Optimising the patient’s blood and blood use
  • Home
  • Research Team
  • Current Projects
  • Publications
  • Contact
Current Research Projects


Please contact us if you are interested in pursuing a higher degree by research (HDR) on projects that align with our research themes.
 

Picture

Asian blood donors & donation practices

Principal Investigator: Dr Lin Fung 
Partners:
  • Dr Rebecca Donkin & Leon Cavalli USC, Australia
  • Dr C.K. Lee, Hong Kong Red Cross​ Blood Transfusion Service
  • Dr So-Yong Kwon, Korean Red Cross
  • Dr J.W. Chen & Y.Y. Chen, Taiwan Blood Services Foundation
  • Dr E. Namjil & Y. Natsagdorj, Nat Center for Transfusion Medicine, Mongolia
  • Dr V. Nadarajan, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia
  • Dr N.H. Tsuno & T. Odajima, Japanese Red Cross
  • Dr T, Triyono & R. Siswishanto, Sardjito Hospital, Indonesia
  • Dr P. Kupatawintu & S. Tadsomboon, Thai Red Cross
  • Dr R. Sharma & S. Sachdev, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
  • Dr R. Moreno, Blood Services Group, Singapore       

People in most countries are living longer, and patients aged 60 years old or more are one of the largest blood user groups. Therefore, as populations age, the proportion of the population who currently receive more transfusions is also expected to increase and place increased pressure on the blood supply. This collaborative study will gather blood donor and donation information from all 10 blood collection agencies. This will allow us to compare and contrast practices so as to identify ways to ensure blood donor wellfare, optimise blood donation practice so as to secure future blood supplies to meet the growing blood demands.
 

Picture

Leon Cavalli - Artificial Intelligence in perioperative anaemia management

PhD candidate
Role: Associate Lecturer - Information and Communication Technology
Institute: USC
Qualifications: Exec MBA, BICT
Project Title: Perioperative anaemia management in on-pump cardiac surgery - an artificial intelligence approach.

​
Leon is investigating the appropriateness of the use of World Health Organisation (WHO) Hb thresholds for diagnosing anaemia in the context of on-pump cardiac surgery. Along with clinical collaborators at the Prince Chrales Hospital,  he is (i) evaluating the effectiveness of the pre-operative anaemia management program and (ii) applying artificial intelligence/machine learning to improving patient blood management of in cardiac surgery. His aim is to develop a tool to predict blood loss and prevent inappropraite blood use.


Picture

Fraser Morris - Blood transfusion outcomes in major abdominal surgery

MSc candidate
Qualifications: Bachelor of Biomedical Science Accelerated
Project title: Incidence & outcome of perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery.
 
Blood transfusions are often a necessary intervention for patients undergoing major abdominal surgery (MAS). Published literature reports that 20% of MAS result in serious post-operative complications that are associated with an increase in morbidity, mortality and length of stay.
This project is conducted in the collaboration of Prof Michelle Chew from Linkoping University (Sweden), and will investigate the incidence of perioperative transfusion of blood and blood products in MAS. It will also increase understanding surrounding the relationship between preoperative anaemia and intraoperative transfusion and the relationship between preoperative anaemia and post-operative transfusion. Additionally, this project will look at the relationship between intra- and post-operative transfusions, mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and postoperative infections.

Picture

Geoff Simon - ​Optimising blood use for an ageing population

PhD candidate
Role: Lecturer Medical Laboratory Science
Institute: USC
Qualifications: (BAppSci (Med Lab Sci), GradCertMgt)
Project Title: Optimising blood use for an ageing population


Ageing will be the most profound population change to occur in Australia over the coming decades. In 2012 there were 3.2 million people in Australia aged over 65 years, projected to grow by 80% to 5.8 million by 2031, and then to 11.1 million by 2061. Australian and international studies report that more than 50% of red cells are transfused to people aged 65 years and above. The dramatic decline in the proportion of younger people in the population, and relative increase in the older cohort, will significantly affect the dynamics of blood supply and demand.
 
Studies report that little information is available on characteristics of the older population of blood recipients. Research undertaken during development of the Australian Patient Blood Management (PBM) guidelines revealed a range of studies in orthopaedic surgery, cardiac surgery, anaemia management and critical care. These studies are relevant to the geriatric cohort as well as the population more broadly, however, the PBM guidelines and recommendations are not specific to the geriatric population.
 
This research project will increase understanding of blood use in older adults in an Australian context. It will also explore aspects of physiology to determine whether specific patient blood management guidance is needed for older adults

Publications:
  1. ​Simon GI, et al. Outcomes of restrictive versus liberal transfusion strategies in older adults from nine randomised controlled trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Haematology 2017; 4(10): e465-e474
  2. Simon GI, et al. (2017). Authors' reply to comment Blood transfusion strategies in elderly patients. The Lancet Haematology 4(11): e508
  3. Simon GI, et al. (2018). Questioning the benefit of restrictive transfusion practice in older adults. ISBT Science Series 14(1): 58-66
  4. Simon GI, et al. "Impacts of Aging on Anemia Tolerance, Transfusion Thresholds and Patient Blood Management." Transfus Med Rev, 2019

Picture

Tanja Windegger - Intravenous versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy

PhD conferred (Dec 2020)
Role:​ Research Assistant
Institute: USC

Qualifications: PhD, BSc Hons (BioMed), Ass Deg Med Lab Sc
Project Title: Clinical, social and economic impacts of intravenous (IVIg) versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) therapy on patients with secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia (SHG) in Australia.


This is an Australian multicentre study comparing the clinical, quality of life and health economic impact of two different administration modes available for immunoglobulin replacement therapy in adult patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) or acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia secondary to haematological malignancy (SID). Immunoglobulin (Ig) can be administered intravenously (IVIg) at hospital by a registered nurse, or alternatively patients can be trained to self-administer subcutaneously (SCIg) at a place and time of convenience to them. SCIg became available for use in March 2013 in Australia, but in 2018 still only 5% of eligible patients receive or have access to home-based SCIg to prevent recurrent infection. Furthermore, there is very limited published data available on SCIg for SID patients. Data from this project can be used by clinicians to guide decision on which treatment mode is most effective for each individual patient on a clinical, quality of life and cost-effectiveness level in Australia. 
  1. Windegger TM​, English J, Weston H, et al. Longitudinal study of intravenous versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin replacement therapy in haematological malignancy. Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology 2021 (Inpress).
  2. Windegger TM, Nghiem S, Nguyen KH, Fung YL, Scuffham PA. Primary immunodeficiency disease: A cost-utility analysis comparing intravenous versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin replacement therapy in Australia. Blood Transfusion, 2020;18:96-105.
  3. Windegger TM, Nghiem S, Nguyen KH, Fung YL, Scuffham PA. Cost-utility analysis of hospital-based intravenous immunoglobulin versus home-based subcutaneous immunoglobulin in patients with secondary immunodeficiency. Vox Sanguinis, 2019:114;237-246.
  4. Windegger TM, Lambooy CA, Hollis L, Morwood K, Weston H, Fung YL. Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIg) therapy for hypogammaglobulinaemia secondary to malignancy or related drug therapy. Transfusion Medicine Reviews, 2017:31;45-50.
Picture

Gillian Puckeridge - Preoperative anaemia in hip fractures of older people 

PhD candidate
Role:
Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) Clinical Risk and Safety Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service
Qualifications: BNurs, GradDipNurs-Trauma
Project Title: Preoperative anaemia in hip fractures of the elderly.

 
This project is a sequential explanatory project commencing with 2 quantitative studies; firstly reporting the prevalence and progression of preoperative anaemia in geriatric hip fractures and secondly, reporting association between preoperative anaemia and outcomes. The third phase is a qualitative study exploring barriers to timely surgery and perception of surgical priority for geriatric hip fractures.
 
Publications:
  1. Puckeridge G, Terblanch M, Massey D.  The SCHHS hip fracture clinical network experience – improving care and outcomes through an interprofessional approach. International Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma Nursing, 2017.
  2. Puckeridge G, Terblanche M, Wallis M, Fung L. Association between Pre-Operative Anaemia, Transfusion and Outcomes of Older Hip Fracture Patients. Vox Sanguinis. 2017; 112 (Suppl. 1):5–295.
  3. Peters SK, Puckeridge G, Adie J. Primary Care Fracture Clinic (PCFC) – a partnership between general practice and hospital specialist outpatients to deliver services to patients closer to home in a more flexible care setting. International Journal of Integrated Care. 2018;18(s1):23.
  4. Puckeridge G, Terblanche M, Wallis M, Fung Y L. Blood management in hip fractures; are we leaving it too late? A retrospective observational study. BMC Geriatrics, 2019; 19:78


Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Research Team
  • Current Projects
  • Publications
  • Contact