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Research
There has been a strong emphasis on clinical research which is directly relevant to improving medical care for preterm or sick infants. Based on work carried out in the Monash Neonatal Unit, 133 articles have been accepted for publication in North America and Europe, 103 articles in Australia and 91 articles in Asia (Appendix 6). In addition, over 250 abstracts have been published based on scientific papers presented at various international and national conferences.
The book Respiratory Disorders in the Newborn was the first one written by Prof. Yu; it was published by Churchill Livingstone in 1986. Prof. Yu and Assoc/Prof. Adamson were editors of the book Perinatal Medicine published by the Australian Perinatal Society in 1986. Prof. Yu and Prof. Carl Wood from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology were editors of the book Prematurity published by Churchill Livingstone in 1987. All the contributors to the book were staff members of Monash Medical Centre or Monash University, thus confirming the uniqueness of the combined expertise this university has in perinatal-neonatal medicine. Prof. Yu and Assoc/Prof. MacMahon were editors of the book Intravenous Feeding of the Neonate published by Edward Arnold in 1992. Prof. Yu was the editor of Pulmonary Problems in the Perinatal Period and their Sequelae which was published by Bailliere Tindall in 1995, senior editor of Textbook of Neonatal Medicine which was published by Hong Kong University Press in 1996, and editor of The Extremely Tiny Baby published by WB Saunders in 1996. Prof. Yu co-authored Selected Topics in Neonatal Intensive Care with Prof. Hans Monintja of the University of Indonesia, and this was published by the University of Indonesia Press in 1997. Prof. Yu has been on the editorial board of the Australian Paediatric Journal (1982-86), Early Human Development (1986-89), Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology (1986-89), Bioethics (1987-89), Journal of Neonatology (1993-) and is an Associate Editor of Early Human Development and Guest Editor of Acta Paediatrica Sinica and Seminars in Neonatology.
In addition to external funding for postgraduate trainees which contributed significantly to research activities in the Monash Neonatal Unit, research funds were rewarded directly from applications submitted to peer-reviewed, competitive research grant agencies. This has provided interrupted support for research activities since 1981.
The Senior Registrar and Registrars are offered the opportunity to be involved in perinatal-neonatal research during the course of their postgraduate clinical neonatal training. This can take the form of retrospective data analysis utilising our perinatal and follow-up database from extremely preterm infants or a prospective clinical study can be planned. Collaborative research involving the Monash Neonatal Unit and the IRD includes laboratory investigations in the fetus and newborn of regional cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, pulmonary circulation and lung mechanics, high frequency oscillation, cardiovascular dysfunction, and gastrointestinal blood flow and nitric oxide. The clinical roster of the Registrars allows breaks of up to 7 days. Those wishing to spend a proportion of their free time in research activities will be given every encouragement and support. Many Registrars have successfully completed basic research studies at the IRD or conducted useful clinical research in the Monash Neonatal Unit during the course of their clinical appointment. Several continued on to full-time research in the second/third year to pursue a MD or PhD degree supported by a Monash University scholarship. Consequently, based on research work carried out by our postgraduate trainees in the Monash Neonatal Unit, over 80 scientific publications have been published in refereed medical journals and over 170 papers have been accepted for presentation at national or international medical conferences.
Research Links
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