JCU > Research Portfolio > Prof Damon Eisen

About

I graduated in Medicine at University of Melbourne then did a University of Melbourne MD; ‘Polymorphic Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface antigens: temporal patterns of infection, complex genotype analysis and intragenic recombination.’ This was supervised by two outstanding malaria researchers in Ross Coppel and Alan Saul.

In my roles as Director of Clinical Research at Townsville Hospital and Professor of Medicine at JCU, I will be a focal point for developing interactions between laboratory based and clinician researchers. This will build up clinical research leading to substantial opportunities for collaborations in discovery medicine.

My own research involves clinical and laboratory investigations on the role of aspirin in prevention of sepsis as well as interrogating possible treatment for vascular disease by manipulating the lectin complement pathway.

I am working to build a large relational patient outcomes data base using the information contained in Queensland Health data sets. This project is a priority objective of the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre. We are working towards including the five Hospital and Health Services of Northern Australia in this project.

Teaching

MD5010: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 1 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
MD5020: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 2 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
MD5030: Integrated Clinical Practice Part 3 of 3 (Level 5; TSV)
MD6010: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 1 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)
MD6020: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 2 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)
MD6030: Advanced Clinical Medicine Part 3 of 3 (Level 6; TSV)

Interests

Research

1. Aspirin’s influence on infectious diseases; • Sepsis; treatment and prevention • The ANTISEPSIS study - AspiriN To Inhibit SEPSIS. ASPREE substudy, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. National Institutes of Ageing funded primary infection study of low dose aspirin in elderly patients. (19,000 randomised patients) CIA NH&MRC Project Grant awarded for 2013-2018 APP1041986 $391,879.56
• Effects of aspirin on biofilm formation
Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) biology and its contribution inflammatory condition pathogenesis. • Blocking MBL in ischaemia reperfusion injury models with the aim of restricting myocardial and brain tissue loss
Linkage of patient information to develop and relational patient outcome database [Queensland Disease and Treatment Assessment, QLData]

Experience

2017 to 2022 - Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine,, Monash University (Melbourne)
2004 to 2015 - Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
2003 to 2015 - Staff Infectious Diseases Physician, Victorian Infectious Diseases Service,, Royal Melbourne Hospita
2003 - Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine,, University of Queensland
1996 to 2003 - Visiting Scientist., Queensland Institute of Medical Research (Brisbane)
1996 to 2003 - Infectious Diseases Physician., Royal Brisbane Hospital
1994 to 1995 - NH&MRC Medical Postgraduate Scholar,, Monash University (Melbourne)

Research Disciplines

Socio-Economic Objectives

Honours

Awards

2002 - Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases / Amgen Australia Medical Mycology Research – Travel Grant
1994 - •Royal Australasian College of Physicians Advanced Trainees Scientific Award

Fellowships

2013 - •Visiting Professor, Cytokines and Inflammation Unit Division of Infection and Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris
2002 - Visiting Professor, Montefiore Medical Centre, New York City

Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

Pant N, Rush C, Warner J and Eisen D (2023) Effect of Savirin or Ticagrelor Treatment on the Expression of Commonly Used Reference Genes in Staphylococcus aureus. Microorganisms, 11 (2).
Campbell A, Dotel R, Braddick M, Britton P, Eisen D, Francis J, Lynar S, McMullan B, Meagher N, Nelson J, O'Sullivan M, Price D, Robinson J, Whelan A, Tong S, Bowen A and Davis J (2022) Clindamycin adjunctive therapy for severe Staphylococcus aureus treatment evaluation (CASSETTE)—an open-labelled pilot randomized controlled trial. JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, 4 (1).
Eisen D, Hamilton E, Bodilsen J, Køster-Rasmussen R, Stockdale A, Miner J, Nielsen H, Dzupova O, Sethi V, Copson R, Harings M and Adegboye O (2022) Longer than 2 hours to antibiotics is associated with doubling of mortality in a multinational community-acquired bacterial meningitis cohort. Scientific Reports, 12.
Pant N, Miranda-Hernandez S, Rush C, Warner J and Eisen D (2022) Effect of savirin in the prevention of biofilm-related Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infection. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13.
Pant N, Miranda-Hernandez S, Rush C, Warner J and Eisen D (2022) Non-Antimicrobial Adjuvant Therapy Using Ticagrelor Reduced Biofilm-Related Staphylococcus aureus Prosthetic Joint Infection. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13.
Pant N, Wallis S, Roberts J and Eisen D (2022) In vitro effect of synovial fluid from patients undergoing arthroplasty surgery on MRSA biofilm formation. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 77 (4). pp. 1041-1044
Adegboye O, McBryde E and Eisen D (2021) Tropical Australian health-data linkage shows excess mortality following severe infectious disease is present in the short-term and long-term after hospital discharge. Healthcare, 9 (7).
Adegboye O, Adekunle A, Pak A, Gayawan E, Leung D, Rojas D, Elfaki F, McBryde E and Eisen D (2021) Change in outbreak epicentre and its impact on the importation risks of COVID-19 progression: a modelling study. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 40.
Eisen D, Leder K, Woods R, Lockery J, McGuinness S, Wolfe R, Pilcher D, Moore E, Shastry A, Nelson M, Reid C, McNeil J and McBryde E (2021) Effect of aspirin on deaths associated with sepsis in healthy older people (ANTISEPSIS): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 9 (2). pp. 186-195
Pak A, Adegboye O, Eisen D and McBryde E (2021) Hospitalisations related to lower respiratory tract infections in Northern Queensland. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 45 (5). pp. 430-436
Pak A, Eisen D, McBryde E and Adegboye O (2021) Hospitalisation for lower respiratory tract infection is associated with an increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction and stroke in tropical Northern Australia. Scientific Reports, 11.
Pant N and Eisen D (2021) Non-antimicrobial adjuvant strategies to tackle biofilm-related Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infections. Antibiotics, 10 (9).

More: ResearchOnline@JCU stores 61+ research outputs authored by Prof Damon Eisen from 2007 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Seed Grants

Revealing the hidden knowledge in pathology big data: Machine learning to support clinical decision making for unknown infectious diseases and recognise biosecurity incursions in tropical Australia

Indicative Funding: $48,480 over 3 years
Summary: Pathology departments generate massive data from the results of routine and targeted tests conducted to serve community health needs. With the availability of large pathology data collections, the application of sophisticated machine learning (ML) algorithms allows the detection of novel data patterns to characterise disease processes and monitor population health. We will apply recursive partitioning (trees and forests) and support vector machines (SVM) to large pathology data sets to: (a) investigate the biosecurity potential of linked community data, and; (b) assist early decision support for patients presenting with a tropical pyrexia of unknown origin (PUOs).
Investigators: Jeffrey Warner and Damon Eisen in collaboration with Emma McBryde, Catherine Rush and Brett Lidbury (College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and Australian National University)
Keywords: Big data; Pathology; Biosecurity; Meloidosis; Arboviral disease; Machine learning

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Contract Research

Can portable genome sequencing provide a rapid, comprehensive, point-of-care diagnostic test for Far North Queensland hospitals and healthcare centres?

Indicative Funding: $49,987 over 2 years
Summary: Respiratory disease, fevers, and sepsis are common in FNQ and treatment often requires admission to hospital. These infections have many different causes, and diagnosing them requires multiple tests that take weeks to perform. Consequently, patients are treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics before a pathogen is identified, leading to poorer outcomes for the patient and contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections. We will trial new genome sequencing technology as a point-of-care diagnostic test for fever, sepsis, and pneumonia at Cairns Hospital, and test the hypothesis that this approach will increase the proportion of infections that are diagnosed and reduce the time-to-diagnosis.
Investigators: John McBride, Cadhla Firth, Simon Smith, Joshua Hanson, Matt Field, Emma McBryde, John Miles, Damon Eisen and Christopher Heather (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and Queensland Health)
Keywords: Genomics; Healthcare; pathogens

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - Study Education Research Trust Account (SERTA)

Linkage of Queensland Health databases for description and research of infectious diseases affecting Queenslanders

Indicative Funding: $21,050 over 4 years
Summary: It is possible to examine health data using stored information from Queensland Health databases. A standardised process of data-linkage is followed after approval of release of patient information under the Public Health Act. The resulting information is anonymised. Datasets containing de-identified information on patients admitted to hospital with sever infections would allow for the types of retrospective cohort studies needed to understand the reasons people have these infections and how they should be treated. Using information linked under the structure described in the Queensland Data Linkage Framework will allow us to perform observational analysis with large amounts of patient data.
Investigators: Damon Eisen and Emma McBryde in collaboration with Subashini Srirengam and Luke Vasanthakumar (College of Medicine & Dentistry, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and Townsville Hospital and Health Service)
Keywords: Infectious Diseases; inpatient; cohort; retrospective; Database; administrative data-linkage

Queensland Health - Queensland Genomics Health Alliance Project Fund

Pathogen Genomics North Queensland

Indicative Funding: $180,000 over 1 year (administered by The University of Queensland)
Summary: This project will develop pathogen genomics to improve time to best treatment of serious infectious diseases. We aim to incorporate pathogen genomics into the workflow of clinical microbiology units in regional Queensland Health Hospitals for investigation of potential or known infectious disease.
Investigators: Emma McBryde and Damon Eisen in collaboration with John McBride, Matt Field, Luke Lawton, Geoff Gordon and Richard Stone (Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, College of Medicine & Dentistry and Townsville Hospital and Health Service)
Keywords: Genomics; Sequencing; Infectious Disease; Microbiology

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - Study Education Research Trust Account (SERTA)

Measuring aspirinand its biometabolites penetration into synovial fluid to assess its potential for prevention of prosthetic joint infection using I vintro and experimental animal models

Indicative Funding: $15,800 over 4 years
Summary: Aspirin has biofilm inhibiting activity which may be useful in prevention or treatment of prosthetic joint infection. Such infections are extremely difficult to treat and are unlikely to be cured. We will investigate whether combinations of this drug with antibacterials breaks down biofilms. In vitro assays measuring changes in biofilm measured by EISA readers will be used to determine which bacteria and drug combination to use in animal mode studies. Mice will have an infected surgical device inserted into the leg to emulate joint infection. Treatment consisting of preventative aspirin and a single dose of antibiotic will be used to assess the amount ad type of infection present. Positive results could see aspirin added in combination with antibiotics for treatment and prevention of prosthetic joint infection.
Investigators: Damon Eisen and Peter Mulvey (College of Medicine & Dentistry and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords: Biofilms; Infection; Aspirin; In Vitro; Mouse Model

Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

Psychological intervention for reducing emergency department (ED) representations ? A randomised controlled trial (RCT) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Environmental and socio-demographic predictors of Bacteraemia in North Queensland (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

Development of adjuvant therapy to treat biofilm-related Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic joint infection (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.