Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the Hunter Region has one of the highest rates of heart disease in Australia.
moreCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia accounting for 30% of all deaths with an estimated 22% of Australian experiencing cardiovascular disease at some point in their life. (Source - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).
The cardiovascular group at HMRI researches the causes, treatments and management of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular health amongst Australians of all ages to improve the health outcomes of the single largest cause of disease burden in our Country.
Cardiovascular disease is a term that encompasses heart disease and conditions of the blood vessels. Led by three diverse and talented researchers, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Professor Andrew Boyle and Professor Ron Plotnikoff, researchers in the HMRI cardiovascular research group are successfully researching various aspects of cardiovascular health and managing numerous clinical trials and community interventions.
In conjunction with the University of Newcastle’s Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition and the Hunter New England Local Health District, researchers in the HMRI cardiovascular research group study a range of research focuses aimed at improving cardiovascular health. From the structure of the heart, the effect of the diet and exercise on the risk for cardiovascular disease, through to clinical interventions and stem cell therapy for damaged heart muscle, the HMRI cardiovascular group is uniquely positioned to improve health outcomes for community by combining basic laboratory researchers with clinical cardiologists and nutritionists alike.
Within the HMRI cardiovascular program, Hunter researchers are working to understand a number of aspects of cardiovascular health including:
Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the Hunter Region has one of the highest rates of heart disease in Australia.
moreProfessor Ronald Plotnikoff, Wendy Brown, Kerry Courneya, Ronald Sigal, Associate Professor Erica James, Professor David Lubans, Kristen Cohen
People who are 'at risk' of type 2 diabetes, or have pre diabetes, or have type 2 diabetes comprise a significant proportion of the Australian population and this health issue in increasing at a very significant rate.
moreSean Hardy
The role of extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) in cardiac fibrosis.
moreSarah Kennedy
Physical inactivity has been described as a global pandemic, as it is one of the leading causes of death and disability in Australia and globally. It is directly linked to chronic conditions including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and some cancers.
moreRebecca Haslam
To be used as a conference travel award for a late-stage PhD student or and Early Career Researcher, researching in the fields of physical activity or exercise science.
morePhase I of this study will investigate feasibility and efficacy of a self-help, gender-tailored weight loss program for male workers with or without the provision of additional program components targeting stress and mental health (SHED-IT only vs. SHED-IT plus SHED-IT: Recharge).
moreCardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and the Hunter Region has one of the highest rates of heart disease in Australia.
moreProf Clare Collins, Dr Lee Ashton
This project will undertake preliminary work to inform future grants and development of a personalised web-platform that supports pregnant women to optimise their dietary intakes. If a woman’s diet is compromised in pregnancy, evidence from the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis indicates the foetus is programmed for a greater lifetime risk of chronic disease. Currently pregnant women are not routinely given advice on how to eat optimally as a way to give infants the best start to life. It is left to chance or the woman seeking information herself. This is a missed opportunity.
moreProf Ronald Plotnikoff, Wendy Brown, Kerry Courneya, Ronald Sigal, Erica James, David Lubans, Kristen Cohen
Prof Peter Howe, Dr Rachel Wong, Prof Lyn Griffiths
Migraines are headaches so severe that the World Health Organisation regards them as a form of temporary disability. A throbbing, often unilateral headache lasts from several hours to days and may be accompanied by nausea or a combination of photophobia and phonophobia. In ~20% of cases it is preceded by an aura. Estimated to afflict 15% of Australians, migraines vary considerably in characteristics but are identifiable by internationally classified criteria. The causes of migraine are thought to include both cerebrovascular and neuronal mechanisms to which individuals are genetically or hormonally predisposed. Women are 2-3 times as susceptible as men, particularly during menstruation and perimenopausally, when migraine without aura may result from sudden changes in circulating estrogen, other hormones or prostaglandins. Hormone replacement therapy or phytoestrogen supplementation may help in some cases, although the evidence is weak and mechanisms are unclear.
moreProf Clare Collins, Neil Spratt, Rebecca Williams, Megan Rollo
Migraine is common with 1 in 5 Australian women and 1 in 10 men regularly experiencing migraine at same stage in their lifetime. Migraines can start in childhood or adolescence but have a peak prevalence around the age of 35 to 45 years. It can be severely debilitating, often requiring time off school and work, and adversely impacting on daily activities and quality of life.
Currently, despite individuals commonly reporting dietary triggers for migraine (e.g. cheese, chocolate, alcohol or other specific foods), no dietary advice is given to those with migraine as part of usual treatment. Our review of research evidence suggests specific nutritional approaches could help manage headaches and indicates this warrants careful evaluation in a randomised controlled trial.
moreDr Rachel Wong, Dr Ryu Takechi, Prof Peter Howe, Dr Matthew Albrecht
Owing to better therapies, patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are living longer and are now a unique population that has been little studied. Differing from type 2 diabetes (T2D), the onset of T1D is usually juvenile, but it is increasingly diagnosed in adulthood, requiring immediate insulin therapy. Regardless, T1D and T2D share a common sequelae of blood vessel damage and accelerated cognitive decline. Even children and adolescents with T1D display early declines in executive function and short-term working memory and impaired growth and plasticity of brain tissues, thereby compromising learning in school.
moreA/Prof Vivienne Chuter, Dr Peta Tehan, Dr Martin Spink, Dr Fiona Hawke
Diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation and is associated with a life-time incidence of foot ulcer of up to 25%. In Australia approximately 56 000 people are affected by diabetic foot ulcers every year. Foot ulcer development precedes amputation in 85% of all lower limb amputation cases and amputation itself is associated with a 50%, five year mortality rate. Seventy Australians undergo a diabetes-related lower limb or foot amputation every week. Recent estimates suggest that diabetic foot ulcers and amputations cost the Australian healthcare system over $600 million annually.
moreThe left atrium (LA) is one of the four chambers of the heart. Its primary roles are to act as a holding chamber for blood returning from the lungs and to act as a pump to transport blood to the left ventricle of the heart, after which the blood flows to the body.
moreDr Narelle Eather, Dr Jordan Smith, Dr Nick Riley, Dr Drew Miller
15 x ActiGraphTM GT9X Bluetooth enabled Link accelerometers - research grade monitors used for assessing free-living physical activity.
moreThe Gene Pulser Xcell system is a modular electroporation system for transfecting every cell type.
moreMs Li Kheng Chai, Dr Tracy Burrows, Prof Clare Collins
Prof Phil Morgan, Prof David Lubans, Dr Myles Young, Dr Alyce Barnes, Dr Narelle Eather, Ms Emma Pollock
This three year phase of the Dads and Daughter Exercising and Empowered (DADEE) project aims to transition the DADEE program to a sustainable model embedded in the Newcastle community, capitalising on the achievements of the initial 2014-2016 grant period.
moreProfessor Ronald Plotnikoff, Wendy Brown, Kerry Courneya, Ronald Sigal, Associate Professor Erica James, Professor David Lubans, Kristen Cohen
People who are 'at risk' of type 2 diabetes, or have pre diabetes, or have type 2 diabetes comprise a significant proportion of the Australian population and this health issue in increasing at a very significant rate.
moreProfessor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Dexmedetomidine is an intravenous sedative drug with increasing clinical use anaesthesia and intensive care. The drug acts within the central nervous system (CNS) and has potential adverse effects on the control of breathing and the circulation.
moreDecades of research has demonstrated the important role of cardiovascular fitness for health (Blair et al., 1996). Consequently, ‘aerobic’ physical activities have long been prescribed to children and adolescents. However, recently updated physical activity guidelines now recommend 5 to 18 year olds also regularly engage in muscle-strengthening physical activities (MSPA) (Department of Health, 2014).
moreThis project will focus on providing telehealth nutrition intervention for rural parents who are concerned about their child’s weight or eating habits.
moreProfessor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Tracy Burrows
Professor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Tracy Burrows, Dr Melinda Hutchesson
This grant will support our eHealth research project measuring the impact of web-based feedback on dietary intake in improving eating patterns and health.
moreDr Megan Rollo, Professor Clare Collins, Dr Melinda Hutchesson, Professor Robin Callister
Pregnancy is like a stress test, revealing a woman's long term risk to developing Type II Diabetes. Post delivery is the ideal time to address lifestyle risk factors but many women with gestational diabetes report a lack of support at this crucial time.
moreFathers have a unique and key role in shaping their children's dietary and physical activity behaviors and emerging evidence suggests suboptimal physical activity and dietary behaviours of fathers may be passed on to their children at a very young age.
moreDr Kirrilly Pursey
Kirrilly is an Accredited Practising Dietician, and was recently awarded her PhD investigating whether food addiction exists in young Australian adults.
moreFollowing a cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack) the heart undergoes significant physical changes, including an increase in scar tissue, changes in morphology and decreased functional capacity (heart remodelling).
moreJessica Ferguson
This scholarship will support Jessica’s PhD, titled “Optimising lipid-lowering ability of dietary phytosterols for reducing cardiovascular disease risk”.
moreTracy, a member of HMRI's Cardiovascular Research Program, aspires not only be a leading researcher but also a research leader and was recently named a 2016 NSW Young Tall Poppy of the Year. Tracy will use the Equal Futures funding to access one on one leadership mentoring with the Institute of Executive Coaching and leadership.
moreTrent Williams
Cardiac catheterisation and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are commonly performed procedures to investigate and manage cardiac disease.
moreHeart failure is one of the most costly health problems worldwide. A hallmark of heart failure is cardiac fibrosis, an abnormal and persistent accumulation of scar tissue (mainly the extracellular matrix protein, collagen) that significantly impairs heart function.
moreProfessor Philip Morgan, A/Prof David Lubans, Ms Alyce Cook, Mrs Narelle Eather
Engaging dads and daughters to increase physical activity and social and emotional well-being in pre-adolescent girls: The DADEE (Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered) program
moreProfessor Ronald Plotnikoff, Wendy Brown, Kerry Courneya, Ronald Sigal, Associate Professor Erica James, Professor David Lubans, Kristen Cohen
People who are 'at risk' of type 2 diabetes, or have pre diabetes, or have type 2 diabetes comprise a significant proportion of the Australian population and this health issue in increasing at a very significant rate.
moreProfessor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Tracy Burrows and Dr Melinda Hutchesson
$10K to support our eHealth research project measuring the impact of web-based feedback on dietary intake in improving eating patterns and health. We have a trial approved through ethics, but no $$ to test the impact on dietary intake, hence this will fund this pilot study.
Professor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Tracy Burrows
$10K for a PhD top-up for Katherine Brain who is doing her PhD on Nutrition and Pain and has just converted to full time after securing a basis scholarship (CIs are myself, Dr Megan Rollo and Dr Tracy Burrows)
The Greaves Family Early Career Support grant will enure Myles Young can extend his research with the SHED-IT weight loss program to achieve his goal of becoming an independent and internationally reputable early career researcher in the Hunter Region.
moreProfessor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Dopamine and droperidol are drugs used in modern anaesthetic practice. Both drugs are known to modulate carotid body function via an action on dopamine type-2 receptors.
moreDr Vivienne Chuter, Ms Peta Craike
Diabetes is associated with significant risk of disease of both the large and small blood vessels.
moreProfessor Ronald Plotnikoff, Wendy Brown, Kerry Courneya, Ronald Sigal, Erica James, David Lubans, Kristen Cohen
People who are 'at risk' of type 2 diabetes, or have pre diabetes, or have type 2 diabetes comprise a significant proportion of the Australian population and this health issue in increasing at a very significant rate.
moreMs Kristine Pezdirc
Funding to IMCAS is devoted to education in the field of cosmetic dermatology, cosmetic surgery and cosmeceuticals.
moreIf successful, this grant would allow me to travel to Edinburgh to deliver an oral presentation of my PhD research in men’s weight loss at the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Conference.
moreMs Lisa Spencer, Professor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Melinda Hutchesson
The aim of my PhD is to investigate effective and innovative approaches to managing weight during pregnancy and following childbirth.
moreProfessor Philip Morgan, Associate Professor David Lubans, Ms Alyce Cook, Mrs Narelle Eather
Engaging dads and daughters to increase physical activity and social and emotional well-being in pre-adolescent girls.
moreAssociate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Many commonly used anaesthetic drugs alter respiratory and cardiovascular control mechanisms, interfering with the life-preserving homeostatic reflexes.
moreProfessor Clare Collins, Dr Megan Rollo, Dr Melinda Hutchesson
This project will translate a successful pilot intervention for weight management in pregnancy and post-partum undertaken at the John Hunter Hospital antenatal clinics, the ‘Bouncing Back to a Pre-Baby Body’ (BBB) program, into an online program.
moreConjoint Associate Professor Alastair Gillies, Zaw Thet
40% of all type 2 diabetics will develop diabetic nephropathy (DN), which is the leading cause of end stage kidney failure in Australia and around the world.
moreMr Lee Ashton, Professor Clare Collins
Despite young men having a high prevalence of health risk behaviours, they generally do not participate in health promotion programs and there are limited programs specifically designed to cater for the needs and preferences of this group.
moreAssociate Professor David Lubans, Ron Plotnikoff, Dennis Taaffe, Narelle Eather, Sarah Costigan
Considerable evidence exists supporting the health benefits of youth engaging in regular physical activity yet physical inactivity in adolescence remains widespread.
moreFollowing a heart attack, a large proportion of the heart muscle is replaced by scar tissue. This results in a weaker heart and the clinical syndrome of heart failure. There is currently no treatment for scar tissue in the heart.
moreProfessor Clare Collins, Frances Kay-Lambkin, Melinda Hutchesson, Philip Morgan, Megan Rollo, Robin Callister, Geoff Skinner
Consistent evidence confirms that excessive stress can adversely affect physical and mental health.
moreProfessor Philip Morgan, Associate Professor David Lubans, Ms Alyce Cook, Mrs Narelle Eather
Engaging dads and daughters to increase physical activity and social and emotional well-being in pre-adolescent girls
moreMs Kirrilly Pursey
The term ‘food addiction’ (FA) has been popularised and commonly used to describe an abnormal pattern of excessive consumption (1-3).
moreChildren whose parents suffer a heart attack or stroke prematurely are at a particularly high risk, inheriting a predisposition to heart disease as well as their parent’s eating habits and lifestyle behaviours.
moreKristine Pezdirc, Professor Clare Collins and Dr Melinda Neve
Young women are vulnerable to weight gain, which places them at risk of weight related co-morbidities, such as depression, infertility and Type 2 Diabetes.
moreOne third of Australian children are not sufficiently active of good health and this is particularly true of children from disadvantaged schools.
moreProfessor Anthony Quail
"When animals and humans experience low levels of oxygen, there are several reflex responses that occur called cardiorespiratory responses, which help to reduce the effect of low oxygen (hypoxia) on the body.
moreProfessor Clare Collins, Melinda Hutchinson, Megan Rollo, Philip Morgan
Professor Clare Collins, Lee Ashton
Dr Brendan Plunkett, Manohar Garg, Peter Howe
Comparing the body’s response to diet and exercise in overweight men and women
moreFinding the right approach to help patients with type 2 Diabetes become active
moreProfessor Philip Morgan, David Lubans, Narelle Eather, Alyce Cook
Engaging fathers to improve physical activity levels and social-emotional well-being in their daughters
moreAssociate Professor David Lubans, Ron Plotnikoff, Philip Morgan, Chris Lonsdale, Amanda Baker, Geoff Skinner, Narelle Eather
Children’s screen-time is high. The time that young people spend sedentary, especially the time they spend alone watching television and using computers, is a major public health issue.
moreTransition of HDHK program from researcher-run model to a community-run model over 12 months.
moreDigestive disorders remain a major health burden.
moreChildren whose parents suffer a heart attack or stroke prematurely are at a particularly high risk, inheriting a predisposition to heart disease as well as their parent’s eating habits and lifestyle behaviours.
Kristine Pezdirc,Professor Clare Collins, Dr Melinda Neve
Young women are vulnerable to weight gain, which places them at risk of weight related co-morbidities, such as depression, infertility and Type 2 Diabetes.
moreOne third of Australian children are not sufficiently active of good health and this is particularly true of children from disadvantaged schools.
moreAssociate Professor Philip Morgan, Victoria Clay, Professor Clare Collins, Ron Plotnikoff, David Lubans, Robin Callister, Richard Fle, Drew Miller
In 2008-09, a rigorous, randomised controlled trial of the Healthy Dad, Healthy Kids (HDHK) program was conducted at the University of Newcastle.
moreAssociate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Many commonly used anaesthetic drugs alter respiratory and cardiovascular control mechanisms, interfering with the life-preserving homeostatic reflexes.
moreProfessor Anthony Quail
Associate Professor Philip Morgan, Victoria Clay, Professor Clare Collins, Ron Plotnikoff, David Lubans, Robin Callister, Richard Fle, Drew Miller
Kristine Pezdirc, Professor Clare Collins and Dr Melinda Neve
Associate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Dr Tracy Burrows, Professor Clare Collins, Professor Robin Callister, Dr Amand Nagle
Professor Manohar Garg, Lisa Wood, Hishyar Najeeb
Associate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Associate Professor Eugene Nalivaiko, Lisa Lincz
Professor Clare Collins, Carmel Smart, Bruce King, Patrick McElduff
There has been considerable research into the use of exercise for the treatment of depression in adults, however the majority of research in adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) over the past decade has focused on the efficacy of medications and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), with these methods only achieving rates of remission of 30% to 40% and high rates of relapse among those responding positively (Kennard et al., 2006).
moreAssociate Professor Philip Morgan, Richard Fletcher, Craig Hammond, John Lester, Professor Clare Collins, Robin Callister, Tracy Burrows
Dr Suku Thambar
Associate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Associate Professor Philip Morgan, Victoria Clay, Professor Clare Collins, Ron Plotnikoff, David Lubans, Robin Callister, Richard Fle, Drew Miller
Associate Professor Clare Collins, Dr Ian Wright
Associate Professor Clare Collins, Michelle Blumfield
Associate Professor Anthony Quail, Associate Professor David Cottee
Associate Professor Philip Morgan, Professor Clare Collins, David Lubans, Robin Callister, Richard Fletcher, J Warren, Tony Oakely
Associate Professor Derek Laver, Dr Elizabeth A Milward, Associate Professor Dirk Van Helden, Professor Rodney Scott
Dr Peter Fletcher
Dr Peter Fletcher
Prof Kenneth Nunn, Mel Hart, Lauren Williams
Professor Peter Fletcher
Ms Adrianne Milward
Associate Professor Jon Silberberg, Ben Ewald
Dr David Cottee, Associate Professor Saxon White, Dr Tony Quail
Dr Clare Collins, Associate Professor M Garg, Dr Michael Dibley
Dr Suku Thambar, Dr Gregory Bellamy
Professor Peter Fletcher, Dr James Leitch