https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Monash University Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) are at higher risk of experiencing brain injury and mental health conditions, according to new research from Monash University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-brain-injury-mental-health-conditions.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:00:06 EDT news694848644 Because the immune systems of people with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) don't function like everyone else's, it was unclear until now how well COVID-19 vaccinations protected them. In a new study, posted on the medRxiv preprint server, scientists have identified that even IEI patients who usually fail to produce the usual neutralizing antibodies used to measure vaccine success benefited from three COVID-19 vaccine doses. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-dose-covid-vaccine-crucial-immunocompromised.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:10:02 EDT news694347628 A common antidepressant detected in rivers and streams worldwide is disrupting how fish learn, and the impact is strikingly one-sided. New research led by Monash University shows the drug amitriptyline impairs spatial learning in wild fish, but only in males. Females remain unaffected. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-male-fish-edge-drug-polluted.html Plants & Animals Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:20:06 EDT news694344302 New research from the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has found that lowering speed limits to 40 km/h on certain Victorian roads can significantly improve road safety, particularly for pedestrians. The findings provide evidence to guide potential further expansion of 40 km/h zones across the state. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-kmh-zones-pedestrian.html Automotive Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:50:01 EDT news694342192 An international team led by Monash University has uncovered evidence of a rare form of exploding star, helping to shed light on one of the most cataclysmic events in the universe. At the end of their lives, most massive stars collapse into black holes—objects with gravity so strong that not even light can escape. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gravitational-forbidden-zone-stellar-black.html Astronomy Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:20:03 EDT news694274439 Monash University researchers have captured the exact atomic movements that write data to next-generation memory devices, which could pave the way for smaller, faster and more energy-efficient electronics. Published in Nature Communications, the study was led by Dr. Kousuke Ooe, a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellow in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University who is first author of the paper, in collaboration with Australian Laureate Professor Joanne Etheridge and researchers from the Japan Fine Ceramics Center, Kyoto University, and the University of Osaka. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-capture-atoms-motion-generation.html Condensed Matter Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:02 EDT news694169171 Monash University and Seaport Therapeutics have developed a new approach to delivering drug molecules that piggybacks onto natural fat absorption pathways to allow oral delivery of some drugs previously requiring injection. The research, published in Science Translational Medicine, describes the first clinical evidence that a fat (lipid) modified version of the naturally occurring neurosteroid allopregnanolone (GlyphAllo) can result in high enough levels of the substance in the human bloodstream to be potentially effective. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-medicine-piggybacks-fat-absorption-pathways.html Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:40:01 EDT news693668161 Researchers at Monash University, together with a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals and medication safety experts, have developed the first national consensus list of medicines with a high risk of harm in Australian residential aged care. Published in the Australasian Journal on Ageing, the study identified 15 high-risk medications or medication classes that require specialized monitoring in aged care settings. These medications carry a significant risk of serious harm or death if misused or used in error. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-oz-abcd-tool-curb-medication.html Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:00:03 EDT news693134764 New research from engineers at Monash University and RMIT has revealed that moisture absorption is the most important factor in how carbon fiber used in aircraft degrades over time. The discovery could help the aerospace industry predict material aging more accurately, improve aircraft maintenance planning, and design longer-lasting composite structures. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-link-carbon-fiber-weakening-aircraft.html Polymers Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:14:37 EDT news693126848 Researchers at Monash University and Flinders University have launched a series of microlearning education videos designed to support safer, more appropriate use of psychotropic medications for people living with dementia and in residential aged care. The video series includes 12 short, practical modules (approximately five to seven minutes each) covering key topics including initiation, monitoring and discontinuation of antipsychotics, antidepressants and benzodiazepines. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-video-series-boosts-safe-psychotropic.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:10:01 EDT news692956802 New Monash University-led research has, for the first time in Australia, found that children with an infection in the past 60 days had roughly twice the risk of stroke. Published in Neurology, the study provides the first population-wide estimates on the incidence of childhood stroke in Australia and also tracks risk factors for this rare event. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-infection-childhood.html Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:20:03 EDT news692613811 As the saying goes, there are plenty more fish in the sea—but climate change is rapidly challenging that notion, with fish stocks around the world under threat. New modeling from Monash University predicts how climate change will alter fishing yields in many regions, threatening food security, livelihoods and the future of marine life as a sustainable food source. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-fish-stocks-line-climate-impacts.html Ecology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:20:02 EDT news692611801 New research shows pre-treatment in lithium-ion battery recycling drives environmental impact and recovery of valuable metals—yet it is often overlooked in recycling strategies. Published in Nature Sustainability, the Monash study found the pre-treatment stage can account for up to 38% of the environmental impact of recycling and significantly affects material losses, depending on battery type and processing method. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-overlooked-battery-recycling-pre-treatment.html Engineering Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:40:05 EDT news692447461 New research from Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks is using thermal and infrared drone technology to spot marine debris entanglements in Australian fur seals. Entanglement is an escalating threat to marine wildlife such as seals and fur seals with well-documented impacts including injury, restricted movement, and increased energy expenditure. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-thermal-drones-boost-entangled.html Ecology Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:10:01 EDT news692354298 New Monash University research has found that rapidly reducing or abruptly stopping prescription opioids significantly increases the risk of mental health or substance use-related emergency presentations. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 1,458 Victorian adults on long-term opioid therapy who presented to emergency departments for mental health or substance use-related conditions between 2018 and 2022, using records from 562 general practices and three major hospital networks (Monash Health, Eastern Health and Peninsula Health). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-rapid-opioid-dose-reduction-mental.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:30:02 EDT news692357621 All animals, including humans, experience stress. Not the type where you worry about paying bills, but metabolic stress—triggered by starvation, obesity or bacterial infections. When we are in a biologically stressed state, protective responses occur in mitochondria, which produce energy in every one of our cells, to cope with the stress and provide energy needed to survive. When mitochondria are overwhelmed by stress, they are unable to produce enough energy for cells to survive and the body starts to shut down. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-neurons-worm-eventually-humans-metabolic.html Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:40:01 EST news692022481 Loneliness among older Australians is a growing public health concern, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. New research from Monash University has revealed that older Australians with a stronger sense of personal control over their lives experience significantly less loneliness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-personal-loneliness-older-australians.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:30:03 EST news691920962 A team from the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute has identified a tick-derived evasin that can bind to two major classes of chemokines, a discovery that is important for the development of therapeutics targeting inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The work is published in the journal Structure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-diseases-ms-cancer.html Immunology Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:00:01 EST news691343964 As the news cycle shows, Australia and the world are confronting deeply distressing events, with experts warning that schools are increasingly carrying the emotional fallout. Children are coming to school carrying fear, grief and stress caused by events that shake their sense of safety and the effects are showing up through anxiety, withdrawal, aggression and disrupted learning. Educators say these experiences don't disappear at the school gate, but play out daily in behavior and engagement. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-schools-front-line-australian-children.html Social Sciences Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:30:01 EST news691402042 New research from Monash University, in collaboration with Phillip Island Nature Parks, has found conclusive evidence that rivers are vital drivers of food and habitat for seabirds around the world. The research, published in Biological Reviews, examined 51 scientific studies that looked at how river water flowing into the sea affects seabird behavior, diet, health and population trends. The results revealed that nearly nine out of 10 studies reported a clear link between river-influenced ocean environments and seabird ecology, from where birds feed to how healthy they are and how successfully they breed. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-seabird-upstream-scientists.html Plants & Animals Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:50:01 EST news691061821 Loneliness and social isolation are now recognized as major public health threats, prompting governments to explore technological solutions. Research from Monash University argues new AI "digital companions" marketed as a solution for loneliness are profoundly unethical, and could even increase social isolation. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ai-imaginary-friends-substitute-human.html Social Sciences Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:03 EST news691058760 Scientists are moving toward a genetic test that could help thousands of mothers with epilepsy safely take life-saving medication without fear of it causing birth defects in their children. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-mothers-epilepsy-life-medication-birth.html Medications Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:11:36 EST news690459062 The new "Clinical Practice Guideline for the Appropriate Use of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)" has been approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The Guideline is the world's first related to MDMA-AP to be developed using the gold standard Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-world-clinical-guideline-psychedelics.html Medications Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:30:01 EST news690116858 Cities everywhere are running experiments to respond to climate change and sustainability challenges, such as new mobility trials, energy pilots, green space projects, circular economy approaches, and more. New research from the Monash Business School has found that many of these efforts stay small, stay siloed, or fade when funding ends. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-reshaping-future-urban-experimentation.html Environment Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:50:01 EST news690108020 New research has found that school holidays, which previously provided a protective buffer against suicidal and self-harm behaviors in adolescents, no longer have this effect in the post-pandemic era. Using data from the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS), Turning Point and Monash University, researchers analyzed 20,635 ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviors among adolescents aged 12–17 across Victoria. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-school-holidays-longer-mental-health.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:03:05 EST news689853722 An advance from Monash University could pave the way for faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient lasers and other light-based technologies. Engineers have developed a new type of perovskite material arranged into an ordered "supercrystal." In this structure, tiny packets of energy called excitons work together rather than individually, allowing the material to amplify light far more efficiently. The findings, published in Laser & Photonics Reviews, could have applications in communications, sensors, and computing, improving the performance of devices that rely on light, such as sensors in autonomous vehicles, medical imaging, or electronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-supercrystal-lasers-faster-smaller-efficient.html Condensed Matter Sun, 08 Feb 2026 18:30:01 EST news689589830 Reproductive coercion poses serious risks to health and well-being, yet remains poorly recognized in general practice, according to new Monash University research. A series of research studies by Susan Saldanha, Research Fellow from the SPHERE Center of Research Excellence at Monash, examined why reproductive coercion is an important issue for general practice and why it should be better recognized and prioritized. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-reproductive-coercion-health-limited.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:30:01 EST news689422547 Monash University researchers, in collaboration with Harvard University, have discovered how to permanently "switch off" cancer-causing genes, revealing a new approach to cancer treatment. The breakthrough, published in the Nature Cell Biology, could result in shorter treatment periods and dramatically reduce the debilitating side effects that often come with cancer treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-epigenetic-therapy-cancer-genes-good.html Oncology & Cancer Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:06:19 EST news689346301 Researchers at Monash University and the University of Melbourne have developed a quantum-inspired approach to optical wireless communication that promises to make 6G networks faster, more reliable and energy-efficient. As the world moves toward 6G, devices and networks will need to handle more data, faster, and in smaller spaces than ever before. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-quantum-wireless-technology-tackle-6g.html Telecom Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:04:41 EST news689241841 Prior studies, largely among middle-aged adults, have reported that taking aspirin reduces the risk of cancer after 10 years, particularly for colorectal cancer. However, new Monash University research has found that for healthy older adults who took a low-dose of aspirin daily, there was no effect on overall cancer incidence but increased risk of cancer-related mortality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-daily-aspirin-term-cancer-older.html Oncology & Cancer Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:16:35 EST news688922162