Assoc Prof Alistair Nichol - Researcher Profile

Biography

Alistair is an Associate Professor in the ANZIC-RC, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, and a consultant intensivist in The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. Following completion of a PhD at University College Dublin, Alistair commenced with the ANZIC-RC in 2007 and has worked on a number of its large multi-centre randomised controlled trials. He is currently one of the Chief Investigators on the EPO-TBI (Erythropoietin in Traumatic Brain Injury) Study and is actively involved with the POLAR-RCT (Prophylactic hypOthermia trail to Lessen trAumatic bRain injury Randomised Control Trial) Study and the PHARLAP Study. His areas of interest include traumatic brain injury (TBI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and mechanical ventilation. Alistair has completed over 10 years of training in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine. He was awarded the Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (FCARCSI) in 2002, and the Fellowship of the College of Intensive Care Medicine Australia and New Zealand (FCICM) in 2010. Alistair is also a Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative (VNI) Early Career Practitioner Fellow.

Qualifications

PHD

Institution: University of Dublin - Ireland

Year awarded: 2008

DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT FOR DOCTORS

Institution: royal college of surgeons in ireland

Year awarded: 2003

FELLOW OF THE COLLEGE OF ANAESTHETISTS

Institution: The College of Anaesthetists

Year awarded: 2002

BACHELOR OF ARTS - HEALTH SCIENCES

Institution: University of Dublin - Trinity College

Year awarded: 1998

Publications

Book Chapters

Nichol, A.D., Rosenfeld, J.V., Cooper, D.J., 2012, Future perspectives for the treatment of traumatic brain injury patients: decompressive crainiectomy, hypothermia and arythropoietin, in Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury: Challenges and Developments, eds Cristina Morganti-Kossmann, Ramesh Raghupathi and Andrew Maas, Cambridge University Press, New York, USA, pp. 205-215.

Moore, E.M., Bernard, S.A., Cooper, D.J., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Prophylactic Hypothermia in Traumatic Brain Injury, in Hypothermia: Prevention, Recognition and Treatment, eds Juan I. Valdez Delgado and Verman G. Fernandez Garza, Nova Science Publishers, New York, United States, pp. 69-90.

Moore, E.M., Bernard, S.A., Cooper, D.J., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Therapeutic Hypothermia: clinical history, mechanisms of action, common complications, current indications and future research directions in the critically ill, in Hypothermia: Prevention, Recognition and Treatment, eds Juan I. Valdez Delgado and Verman G. Fernandez Garza, Nova Science Publishers, New York, United States, pp. 43-68.

Nichol, A., Pettila, V., Cooper, D., 2010, What is the optimal approach to weaning and liberation from mechanical ventilation?, in Evidence-Based Practice of Critical Care, eds Deutschman CS and Neligan PJ, Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, USA, pp. 37-44.

Cooper, D.J., Nichol, A.D., 2009, Lactic acidosis, in Oh's Intensive Care Manual, eds Andrew D Bersten and Neil Soni, Butterworth Heinemann, Philadelphia USA, pp. 145-151.

Nichol, A., 2008, Is a restrictive transfusion strategy safe in patients with coronary artery disease?, in Blood and Blood Product Usage in the ICU, eds Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, pp. 71-83.

Journal Articles

Aubron, C., Syres, G.A., Nichol, A.D., Bailey, M.J., Board, J., Magrin, G., Murray, L.J., Presneill, J.J., Sutton, J., Vallance, S., Morrison, S., Bellomo, R., Cooper, D.J., 2012, A pilot feasibility trial of allocation of freshest available red blood cells versus standard care in critically ill patients, Transfusion [P], vol 52, issue June, Wiley-Blackwell, Malden MA USA, pp. 1196-1202.

Hew, S., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Acute pancreatitis: an intensive care perspective, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine [P], vol 13, issue 4, Elsevier Science Ltd, United States, pp. 171-175.

Hanna, J., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Acute renal failure and the critically ill, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine [P], vol 13, The Medicine Publishing Company, United Kingdom, pp. 166-170.

Praeger, A.J., Westbrook, A., Nichol, A.D., Wijemunige, R., Davies, A.R., Lyon, S.M., Wills, J.L., Bailey, M.J., Rosenfeld, J.V., Cooper, J., 2012, Deep Vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus in patients with traumatic brain injury: a prospective observational study, Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine. [P], vol 14, issue 1, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 10-13.

Hodgson, C.L., Carteaux, G., Tuxen, D.V., Davies, A.R., Pellegrino, V., Capellier, G., Cooper, D.J., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Hypoxaemic rescue therapies in acute respiratory distress syndrome: why, when, what and which one?, Injury-International Journal Of The Care Of The Injured [P], vol e-pub, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 1-10.

Hodgson, C.L., Hayes, K., Everard, T., Nichol, A.D., Davies, A.R., Bailey, M.J., Tuxen, D.V., Cooper, D.J., Pellegrino, V., 2012, Long-term quality of life in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory hypoxaemia, Critical Care [P], vol 16, Current Science Inc., United States, pp. 1-34.

Hanna, J., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Status epilepticus: an intensive care medicine problem, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine [P], vol 13, issue 4, Elsevier Science Ltd, United States, pp. 148-151.

Gantner, D., Nichol, A.D., 2012, Treatment of severe sepsis, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine [P], vol 13, issue 5, The Medicine Publishing Company, United Kingdom, pp. 199-203.

Aubron, C., Syres, G., Nichol, A.D., Bailey, M., Board, J., Magrin, G., Murray, L.J., Presneill, J.J., Sutton, J., Vallance, S., Morrison, S., Bellomo, R., Cooper, D., 2011, A pilot feasibility trial of allocation of freshest available red blood cells versus standard care in critically ill patients, Transfusion [P], vol E, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc., United States, pp. 1-7.

Hodgson, C., Tuxen, D., Davies, A., Bailey, M., Higgins, A., Holland, A., Keating, J., Pilcher, D., Westbrook, A., Cooper, D., Nichol, A., 2011, A randomised controlled trial of an open lung strategy with staircase recruitment, titrated PEEP and targeted low airway pressures in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, Critical Care [P], vol 15, issue 3 (Art. No: R133), Current Science Inc., United States, pp. 1-9.

Pettila, V., Westbrook, A., Nichol, A., Bailey, M., Wood, E.M., Syres, G., Phillips, L., Street, A., French, C., Murray, L., Orford, N., Santamaria, J., Bellomo, R., Cooper, D., 2011, Age of red blood cells and mortality in the critically ill, Critical Care [P], vol 15, issue 2 (Art. No: R116), Current Science Inc., United States, pp. 1-8.

Bellomo, R., Bailey, M., Eastwood, G., Nichol, A., Pilcher, D., Hart, G., Reade, M., Egi, M., Cooper, D., 2011, Arterial hyperoxia and in-hospital mortality after resuscitation from cardiac arrest, Critical Care [E], vol 15, issue 2 (Art. No: R90), BioMed Central Ltd, Australia, pp. 1-9.

Knight, M., Pierce, M., Seppelt, I., Kurinczuk, J., Spark, P., Brocklehurst, P., McLintock, C., Sullivan, E., Webb, S., Pettila, V., Bellomo, R., Bailey, M., Cooper, D., Cretikos, M., Davies, A., Finfer, S., Harrigan, P., Hart, G., Howe, B., Iredell, J., McArthur, C., Mitchell, I., Morrison, S., Nichol, A., Paterson, D., Peake, S., Richards, B., Stephens, D., Turner, A., Yung, M., 2011, Critical illness with AH1N1v influenza in pregnancy: A comparison of two population-based cohorts, BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology [E], vol 118, issue 2, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, UK, pp. 232-239.

Nichol, A., Bailey, M., Egi, M., Pettila, V., French, C., Stachowski, E., Reade, M., Cooper, D., Bellomo, R., 2011, Dynamic lactate indices as predictors of outcome in critically ill patients, Critical Care [E], vol 15, issue 5 (Art. No: R242), BioMed Central Ltd, UK, pp. 1-10.

Nichol, A., Toal, F., Fedi, M., Cooper, D., 2011, Early outcome prediction after severe traumatic brain injury: can multimodal magnetic resonance imaging assist in clinical prognostication for individual patients?, Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine. [P], vol 13, issue 1, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 5-8.

Moore, E., Bellomo, R., Nichol, A., 2011, Erythropoietin as a novel brain and kidney protective agent, Anaesthesia And Intensive Care [P], vol 39, issue 3, Australian Society of Anaesthetists Ltd, Australia, pp. 356-372.

Nichol, A., Trapani, T., Murray, L., Vallance, S., Cooper, D., 2011, Hypothermia in patients with brain injury: the way forward?, Lancet Neurology [P], vol 10, The Lancet Publishing Group, United Kingdom, pp. 404-405.

Egi, M., Kim, I., Nichol, A., Stachowski, E., French, C., Hart, G., Hegarty, C., Bailey, M., Bellomo, R., 2011, Ionized calcium concentration and outcome in critical illness, Critical Care Medicine [P], vol 39, issue 2, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 314-321.

Nichol, A., 2011, Permissive hypercapnia in acute respiratory distress syndrome - is now the time to get strict?, Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine. [P], vol 13, issue 3, Australian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 142-143.

Moore, E., Nichol, A., Bernard, S., Bellomo, R., 2011, Therapeutic hypothermia: Benefits, mechanisms and potential clinical applications in neurological, cardiac and kidney injury, Injury-International Journal Of The Care Of The Injured [P], vol 42, issue 9, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 843-854.

Nichol, A.D., Bailey, M.J., Bellomo, R., 2010, Authors' response (to O'Connor and Fraser), Critical Care [E], vol 14, issue 3, BioMed Central Ltd., United Kingdom, pp. 421-422.

Moore, E.M., Bellomo, R., Nichol, A.D., 2010, Biomarkers of acute kidney injury in anesthesia, intensive care and major surgery: From the bench to clinical research to clinical practice, Minerva Anestesiologica [P], vol 76, issue 6, Edizioni Minerva Medica, Italy, pp. 425-440.

Nichol, A.D., Bailey, M.J., Cooper, D.J., 2010, Challenging issues in randomised controlled trials, Injury-International Journal Of The Care Of The Injured [P], vol 41, issue Suppl 1, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. S20-S23.

Higgins, A., Pettila, V.Y.O., Bellomo, R., Harris, A.H., Nichol, A.D., Morrison, S., 2010, Expensive care - a rationale for economic evaluations in intensive care, Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Austr..., vol 12, issue 1, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 62-66.

Curley, G., Contreras, M., Nichol, A.D., Higgins, B., Laffey, J.G., 2010, Hypercapnia and acidosis in sepsis: A double-edged sword?, Anesthesiology [P], vol 112, issue 2, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 462-472.

Nichol, A., O'Croinin, D., Naughton, F., Hopkins, N., Boylan, J., McLoughlin, P., 2010, Hypercapnic acidosis reduces oxidative reactions in endotoxin-induced lung injury, Anesthesiology [P], vol 113, issue 1, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 116-125.

Nichol, A.D., Higgins, A., Gabbe, B., Murray, L., Cooper, D., Cameron, P., 2010, Measuring functional and quality of life outcomes following major head injury: Common scales and checklists, Injury-International Journal Of The Care Of The Injured [P], vol 42, issue 3, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 281-287.

Nichol, A.D., Egi, M., Pettila, V.Y.O., Bellomo, R., French, C.J., Hart, G.K., Davies, A.R., Stachowski, E., Reade, M.C., Bailey, M.J., Cooper, D.J., 2010, Relative hyperlactatemia and hospital mortality in critically ill patients: A retrospective multi-centre study, Critical Care [E], vol 14, issue 1 (R25), BioMed Central Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 1-9.

Moore, E.M., Bellomo, R., Nichol, A.D., Harley, N., Macisaac, C., Cooper, D.J., 2010, The incidence of acute kidney injury in patients with traumatic brain injury, Renal Failure [P], vol 32, issue 9, Informa Healthcare, United States, pp. 1060-1065.

Westbrook, A.J., Pettila, V.Y.O., Nichol, A.D., Bailey, M.J., Syres, G.A., Murray, L.J., Bellomo, R., Wood, E.B., Phillips, L.E., Street, A.M., French, C.J., Orford, N., Santamaria, J., Cooper, D.J., 2010, Transfusion practice and guidelines in Australian and New Zealand intensive care units, Intensive Care Medicine [P], vol 36, issue 7, Springer, Germany, pp. 1138-1146.

Robertson, M., Nichol, A.D., Higgins, A., Bailey, M.J., Presneill, J.J., Cooper, D.J., Webb, S.A.R., McArthur, C., Macisaac, C., 2010, Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in the critically ill: a point prevalence survey of current practice in Australian and New Zealand intensive care units., Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Austr..., vol 12, issue 1, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 9-15.

Nichol, A., Cooper, D., 2009, Can we improve neurological outcomes in severe traumatic brain injury?. Something old (early prophylactic hypothermia) and something new (erythropoietin), Injury-International Journal Of The Care Of The Injured [P], vol 40, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 471-478.

Webb, S.A.R., Petilla, V., Seppelt, I., Bellomo, R., Bailey, M.J., Cooper, D.J., Cretikos, M., Davies, A.R., Finfer, S., Harrigan, P.W.J., Hart, G.K., Howe, B.D., Iredell, J.R., McArthur, C., Mitchell, I., Morrison, S., Nichol, A.D., Paterson, D.L., Peake, S.L., Richards, B., Stephens, D.P., Turner, A., Yung, M., 2009, Critical care services and 2009 H1N1 influenza in Australia and New Zealand, New England Journal Of Medicine [P], vol 361, issue 20, Massachusetts Medical Society, United States, pp. 1925-1934.

Barbetti, J., Nichol, A., Choate, K., Bailey, M., Lee, G., Cooper, D., 2009, Prospective observational study of postoperative complications after percutaneous dilatational or surgical tracheostomy in critically ill patients., Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine. [P], vol 11, issue 4, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 244-249.

Pettila, V., Nichol, A., Bellomo, R., Cooper, D., 2009, Red blood cell transfusion and mortality, Critical Care Medicine [P], vol 37, issue 11, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 2996-2997.

Nichol, A., Westbrook, A.J., Bellomo, R., Cooper, J., 2008, Is it too early to recommend a restrictive transfusion strategy in critically ill patients with i schemic heart disease?, Critical Care Medicine, vol 36, issue 11, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 3118-3183.

Nichol, A., 2008, Restrictive red blood cell transfusion strategies in critical care: does one size really fit all?, Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine. [P], vol 10, issue 4, Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine, Australia, pp. 323-327.

O'Croinin, D.F., Nichol, A.D., Hopkins, N., Boylan, J., O'Brien, S., O'Connor, C., Laffey, J.G., McLoughlin, P., 2008, Sustained hypercapnic acidosis during pulmonary infection increases bacterial load and worsens lung injury, Critical Care Medicine, vol 36, issue 7, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 2128-2135.

Nichol, A., 2007, High frequency oscillation in acute respiratory distress syndrome: Who rescues the rescuer?, Critical Care Medicine, vol 35, issue 6, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, USA, pp. 1619-1620.

Conference Proceedings

Hodgson, C., Nichol, A., Tuxen, D., Cooper, D., Bailey, M., Keating, J., Holland, A., Pilcher, D., Westbrook, A., Davies, A., Hilton, A., 2010, A randomised controlled trial of staircase recruitment manoeuvres, high PEEP and low airway pressure (PHARLAP), American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, American Thoracic Society, USA, p. 1.

Hodgson, C.L., Nichol, A.D., Tuxen, D.V., Bailey, M.J., Holland, A.E., Keating, J.L., Pilcher, D.V., Davies, A., Westbrook, A.J., Hilton, A., Cooper, D.J., 2009, A randomised controlled trial of staircase recruitment manoeuvres, high PEEP and low airway pressure as a bundle of protective ventilation, APA Conference Week 2009 Online Abstracts - Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Australia, October 1-5, Australian Physiotherapy Association, Australia, p. 9.

Westbrook, A., Pettila, V., Nichol, A., Bailey, M., Wood, E., Phillips, L., Bellomo, R., Cooper, D., 2009, Age of red blood cells and mortality in the critically ill, Intensive Care Medicine, Springer, Germany, p. S95.

Westbrook, A., Nichol, A., Kavnoudias, H., Davies, A., Preovolos, A., Lyon, S., Salamonsen, R., Cooper, D., 2009, The relevant study: the rate of lower limb deep venous thrombosis in patients with traumatic brain injury - a pilot observational study, Injury, Elsevier Ltd, United Kingdom, p. S12.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Current Supervision

Program of Study:

(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).

Thesis Title:

A prospective study of the effects of erythropoietin and early, sustained hypothermia on renal biomarkers and renal function in patients with traumatic brain injury..

Supervisors:

Bellomo, R (Main), Nichol, A (Associate), Atkins, R (Associate), Bailey, M (Associate).