The event culminated in a research forum on Thursday 12 November at Wantirna Health including an address by guest speaker Professor Richard Larkins AO, Emeritus Professor at Monash University.
 

A roving research poster exhibition demonstrated the importance of research, how it leads to improvements in clinical practice and ultimately better patient care. 
 
Another highlight of the program is a presentation by Jessica Biesiekierski (Box Hill Hospital Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology) on gluten as a cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients who do not have coeliac disease. She will speak on Thursday 12 November at 2.10 pm.
 
Recently Ms Biesiekierski won the 2009 Australian Gastroenterology Douglas Piper Young Investigator Award. This is the third time in four years that the prize has been awarded to an Eastern Health researcher (previous winners were Sue Shepherd and Jaci Barrett).
 
Selected from over 300 nominations and following a rigorous assessment process, Ms Biesiekierski’s research activity into the effects of gluten and other dietary carbohydrates as inducers of gastrointestinal symptoms in adults was recognised at the annual scientific meeting of Gastroenterology Society of Australia attended by national and international clinicians in October 2009.
 
“The final assessment included presenting my work to a full lecture theatre with 1000 plus people in attendance and taking questions from the ten panellists,” said Jessica. 
 
“In the last three years, two previous winners have also come from the Monash University/Box Hill Hospital partnership so I had a reputation to uphold,” said Jessica.  
 
Eastern Health’s Chief Executive Alan Lilly will launch the second annual Eastern Health 2008 Research Report at the research forum.
 
Eastern Health has well established partnerships in research with Monash, Deakin and La Trobe universities that align with the professional disciplines of medicine, nursing and allied health.
 
The Eastern Health Research Report acknowledges and recognises the valuable contribution made by Eastern Health and its partner organisations over the past year in both translational and clinical research.
 
“Eastern Health has much to be proud of with respect to both the high quality and quantity of research activity being undertaken by the organisation and the added value that our partnerships bring to the services we provide,” said Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health.
 
“As medical technology, pharmaceutical advancements and models of care evolve, Eastern Health remains committed to research activity which underpins our role in supporting excellence in teaching, training and research. Ultimately of course, this leads to improved outcomes for our patients and the communities we serve,” said Alan. 

For more information or to arrange an interview: Christine Elmer (ph 03 9895 3245) or Kate Stivala (ph 03 9895 4879) of Eastern Health Communications and Community Relations.