RESEARCH
Damon’s major research interests are in the fields of cardiometabolic medicine and specifically include; lipid disorders, familial hypercholesterolaemia, cardiac markers, hypertension and diabetes. He has a PhD entitled ‘Optimising strategies for the detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia’ from the University of Western Australia. He has a strong interest in uncovering a patient's genetic predisposition to metabolic conditions and exploring the interaction these have with different environmental triggers to assist personalising medical therapy for his patients.
PUBLICATIONS
Recent publications currently being updated.
Chan DC, Pang J, Hooper AJ, Bell DA, Burnett JR, Watts GF. Effect of lipoprotein(a) on the diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia: Does it make a difference in the clinic? Clin Chem 2019;65(10)1258-1266.
Ellis KL, Hooper AJ, Pang J, Chan DC, Burnett JR, Bell DA, Schultz CJ, Moses EK, Watts GF. A genetic risk score predicts coronary artery disease in familial hypercholesterolaemia: Enhancing the precision of risk assessment. Clin Genet 2019. Doi.org/10.1111/cge.13648
Lan NSR, Fegan PG, Rankin JM, Bell DA, Watts GF, Yeap BB. Implementing simple algorithms to improve glucose and lipid management in people with diabetes and acute coronary syndrome. Diabet Med. 2019. Doi.org/10.1111/dme.14095
Lan NSR, Bell DA, McCaul KA, Vasikaran SD, Yeap BB, Norman PE, Almeida OP, Colledge J, Hankey GJ, Flicker L. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I improves cardiovascular risk prediction in older men: HIMS (health in men study). J Am Heart Assoc 2019;8(5):e011818
Lan NSR, Yeap BB, Bell DA, Watts GF, Fegan PG. Patients with type 1 diabetes in a tertiary setting do not attain recommended lipid targets. Diabetes Metab. 2019 Jan 1. pii: S1262-3636(18)30223-4. doi: 10.1016/j.diabet.2018.12.002.
Lan NSR, Fegan PG, Yeap BB, Bell DA, Watts GF. Dyslipidaemia in adults with type 1 diabetes – when to treat? Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews 35 (1), e3090
Ng DM, Burnett JR, Bell DA, Hegele RA, Hooper AJ. Update on the diagnosis, treatment and management of rare genetic lipid disorders. Pathology 2019;51(2):193-201.
Lan NR, Martin MC, Brett T, Watts GF, Bell DA. Improving the detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Pathology 2019;51(2):213-221.
Hooper AJ, Burnett JR, Bell DA, Watts GF. The present and future of genetic testing in familial hypercholesterolemia. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2018;20(6)31.
Pang J, Martin AC, Bates TR, Hooper AJ, Bell DA, Burnett JR, Norman R, Watts GF. Parent-child genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia in an Australian context. J Paediatr Child Health 2018;54(7):741-747.
Ellis KL, Pang J, Chieng D, Bell DA, Burnett JR, Schultz CJ, Hillis GS, Watts GF. Elevated lipoprotein (a) and familial hypercholesterolaemia in the coronary care unit: between Scylla and Charybdis. Clin Cardio 2018; 41: 378-384.
Chan D, Pang J, Hooper, AJ, Bell DA, Bates TR, Burnett JR, Watts, GF. A comparative analysis of phenotypic predictors of mutations in familial hypercholesterolaemia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018; 103: 1704-1714.
Arnold-Reed DE, Brett T, Troeung L, Vickery A, Garton-Smith J, Bell DA, Pang J, Grace T, Bulsara C, Li I, Bulsara M, Watts GF. Detection and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care in Australia: protocol for a pragmatic cluster intervention study with pre-post intervention comparisons. BMJ Open 2017; 7(10): e017539.
Martin A, Bell DA, Brett T, Watts GF. Recent advances in the detection of FH: Beyond cascade screening. Curr Opin Lipidol 2017; 28(4): 321-327.
Bender R, Njue F, Vasikaran S, Lambert R, Rankin J, Hillis GS, Bell DA. Impact of the Australian gender specific thresholds using the Abbott high sensitivity troponin I assay in clinical care. Pathology 2017; 49(5): 514-517.
Hooper AJ, Bell DA, Hegele RA, Burnett JR. Clinical utility gene card: Sitosterolaemia. Eur J Hum Genet 2017; 25(4) e1-e3.
Carnagarin R, Gregory C, Azzam O, Hillis GS, Schultz C, Watts GF, Bell DA, Matthews GF, Schlaich MP. The role of sympatho-inhibition in combination treatment of obesity related hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep,2017; 19(12): 99
Ellis K, Pang J, Chan D, Hooper AJ, Bell DA, Burnett JR, Watts GF. Familial combined hypercholesterolaemia and hyperlipoprotein (a) as mimics of familial hypercholesterolaemia: Frequencies, associations and predictions. J Clin Lipidol 2016 10(6): 1329-1337.Bell DA, Watts GF. Progress in the care of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Med J Aust. 2016 (In Press)
Bender R, Edwards G, McMahon J, Hooper AJ, Watts GF, Burnett JR, Bell DA. Interpretative comments specifically suggesting specialist referral increase the detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Pathology 2016; 48(5): 463-466.
Cooke D, Cooke B, Bell DA, Vasikaran S, Glendenning P. 25-hydroxyvitamin D C3-epimer is universally present in neonatal Western Australian samples, but is unlikely to contribute to diagnostic misclassification. Ann Clin Biochem 2016; 53(5): 593-598.
Bell DA, Watts GF. Familial hypercholesterolaemia. Detect an individual, treat the extended family. Cardiology Today 2016; 6(1):31-33.
Bell DA, Watts GF. Screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia: Primary care applications. Clin Lipidol 2015; 10(4): 295-298.
Brett T, Watts GF, Garton-Smith J, Bell DA, Vickery AW, Pang J Arnold-Reed DE. Familial hypercholesterolaemia challenges in primary care. Med Today, 2015; 16(8): 20-26.
Brett T, Watts GF, Arnold-Reed DE, Bell DA, Garton-Smith J, Vickery AW, Ryan JDM, Pang J. Challenges in the care of familial hypercholesterolaemia: a community care perspective. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2015; 13(10): 1091-1100.
Pang J, Poulter EB, Bell DA, Bates TR, Jefferson V, Hillis GS, Schultz CJ, Watts GF. Frequency of familial hypercholesterolaemia in patients with early-onset coronary artery disease admitted to a coronary care unit. J Clin Lipidol 2015; 9(5): 703-708.
Chan DC, Pang J, Hooper AJ, Burnett JR, Bell DA, Bates T, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF. Elevated Lipoprotein(a), hypertension and renal insufficiency as predictors of coronary artery disease in patients with genetically confirmed heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Int J Cardiol 2015; 201: 633-638.
Bell DA, Watts GF. Contemporary and novel therapeutic options for hypertriglyceridaemia. Clin Ther 2015; 37(12): 2732-2750.
Bell DA, Edwards G, Hooper A, McMahon J, van Bockxmeer F, Watts G, Burnett J. Using an expert computer system to augment familial hypercholesterolaemia detection in a community laboratory. Clin Chim Acta 2015; 448: 18-21.
Othman NO, Docherty PD, Krebs JD, Bell DA, Chase JG. The necessity of identifying the basal glucose set-point in the IVGTT for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Biomed Eng Online. 2015 14:18 doi:10.1186/s12938-015-0015-7.
Williams RA, Hooper AJ, Bell DA, Mamotte CDS, Burnett JR. Plasma cholesterol in adults with phenylketonuria. Pathology 2015; 47(2): 134-137.
Bell DA, Pang J, Burrows S, Bates TR, van Bockxmeer FM, Hooper AJ, O’Learly P, Burnett JR, Watts GF. Effectiveness of genetic cascade screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia using a centrally coordinated clinical service: an Australian experience. Atherosclerosis 2015; 293(1): 93-100.
Kirke AJ, Barbour R, Burrows S, Bell DA, Emery J, Watts GF. Systematic detection of familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care: A comparison of three methods. Heart Lung Circ 2014; 24(3): 250-256.
Burnett JR, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Hegele RA. Clinical utility gene card: abetalipoproteinaemia – Update 2014. Eur J Hum Genet 2014. doi:10.1038/ejhg.2014. 224.
Burnett JR, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Hegele RA. Clinical utility gene card: familial hypobetalipoproteinaemia (APOB) – Update 2014. Eur J Hum Genet 2014. doi:10.1038/ejhg.2014. 225.
Vickery AW, Bell D, Garton-Smith J, Kirke AB, Pang J, Watts GF. Optimising the detection and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia: Central role of primary care and its integration with specialist services. Heart Lung and Circ 2014; 23(12): 1158-1164.
Bell DA, Kirke, AB, Barbour R, Southwell L, Pang J, Burrows S, Watts GF. Can patients be accurately assessed for familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care? Heart Lunc Circ 2014; 23(12): 1153-1157.
Glendenning P, Bell DA, Clifton-Bligh RJ. Investigating hypophosphataemia. BMJ; 348: g3172.
Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Edwards G, Southwell L, Pang J, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Detecting familial hypercholesterolaemia in the community: Impact of a telephone call from a chemical pathologist to the requesting general practitioner. Atherosclerosis 2014; 234: 467-472.
Bell DA, Watts GF. Re: Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: An under-recognised but significant concern in cardiology practice. Clin Cardio 2014; 37(6): 386-387.
Page MM, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Lipoprotein apheresis and new therapies for severe familial hypercholesterolaemia in adults and children. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2014; 28: 387-403.
Jervis L, Hanson M, Bell DA, Krass I, Watts GF. An audit of Pharmacists’ knowledge of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: Implications for community healthcare. Australian Pharmacist 2013 July.
Bell DA, Garton-Smith J, Vickery A, Kirke AB, Pang J, Bates TR, Watts GF. Familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care: Knowledge and practices among general practitioners in Western Australia. Heart Lung Circ 2014; 23: 309-313.
Bell DA, Crooke MJ, Hay N, Glendenning P. Prolonged vitamin D intoxication: presentation, pathogenesis and progression. Intern Med J 2013; 43: 1148-1150.
Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Bender R, McMahon J, Edwards G, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Impact of interpretative commenting on lipid profiles in people at high risk of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Clin Chim Acta 2013; 422: 21-25.
Krebs JD, Bell D, Hall R, Parry-Strong A, Docherty P, Clarke K, Chase JG. Improvements in glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity with a low-carbohydrate diet in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. J Am Coll Nutr 2013; 32: 11-17.
Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Watts GF, Burnett RB. Mipomersen and other therapies for the treatment of severe familial hypercholesterolaemia. Vasc Health Risk Manag 2012; 8: 651-659.
Hooper AJ, Nguyen LT, Burnett JR, Bates TR, Bell DA, Redgrave TG, Watts GF, van Bockxmeer FM. Genetic analysis of familial hypercholesterolaemia in Western Australia. Atherosclerosis 2012; 224: 430-434.
Bell DA, Florkowski CM, Lewis JG, Crooke MJ. Plasma poltergeists: A negative cortisol interference leading to a false diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency? Clin Chim Acta 2012; 413: 1298-1300.
Bell DA, Bender R, Hooper AJ, McMahon J, Edwards G, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Opportunistic screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia via the community laboratory. Ann Clin Biochem 2012; 49:534-7.
Burnett JR, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Hegele RA. Clinical utility gene card: abetalipoproteinaemia. Eur J Hum Genet 2012; 20(8). doi:10.1038/ejhg.2012. 30.
Burnett JR, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Hegele RA. Clinical utility gene card: familial hypobetalipoproteinaemia (APOB). Eur J Hum Genet 2012; 20(8). doi:10.1038/ejhg.2012. 85.
Krebs JK, Elley CR, Parry-Strong A, Lunt H, Drury PL, Bell DA, Robinson E, Moyes SA, Mann JI. Diabetes Excess Weight Loss (DEWL) Trial: a randomised control trial of high protein versus high carbohydrate diets over 2 years in type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia 2012; 55: 904-914.
Bell DA, Hoad K, Leong L, Abu Bakar J, Sheehan P, Vasikaran S. An HPLC method for separation of prolactin forms. Ann Clin Biochem 2012; 49: 285-8.
Bender R, Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Edwards G, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia. Pathology 2012; 44: 122-128.
Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Bender R, Edwards G, van Bockxmeer FM, Watts GF, Burnett JR. Screening for lipid disorders. Pathology 2012; 44: 115-121.
Foo J, Krebs JK, Thomas M, Bell D, Macartney-Cox D, Croft T, Stubbs RS. Studies in insulin resistance following very low calorie diet and/or gastric bypass Surgery. Obes Surg 2011; 21: 1914-20.
Bell DA, Hooper AJ, Burnett JR. Mipomersen, an antisense apolipoprotein B synthesis inhibitor. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2011; 20: 1-8.
McLoughlan PD, Bell DA. Hartman’s solution – osmolality and lactate. Anaesth Intens Care 2010; 38: 1135-1136.
Bell D, A Huddart, J Krebs. Driving and insulin treated diabetes: comparing practices in Scotland and New Zealand. Diabet Med 2010; 27: 1093-1095.
Rosemergy I, Bell D, Jayathissa, S. Clinical orientation program for new medical registrars – a qualitative evaluation. Aust Health Rev 2009; 33: 57-61.
Bell D, McAuley KA, Mann J, Murphy E, Williams S. The hypertriglyceridaemic waist in New Zealand Maori. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 2004; 13: 74-77.
McAuley KA, Bell D, Williams S, Murphy E, Wilson N, Mann J, Thomson R, McLay RT, Chisholm A, Story G. Implementation of a successful lifestyle intervention programme for New Zealand Maori to reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 2003; 12: 423-426.
Murphy E, McAuley KA, Bell D, Williams S, Wilson N, Mann J, Thomson R, McLay RT, Chisholm A, Story G. A new approach to implement a lifestyle intervention programme to prevent type 2 diabetes in New Zealand Maori. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 2003; 12: 419-422.