A/Prof. Mark Parsons

Biography

A/Prof Parsons is a post-doctoral researcher, whose work using magnetic resonance and CT imaging techniques to study stroke pathophysiology and new therapeutic approaches is internationally recognised. He has published a number of first author papers in prestigious international journals, three of which have been keynote publications in the high impact Annals of Neurology, each accompanied by an editorial. A/Prof. Parsons PhD thesis detailed the use of modern, multimodality MRI techniques in acute stroke, from which he published several first author papers in high-impact international journals. He had particular interests in the effects of thrombolysis on the ischaemic penumbra, showing that intravenous tPA salvaged significant brain tissue in this critical region and these benefits correlated with improved clinical outcomes.

A/Prof. Parsons has also demonstrated the ability to translate fundamental research in the laboratory and clinic into solutions with direct practical application that can be incorporated into clinical practice. He has experience in the re-design and evaluation of health systems, often a critical step in the implementation of complex therapies such as stroke thrombolysis. A/Prof Parsons led the development of an ambulance protocol in the Hunter Region for the rapid identification, pre-hospital notification, and rapid transport of potential thrombolysis patients to a specialist stroke centre. This protocol led to a substantial increase in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy in the Hunter and on the Central Coast.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne, 2003
• Bachelor of Medicine, University of Newcastle, 1991

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Research

Research keywords

• • Cerebral blood flow and metabolism
• • Cerebrovascular disease
• • Functional brain imaging techniques in stroke
• • Neurological education
• • Neurological rehabilitation and brain recovery

Research expertise

1. Low-dose Tenecteplase versus standard dose alteplase: An imaging based efficacy trial

2. Experimental model to investigate CT brain perfusion

3. A functional MRI study of early upper limb therapy in Acute Stroke

4. Supplementary oxygen for acute ischaemic stroke: an imaging-based efficacy trial (SOS trial)

5. The Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3)

6. Imaging the ischaemic penumbra with perfusion CT

7. Genetics and stroke – the role of genetic variations in tPA and PAI-1 in stroke occurrence and severity

8. Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial (EPITHET)

The pilot phase was a component of PhD research. Study co-ordinator of this multi-centre Australasian trial.

9. Diabetes and stroke outcome (functional disability, depression, and cognition)

10. Hypothermia in acute stroke

INNERCOOL safety study

11. Monitoring of stroke thrombolysis with continuous transcranial Doppler ultrasound

12. Comparison of CT angiography with transcranial colour coded duplex ultrasound for extra- and intra-cranial vascular stenosis

13. Constraint-induced therapy for stroke recovery

This study is investigating the use of constraint for the non-hemiplegic upper limb to aid recovery of the affected upper limb in stroke patients

14. Investigator, John Hunter Hospital in Current Stroke Trials

• INNERCOOL Safety Study – Cooling for Acute Ischemic Brain Damage – Radiant Medical

• SAINT neuroprotective study

• Repinotan neuroprotective study

• VITATOPS – vitamins to prevent recurrent stroke

• PROFESS – secondary stroke prevention

15. Investigator, RMH in Completed Stroke Trials

• Cool-Aid Safety Study – Cooling for Acute Ischemic Brain Damage – Radiant Medical

• Novo VII (Novo Nordisk) Stroke Trial F7ICH-1389 - Quintiles

• IMAGES (Intravenous Magnesium Efficacy in Stroke)

• CHARISMA Secondary Stroke Prevention – Sanofi/BMS

• ON TARGET Secondary Stroke Prevention – Bohringher Ingelheim

• DIAS – Desmotoplase in acute stroke

• Pfizer 256, 301 - Trial in ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes;

• BMS 204352 – A double blind, placebo-controlled, safety, efficacy and dose response trial of two intravenous doses in patients with acute stroke.

• SPARCL – A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study of atorvastatin as prevention of cerebrovascular events in patients with previous transient ischemic attack (TIA) or Stroke

Collaboration

He is a CI on a current NHMRC program grant - ‘Improving Stroke Outcomes: Attenuating Progression and Recurrence’. He is CIA on a current NHMRC patnership grant, relating to standardization and implantation of advanced CT imaging in acute stroke. He is on the Steering Committees of multi-centre stroke trials EXTEND and INTERACTII (and a CI on the NHRMC project grant for INTERACTII. A/Prof. Parsons has completed two NHMRC-funded projects as principal investigator. The first investigated CT perfusion in acute ischaemic stroke and provided the impetus to establish an internationally unique human stroke perfusion imaging library of over 400 patients. The project directly led to six original articles, and one invited review, which have been published in international peer-reviewed journals. The second was a multi-centre study (2008-2010) of a new thrombolytic agent tenecteplase versus the standard agent alteplase in acute stroke. This study used CT perfusion both for patient selection into the trial, and also to compare reperfusion and penumbral salvage between the two agents. Articles resulting from this study have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Brain, Stroke, and Neurology. On projects related to stroke imaging, A/Prof. Parsons is currently supervising three PhD Students (with two more PhD students recently completing, one post-doctoral student, one B Med Sci student, and a Clinical Stroke Fellow. A/Prof. Parsons established the Stroke Imaging Research Laboratory at John Hunter Hospital, and is Director of the University of Newcastle’s Stroke Research Program, which is one of the four major streams of the Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health Priority Research Centre. He is the current vice-President Stroke Society of Australasia and is the immediate past chairman of the Australasian Stroke Trials Network.

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
110900	Neurosciences	45
110300	Clinical Sciences	30
111799	Public Health And Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified	25

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Hunter Medical Research Institute
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (CTNMH)

Group

• Hunter Medical Research Institute - Brain and Mental Health

Appointments

Fellowship Australian Research Council (Australia)	01/02/2010
Current Chairman Hunter and new England Area Human Research Ethics Committee (Australia)	01/01/2006

Awards

Award

2004	For excellence in Brain and Mental Health research Hunter Medical Research Institute (Australia)
2002	Young Investigator Stroke Society of Australasia (Australia)

Invitations

Keynote Speaker on stroke imaging National and International meetings, Australia (Regular Invited Speaker)

2006

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Administrative

Administrative expertise

• Vice President Stroke Society of Australasia, 2010-

• Member NHMRC Grant Review Panel, 2006, 2010, 2011.

• Member, University of Newcastle Early Career Fellowships Selection Committee, 2011-

• Member, University of Newcastle Research Council, 2010-

• Chairman NHMRC NICS Stroke Care Bundle Implementation Committee, 2010-

• Director, University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, Stroke Research Program, 2008-

• Chairman, Australasian Stroke Trials Network, 2007-2010.

• Chairman, NSW Stroke CT Working Party, 2006-

• Chairman, John Hunter Hospital Quality Use of Medicines Committee, 2005-

• Chairman, Hunter New England Area Human Research Ethics Committee, 2005-

• Medical Representative, Newcastle Mater Hospital OH&S Committee, 2004-

• National Coordinator, Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis for Stroke (SITS) International Registry, 2003-

• Director of Stroke Unit, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, 2003-

• Member, Hunter Area Research and Ethics Committee, 2003-

• Medical Representative, Occupational Health and Safety Committee, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, 2003-

• Head, Neurology Outpatients Clinic, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 2001-2002

• Stroke Care Unit Organisation Committee, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 2000-2001.

• National Stroke Foundation Representative, National Heart Foundation Lipid Guidelines Committee (2000-2001).

• Senior Medical Registrar, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, 1996.

• Advanced Trainee Representative, Hunter and Northern Society of Physicians (HANSOP) Committee, 1996-1998.

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Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Bedside Teaching
• • Clinical Tutor
• • Lecturer
• • Neurological education
• • Neurology Clinical Tutor

Teaching expertise

• Lecturer and clinical teaching (2003-), John Hunter and Newcastle Mater Hospital FRACP Basic Trainees.

• Lectures, tutorials and bedside teaching (2003-), Year 2-5 Medical Students, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle.

• Lectures, tutorials and clinical teaching (1999-2002), 2nd Year Neuroscience Course, 4th and Final Year Medical Students (The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne).

• Lecturer and clinical teaching (1999-2002), RMH FRACP Basic Trainees in Neurology.

• Lecturer (1999-2002), Victorian Advanced Trainees in Neurology education programme

• Lecturer (1999-2002), RMH Postgraduate Nursing Neuroscience Certificate Course.

• Professional skills tutor (1994-1998, 2003-), University of Newcastle Medical School.

• Neurology Clinical Tutor (1996-1998, 2003-), University of Newcastle Medical School.

• Clinical Tutor (1995 – 1998, 2003-), Psychiatry Trainees for the “Medicine in Psychiatry” FRANZP examinations.