Research Week 2024 has come and gone in what feels like a flash for myself and the team in the Research Development and Governance Unit. While I only have one other Northern Health Research Week to compare it to, the event this year felt BIG…. Excitingly ambitious, with a different and more extensive format compared to 2023. But this was entirely appropriate, given the overall aim this year was to be inspired to think big about the future of research at Northern Health.

We started the week off on Monday with a Grand Opening and Keynote session. Following a heart-felt Acknowledgement of Country from Stephanie Thompson, our Interim Chief Executive, Debra Bourne, welcomed all to the week, and articulated the importance of research for innovating and improving patient care at Northern Health. She particularly mentioned her desire to see the development of more nurse-led research in our organisation. I then highlighted the many exciting developments in research since Research Week 2023, including our successful first assessment against the new National Clinical Trials Governance Framework, university partnerships coming online, and involvement of our researchers in multiple successful research grants. We then had the absolute pleasure of listening to an inspiring presentation by Professor Paul Monagle from The Melbourne Children’s Campus, in which he described his career in paediatric haematology research and the genuine joy he derives from collaborating with great people to make a difference to patients. My favourite quote: “Everything is truly a learning opportunity”.

On Monday afternoon, we kicked off the first of four research poster sessions. This year, researchers had the choice to either print their posters for display in the NHE foyer, or post a digital version in a poster gallery online. While all posters had the opportunity to vie for the People Choice Poster Award, those who displayed their printed poster outside Henry’s Cafe were also in the running for daily Best Poster Awards. This sparked lively debate between presenters, judges, and audience, and made clear to our community that research is thriving at our organisation.

On Tuesday we held two big lecture events. The first showcased the amazing Translational Research being undertaken by both Northern Health and our university academic partner RMIT. We were grateful that RMIT supported our Research Week in many ways, including through research presentation, session co-chairing, and sponsorship, and this Translational Research session really illustrated the power of academic and clinical collaboration. The second Tuesday event was our Research Grand Round, where we were lucky to have health economist Professor Jon Karnon visit us from Flinders University to discuss his collaborative work with the VVED to understand the economic impact of virtual emergency departments. There are so many elements to consider, and I am sure that all who attended have a much greater understanding of the complexities of this form of very important research.

On Wednesday, we held the first of two Best Abstract Oral Presentation sessions. The authors of the top 12 abstracts were invited to present their work. In this, and the second session held on Friday, the terrific breadth and depth of research happening at Northern Health was highlighted. The oral presentations were judged by three senior researchers in order to award prizes to the top three, with the ‘best of the best’ to be awarded the Peter Brooks Research Award for 2024. One judge was heard to say “They are all so good – it’s really hard to separate them!”

On Thursday morning, Research Week temporarily adopted the monthly Medical Grand Rounds, hosting Professor Elif Ekinci from the University of Melbourne. Prof Ekinci told us about her aim to improved diabetes care through collaborative research and innovation. She reiterated a common theme this year – finding the right collaborative partners who share your passion is crucial for success. Thursday evening saw our surgical researchers showcasing the amazing array of projects being undertaken across the surgical units, orthopaedics and anaesthetics. Thanks to Russell Hodgson for coordinating and chairing this session.

The week culminated in a half-day event on Friday, including the Northern Health Foundation Research Breakfast, Best Abstract Oral session B, a quiz, and the Awards Ceremony. At the breakfast, we were delighted to welcome Professor Richard Saffery from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Prof Saffery told us about the history and progress with the Generation Victoria (GenV) research program, which aims to “transform the health and wellbeing of an entire generation”.  GenV has recruited newborn babies and their parents from all 58 birthing hospitals across Victoria over two years, including over 4,000 participants from Northern Health. It has created a unique research resource that all researchers can use to understand the childhood origins of later disease. A true example of thinking big! Our own researchers then took the stage to take up the challenge of describing their own newly government-funded research projects in just five minutes, with topics ranging from biosensors to reducing falls.

Following a lively and fun quiz (congratulations to the winner Natali Cvetanovska!), we moved to the Awards Ceremony. We thank Dr Andrea Kattula, member of the Northern Health Board of Directors, for joining us to present the awards. We are pleased to announce the following winners:

Posters:

• Best Printed Poster Day 1: Claire Schofield | Abstract title: Implementation of an Advanced Practice Physiotherapy model substantially reduces the need for Gynaecologist assessment.
• Best Printed Poster Day 2: Rebecca Turnbull | Abstract title: Safety, efficacy, and implementation of home-based high-intensity interval training for patients with cardiac disease: a systematic review.
• Best Printed Poster Day 3: Nicholas McCabe | Abstract title: Northern Health Operating Theatres: an environmental sustainability audit.
• Best Printed Poster Day 4:  Ahthavan Narendren | Abstract title: Impact of a Virtual Heart Failure Unit on mortality rates.
• People’s Choice Poster Award: Ruth Wilson & Natalie Wong | Abstract title: Artificial Intelligence Image Reconstruction in Computed Tomography.

Oral Presentations:

• Third Place: Taylor Corocher | Abstract title: A comparison of traditional health care professional-collected FLOQSwab and self-collected binasal Rhinoswab for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing.
• Second Place: Vincent Lu | Abstract title: Assessment of plasmin generation in patients with diabetes mellitus.

And finally (drumroll please!):

• First Place – Peter Brooks Research Award: Rowena Brook | Abstract title: Multimodal cardiovascular risk prediction model in diabetes outperforms HbA1c and Framingham Risk Score.

Congratulations to all!

And a huge thankyou to our sponsors, Northern Health Foundation, RMIT University, La Trobe University, The University of Melbourne and JR Medical Books, speakers, chairs, participating researchers, abstract reviewers, and the Research Week Working Group.

Last, but definitely not least, a personal thankyou from me to the whole Research Development and Governance Unit team, and especially Brittany Szabo, Tilini Gunatillake and Belinda De Poi, without whom Research Week 2024 would not have been possible. Full stop.

Best Research Week Ever?? You decide! If you participated in Research Week 2024 in any way, please complete our feedback survey so that we can make 2025 even better! We have a $50 eftpos gift card to give away as a thankyou.

Until next year!

Dr Justine Ellis
Research Operations Manager
Research Development & Governance Unit
Northern Health

Click here to watch the Research Week video.