June report for Environment, Climate and Health

6 June 2019

Keynote and invited presentations

Robyn Lucas gave a keynote presentation at the 4th National Conference on Academic Integrity in Nur-Sultan city, Kazakhstan, 16 May 2019

 

Robyn Lucas gave a keynote presentation at the 1st International Conference on Sun Exposure and Human Health, Washington DC, USA, 6 May 2019

 

RSPH workshops and seminars

Rachael Rodney Harris remotely delivered a nutrition lecture to Sustainable Livestock Production students at Central Queensland University, 27 May 2019.

 

Outreach and engagement

Martyn Kirk, Cathy Banwell and Kayla Smurthwaite held community consultations in Katherine, NT for the PFAS Health Study, 14-16 May 2019. The team presented the findings of the Focus Group Study and the plans for the Cross-sectional Survey and Blood Serum Study.

 

Rachael Rodney Harris spoke at and managed a venue for the Pint of Science science communication festival (20-22 May 2019).

 

Media releases/interest

A news article was published on the PFAS Health Study community consultations in Katherine.

Jury still out on PFAS Health Concerns by Roxanne Fitzgerald, The Katherine Times, 16 May 2019. Available at: https://www.katherinetimes.com.au/story/6128751/jury-still-out-on-pfas-h...

 

ANU Press release “A lack of facial recognition leads to loneliness for people living with AMD” from Lane et al. (2018) paper in PLoS ONE titled “Impacts of impaired face perception on social interactions and quality of life in age-related macular degeneration: A qualitative study and new community resources”.  As a consequence of this pitch, Jo Lane was asked to conduct 3 pre-recorded radio interviews (ABC Canberra, 2GB Sydney and National Radio), 1 live radio interview (ABC Melbourne), 1 pre-recorded TV interview (ABC news Canberra) and 1 live TV interview (ABC news 24). This media coverage reached over 718,000 Australians.

 

Ann Holmes paper on low sun exposure as a risk factor for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease was picked up by the Canberra Times and media in Sydney.

New staff

Dr Miranda Harris has joined the PFAS Health Study team.

 

Papers accepted/published:

  1. Holmes EA, Ponsonby A-L, Pezic A, Ellis JA, Kirkwood CD, Lucas RM. Higher sun exposure is associated with lower risk of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: a matched case-control study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr (accepted 1 May 2019)

 

  1. Barnes P, Williamson C, Lucas RM, Madronich S et al. Ozone depletion, UV radiation, climate change, and prospects for a sustainable future. Nature Sustainability (accepted 30 April 2019)

 

  1. Trend S, Jones A, Cha L, Cooper M, Geldenhuys S, Fabis-Pedrini M, Carroll W, Cole J, Booth D, Lucas RM, French M, Byrne S, Kermode A, Hart P. Short-term changes in frequencies of circulating leukocytes associated with narrowband UVB phototherapy in people with clinically isolated syndrome. Scientific Reports (accepted 17 May 2019)

 

  1. Lane J, Mazlin J-L, Irons J, Rohan EMF, Sabeti F, Essex RW, Maddess T, Robbins RA, Gradden T, Dawel A, Smithson M, Barnes N, He X, Crookes K, McKone E. Caricaturing can improve facial expression recognition in low-resolution images and age-related macular degeneration. Journal of Vision, 19, (accepted 30 April 2019)

 

Progress on research projects

 

The PFAS Health Study:  The Cross-sectional Survey and Blood Serum Study Research Protocol was accepted by the Department of Health on 23 May 2019. The team is preparing for the release of the cross-sectional survey and has contracted a company for the provision of a mail-out and online version of the survey. The team submitted the Data Linkage Study Research Protocol to the Department of Health on 24 May 2019 and is finalising ethics documentation for the study. The Data Linkage Study Research Protocol is under review by the Population Health Research Network (PHRN). The study website is being redeveloped for participants.