PhysioPod catch up with Ramin Shayan, Associate Professor at University of Melbourne, Australia
Background: Last year, PhysioPod shared the important new study “New discoveries make steps toward lipoedema diagnosis and treatment,” published in the International Journal of Obesity, which Dr. Tara Karnezis and Associate Professor Ramin Shayan led. The study identified a stem cell in lipoedema and a gene that drives excess fat growth – elements key to diagnosing and treating the condition. Dr. Karnezis said of the study, “Our findings confirm, consistent with the lived experience of families, that lipoedema is a legitimate medical condition, and that it is not the same as obesity – our team has identified a key stem cell and some of the genetic and molecular mechanisms that underpin it.”
Hi Ramin, it’s been a little while since we last communicated. Has there been anything you would like to share with our readers in the meantime?
Hello again Mary!
It has been about three months since we last spoke, around the time of Lipoedema Awareness Month and just after. At that time, we had just been involved in the Hobart meeting and, more recently, the biannual conference of the Lipoedema Australia organisation.
The Sydney conference was brilliantly organised and included international and local guests speaking on all facets of Lipoedema – from the patient experience, social media in Lipoedema, different therapeutic strategies, surgery and other management features. The conference was extremely well-received by both in-person and virtual attendees. In addition, the talk was available on demand for a further three months.
Since Sydney, we have presented two major presentations.
1. The SIGVARIS Medical Online Hub (MOH) Webinar on Lipoedema was held on August 27th, 2022.
The session was entitled: “Lipoedema: Latest insights in the Lipoedema pathophysiology and potential new therapeutic pathways and was moderated by Sylvain Gaillard and the UK’s Christine Moffatt (Head of the ILF), with the input of an expert panel consisting of Dr. Karen Herbst and Dr. Asmaa Alderaa.
Tara and I spoke about “uncovering a cellular and molecular basis for lipedema,” in which we discussed the clinical treatments we employ, the results of our research program, and St Vincent’s Institute for Medical Research. These included published data relating to the Bub1 paper and the next projects and future directions coming out of our lab.
Professor Stanley Rockson presented the ‘Paradoxes and Possibilities of Lipedema’ - a tour de force of lymphoedema and lipoedema mechanism, diagnosis and clinical identification; and his excellent work on “Platelet Factor 4 (PF4) as a biomarker for lymphatic-promoted disorders”.
It was indeed an honour to be asked to engage in robust discussion with such well-respected luminaries, and the debate continued until well after 3 am Australian Eastern Time. However, it was a riveting discussion!
2. Next, we were invited to the biannual Gordon Conference of Lymphatic Diseases, held at the picturesque Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco in the hills above Luca, Italy.
Along with the giants of the lymphatic field, Tara presented novel findings from her Lipoedema program. Chaired by Dr. Timothy Padera and Taija Makinen, this excellent forward-thinking program boasted two dedicated talks on Lipoedema.
It sounds like a fascinating few months. And how is the constant funding battle coming along?
It has been busy! The age-old quest to have enough funding to carry out the actual program is always a priority. Happily, we were granted a three-year grant by our local funding bodies. In addition, after three rounds of application, Tara has made the final round of the Lipedema Foundation funding grants. Next week, she will attend the Scientific Retreat of the Lipedema Foundation in Reston, Virginia, USA. I will update you on these and other exciting developments from Down Under in the new year.
Thank you so much Ramin. Wishing you a safe festive season, and I look forward to catching up in 2023!
