Nine HMRI and University of Newcastle researchers have collectively been awarded more than $13.5 million in competitive NHMRC grants to help find solutions for critical health issues.

$10.3m NHMRC Investigator grants help search for health solutions

Six University of Newcastle and HMRI researchers have been awarded more than $10.3m in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator grants to tackle health problems such as pre-term labour, schizophrenia, endometrial and lung cancers, as well as asthma.

In collaboration with Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)*, the Newcastle researchers will also use precision medicine to try and find improved and personalised treatments for people living with chronic disease and mental health conditions.

University of Newcastle Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Professor Zee Upton congratulated the researchers and their teams for pushing the frontiers in the race to solve some of the world’s most pressing health and medical challenges.

“This round of NHMRC Investigator grants, worth more than $10.3m, is our most successful to date. It recognises our researchers’ exceptional expertise in fields such asthma, cancer and pregnancy, as well as precision medicine – which uses genetics to identify new and personalised treatments for a range of chronic diseases.

“Their valuable work and commitment to identifying earlier detection tests and better treatments will lead to improved health and wellbeing of our communities. We are excited to see what future breakthroughs they will discover.”

The six successful NHMRC Investigators grants are awarded to:
 

Distinguished Laureate Professor Roger Smith  $2,953,040

Advancing treatment for preterm labour

Premature birth is a major cause of newborn baby deaths and lifelong disability. Current treatment can only delay birth for a few days. A new treatment developed by Professor Smith and his team is based on their studies of the uterus in labour. The team will combine drugs that block different pathways to arrest premature contractions with nucleic acid therapeutics to turn the contracting muscle back to a relaxed state. The drugs will be given in targeted nanoparticles that go just to the uterus, improving safety for mother and baby.

Professor Murray Cairns  $2,897,165

Using genetically informed precision medicine to improve the treatment of schizophrenia

The world urgently needs new treatments for schizophrenia that reach beyond the broad symptom categories to target the molecular basis of disease as it manifests in individuals. Professor Cairns’ research program will establish a new precision medicine approach that uses a patient’s genetic profile to specifically match their disease-associated biology with a broad spectrum of treatments, including existing medications used in psychiatry, as well as those currently used for other conditions.

Professor Peter Gibson  $2,553,040

Future frontiers in asthma

Led by Professor Gibson, this research program will investigate how different types of treatment can achieve the complete removal of asthma symptoms and attacks, called treatment-induced asthma remission. Clinical trials of treatments, their combination, as well as a digital asthma self-management intervention will be used. Possible tests of asthma remission will be characterised. The cost savings of achieving asthma remission, and consumer views about this new treatment outcome in asthma will be identified.

Dr Shafiq Syed  $662,040

Dietary and metabolic control of Axin2+ stem cells in endometrial physiology and cancer

While the incidence of most cancers is decreasing globally, endometrial cancer deaths are on the rise due to rising obesity. The underlying mechanisms are not known. Having recently identified the cell-of-origin for endometrial cancer puts Dr Syed in a unique position to investigate how obesity and high fat diet alter functioning of these critical cells during endometrial cancer initiation. The study will provide novel metabolic targets for endometrial cancer therapy and a rationale for modifying everyday diet to maintain a healthy state.

Dr Yuchen Feng  $579,632

Exploiting long noncoding RNAs for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment

Cancer cells exploit a newly discovered class of molecules for their growth and resistance to treatment. This research program led by Dr Feng will develop a better understanding of how these molecules influence lung cancer initiation and treatment response. It will also uncover new biomarkers that reveal the presence of lung cancer, as well as new molecular targets for anti-cancer drugs. Findings from this research will pave the way towards earlier detection of lung cancer and more effective cancer treatments.

Dr William Reay  $662,040

Using genetics to improve the clinical management of common, chronic disorders and enable precision medicine

Millions of Australians live with chronic disorders, which are conditions that can last years and include diagnoses like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Many individuals do not respond well to current treatments for these disorders, and it is often difficult to uncover why this is the case. Dr Reay’s research aims to use genetics to both identify new and better treatments for these disorders, as well as target them to patients more effectively.

$3.6m NHMRC funding fuels innovative ideas

Premature birth, severe asthma and sperm stress will be a key focus for innovative researchers from the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), who were successful in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grants.

More than $3.6m will be allocated to three Newcastle research projects aiming to understand, address and reduce the severity of these specific diseases and conditions.

The successful NHMRC Ideas grants were awarded to:

Professor Craig Pennell  $1,363,053

Precision medicine tools to predict spontaneous preterm birth in early pregnancy

Preterm birth is the greatest cause of death and disability in children under five. Rates have remained unchanged for the last 10 years. Current tools to predict preterm birth early in pregnancy are poor and the ability to predict which interventions will be successful in high-risk women are limited. Building on 15 years of research, Professor Pennell and his team will use their previously successful bioinformatic pipeline to develop new genomic tools to predict preterm birth early in pregnancy in both low and high-risk women.

Professor Jay Horvat  $1,299,359

Manipulating iron metabolism in the airway mucosa for the treatment of severe asthma and COPD

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for significant premature death, chronic suffering and massive health care costs in Australia. Professor Horvat and his team conducted world first studies to show that altered iron levels in the airways affects disease severity in both asthma and COPD. In this study they will investigate how altered iron levels in the airways affects disease and test therapies that correct altered iron levels in the airways for the treatment of both asthma and COPD.

Professor Brett Nixon  $983,387

Targeting the epididymis to protect the integrity of the sperm epigenome

This project will enhance understanding of the molecular pathways by which environmental signals received by a father are transmitted to their offspring. Specifically, the team will determine how the male reproductive tract (epididymis) conveys epigenetic, environmental stress information onto sperm to influence offspring health. This work has major public health and socioeconomic implications in terms of minimising the risk of future generations inheriting stress-related health disorders.

The Ideas Grant scheme supports innovative research that contributes to the health of all Australians.

NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh said the scheme provided opportunities for researchers at every career stage to translate their ideas, whether it be formed in the laboratory, in the clinic or in the community, into deliverable evidence-based outcomes.

“The diversity across researcher career stage, discipline, disease focus and location will support a wide array of new research and answer some of Australia’s burning health and medical questions.”