health.qld.gov.au

Updated March 2008

Royal Brisbane Hospital

Clinical Research:

Contact:

Dr David Saltissi
Ph: +61 7 3253 8111
Fax: + 61 7 3253 7148
Email: saltissid@health.qld.gov.au

Basic Research:

Renal Metabolism and Function

Clinical Research:

Contact:

Associate Professor Zoltan Endre
Ph: +61 7 3365 5217
Fax: + 61 7 3365 5581
Email: endre@hippo.herston.uq.edu.au

Australian And New Zeland Society of Nephrology