Clinical Trials

New vaccine trial for staph aureus – soft skin infections

Barwon Health is currently looking for volunteers who have had a recent staph aureus infection to participate in a research study.

The aim of the study is to trial a new vaccine to prevent re-infection of staph aureus

To be eligible you must:

• Be aged 18 -50
• Have a recent or current soft skin infection caused by staph aureus
• Be generally healthy

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Anne Welsh, Research Nurse on 0421 063 393 or [email protected]

Weight loss study seeking night shift workers

Do you work at least four night shifts every fortnight, and want to lose weight?

We are seeking participants for a world-first study (SWIFt), which will compare different types of diets to help with weight loss & improve overall health for shift workers.

WHAT'S INVOLVED?

Over 18 months, you will:

• be given a dietary weight loss program to follow for 24 weeks
• consult with a dietitian regularly and be provided with study foods for 24 weeks
• after this period, be followed up for one year to monitor your progress
• have your body measurements taken throughout the study

HOW WILL I BENEFIT?

By volunteering for this study, you’re helping our researchers find a suitable diet plan that meets the needs of night shift workers.

The outcomes of SWIFt could result in new dietary recommendations that improve the health of night shift workers throughout Australia – and you’ll be playing a key role in helping us get there.

Participants will receive a $100 petrol voucher and be provided some study meals.

To find out more or to enrol now, please visit the SWIFt study website or scan the QR code

This study has been approved by Barwon Health Human Research Ethics Committee.

Whipple's Disease Study - healthy volunteers required

Whipple’s Disease is a rare but very serious infection which is due to a very common environmental bacterium. We suspect that many people are exposed to this bacterium but only very few become infected, for reasons not well understood. The bacterium is ingested with food and water and excreted in their faeces. Normal people produce antibodies to it.

We are asking healthy volunteers to:
1. Provide a saliva sample, as the mouth is the route of entry of this bacterium to the body.
2. Provide a faecal sample, as the bacterium is excreted from the body by this route. You will be given an empty container to place in your toilet and into which you will easily be able to collect some faeces. The container will come with a tightly fitting lid for safe transport to the lab.
3. Provide a blood sample, from which we will measure your level of antibodies to the bacterium.

For those who are interested to help out for this study, please contact Dr K.C Liew, Principal Investigator, on 0433 186 662 or [email protected]. Your time and effort for this study will be truly appreciated.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine in older adults

Barwon Health is currently looking for volunteers.

Main inclusion criteria:

• At least 60 years of age at the time of vaccination
• Able and willing to comply with trial requirements (e.g. daily completion of questionnaires, have regular contact/trial site visits, collection of self-swab)
• In general good health

Trial participation will last approximately 2.5 or 3 years (up to at least 2 RSV seasons) for each participant and will include 4 or 5 scheduled visits and regular contacts (e.g. phone calls, emails, text messages).

If you are interested in finding out more please contact the study coordinator Kate Ellis on 03 4215 2878 or email  [email protected]

Matisse RSV Study

Barwon Health are participating in a research study on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and are looking for pregnant volunteers to take part to find out whether giving an investigational vaccine during pregnancy may help protect babies against RSV infection.  RSV is a common cause of respiratory illness, especially in babies under 12 months of age.  

You may be eligible to participate if you are:

• Aged 18 to 49 years
• Are of general good health
• Are expecting a single healthy baby
• Are between 24 and 36 weeks pregnant on the day of planned vaccination

You will need to meet other requirements to participate and the study team will discuss these with you during a screening visit.

If eligible, your participation in this study will take place during your pregnancy and for approximately 12-24 months after your baby is born. You and your baby will be required to visit the study doctor at Barwon Health a number of times for follow up and to provide information about  your and your baby’s health.

For more information or to assess eligibility, please contact Fahriya Zandari - Ph: 03 4215 2877 Email: [email protected]

All information is kept strictly confidential. There are no costs associated with participation, and travel expenses can be reimbursed. This study has been approved by an Human Research Ethics Committee.

Maternal RSV Trial (GRACE Study)

The Barwon Health Clinical Trial Unit is looking for  pregnant women aged aged between 18 and 49 years to participate in study looking at a potential Maternal RSV vaccine

Barwon Health Director of Infectious Diseases, Professor Eugene Athan, is conducting the research study.

You may be eligible to participate if you are:

• Pregnant and Aged between 18 and 49 years,
• Pre pregnancy BMI 18.5 to 39.9kg/m2 (inclusive)
• In general good maternal health
• Are willing to provide cord blood
• Willing to have your infant followed up for 1 year after delivery

For more information about the study, call the study research nurse Fahriya Zandari on 03 4215 2877 or email [email protected]

This study has been approved by Monash Human Research Ethics Committee.

Cardiology Unit

The Barwon Health Cardiology Unit is conducting a clinical trial with men (50 years old and older) and women (55 years old and older), who are taking medication to lower their cholesterol and who are at risk of a cardiovascular event, like heart attack and stroke.

The purpose of this research is to find out whether an investigational medication may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, like heart attack and stroke, in people at high risk for these events.

For more information, please call Donna Soraghan on 4215 1032

The research is being conducted by Associate Prof John Amerena at the University Hospital Geelong

All calls will be treated with the strictest confidence. This research study has been approved by the Monash Health Human Research Ethics Committee.

Do you have low mood? Volunteers required for the Moo'd Study

We are conducting a clinical trial comparing the possible effects of conventional versus A2 dairy products on aspects of women’s health and wellbeing. 

You may be eligible if you: 

• Are a woman between the ages of 18-75 years
• Have low mood 
• Consume at least 250ml (approx.one cup) of milk each day 

For more information, please visit foodandmoodcentre.com.au/themoodstudy or contact the study team on (03) 4215 3332 or email  [email protected]

Would you like to help research into gut bacteria and weight loss?

 The Food & Mood Centre are conducting The MicroFit Study to assess the possible effects of very-low calorie diets (≤ 900kcal/day) on the number and type of bacteria that live within your gut. We are looking for women in the Geelong region aged between 30-65 years and with a BMI of between 30 – 45 (BMI Calculator) who are willing to commit to a study diet for three weeks. The study will require two visits to Geelong, but will otherwise be conducted online. Food for the duration of the study will be provided free of charge.

For more information click here or contact the trial coordinator:

Email: [email protected]

Call: 0429 691 077

Curbing Anxiety and Depression using Lifestyle Medicine (CALM) trial

The Curbing Anxiety and Depression using Lifestyle Medicine (CALM) trial is a group-based, telehealth clinical trial designed to support positive lifestyle changes to improve mental health for adults who are experiencing psychological distress in this new COVID-19 context. CALM is based on well-established evidence for diet and exercise interventions as effective strategies for improving mental health symptoms and common associated physical health conditions.

You may be eligible to participate if you are:

• Aged 18 or older
• Have a Distress Questionnaire-5 (DQ5) score >8 at enrolment
• Are deemed suitable by a treating clinician for participation in a structured lifestyle or psychotherapy program for 8 weeks
• Are willing to commit to six 90-minute sessions over an eight-week period
• Are willing to provide blood and stool samples on two occasions 

Visit: https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/projects/the-calm-trial/

Email: [email protected]

Dietary research trial for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety and/or depression

The Food & Mood Centre are looking for participants for a dietary research trial for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who also have anxiety and/or depression.

Participants will be asked to follow the study diet or their usual diet for 6 weeks.  Those allocated to the intervention group will be provided with 1:1 advice by a dietitian and given a small food hamper. If allocated to the control group, dietary advice and a food hamper will be offered at study completion. This study will be conducted entirely online with a video call at week 1 and week 6, along with weekly support phone calls.

You may be eligible if you:

• Are 18-65 years old
• Have irritable bowel syndrome
• Have current anxiety and/or depressive symptoms
• Are not pregnant or lactating
• Are willing to follow the study diet for 6 weeks

For more information please contact Sophie on (03) 5227 8622 or email [email protected]

This study is a joint venture undertaken by researchers at Deakin University and Barwon Health.