Teaching at Sydney Neurology
Sydney Neurology is integrated with Sydney University’s undergraduate medical teaching program, providing a venue and a patient base for neurology teaching in a specialty with diminishing opportunities for inpatient teaching. Patients recognise the value and importance of teaching and in some cases come to the BMC expressly for this purpose. Since 2011 Sydney Neurology and the BMC MS Clinic have also facilitated regular teaching for medical registrars and Advanced Trainees in Neurology. The practice also hosts the BMC/RPAH MS Fellow, a position designed to provide high level subspecialty training in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology for the next generation of neurologists. This partnership between individual neurologists, the BMC/University and teaching hospitals is unique in Australia.
Research at Sydney Neurology
Sydney Neurology facilitates a multifaceted neurology research program at the BMC, with a focus on investigator driven clinical research and externally sponsored clinical trials, which provide patients with the opportunity to participate in cutting edge treatment research. We are closely affiliated with the BMC Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trials Unit (directed by Professor Michael Barnett) and the Sydney Neuroimaging Analysis Centre (SNAC). Sydney Neurology is uniquely co-located with basic neuroscience researchers at the BMC, facilitating translational research in neurology. For instance patients seen in the Neurology clinics may choose to provide serum samples for the study of inflammatory neuropathies, and DNA for analysis of MS susceptibility factors – work that is carried out in the BMC’s basic sciences laboratories. Check out the latest research publications from the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (JNNP) here.
Multiple Sclerosis Clinic Trials Unit
Sydney Neurology, in conjunction with the Brain and Mind Centre, hosts a dedicated state-of-the-art Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trials unit, providing patients with access to treatment trials of cutting edge therapies for MS. The Unit is directed by Professor Michael Barnett and coordinated by Dr Marinda Taha. Marinda started her research career in 1995 at the University of Witwatersrand and University of Johannesburg, studying Academic and Clinical Trials Research. She acquired a PhD in 2000 in Midwifery and Neonatology from the University of Johannesburg. In 2009 Marinda joined the MS Clinical Trials Unit at the Brain and Mind Centre and became the Trial Coordinator in 2010. Marinda currently manages over ten clinical and investigator trials. She is also involved with the MS Research Australia Brain Bank. The MS Clinical trials Unit conducts a variety of studies, ranging from observational clinical research through to Phase 2-3 treatment trials. To express your interest in participating in MS clinical trials, please contact Marinda at marinda.taha@sydney.edu.au. Important: please discuss your potential participation in MS treatment trials with your treating neurologist first.