I am a Research Fellow in the Heart, Trauma and Sepsis Research Laboratory in the College of Medicine and Dentistry, at James Cook University (JCU). After graduating with a University Medal from JCU with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Physiology and Pharmacology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, I joined the Heart and Trauma Research Laboratory in 2008 where I undertook an MSc and PhD developing a small-volume resuscitation solution comprising adenosine, lidocaine and magnesium (ALM) for the treatment of traumatic hemorrhagic shock. More recently I completed the first trials of ALM in uncontrolled hemorrhage as well as traumatic brain injury, and continue to work with the US Military to translate ALM resuscitation fluid into the field.

Watch my TEDx Talk "Ten Minutes to Save a Life"

Collaborations:

• Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
• Orthopaedic Research Institute of Queensland (ORIQL)
• Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA
• US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Tampa, Florida
• Naval Mediccal Research Unit San Antonio (NAMRU-SA), Texas, USA
• Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Maryland, USA
• US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Ft. Sam, Houston

Engagement:

Guest Lecture University of Leuven, Belgium "Animal Models of Traumatic Injury and Critical Illness"

Australian Brain Alliance EMCR Network Townsville Showcase

Be My Guest Speakers

In the Media:

New Trauma Drug Increases Survival by 'Slowing Time'

 New Drug Providing Hope for Brain Injury Sufferers

Drug to Prolong 'Golden Hour' Could be a Lifesaver

New Australian Treatment Could Save Wounded Soldiers

Breakthrough: Lifesaving Drug to Save Soldiers

Gut Health Key to Effective Biomedical Research

Bloody Battle - Australasian Science

JCU Scientists Develop the First 'Pharmacological' Tourniquet

JCU and the Mater Hospital Join Forces for Better Surgery Outcomes

JCU-US Navy Tackle Battlefield Trauma

Innovative Blood Loss Treatment Awarded

Teaching

• 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

• Trauma
• Battlefield Medicine
• Emergency Medicine
• Pre-hospital Medicine
• Traumatic Injury
• Shock
• Haemorrhage
• Haemorrhagic Shock
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Combat Trauma
• Coagulopathy
• Obstetric Haemorrhage
• Inflammation
• Surgery
• Burns
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Aeromedical Retrieval
• Orthopaedics
• Sepsis
• Cardiac Arrest

Experience

• 2017 to present - Research Fellow, James Cook University (College of Medicine and Dentistry, Townsville)
• 2012 to 2016 - Senior Research Associate, James Cook University (College of Medicine and Dentistry, Townsville)
• 2008 to 2012 - Research Associate, James Cook University (College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Townsville)

Research Disciplines

• Clinical sciences (3202)
• Cardiovascular medicine and haematology (3201)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Clinical health (2001)

Awards

• 2016 - Best Poster Presentation for “Small-Volume ALM Resuscitation Reduces Blood Loss and Mortality in a Rat Model of Severe Uncontrolled Haemorrhagic Shock” Townsville Research Week
• 2015 - Honorable Mention for “Differential Contributions of Platelets and Fibrinogen to Early Hypocoagulopathy during Hemorrhage and Shock, and its Correction with 7.5% NaCl ALM” Military Health System Research Symposium
• 2014 - Medicine Winner for “Treatment With Adenosine, Lidocaine/Mg2+ Induces Reversible Hypotension, Improves Cardiac and Pulmonary Function, and Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects in an Endotoxaemic Porcine Model” (Festival of Life Sciences)
• 2013 - Young Investigator Award for “Cardioprotective and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Treatment With Adenosine, Lidocaine/Mg2+ in a Porcine Model of Endotoxemia” presented at the Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS) (American Heart Association)
• 2012 - Best Abstract Award (Trauma) at the American Heart Association Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS) for “Small-Volume 7.5% NaCl Adenocaine/Mg2+ Preserves Cardiac Function During Hypotensive Resuscitation in the Pig Following Severe Hemorrhagic Shock
• 2012 - “So You Think You Can Research” Winner for “Development of a Revolutionary Small-Volume Resuscitation Fluid for Trauma Victims at North Queensland Festival of Life Sciences
• 2012 - Young Investigator Award for “Rat To Pig Translation: Small-Volume 7.5% NaCl Adenocaine/Mg2+ Has Multiple Physiological Benefits During Hypotensive And Blood Resuscitation In The Porcine Model Of Severe Hemorrhagic Shock” (ReSS; AHA)
• 2011 - Young Investigator Award for “Reversal of Acute Coagulopathy Using Small Volume 7.5% NaCl with Adenocaine and Mg2+ Resuscitation in the Rat Model of Severe Hemorrhagic Shock” (ReSS; AHA)
• 2010 - Best Abstract Award (Trauma) at the AHA ReSS for “7.5% NaCl with Adenosine, Lidocaine and Mg2+ (ALM) improves hypotensive resuscitation in the pressure-controlled rat model of severe hemorrhagic shock”
• 2007 - James Cook University Medal for Academic Excellence
• 2005 - James Cook University School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Academic Prize Winner

Memberships

• 2015 - Fresh Science Alumnus, Science in Public, Australia

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

• Davenport L, Letson H and Dobson G (in press) Lung protection after severe thermal burns with adenosine, lidocaine, and magnesium (ALM) resuscitation and importance of shams in a rat model. Journal of Burn Care and Research,
• Letson H, Morris J and Dobson G (2023) Changes in plasma alpha-1 acid glycoprotein following hemorrhagic trauma: Possible role in dose differences of ALM drug therapy in rat and pig resuscitation. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives, 11 (5).
• Morris J, McEwen P, Letson H and Dobson G (2023) Adenosine, Lidocaine and Magnesium (ALM) therapy modulates early sex-specific inflammatory and immune responses following experimental anterior cruciate ligament rupture and reconstruction. Translational Medicine Communications, 8.
• Dobson G, Morris J and Letson H (2022) Why are bleeding trauma patients still dying? Towards a systems hypothesis of trauma. Frontiers in Physiology, 13.
• Engstrom N, Dobson G, Ng K, Lander K, Win K, Gupta A and Letson H (2022) Validation of CalECG software for primary prevention heart failure patients: Reducing inter-observer measurement variability. Journal of Electrocardiology, 74. pp. 128-133
• Engstrom N, Letson H, Ng K and Dobson G (2022) Predicting arrhythmias in primary prevention heart failure patients: picking up the fragments. Open Heart, 9 (2).
• Engstrom N, Dobson G, Kevin N and Letson H (2022) Fragmented QRS is associated with ventricular arrhythmias in heart failure patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, 27 (1).
• Letson H, Morris J, Biros E and Dobson G (2022) ALM induces cellular quiescence in the surgical margin 3 d following liver resection, hemorrhage, and shock. Journal of Surgical Research, 275. pp. 16-28
• Letson H, Biros E, Morris J and Dobson G (2022) ALM fluid therapy shifts sympathetic hyperactivity to parasympathetic dominance in the rat model of non-compressible hemorrhagic shock. Shock, 57 (2). pp. 264-273
• Morris J, Letson H, Biros E, McEwen P and Dobson G (2022) Female rats have a different healing phenotype than males after anterior cruciate ligament rupture with no intervention. Frontiers in Medicine, 9.
• Morris J, McEwen P, Letson H and Dobson G (2022) Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery: Creating a Permissive Healing Phenotype in Military Personnel and Civilians for Faster Recovery. Military Medicine, 187 (11-12). pp. 1310-1317
• Conner J, Lammers D, Holtestaul T, Jones I, Kuckelman J, Letson H, Dobson G, Eckert M and Bingham J (2021) Combatting ischemia reperfusion injury from resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) using adenosine, lidocaine and magnesium: a pilot study. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 91 (6). pp. 995-1001

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 77+ research outputs authored by Dr Hayley Letson from 2010 onwards.

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

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

• Primary Prevention Implantable Cardiac Defribrillators: A North Queensland Perspective (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Adenosine and lidocaine (AL) as a vasodilator in cardiac procedures and a storage solution for vascular banking (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

• Letson, H. (2017) Adenosine, Lidocaine and Mg2+ (ALM) fluid therapy for treatment of non-compressible uncontrolled haemorrhage. James Cook University

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.