LGH Grand Rounds welcome epilepsy expert Dr Linda Dalic

September, 2022

Grand Rounds at the Launceston General Hospital offered somewhat of a medical reunion for the hospital’s neurology team recently, with special guest Dr Linda Dalic visiting from Melbourne.

An esteemed epileptologist from Austin Health’s Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Dr Dalic worked with LGH neurologists Dr Matt Lee-Archer and Dr Lauren Giles in 2013 when they were all based at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne.

Dr Dalic’s recently completed PhD through the University of Melbourne investigated Neuromodulation in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) – a severe form of epilepsy that typically becomes apparent during infancy or early childhood.

As part  of her PhD she ran the ESTEL randomised control trial which explored the efficacy and safety of thalamic deep brain stimulation in young adults, with LGS.  

Visiting Tasmania to present at an epilepsy expert evening, Dr Dalic also dropped by the LGH to catch up with her former colleagues and received a warm welcome at Grand Rounds where she presented “Advances in Epilepsy Diagnosis and Management”.

LGH Advanced Trainee in Neurology Dr Chloe Spiegal with Dr Linda Dalic.

She was also joined by Dr Chloe Spiegal - the LGH’s Advanced Trainee in Neurology - who presented the hot case, also on epilepsy.

Every Tuesday the Clifford Craig Foundation helps facilitate Medical Grand Rounds at the LGH, in partnership with the hospital’s School of Medicine.

 Grand Rounds help doctors and other healthcare professionals keep up to date on important evolving areas which may be outside of their core practice.

Considered one of Australia’s leading neurologists, Dr Lee-Archer said it was inspiring to have an expert of Dr Dalic’s calibre as guest speaker.

 “She is an incredible clinician with a passion for regional neurology,” he explained.

“We invited her here to Tassie to share some of the brilliant work they are doing in Melbourne.

“Lauren [Giles] and I worked with her years ago and knew she was going to go on to do big things.

“It’s been great to have her here.”

Dr Lee-Archer and Dr Giles commenced their appointments at the LGH in 2019, providing a welcome boost for the region after years of limited access to neurology services in Northern Tasmania.

With a passion for stroke medicine, the Clifford Craig Foundation has supported Dr Lee-Archer’s research endeavours including the TEXAIS trial, exploring the use of Exenatide (a commonly used diabetes drug that increases insulin) as an alternative treatment for post-stroke hyperglycaemia.

 Dr Giles areas of research interest are in Motor Neurone Disease and multiple sclerosis, in particularly collaborating with fellow researchers in Hobart and interstate to improve Tasmania’s access to multi-centre trials.

 This includes the Clifford Craig Foundation-funded Lighthouse II project – a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial of Triumeq in MND.

 It is the first time an international multi-centre MND therapeutic trial has been offered locally in Tasmania – and a first for the LGH.