Volunteer
Get involved in research at BASE
Most of our research projects rely on people like you volunteering to take part.
We have lots of different studies so why not have a read and volunteer for one today.
Studies Recruiting at BASE
CLASS Study – Sleep, light and academic performance in teenagers
Have you had a Brain Injury? Do you have problems with sleeping?
Project ARISE: Australian Research on Insomnia, Sleep & Emotions
Project SWITCH – Are you a shift worker? Receive personalised recommendations to improve your sleep
How Does Pre-Exercise Fibre and Carb-Fibre-FODMAP Gel Impact Your Gut During Endurance Exercise in the Heat?
Recreational, Competitive & Elite Runners Wanted!
Does dietary fibre and a carbohydrate-fibre-FODMAP gel affect the gut during exercise?
We are investigating how different fibre intakes before exercise influence gut symptoms and function during prolonged running in hot conditions. Additionally, we are assessing the impact of a carbohydrate-fibre-FODMAP gels consumed during exercise.
Who is eligible:
- Healthy, active individuals – recreational, competitive or elite runners who are capable of running for 2 hours at moderate intensity (60% of VO2 max i.e., easy long run pace) in the heat (35˚C).
- Aged 18-55 years.
What is involved: Participants will attend our laboratory at the BASE facility, Monash University, Notting Hill, on five separate occasions:
- Visit 1: Body composition and VO2 max fitness test (~1-1.5 hours).
- Visit 2: A 2-hour run in the heat with ad libitum water intake, followed by 1 hour of seated recovery. Afterward, you will complete a 20-minute distance test, then undergo an additional 2 hours of seated recovery (~7 hours total). During the recovery periods, you will have time to use a laptop, etc.
- Visit 3: A brief visit (~15 minutes) to provide a faecal sample.
- Visits 4 and 5: Repeat Visit 2 (sessions spaced ~6-10 days apart). * On one of these visits, you will also consume kiwiberry gel during exercise.
Before Visits 2, 4, and 5, participants will follow a prescribed 2-day high- or low-fibre diet. All meals will be provided on test days.
What are the benefits:
- Individual results from a full fitness assessment (VO2 max test and body composition).
- Valuable insights into how your gut responds to endurance exercise in the heat – useful for training and competition.
For more information, see flyer or contact Steph Gaskell. Email: stephanie.gaskell@monash.edu.
This study has been approved by Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee Project ID: 46969
Tea Polyphenol Study – Can high-bioavailable tea polyphenols reduce uric acid caused by a high-purine & fructose diet?
Are you a high-purine and high-fructose food person?
We are looking for healthy people to test the effect of polyphenol supplements (a natural tea extract) on reducing blood uric acid levels.
Who is eligible?
Healthy adults (≥18 years old) with BMI above 25 kg/m2 (weight ÷ height2), not pregnant or breastfeeding, living in Melbourne.
What will the project involve?
- Answer demographic questionnaire for screening purposes
- Answer the food frequency questionnaire twice – at the beginning and the end of the study
- Take two capsules/day for 12 weeks
- SunActive QCD capsule® - for 6 weeks
- Placebo - for 6 weeks
- Five visits to the BASE Facility at Notting Hill (less than one hour each)
- Four blood and urine tests
What are the benefits?
- $200 voucher on completion
- An in-depth understanding of how your body responds to polyphenols on eliminating the negative effects of high-purine & fructose diet
- Free breakfast for each visit
- Individual results on your body composition
If you are interested in participating, please complete the short questionnaire.
For more information, email Lu Liu lu.liu2@monash.edu
CLASS Study – Sleep, light and academic performance in teenagers
Are you interested in how sleep and light affect your teenager’s academic performance?
We are looking for current Year 8 students with regular access to a smartphone to participate in an exciting 5-year research study investigating how sleep, light and the internal body clock interact with academic performance and mood in teenagers.
What will the project involve for my teen?
- Answering online questionnaires about mood, stress, sleep and lifestyle, every 6 months
- Completing a daily sleep diary for 14 days, every year
- Wearing an activity watch and light pin for 14 days, every year
- 4 annual visits to Monash University for an 8-hour evening collection of saliva samples
- 2 visits (Year 9 and Year 11) for a 1 hour reading and maths task
- 4 annual mood interviews
Who are we looking for?
- Students currently in Year 8, living in Melbourne, with access to a smartphone, who intend to sit the NAPLAN, with no diagnosed neurodevelopmental, psychiatric or sleep disorders
What will we get?
- Up to $355 for your teen and $132 for you
- Receive personalised feedback on your teen’s sleep
- Movie vouchers on your teen’s birthday
If you would like your teenager to participate, please have them complete the survey by using the link below: https://redcap.link/CLASS
Consent from a parent/legal guardian is required to participate in this research.
If you have any questions please email base.class@monash.edu or visit https://classstudymonash.weebly.com/
Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee – Project Number 18718
Have you had a Brain Injury? Do you have problems with sleeping?
We are looking for individuals to participate in a research study testing the effects of a medication called Circadin® to treat sleep disturbances in individuals who have had a brain injury.
To be eligible you need to:
- Have had a brain injury such as a Traumatic Brain Injury or Stroke
- Currently have sleep problems
What will the project involve?
- Receive two treatments during the trial:
- Circadin® (melatonin-mg prolonged release formulae);
- Non-active placebo.
- 10 week study – 4 visits with a researcher (1 – 1 ½ hour each);
- Answer questions about your health, fatigue, sleep and mood;
- Sleep difficulties assessed by a sleep physician;
- Blood tests for safety assessments;
- Fill in a sleep diary and wear a wrist device (like a watch) to measure your sleep patterns.
For more information, or if you are interested in participating please email Jade Murray or Olivia McConchie (e) brainsleepstudy@gmail.com
This study has been approved by MUHREC - CF11/1900 - 2011001061
Project Arise: access free gold-standard insomnia treatment
Having trouble sleeping?
We are seeking adults aged 18-70, who experience insomnia and are fluent in English, for a study exploring the relationships between sleep, stress, and emotions in the context of insomnia.
Participants will be compensated up to $1050 for successfully completing all non-treatment components of the study.
This study involves:
- Seven weeks of FREE gold-standard treatment for insomnia (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) with a sleep therapist
- Questionnaires & Interviews
- Two overnight stays at Monash Sleep & Circadian Laboratory
- Monitoring of your sleep/wake patterns
- Three brief testing sessions before & after treatment
Interested?
Send us an email (project.arise@monash.edu) or register your interest on our website and one of our friendly staff will be in touch to complete a screening process with you over the phone or online.
MUHREC Approval Number: 29500 #sleep #health #wellness #covid-19 #insomnia #stress
Project SWITCH – Are you a shift worker? Receive personalised recommendations to improve your sleep
Are you a shift worker wanting to improve your sleep?
Join our world-first study trialling personalised sleep and light recommendations to improve sleep and wellbeing.
What is involved?
- Receive and follow PERSONALISED recommendations tailored to your body clock and lifestyle
- Reimbursement of ~$425 upon study completion.
- ~6 weeks of daily monitoring: wear wrist-watch and light sensor and complete short daily surveys (5 mins/day)
- Objective body clock assessments (2 times during study)
Note: All tasks listed below will occur in the context of participants’ usual lives, meaning individuals do not need to visit a laboratory.
We are looking for shift workers who are:
- aged between 18-65 years
- on average per month, work at least 4 night shifts (≥6 hours worked between 10pm-8am) OR early morning shifts (starting work before 7am and shift lasting ≥6 hours)
- have a roster pattern incorporating ≥2 consecutive night/ early morning shifts
Interested?
Register your interest at: bit.ly/shiftwork-monash
Questions? Please email us: base.switch@monash.edu
MUHREC Approval Number: 28948