Student Projects

Past Students

Master of Surgery

Photograph of Sarah Birks   Dr Sarah Birks - The Impact of treatment of obesity on cancer incidence and survival

   Supervisors - Dr Anna Peeters and Prof Wendy Brown

   This observational 2-cohort study aims to compare cancer incidence and survival in a
   surgical weight loss cohort with a similarly aged, obese population-based cohort with the purpose
   of investigating the relationship between diet & lifestyle & cancer, cardiovascular disease & type
   2 diabetes.

 

Publications: 

Birks S, Peeters A, Backholer K, O'Brien PE, Brown W. A systematic review of the impact of weight loss on cancer incidence and mortality. Obesity Reviews. 2012. Accepted for Publication 3rd February.

Master of Psychology

Photograph of Irina Moroshko   Irina Moroshko - Facilitators and Barriers to After-Care attendance following Laparoscopic 
   Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB)

   Supervisor - Dr Leah Brennan (Monash)

   Irina is a Master of Clinical Psychology student at RMIT University and has previously completed 
   an Honours degree in Psychology. Irina's research at CORE focuses on the exploration of 
   facilitators and barriers to after-care attendance following a Bariatric Surgery. The primary 
   aim of Irina's research is to develop a better understanding of the facilitators and barriers to 
   regular aftercare attendance. This study will include a combination of a systematic literature 
   review and qualitative interviews with patients. This project will be part of a broader research program aiming to improve the aftercare treatment so as to support patient attendance and improve outcomes following LAGB.

Publications:

Moroshko I, Brennan L, O'Brien P. Predictors of dropout in weight loss interventions: a systematic review of the literature. Obesity Reviews. 2011. Nov;12(11):912-34.

Honours in Psychology

Beth Miller   Beth Miller - The development of a standardised measure of barriers to Laproscopic Adjustable
   Gastric Banding aftercare attendance

   Supervisor - Dr Leah Brennan

   Beth is a Psychology Honours student at Monash University. Beth's research at CORE
   focuses on exploring factors affecting aftercare attrition following Laprsoscopic
   Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB) surgery. The primary aim of Beth's research is
   to develop a standardised measure of barriers to LAGB aftercare attendance,
   which can then be used in the future to improve the assessment and understanding of
   LAGB aftercare attendance. This study will use methods informed by classical test
   theory to develop a standardised telephone survey assessing the barriers and facilitators to 
regular LAGB aftercare attendance. This project will be part of a broader research program aiming to improve the aftercare treatment so as to support patient attendance and improve outcomes following LAGB.

Lisa Hochberg   Lisa Hochberg - Facilitators and Barriers to Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB)
   aftercare attendance

   Supervisor - Dr Leah Brennan

   Lisa is a Psychology Honours student at Monash University. Lisa's research at CORE focuses on
   the investigation of barriers to aftercare attendance following Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric
   Banding (LAGB). The primary aim of Lisa's research is to develop an improved understanding
   of why some patients do not regularly attend LAGB after care by identifying barriers and
   facilitators to regular LAGB aftercare attendance. This study will include a combination of a
   systematic literature review and quantitative interviews with patients. This project will be part 
of a broader research program aiming to improve the aftercare treatment so as to support patient attendance and improve outcomes following LAGB.

Master of Surgery:

2010
Geoffrey Kohn - The optimisation of clinical outcomes in bariatric surgical care
Supervisor: Prof Paul O'Brien
Publications:

Kohn GP, Galanko JA, Overby DW, Farrell TM. Recent trends in bariatric surgery case volume in the United States. Surgery. 2009 Aug;146(2):375-80.

Overby DW, Kohn GP, Cahan MA, Galanko JA, Colton K, Moll S, Farrell TM. Prevalence of thrombophilias in patients presenting for bariatric surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2009 Sep;19(9):1278-85.

Balduf LM, Kohn GP, Galanko JA, Farrell TM. The impact of socioeconomic factors on patient preparation for bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2009 Aug;19(8):1089-95.

Overby DW, Kohn GP, Cahan MA, Dixon RG, Stavas JM, Moll S, Burke CT, Colton KJ, Farrell TM. Risk-group targeted inferior vena cava filter placement in gastric bypass patients. Obes Surg. 2009 Apr;19(4):451-5.

Farrell TM, Haggerty SP, Overby DW, Kohn GP, Richardson WS, Fanelli RD. Clinical application of laparoscopic bariatric surgery: an evidence-based review. Surg Endosc. 2009 May;23(5):930-49.

Dellon ES, Kohn GP, Morgan DR, Grimm IS. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with single-balloon enteroscopy is feasible in patients with a prior Roux-en-Y anastomosis. Dig Dis Sci. 2009 Aug;54(8):1798-803.

Bachelor of Medical Science:

2011
Tamishta Hensman - Prevalence of prediabetes in a selected group of obese people and the changes with weight loss
Supervisors: Prof Paul O'Brien and Dr John Wentworth

2009
Dr Rebecca Haward - Pregnancy outcomes and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding
Supervisors: Prof Wendy Brown
Publications:
Haward RN, Brown WA, O'Brien PE Does Pregnancy Increase the Need for Revisional Surgery After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding? Obes Surg. 2011;21(9):1362-9

Honours:

2011
Pree Benton - Psychological outcomes of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery in morbidly obese adolescents
Supervisor: Dr Leah Brennan 

Nicholas Levin - Psychological outcomes of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding in adults
Supervisor: Dr Leah Brennan