成人大片

• Biography/ Background

  Prof Gus Dekker is currently the Academic Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN). From 1998-2014 Dekker has been the Professor and Clinical Director of the Women and Children's Division Lyell McEwin Hospital, Northern Campus 成人大片. In December 2014, Dekker stepped down as clinical director in order to further focus on clinical research.

  Prior to his arrival in Adelaide in 1998 Gus received his medical training via the University of Leiden (MD Cum Laude 1978), followed by 3 years training in internal medicine, and O&G specialist training via the Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he also finished his Academic PhD Thesis Erasmus entitled ‘Prediction and Prevention of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertensive Disorders. A Clinical and Pathophysiologic Study'; this thesis also included the world's first prospective RCT on low-dose Aspirin in the prevention of preeclampsia.

  Gus and his colleagues at the Free University in Amsterdam were instrumental in starting Maternal - Fetal Medicine (MFM) as a recognised subspecialty in The Netherlands. After 10 years as Associate Professor in MFM at the Free University in Amsterdam, Gus migrated to Adelaide as the new chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the 成人大片. His areas of specific interest include the genetics and immunology of preeclampsia, prediction and prevention of preeclampsia, prediction and management of preterm labour and the role of genetic and acquired thrombophilic disorders in the causation of adverse pregnancy outcome. He was the first to identify the role of genetic and acquired thrombophilia's as important risk factors for early-onset preeclampsia (Dekker GA, de Vries JI, Doelitzsch PM, Huijgens PC, von Blomberg BM, Jakobs C, van Geijn HP. Underlying disorders associated with severe early-onset preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1995;173:1042). His research on the use of nifedipine in the management of preterm labour, led to this drug being the currently most used drug for this common condition.

  In November 1998 Gus Dekker was appointed as the Clinical Director of the Women's and Children's Division Lyell McEwin Hospital (Adelaide), 成人大片, Northern Campus. In direct collaboration with Prof Sarah Robertson, Gus further explored the role of immunology in preeclampsia. This led to a major publication showing the increased risk of preeclampsia associated with a short sexual relationship (Kho EM, McCowan LM, North RA, Roberts CT, Chan E, Black MA, Taylor RS, Dekker GA; SCOPE Consortium. Duration of sexual relationship and its effect on preeclampsia and small for gestational age perinatal outcome. J Reprod Immunol. 2009;82: 66-73). As extension of his research work, Gus also researched the role of inflammation, infection and thrombophilia's as a risk for stillbirth and pregnancy loss and in the causation of cerebral palsy, and together with Professor Alastair MacLennan started the SA Cerebral Palsy Research group with close collaboration with NIH (Gibson CS, MacLennan AH, Goldwater PN, Haan EA, Priest K, Dekker GA; South Australian Cerebral Palsy Research Group. The association between inherited cytokine polymorphisms and cerebral palsy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;194:674.e1-11).

  Gus was the inaugural president of SOMANZ (Society for Obstetric Medicine Australia New Zealand), and Vice President International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy). Over the past decade Gus established extensive international research networks resulting in appointments as visiting professor in Surabaya (Indonesia) and Pune (India).

  Gus was the clinical lead investigator for the Australian arm of the SCOPE consortium; over 4 years Gus - in close collaboration with Prof Claire Roberts - a close to 1200 nulliparous pregnant patients were recruited in the SCOPE study - now one of the largest international studies focussed on the prediction of preeclampsia, preterm labour, fetal growth restriction and gestational diabetes. The Adelaide group focussed on gene-environment interaction, and identified a series of maternal and paternal SNP's associated with major pregnancy complications and also long-term cardio-metabolic chronic disease. Predictive algorithms were developed, currently being validated in an independent cohort (STOP study - currently 1000 patients). These predictive algorithms are currently being compared (embedded in routine clinical practice) with the competing UK based Fetal Medicine Foundation test before the final test will be formally rolled out in South Australia.

  Contribution to field of research: Dekker's research has led the field in predicting and preventing adverse pregnancy outcome with a particular emphasis on the role of stress, drugs, and poor nutrition.
  International Research Collaborations: Gus has led one NIH funded study in Adelaide, and the SA Cerebral Palsy group has close financial collaboration with NIH (Karin Nelson, Bethesda). Gus is visiting professor in Surabaya (Indonesia) and Pune (India).
  Contributions to Health and Medical Research:
  

  • Inaugural President Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia New Zealand (SOMANZ)
  • Chair South Australian Perinatal Mortality Committe
  • Academic Head Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Northern Campus 成人大片

  Publication review - conduct between 20-30 reviews per year for major journals
  Editorial Boards - Journal Maternal Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, Am J of Perinatology

   

  Mentoring: He has supervised 20 PhDs to completion, currently supervises 4PhDs and mentors 3 post-doctoral researchers.

   

• Awards & Achievements

  • 2007: Mark Bonnin Prize for Clinical Teaching, Year 4-6 Medical Students
    The 成人大片
  • 2002: Mark Bonnin Prize for Clinical Teaching, Year 4-6 Medical Students
    The 成人大片

• Teaching Interests

  • Year 5 MBBS
  • SCAP
  • Research electives for 成人大片 and international students
  • Guest lecturerer
  • Interns, RMOS, registrars

• Publications

  1. Chappell LC, Seed PT, Myers J, Taylor RS, Kenny LC, Dekker GA, Walker JJ, McCowan LME, North RA, Poston L. Exploration and confirmation of factors associated with uncomplicated pregnancy in nulliparous women: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2013;347 [Epub ahead of print]
  2. O'Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, McMichael GL, Haan EA, Dekker GA. Single-nucleotide polymorphism associations with preterm delivery: a case-control replication study and meta-analysis. Pediatr Res. 2013 Oct;74(4):433-8.
  3. Dorniak-Wall T, Grivell RM, Dekker GA, Hague W, Dodd JM. The role of L-arginine in the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia: a systematic review of randomised trials. J Hum Hypertens. 2013 Oct 31 [Epub ahead of print]
  4. MCarthy FP, O'Keeffe LM, Khashan AS, North RA, Poston L, McCowan LM, Baker PN, Dekker GA, Roberts CT, Walker JJ, Kenny LC. Association between maternal alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Oct;122(4):830-7.
  5. McCarthy FP, Khashan AS, North RA, Rahma MB, Walker JJ, Baker PN, Dekker G, Poston L, McCowan LME, O'Donoghue K, Kenny LC on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. Pregnancy loss managed by cervical dilatation and curettage increases the risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Hum Reprod. 2013 Dec;28(12):3197-206
  6. Fyfe EM, Rivers KS, Thompson JMD, Thiyagarajan KPL, Groom KM, Dekker GA, McCowan LME. On behalf of the SCOPE consortium. Elevated maternal lipids in early pregnancy are not associated with risk of intrapartum caesarean in overweight and obese nulliparous women. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2013;13:143.
  7. McCowan LME, Thompson J, Taylor RS, North RA, Poston L, Baker PN, Myers J, Roberts CT, Dekker GA, Simpson NB, Walker JJ, Kenny LC. Clinical prediction of infants small for gestational age by customised birthweight centiles: Findings from a Healthy Nulliparous Cohort. PLoS One 2013 Aug 5;8(8):e70917.
  8. Robillard PY, Dekker G, Chaouat G. Fourteen years of debate and workshops on the immunology of preeclampsia. Where are we now after the 2012 workshop? J Reprod Immunol. 2013 Aug 2. [Epub ahead of print]
  9. O'Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, Gibson CS, McMichael GL, Haan EA, Broadbent JL, Baghurst PA, Goldwater PN, Dekker GA and for the Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group. Genetic and clinical contributions to cerebral palsy: A multi-variable analysis. J Paediatr Child Health, 2013;49:575-581.
  10. Myers JE, Kenny LC, McCowan LME, Chan EHY, Dekker GA, Poston L, Simpson NAB, North RA, on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. Angiogenic factors combined with clinical risk factors to predict preterm pre-eclampsia in nulliparous women: a predictive test accuracy study. BJOG. 2013 Sept;120(10):1215-1223.
  11. Zhou A, Dekker GA, Lumbers ER, Leemaqz SY, Thompson SD, Heinemann G, McCowan LM, Roberts CT; SCOPE Consortium. The association of maternal ACE A11860G with small for gestational age babies is modulated by the environment and by fetal sex: a multicentre prospective case-control study. Mol Hum Reprod. 2013 Sept:19(9):618-27.
  12. Sykes SD, Pringle KG, Zhou A, Dekker GA, Roberts CT, Lumbers ER and on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. The balance between human maternal plasma angiotensin II and angiotensin 1-7 levels in early gestation pregnancy is influenced by fetal sex. Journal of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System [Epub ahead of print - published online 25 February 2013]
  13. Tranquilli AL, Brown MA, Zeeman GG, Dekker G, Sibai BM. The definition of severe and early-onset preeclampsia. Statements from the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP). Pregnancy Hypertension: An International Journal of Women's Cardiovascular Health. 2013;3(1):44-47.
  14. Sykes SD, Pringle KG, Zhou A, Dekker GA, Roberts CT, Lumbers ER. Fetal sex and the circulating renin-angiotensin system during early gestation in women who later develop preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. J Hum Hypertens. 2013 Jun 20 [Epub ahead of print]
  15. Froessler B, Cocchiaro C, Saadat-Gilani K, Hodyl N, Dekker G. Intravenous iron sucrose versus oral iron ferrous sulphate for antenatal and post-partum iron deficiency anaemia: a randomised trial. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 May;26(7):654-9.
  16. Chung JG, Taylor RS, Thompson JM, Anderson NH, Dekker GA, Kenny LC, McCowan LM; SCOPE Consortium. Gestational weight gain and adverse pregnancy outcomes in a nulliparous cohort. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013 Apr;167(2):149-53.
  17. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Dissanayake VHW, Bianco-Miotto T, Jayasekara RW. Roberts CT. Vascular endothelial growth factor family gene polymorphisms in preeclampsia in Sinhalese women in Sri-Lanka. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 Mar;26(5):532-6.
  18. Zhou A, Dekker GA, Lumbers ER, Lee SY, Thompson SD, McCowan LM, Roberts CT; SCOPE consortium. The association of AGTR2 polymorphisms with preeclampsia and uterine artery bilateral notching is modulated by maternal BMI. Placenta. 2013 Jan; 34(1):75-81.
  19. Pasupathy D, McCowan LME, Poston L, Kenny LC, Dekker GA, North RA. Perinatal outcomes in large infants using customized birthweight centiles and conventional measures of high birthweight. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2012;26(6):543-552.
  20. Dekker GA, Lee SY, North RA, McCowan LM, Simpson NAB, Roberts CT. Risk factors for preterm birth in an international prospective cohort of nulliparous women. PLoS ONE 2012 July;7(7): e39154.
  21. Frederiks F, Lee S, Dekker G. Risk factors for failed induction in nulliparous women. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2012 Dec;25(12):2479-87.
  22. Smits LJ, North RA, Kenny LC, Myers J, Dekker GA, MCCowan LM. Patterns of vaginal bleeding during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and risk of preeclampsia in nulliparous women: results from the SCOPE study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2012 Nov;91(11):1331-8.
  23. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, Roberts CT. Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the KDR Gene in Pregnancies Complicated by Gestational Hypertensive Disorders and Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants. Reproductive Sciences 2012 May;19(5):547-554.
  24. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, North RA, McCowan LM, Roberts CT; on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. The interaction between the maternal BMI and angiogenic gene polymorphisms associates with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Mol Hum Reprod. 2012 Sept;18(9):459-465.
  25. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. The vascular endothelial growth factor family in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Human Reproduction Update 2012 Jul; 18(4):436-57.
  26. Lee SY, Lee SX, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. Multivariate Visual Clustering of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Clinical Predictors using Chernoff Faces. Proceedings of the 5th Annual Applied Statistics Education and Research Collaboration (ASEARC) Conference 2012:56-59.
  27. Anderson NH, McCowan LME, Fyfe EM, Chan EHY, Taylor RS, Stewart AW, Dekker GA, North RA, on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. The impact of maternal body mass index on the phenotype of pre-eclampsia: a prospective cohort study. BJOG, 2012 April; 119(5):589-595.
  28. Van Altvorst ME, Chan EH, Taylor RS, Kenny LC, Myers JE, Dekker GA, North RA, McCowan LM; SCOPE Consortium. Antepartum haemorrhage of unknown origin and maternal cigarette smoking beyond the first trimester. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol. 2012 April; 52(2):161-166.
  29. van Eerd EAM, Roex AJM, Nikpoor P, Dekker GA. Adverse perinatal outcome and maternal risk factors in population versus customized defined SGA babies. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2012 April; 25(4):369-373.
  30. McLintock C, Brighton T, Chunilal S, Dekker G, McDonnell N, McRae S, Muller P, Tran H, Walters BNJ, Young L. Recommendations for the prevention of pregnancy-associated venous thromboembolism. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol. 2012 Feb; 52(1):3-13.
  31. McLintock C, Brighton T, Chunilal S, Dekker G, McDonnell N, McRae S, Muller P, Tran H, Walters BNJ, Young L. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in pregnancy and the postpartum period. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol. 2012 Feb; 52(1):14-22.
  32. De Vries JIP, van Pampus MG, Hague WM, Bezemer PD, Joosten JH and on behalf of FRUIT Investigators. Low-molecular-weight heparin added to aspirin in the prevention of recurrent early-onset pre-eclampsia in women with inheritable thrombophilia: the FRUIT-RCT. J Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2012;10(1):64-72.
  33. McMichael G, MacLennan A, Gibson C, Alvino E, Goldwater P, Haan E, Dekker G. Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus may be associated with some cases of cerebral palsy. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2012 Oct;25(10):2078-81.
  34. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Laurence JA, Roberts CT. Placental expression of VEGF family mRNA in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placenta. 2012 Jun;33(6):467-472.
  35. Roex A, Nikpoor P, van Eerd E, Hodyl N, Dekker G. Serial plotting on customised fundal height charts results in doubling of the antenatal detection of small for gestational age fetuses in nulliparous women. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol. 2012; 52:78-82.
  36. O'Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, Gibson CS, McMichael GL, Haan EA, Broadbent JL, Goldwater PN, Painter JN, Montgomery GW, Dekker GA and for the Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group. Fetal and Maternal Candidate Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Associations With Cerebral Palsy: A Case-Control Study. Pediatrics. 2012 Feb;129(2):e414-e423.
  37. Crowther CA, Dodd JM, Hiller JE, Haslam RR, Robinson JS; Birth After Caesarean Study Group. Planned vaginal birth or elective repeat caesarean: patient preference restricted cohort with nested randomised trial. PLoS Med. 2012;9(3):e1001192.
  38. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, North RA, McCowan LME, Roberts CT, on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. A functional variant in ANGPT1 and the risk of pregnancies with hypertensive disorders and small for gestational age infants. Mol. Hum. Reprod. 2012 June;18(6):325-32.
  39. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, Nowak RC, Zhang JV, McCowan LME, North RA, Roberts CT. Association of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor +936 C/T Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism With Pregnancies Complicated by Small-for-Gestational-Age Babies. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011 Dec; 165:1123-1130.
  40. McCarthy FP, Khashan AS, North RA, Moss-Morris R, Baker PN, Dekker G, Poston L, Kenny LC on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. A Prospective Cohort Study Investigating Associations between Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Cognitive, Behavioural and Emotional Well-Being in Pregnancy. PLoS ONE 2011 Nov;6(11): e27678.
  41. Furness DLF, Yasin N, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, Roberts CT. Maternal red blood cell folate concentration at 10-12 weeks gestation and pregnancy outcome. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2012;25(8):1423-1427.
  42. Furness DLF, Fenech M, Dekker GA, Khong TY, Roberts CT, Hague WM. Folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and homocysteine: impact on pregnancy outcome. Matern Child Nutr. 2011 Oct:25(8):1423-1427.
  43. Andraweera PH, Dekker GA, Thompson SD, North RA, McCowan LME, Roberts CT, on behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. A functional variant in the thrombospondin-1 gene and the risk of small for gestational age infants. J Thromb Haemost. 2011 Nov; 9(11):2221-2228.
  44. O'Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, Gibson CS, McMichael GL, Haan EA, Broadbent JL, Goldwater PN, Dekker GA, for the Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group. Epidemiologic Associations with Cerebral Palsy. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Sept;118(3):576-582.
  45. Robillard PY, Dekker G, Chaouat G, Hulsey TC, Saftlas A. Epidemiological studies on primipaternity and immunology in preeclampsia - a statement after twelve years of workshops. J Reprod Immunol. 2011;89(2):104-17.
  46. Dekker G, Robillard PY, Roberts C. The etiology of preeclampsia: the role of the father. J Reprod Immunol. 2011;89(2):126-32.
  47. Furness DLF, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. DNA damage and health in pregnancy. J Reprod Immunol. 89(2):153-62
  48. North, RA, McCowan, LME, Dekker, GA, Poston L, Chan EHY, Stewart AW, Black MA, Taylor RS, Walker JJ, Baker PN, Kenny LC. Clinical risk prediction for pre-eclampsia in nulliparous women: development of model in international prospective cohort. BMJ. 2011 Apr;342:d1875
  49. Fyfe EM, Anderson NH, North RA, Chan EHY, Taylor RS, Dekker GA, McCowan LME, on behalf of the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) Consortium. Risk of First-Stage and Second-Stage Cesarean Delivery by Maternal Body Mass Index Among Nulliparous Women in Labor at Term. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 June;117(6):1315-1322.
  50. Gibson CS, Maclennan AH, Haan EA, Priest K, Dekker GA. Fetal MBL2 haplotypes combined with viral exposure are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2011 June;224(6):847-854.
  51. McCowan LME, North RA, Kho EM, Black MA, Chan EHY, Dekker GA, Poston L, Taylor RS, Roberts CT. Paternal contribution to small for gestational age babies: A multicenter prospective study. Obesity, 2011 May;19(5):1035-9.
  52. O'Callaghan ME, MacLennan AH, Gibson CS, McMichael GL, Haan EA, Broadbent J, Priest K, Goldwater PN, Dekker GA. The Australian cerebral palsy research study - Protocol for a national collaborative study investigating genomic and clinical associations with cerebral palsy. J Paediatr Child Health, 2011 Mar;47(3):99-110.
  53. McCowan LME, Roberts CT, Dekker GA, Taylor RS, Chan EHY, Kenny LC, Baker PN, Moss-Morris R, Chappell LC, North RA, On behalf of the SCOPE Consortium. Risk factors for small-for-gestational-age infants by customised birthweight centiles: data from an international prospective cohort study. BJOG, 2010 Dec;117(13):1599-1607.
  54. Dekker GA, Chan A, Luke CG, Priest K, Riley M, Halliday J, King JF, Gee V, O'Neill M, Snell M, Cull V, Cornes S. Risk of Uterine Rupture in Australian Women Attempting Vaginal Birth after One Prior Caesarean Section: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study. BJOG 2010;117(11):1358-1365.

• Professional Associations

  Current

  • Associate Editor Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
  • Representative International Society of Obstetric Medicine
  • Board Member International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy
  • Australian Representative International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
  • Member Editorial Board of Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation Journal
  • Board Member American Journal of Perinatology
  • Member ANZJOG Management Committee
  • Member RANZCOG Assessment Sub-Committee
  • Vice President International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy
  • South Australian Genetics Committee
  • Healthy Start Implementation Group, DHS
  • Northern Community Midwives Project 
  • Governing Council Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

  Previous

  • 2003 - 2010: Board Member RANZCOG Research Foundation Board of Directors 
  • 2005 - 2007: President Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand
  • 2008 - 2012: Member RANZCOG Research Foundation Board of Directors
  • 2009 - 2012: Council Member Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand
  • 2010 - 2012: Executive International Society of Obstetric Medicine
  • 2011 Chair SA Maternal Perinatal & Infant Mortality Committee

  Referee

  • NHMRC
  • The Lancet
  • American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
  • British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
  • Obstetrics & Gynaecology
  • Human Reproduction
  • European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Biology
  • Hypertension in Pregnancy
  • Fertility & Sterility
  • Critical Care

• Professional Interests

  • Australian & New Zealand Society of Obstetric Medicine
  • Dutch Intensive Care Society
  • Dutch Society of Haemostasis and Thrombosis
  • Dutch Society of Hypertension and Renal Physiology
  • Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Dutch Society of Perinatal Biology
  • International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy
  • International Society of Obstetric Medicine
  • International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
  • Organisation Gestosis (International)
  • Perinatal Society Australia/New Zealand
  • Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (USA)

• Files

  • table_for_gus.png [75.5K] (image/png)

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 29 Mar 2022

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