Research Australia grassROOTS winter 2013

WINTER 2013

RESEARCHAUSTRALIAAN ALLIANCE FOR DISCOVERIES IN HEALTH

ISSUE FOUR02 A message from the CEO

03 Research into new therapies for newborns and the elderly

05 Cure For Life Foundation launches its Global Brain Exchange (GBX)

06 National health research advocacy groups to share knowledge and insight with global alliance

07 The life cycle of medical research

08 Douglas Francis Green Scholarship supports the important battle against very agressive Mesothelioma

09 Ingham Institute leads the way with first state-of-the-art Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Scanner in NSW

10 Using ultrasound to ‘see’ Parkinson’s disease in the brain

11 St Vincent’s Institute supports Women in Research

12 Aussie scientists help find seven new genes linked to common eye disease

13 Recognising excellence in health and medical research

14 2013 Philanthropy for H&MR Conference

15 Editor’s Corner

2 Research Australia grassROOTS WINTER 2013

Winter 2013

Cook for a Cure Ambassador Maggie Beer is shown the ropes by Dr Goli Samimi of The Garvan’s Ovarian Cancer project..

Hello to all,

It’s been a busy and exciting year so far and as we move into the winter months the pace continues. The Federal government has released their Budget and the Leader of the Opposition has given his reply. While all sides of the political debate may seem to have ring-fenced federal funding for health and medical research, University funding has been cut. This is likely to have a significant impact on

funding research from these important institutions. In the meantime Research Australia is developing its response to the McKeon review, particularly in the area of philanthropy.

In May we made a call for research projects for this years “Cook for a Cure” program. This important community awareness event is scheduled for August and as usual we will be involving Federal Politicians, High Schools, Celebrity Chefs and many of our corporate members employees.

Finally you can now register for our 2013 Philanthropy for Health and Medical Research Conference. This year we have a fantastic array of speakers covering a fascinating array of subjects. I hope to see many of you there.

Elizabeth Foley Chief Executive Officer Reserach Australia

A message from the CEO

3Research Australia grassROOTS WINTER 2013

Winter 2013

Two Monash University medical research projects that could have significant public health benefits have received funding from the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust, managed by Equity Trustees and Mr Norman Bourke, who was a long-time friend of Miss Connor.

Dr Flora Wong, a neonatal paediatrician and senior research fellow from the Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR) will conduct research into a medical therapy to reduce brain injury in newborn babies who experience a lack of oxygen at the time of birth with a $30,000 grant from the Connor Trust.

The project will test a new therapy – activated protein C(APC) – as a way of reducing or minimising brain injury after birth asphyxia. APC has anti-inflammatory and cell-protection properties and could be an important way to protect a baby’s brain. Birth asphyxia affects between three to five live births per 1000 in developed countries and globally is responsible for more child deaths than malaria according to the 2011 World Health Organization’s World Health Statistics. At least 25% of survivors have long-term problems including cerebral palsy, seizures and other neuro-developmental problems.

Currently, the only treatment available for birth asphyxia is cooling (hypothermia), which can only be performed at hospitals with specialised neo-natal intensive care facilities and must be commenced within six hours after birth to have any positive effect. For babies born in a regional or remote hospital without these facilities, the delay in getting them to a tertiary hospital in a city or major regional centre can mean the brain injury will be serious.

If successful, the new C(ACP) therapy being tested with the grant from the Connor Trust would enable affected newborns to receive treatment without having to travel to specialist facilities.

The second Monash University grant from the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust will enable elderly Victorians to participate in a clinical trial to determine the effect of low dose aspirin on Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in older people.

Six thousand volunteers aged 70 years and older will participate in the AMD study to determine whether aspirin can reduce the incidence or delay the progression of the disease.

The Connor grant of nearly $90,000 will purchase and convert a small bus into an ASPREE ‘RetCam’ Van. This mobile study vehicle will be fitted out as a consulting

room with specialised retinal-imaging equipment to photograph the macula at the back of the eye. The van will travel to locations around Melbourne, regional and rural Victoria – bringing research to the people – as part of an existing international primary prevention aspirin trial called ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly).

Led by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, ASPREE will, for the first time, weigh the potential benefits of low dose aspirin versus the risks in healthy people aged 70 and over. The ASPREE project will be carried out over five years and has received considerable government research funding from the NHMRC and NIA (National Institute on Aging in the USA).

Findings from previous aspirin/AMD research have been inconsistent and often lacking statistical significance. Outcomes from the ASPREE AMD study will be an important determinant of the overall evaluation of risks versus benefits of aspirin in the healthy elderly. If aspirin is found to be beneficial, it could help preserve the sight of millions of older people around the world.

In 2013, the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust distributed grants totalling $900,000 to 15 innovative and research projects in Victoria.

Head of Philanthropy at Equity Trustees, Tabitha Lovett, said supporting charities and not-for-profit organisations to start-up a new project or trial new research or services is a very effective use of philanthropic money.

During her lifetime Miss Phyllis Connor was a generous woman known for her support of many Victorian charities. Even after her death in 2010, at the age of 99, she ensured her generosity would continue by establishing a perpetual charitable trust in her Will (establishment value approximately $15.5 million) and appointing Equity Trustees and Mr Bourke as trustees.

The annual income from the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust is distributed each year to

Research into new therapies for newborns and the elderly

The ASPREE RetCam Van takes research to the people, enabling older Victorians to participate in a clinical trial to determine the effect of low dose aspirin on Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

If successful, the new C(ACP) therapy being tested

with the grant from the Connor Trust would enable

affected newborns to receive treatment without having to travel to specialist facilities.


Winter 2013eligible charitable organisations through an expression of interest and application process. The grants program focusses on ‘proof of concept’ or innovative pilot projects and provides seed funding for new projects in Victoria.

Miss Connor was a long-time client of Equity Trustees and she relished the opportunity to immerse herself in new experiences. Ms Lovett said, “The projects and organisations which received funding in 2013 are pushing new boundaries in a range of areas, which we think Miss Connor would have appreciated. Medical research projects are a good fit for this grants program.”

Equity Trustees manages more than 200 charitable trusts which last year distributed over $18 million to charitable organisations and causes, mainly in Victoria. Currently, Equity Trustees has more than $370 million in charitable trust monies under management and the Phyllis

Connor Memorial Trust is one of the larger trusts distributing its income through a discretionary grants program.

“The majority of these perpetual trusts were established through a Will upon the death of the benefactor, but we also have living donors who are actively involved in the distribution of income from the philanthropic foundations they have established,” said Ms Lovett.

“Funding medical research is a popular choice amongst philanthropists; often inspired by a family member having been affected by a particular condition. They choose to direct the income from their trust towards research or advances in treatment for that condition. It’s a positive and empowering way for them to respond and the benefit of such a trust is that it distributes income in perpetuity. If a cure is found for the original condition their trust can then focus on funding another area of research.”

Equity Trustees manages a number of charitable trusts which support medical research. For a full list of trusts and those that make medical and health-related grants, visit www.eqt.com.au and go to the ‘Grants and Scholarships’ section.

The ASPREE RetCam Van is a specially designed mobile study vehicle fitted with retinal-imaging equipment that photographs the macula at the back of the eye.


Winter 2013

Cure For Life Foundation launches its Global Brain Exchange (GBX)

Planning for the launch began more than a year ago and was prompted by some very simple questions: how could we serve the brain cancer community better and achieve our purpose to accelerate treatment for brain cancer?

This led us to re-evaluate Cure For Life Foundation’s role as a funder, to challenge existing structures, and to start to think in terms of true ‘acceleration’ across the brain cancer research system not just within research projects.

This year, Cure For Life Foundation launched a ten-year countdown to find a cure, to stop brain cancer from taking hold of the lives of the brightest of our generation.

To engage researchers, funders and community in this purpose, we brought together 40 brilliant minds to determine new ways to align to this ten year strategy.

The result was an abundant exchange of creative energy, dialogue, models, practical applications and actions which have now provided a platform for the GBX.

The invited participants represented leaders with diverse expertise from within and outside the brain cancer community.

Of the 40 participants, 12 were brain cancer specialists; 14 were from other scientific research and health-related fields; and 14 were from outside the fields of health and science.

Cure For Life Foundation engaged Matt and Gail Taylor, international facilitators who have worked extensively with NASA, the World Economic Forum and Boeing as well as many other groups to facilitate the rapid achievement of solutions for systemic problems. The participants met

at “the difference” – a business unit of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a facility designed for collaboration and complex problem solving.

The two day event enabled participants to scan deep and wide for new ways of thinking about brain cancer; to focus on process; map systemic blocks and create the future scenario for new possibilities to emerge to engage globally in the challenge to create a movement; and to act to ensure progress with integrity, collaborative engagement, and passion.

Participants worked together to design key elements of the emergent GBX model, including:

• Creating purpose, values, and communication

• Working as a whole systems community• Funding the path forward• Defining the “collar” or the agreements

that will enable many different cultures and vantage points to work in a manner that enables exemplary behaviour without compromising the integrity, values or mission of GBX.

• Creating a place for researchers to be exemplars in their work.

In the process, Cure For Life Foundation discovered it was more than a charity; it is a catalyst for great change,

enabling diverse voices and needs to be acknowledged and concepts activated within a new framework that address systemic issues and open up new possibilities without the reliance on institutions or government to take the lead.

This approach complements and supports institutions and governments, relieving researchers who may have traditionally carried the brunt of solving or working around systemic issues. Working collaboratively amongst cross and multidisciplinary teams provides the right conditions to rise above politics and external forces that may be holding advances in place.

Within a fortnight of the workshop, there are seven self organising working groups already formed spanning research, patient care, collar/change management, brand and communications, clinical trials, global collaboration and funding. One of the working groups comprising a diverse mix of researchers, neurosurgeons, research strategists, government advocates, project manager and patient advocates are close to approaching the government with a funding ask for a robust model that enables research to accelerate by reducing the lag in data capture.

The Foundation has determined its role is no longer that of the ‘hero’ and ‘control and command’ central office, but rather the host, to nurture and support self-organising communities and open science collaborations within Australia that will connect to global nodes, all aligned to the common purpose and strategic priorities for a ten year countdown to treatments and a cure.

It is our intention to share the findings of the workshop to collectively advance our understanding of brain cancer research needs and together, co-design and collaborate aligned to a shared purpose.

To receive a copy of the workshop report, please contact me on [email protected]

Cure For Life Foundation discovered it was more

than a charity; it is a catalyst for great change.

40 brilliant minds gather at PwC to determine new ways to align to the 10 year strategy

A Canadian advocacy group has spearheaded the creation of a global alliance of similar organizations to advocate for increased funding for health research to boost its impact and effectiveness.

Research Canada has signed a letter of agreement with its counterparts in the US, Australia and Sweden to pool strategic intelligence, boost the profile and policy emphasis on health research and make the case for increased and sustained funding.

Although they vary considerably in size and age and face different challenges in their respective countries, the four organizations are optimistic that their collective experiences and collaboration can help convince governments and other players to invest in health research. RE$EARCH MONEY recently interviewed the heads of the four groups to learn more about their individual experiences and plans for collaboration.

“We all share the view that the world is flat. Research is carried out in a global fashion and we need to work together internationally,” says Research Canada President and CEO, Deborah Gordon-El Bihbety. “We want to build on our ad hoc relationship and look at an integrated approach. The alliance could become a force to be reckoned with.”

Research! AmericaResearch! America is the oldest and by far the largest of the advocacy groups with 420 members. It was established in 1989 to address a perceived deficiency in medical research funding. It was the first organization to call for a doubling of the budget of the National Institutes of Health and was instrumental in pushing for a rapid increase in health research funding in the 1990s and up until about 2003 when budgets flatlined.

Research! America’s current preoccupation is the potentially devastating impact on sequestration on the health research budget. Sequestration refers to reductions to federal spending tied to austerity measures that kicked in this year with $85.4 billion in cuts that are slated to increase to an average of $238 billion annually.

“It’s very bad. There are potentially significant cuts for the next 10 years,” says Mary Woolley, who has served as Research! America’s president since 1990. “After things improved dramatically in the 1990s, we are back to another low that couldn’t have been anticipated ... There are now three budgets for Congress to

consider – from the president, the House and the Senate. The House proposal is even worse then sequestration.”

The challenges being tackled by Research! America extend beyond basic health research to health prevention and health services research. Despite the unique US environment, Woolley says the alliance can help to demonstrate the benefits of other approaches to the health research enterprise. “Our health care system is not even a system. It’s in transition and needs a lot of work and health services research is not well funded,” she says. “The alliance will take our partnership up a notch or two. We’re eager to share best practices. The alliance is a tremendous opportunity for our membership because health research is global.”

Research CanadaResearch! America was the inspiration for Research Canada, which grew out of the Council for Health Research in Canada in 2005. Conceived as a multi-stakeholder organization with more than 100 members, Research Canada continues to advocate for investments in discovery research, as the funding landscape shifts towards targeted investments and increased academic-industry partnerships.

“With the economic downturn, a return-on-investment focus has become dominant. Canada is relatively new to health research investments and there was not much time between the build-up and the downturn,” says Gordon-El Bihbety. “This is an imbalance between the four sets of stakeholders – government academe, industry and not-for-profits – and there are problems with venture capital. The last two Budgets have begun addressing this.”

Through the global alliance, Research Canada hopes to gain valuable knowledge through use of new networks and access to different expertise and strategies.

“I’m dealing with myriad sectors and navigating them is a unique endeavour,” says Gordon-El Bihbety. “The other organizations in the alliance understand these concerns intimately. Global teams are the way to go.”

Research AustraliaResearch Australia was founded in 2000 and is most similar to Research Canada,

as both represent commonwealth nations and grapple with jurisdictional issues between the federal and state levels. Established following the recommendation of a government strategic review of health and medical research, it has 170 members spanning the health care innovation spectrum.

The organization was recently successful in persuading the Australian government to undertake a review of the country’s health and medical research regime which calls for 3-4% of health expenditures to be directed towards research. Now it’s turning its focus towards Australia’s six states, whose share of health and medical science funding has fallen from 15% to less than 10%.

“The global alliance may help us in this area with benchmarking and examples, information sharing, case studies and data and success stories,” says Elizabeth Foley, Research Australia’s managing director and CEO. “The alliance offers value and a much more shared vision. I’m surprised at the similarities we are facing.”

Research! SwedenResearch! Sweden is the newest of the group, launched in 2010 when the country was still in the grip of the economic downturn. Established as a foundation, its members include representatives from academia, industry, labour and patient groups who – like Research Australia – saw the temptation for cuts to health research as the government sought to balance its books.

“It was a reaction to the quality of medical research falling, the number of companies falling and a health care system that was not open to new innovation,” says Dr. Anna Nilsson Vindefjard, Research! Sweden’s secretary general. “We needed to talk to the government in a constructive way. Many EU countries are not increasing health research funding but Sweden is. It’s still not enough. We would like to double funding.”

“Advocacy is a tricky business, adds Gordon-El Bihbety. “Change rarely comes from the force of logic done on the basis of irrefutable evidence. If I bring my counterparts to Ottawa, they can show me what can be done in Canada. I hope we can help each other at that high level.”


Winter 2013National health research advocacy groups to share knowledge and insight with global alliance

In the early hours of Saturday, 20 August 2011, more than 1300 people came together in Brisbane to make a difference. In the dark, they packed their gear, farewelled family and friends, and began the arduous two-day 200 kilometre bike ride that was the inaugural Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer.

They would ultimately raise more than $4.7 million for cancer research at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). Many of the people who participated in the Ride were cancer sufferers and survivors or riding to honour family and friends who have battled the disease.

Every day, researchers at QIMR come together to honour that commitment, as they work hard to advance our understanding of the cancers that tear our families apart.

Now, some of the first research to be directly funded by the 2011 Ride is coming to light: work into triple-negative breast cancer in QIMR’s Signal Transduction Laboratory.

Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientists have shown that a particular new combination of treatments can stop breast cancer recurrence and regrowth.

Professor Khanna, from QIMR’s Signal Transduction Laboratory, said the findings offered hope for new treatments for women with triple-negative breast cancer, a particular subtype which has a poor prognosis.

“It’s when breast cancer reoccurs, or spreads, that most fatalities are reported,” Professor Khanna said.

“This is early stage research, and there’s a long way to go, but it’s the first time we’ve seen a therapy that stops the recurrence and treats the spread of these triple-negative breast cancers.”

About 20 per cent of breast cancers are described as triple-negative. This means the cancer doesn’t have any of the three

receptors usually found on breast cancer cells. Triple-negative breast cancer usually affects younger women.

Researchers have previously noted that these tumours have an overload of proteins known as EGFR, which encourage the growth of the cancer. However, to date, clinical trials targeting EGFR have not been promising.

Dr Fares Al-Ejeh, a senior researcher in Professor Khanna’s lab, has shown that targeting radiation specifically to the EGFR, along with a dramatically reduced dose of chemotherapy not only destroys the original cancer, but also destroys the cancer stem cells that drive the recurrence.

“Now this is just in mice, but the response is very, very promising. It’s the equivalent of providing a complete cure for more than 10 years,” Dr Al-Ejeh said.

“Every researcher working on breast cancer is seeking a way to stop breast cancer recurrence and spread. It would be immense if we could show this combination therapy also works in people. But first we must do many more animal tests to make sure there’s no real toxicity.”

This study is published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The research was also funded by the Cure Cancer Foundation Australia, and the NHMRC.

“I could not have finished this research without the extra funds raised by the wonderful people who took part in the Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer. I’d like to say a special thank you to them,” Dr Al-Ejeh said.

First-round research grants from the 2012 Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer have

also now been distributed. Last year’s event raised a record $5.2 million dollars, allowing QIMR scientists to launch projects that wouldn’t normally be considered by traditional funding bodies.

Medical research can be a long, hard road, with funding speed bumps, and many wrong turns. But QIMR remains dedicated to the cause, with multiple laboratories working towards earlier diagnostics and targeted, personalised treatments. In doing so, we hope to honour the journey thousands of Australian men, women and their families must make every year, and, ultimately, ease the path.

For more information on the Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting QIMR visit www.conquercancer.org.au

For more information about QIMR visit www.qimr.edu.au


Winter 2013

The life cycle of medical research

Riders commence the 200km trek to raise funds for cancer research

Australian’s were once among the world’s largest providers and consumers of asbestos, so it is not surprising that Australian’s are among the world’s biggest sufferers of mesothelioma.

What is surprising are the staggering figures with Australia currently showing 800–1000 new cases per year1 and this number is expected to rise until at least 2020. Queensland was an especially voracious user of asbestos in post-war housing, with the affects expected to linger for decades.

In 2011 the Queensland Asbestos Related Disease Support Society established the Douglas Francis Green scholarship in partnership with the Griffith Health Institute (GHI) and awarded its first three year scholarship to Ms Elham Alizadeh Pasdar.

Ms Pasdar’s passion for battling mesothelioma comes from the cancer’s aggressiveness. She believes if researchers, like herself, can find an effective treatment or cure, it may unlock the secret of curing many other cancers. This is based on the idea of cancers containing “cancer stem-like cells” (CSCs) which initiate tumour growth.

Since receiving the scholarship the former pharmacist, who migrated to Australia from Iran in 2010, has been able to do exactly as the scholarship intended – focus more clearly on her scientific goals, as her financial needs are taken care of. She believes the results are emerging quickly.

Commenting on her research endeavours so far, Ms Pasdar said, “CSCs have been identified in many cancers like breast, colon, etc, but until now there was no conclusive evidence for the existence of CSCs in malignant mesothelioma (MM). Using a unique method of investigation to this type of cancer research, we identified the link purely on a scientific basis”

“CSCs are hard to find as they’re usually dormant which means they escape immunosurveillance and don’t get detected, so don’t get rejected. We believe this is why some cancers regrow immediately after treatment stops.”

“In our experiments with human established cell lines I have found methods to enrich the cell population for cancer stem cells in mesothelioma. We are now studying specific drugs that have been synthesised in our lab to determine their effectiveness in killing these cells, using both invivo and invitro experiments.

Our main focus for treatment is a group of vitamin E derivative drugs that has been proved to kill the cancer cells in cell culture. The advantage of this group of drugs over other drugs is that they specifically kill cancer cells with minimal side effects to the cancer patient,” she said.

“Until recently I felt that we were quite isolated in our work at the GHI cancer lab, but since we’ve started to get some results, scientists from all over the world have started sharing similar research and we are now working together more.

While Ms Pasdar’s research is still in its infancy she believes the early signs are very positive and is hopeful a treatment will eventuate from her work.

“I am really pleased with our early results. My fellow GHI researchers have been investigating cancers and potential treatments for many years and the work is having an impact on tumours so we keep our hopes up that one day we’ll have a treatment that makes a real difference to people’s lives,” she said.

The other positive from Ms Pasdar’s research is its contribution to the improvement of chemotherapy treatments. As anyone who has suffered a malignant cancer knows, chemotherapy comes with many adverse effects. However newer treatments are becoming more cancer-focussed meaning a mesothelioma treatment may be less debilitating.

Ms Pasdar attributes the steady progress to her Douglas Francis Green scholarship as it has given her not only the opportunity

but the necessary support to dedicate her time to this intriguing area of research. “It has changed my life and my work. Not only can I dedicate substantial time to my research now, but it has allowed us to invest in new, improved equipment so I feel I’m working more efficiently and effectively,” said Ms Pasdar.

1 Safe Work Australia (2011) Mesothelioma in Australia: Incidence 1983-2007, Mortality 1997-2007.


Winter 2013Douglas Francis Green Scholarship supports the important battle against very agressive Mesothelioma

Ms Pasdar attributes the steady progress to her Douglas Francis Green

scholarship as it has given her not only the opportunity

but the necessary support to dedicate her time to this intriguing area of research.

Scholarship recipient Ms Elham Alizadeh Pasdar

Cancer researchers at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research will now be able to have a super-charged resolution of circulating tumour cells with the impending arrival of a NSW first state-of-the-art cancer scanner technology for detecting Circulating Tumour Cells (CTCs).

Due to arrive in May 2013, this innovative new technology represents a cutting-edge method to detect circulating tumour cells and will form the basis of a CTC research facility at the Ingham Institute, the second such facility in Australia.

Grant funds from the University of NSW’s (UNSW) Major Equipment Grant Scheme and Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia saw the purchase of the scanner come to fruition for the Ingham Institute’s Translational Cancer Research team. Grant funding from the Cancer Institute NSW contributes to salaries of staff running the CTC facility.

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are cells that have shed into the vasculature from a primary tumour and circulate in the bloodstream, with CTCs acting like the ‘seeds’ for subsequent growth of additional tumours. Detecting CTCs is comparable to finding a needle in a haystack, because only a handful of cancer cells are released by the parent tumour in a blood sample.

At the forefront of personalised cancer treatment, CTC technology has become available only recently and has shown increasing evidence to help cancer researchers improve the treatment of people with cancer and improve their quality of life. CTC research at the Ingham Institute will have significant potential to improve personalised medicine, biomarker development, decision making for cancer treatment and also provide opportunities for collaborative clinical research.

Professor Paul de Souza, head of the Ingham Institute’s Translational Cancer Research Unit, will lead his team of researchers in this relatively greenfield area of cancer research.

According to Professor de Souza, the CTC Scanner is suitable for the study of a range of cancers including prostate, breast and colorectal cancer, and possibly more.

“This new and innovative cell and molecular based technology will provide unparalleled translational opportunities for rational therapeutic decision making and monitoring of cancer progression and recurrence without the need for invasive tumour biopsy.”

“The CTC Scanner has the ability to personalise cancer treatment and determine the best treatment modality for each patient rather than using a one size fits all approach.”

“It also gives us a closer look at the behaviour of cancer cells themselves – giving us the ability to identify microscopic cancer cells that might act as a window to the main tumour, like capturing a missile fired from the mother ship. The possibilities for the CTC Scanner to improve health outcomes for cancer patients are very exciting.”

To assist with the development and operations of the CTC facility at the Ingham Institute, Senior Scientist Dr Therese Becker and Dr. Nicole Caixeiro have been appointed to develop and expand this novel research tool that has significant potential for translation into clinical practice. Dr Caixeiro will oversee the operational needs of the CTC facility, and Dr Becker will drive the CTC research program and initiate laboratory research studies on the clinical utility of CTC. Their activities will be aided by a number of Clinical Fellows and senior molecular biology experts in order to investigate the role CTCs play in how cancers grow and spread.

The Ingham Institute is the leading translational research facility in South West Sydney. Located at Liverpool Hospital, the Ingham Institute was established by Founding Benefactor Bob Ingham

(AO) and Lady (Mary) Fairfax (AC, OBE) to undertake medical research that specifically addresses, and can be applied to, the needs of the local population and wider Australia to create hope through health research.

For further information please visit http://www.inghaminstitute.org.au

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are cells that have shed into the vasculature from a primary tumour and circulate in the

bloodstream, with CTCs acting like the ‘seeds’ for subsequent growth of additional tumours. Detecting CTCs is comparable to finding a needle in a haystack, because only a handful of cancer

cells are released by the parent tumour in a blood sample.


Winter 2013Ingham Institute leads the way with first state-of-the-art Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Scanner in NSW

Professor Paul deb Souza, Head of Translational Cancer Research Unit, at the Ingham Institute

Researchers at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) have developed a technique to ‘see’ into the brain using ultrasound and diagnose Parkinson’s disease many years earlier than is currently possible.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Kay Double, also a researcher at the University of Sydney, says we may eventually be able to use this technique as a simple and inexpensive screening tool for the disease.

“Right now, there is no test for Parkinson’s. We rely on detecting subtle problems with movement that the patient themselves may not notice for some years. By the time these become obvious, an enormous amount of damage has already occurred in the brain, which makes treatment difficult,” says A/Prof Double.

“This new technique could be the first stage of preventing Parkinson’s disease,” she says.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most prevalent neurological condition after dementia and the second most common cause of nursing home admissions in Australia.

The disease destroys brain cells that control the body’s movement, causing trembling, stiffness, slowness of movement and a loss of fine motor control.

Up to 30% of initial diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease are incorrect; as a

result, patients may receive the wrong treatment and are not able to plan and manage this long and debilitating disorder until they receive a correct diagnosis, sometimes up to several years after the onset of their symptoms.

“We urgently need an objective, accurate and inexpensive diagnostic method for Parkinson’s disease,” says A/Prof Double.

Working with Dr Gabrielle Todd from the University of South Australia and NeuRA’s Professor Lindy Rae, A/Prof Double’s research has shown that ultrasound – a safe, inexpensive and widely available technology – can produce a visual image of the damage that occurs in the brain of someone with Parkinson’s disease. The damage appears as an area of enlarged brightness in the area of the brain that control the body’s movements.

A/Prof Double and her team have confirmed the validity of this test by

comparing it with another accepted method of visualizing damage in the Parkinson’s disease brain: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

While MRI is considered to be the gold standard for visualising Parkinson’s disease in the brain, it is not suitable as a general diagnostic tool as the technology and specialized expertise is not widely available. Most importantly, MRI scans are expensive, with a single scan for a Parkinson’s disease patient costing $550. In contrast, an ultrasound scan costs approximately $10.

The Coopers Brewery Foundation supported this important stage of the research, financing the MRI scans of 24 subjects. The results from the data to date are highly encouraging, suggesting that the ultrasound method can indeed identify brain changes seen in Parkinson’s disease in a sensitive manner.

Dr Gabrielle Todd, Associate Professor Kay Double and Professor Lindy Rae

Parkinson’s disease is the second most prevalent neurological condition after dementia and the second most

common cause of nursing home admissions in Australia.

Hopefully this research will help us diagnose Parkinson’s disease much earlier than is currently possible; this will become increasingly important as we develop better methods to treat and potentially halt the progress of this disease.


Winter 2013

Using ultrasound to ‘see’ Parkinson’s disease in the brain

The St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI) has awarded Dr Kate Graham the inaugural Susan Alberti ‘Women in Research’ Award, as part of a new push by the organisation to recognise the unique circumstances that face working mums in medical research.

The Award has been named in honour of SVI Foundation Chair and long-standing medical research advocate and philanthropist Susan Alberti AO, whose interest in the field began when her only daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

“I’m delighted to be associated with this Award,” Mrs Alberti said.

“As one of the few women in the building and construction industry in the 1970s and 80s, I have great respect for any women trying to raise a family and pursue a career. Medical research is demanding, particularly for those researchers trying to balance their work with family life.

“I am delighted to see this Award initiated at SVI to support women, and hopefully it will help see more women reach higher positions in the medical research sector.”

Dr Graham, who gave birth in April to son Harrison, is currently taking maternity leave to care for him and her two year old son Hamish. The grant will help fund a research assistant or postdoctoral fellow to continue experiments for her until she returns to work.

Dr Graham has been at SVI since 2006, working in Professor Tom Kay’s Immunology and Diabetes Unit on cutting-edge research into Type 1 diabetes. She completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2005.

Dr Graham has a strong reputation in the Type 1 diabetes research field. Her work investigates the signals that occur within the pancreas to cause the cells of the immune system to become active, leading ultimately to the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. The goal of her research is to find ways to stop the immune attack from occurring. In studies that marked Dr Graham’s establishment

as an independent investigator, she was able to determine for the first time that the immune cells that destroy beta cells are actually activated in the pancreas. This work revealed new facts about the maturation of immune cells in Type 1 diabetes.

Dr Graham has been invited to speak both nationally and internationally, as well as being the recipient of a number of prizes and awards in recognition of her work. She was also the co-convenor of SVI’s Honours program and is known for her strong commitment to research training and mentoring within the Institute.

“I am honoured to receive this award and feel it will ease the pressure, allowing me to spend this special time with my two children,” she said.

“Unfortunately science is not a career that allows you to walk away for an extended period. It is constantly changing and you need to continue your experiments so you can receive further funding for your work. It is reassuring to know that some of my research will continue in my absence,” said Dr Graham.

Professor Tom Kay, who is also Director of SVI, said he was proud the Institute is introducing an award with the intention of retaining talented females in science.

“It is worrying to see that women make up only 30 per cent of Australia’s Senior Research Fellows, and an even smaller percentage of Professorial Fellows. At SVI we are pleased that many of our leading researchers are females and balance a demanding life in the lab with motherhood, although we are well aware that this does not come without its challenges.”

“We want to ensure that we continue to provide as much support as possible to our female researchers. Dr Graham is a promising young scientist and an extremely worthy recipient of the Award; we hope that it will support her so she can continue to make advances in her critical work into Type 1 diabetes,” Professor Kay said.

SVI carries out biomedical research focusing on the prevention and better treatment of common diseases.

To learn more about the work of Dr Graham and other SVI medical researchers please visit www.svi.edu.au.

“I am delighted to see this Award initiated at SVI to

support women, and hopefully it will help see more women reach higher positions in the

medical research sector.”


Winter 2013

St Vincent’s Institute supports Women in Research

Dr Kate Graham, Leader in Type 1 Diabetes Research Field

http://www.svi.edu.au

An international group of researchers has discovered seven new regions of the human genome – called loci – associated with increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness.

The Centre for Eye Research Australia and Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research are the only Australian institutes to be included in the AMD Gene Consortium, a network of international investigators representing 18 research groups.

The findings are reported online today in the journal Nature Genetics. This study represents the most comprehensive genome-wide analysis of genetic variations associated with AMD to date.

“This compelling analysis by the AMD Gene Consortium demonstrates the enormous value of effective collaboration,” said US-based National Eye Institute Director Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D.

“Combining data from multiple studies, this international effort provides insight into the molecular basis of AMD, which will help researchers search for causes of the disease and will inform future development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies.”

AMD affects the macula, a region of the retina responsible for central vision. The retina is the layer of light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. As AMD progresses, tasks such as reading, driving, and recognising faces become more difficult and eventually impossible. Some kinds of AMD are treatable if detected early, but no cure exists. An estimated one in seven Australians over the age of 50 is affected by AMD.

Scientists have shown that age, diet, and smoking influence a person’s risk of developing AMD. Genetics also play a strong role. AMD often runs in families and is more common among certain ethnicities, such as Asians and people of European descent.

The AMD Gene Consortium combined data from 18 research groups to increase the power of prior analyses. The current analysis identified seven new loci near genes and confirmed 12 loci identified in previous studies. All of these loci are scattered throughout the genome on many different chromosomes.

The consortium’s analysis included data from more than 17,100 people with the most advanced and severe forms of AMD, which were compared to data from more than 60,000 people without AMD. The 19 loci that were found to be associated with AMD implicate a variety of biological functions, including regulation of the immune system, maintenance of

cellular structure, growth and permeability of blood vessels, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis.

“While these findings certainly reinforce the notion that there is an important immunological aspect to this disease, it also indicates that a range of other biological pathways are involved,” said Associate Professor Paul Baird, one of the co-authors of the paper from the Centre for Eye Research Australia.

“This will allow us to develop new treatments that can be used to tackle the disease from different angles with the ultimate aim of translating these findings into improved treatments for patients.”

As with other common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, an individual person’s risk for getting AMD is likely determined not by one but many genes. Further comprehensive DNA analysis of the areas around the 19 loci identified by the AMD Gene Consortium could turn up undiscovered rare genetic variants with a disproportionately large effect on AMD risk.

Discovery of such genes could greatly advance scientists’ understanding of AMD pathogenesis and their quest for more effective treatments.

AMD affects the macula, a region of the retina

responsible for central vision. The retina is the

layer of light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. As

AMD progresses, tasks such as reading, driving, and

recognising faces become more difficult and eventually

impossible. Some kinds of AMD are treatable if detected

early, but no cure exists.

An estimated one in seven Australians over the age of

50 is affected by AMD.


Winter 2013

Aussie scientists help find seven new genes linked to common eye disease

http://www.cera.org.au/home

http://www.wmi.org.au/Pages/HomePage.aspx

http://www.wmi.org.au/Pages/HomePage.aspx


Winter 2013

Recognising excellence in health and medical research

Research Australia is calling on nominations for the annual Research Australia Awards, which recognise the valuable contributions and accomplishments made to health and medical research in Australia.

The Awards are presented for excellence across the areas of: discovery, advocacy, philanthropy, lifetime achievement, leadership and innovation.

Research Australia CEO and Managing Director, Elizabeth Foley, said that as the national peak body for health and medical research, Research Australia is pleased to provide the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the outstanding achievements and commitment made by Australian scientists, researchers, Philanthropists and Corporations, involved in support of health and medical research.

“Research Australia’s Awards are a prestigious and highly regarded event in the health and medical research sector. Each year we’ve seen a number of high calibre, entries across each category” Ms Foley said.

“Over the past 10 years, we’ve awarded recipients from universities, hospitals, medical research institutes as well as from the community. Australian of the Year, Ita Buttrose AO OBE, was last year awarded the 2012 Bupa Advocacy Award for her long-standing commitment to health and medical research.”

This year, Research Australia is delighted to announce a new award – the GlaxoSmithKline Award for Research Excellence.

”The sector needs to continue to share the ground-breaking progress Australian scientists and researchers are making towards new treatments and cures that will help with the health problems of today, and prevent those of the future,” Ms Foley said.

RESEARCHAUSTRALIAAN ALLIANCE FOR DISCOVERIES IN HEALTH

The Awards will be taking place on Wednesday 13 November at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne.

Nominations are now open until Monday 1 July.

For more information about the awards and to place your nomination please visit: http://www.researchaustralia.org/events/category/awards-night

http://www.researchaustralia.org/events/category/awards-night

http://www.researchaustralia.org/events/category/awards-night

Research Australia grassROOTS WINTER 2013

Winter 2013

14

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Mary Woolley, CEO & President of Research America

Mary will be examining the differences in the H&MR landscape between the US and Australia. She will look at the role of philanthropy and consumer involvement.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM INCLUDES:

SPEAKER ORGANISATION TOPIC

Dr Wendy ScaifeAustralian Centre for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Studies, QUT

NFP Director vs Management, tips and traps for fund raising

Dr Tony Penna NSW Department of Health Collaborating NSW Style

Prof. Deb Verhoeven Deakin UniversityUsing crowd funding to fund H&MR

Mr Alastair Lucas Burnett InstituteA model for a National Health & Medical Philanthropic fund

Dr Stan Goldstein Bupa Health FoundationHow do givers select health & medical research projects

Mr Jim Marsden Ingham InstituteStarting from scratch; the good, the bad and the ugly of fund raising for a new Institute

Ms Lisa Croucher Osteoporosis Australia Collaborating with the Patient

Mr Chris HatherleyAlzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation

Collaborating with the Patient

Ms Louise Walsh Philanthropy AustraliaHow effective is my philanthropic dollar? Measuring impact

Mr Andrew Giles Garvan InstituteManaging a portfolio of fund raising activity

Ms Kylie Charlton Centre for Social ImpactBeyond philanthropy: Looking at new fund raising models

ACCOMMODATION

Special rates for delegates have been secured with the Amora Jamison Hotel Sydney for the duration of the conference:

Room only: $300 per night, Room and Breakfast: $329 per night

To book please contact the hotel directly on 02 9696 2500 or [email protected] and use the code: A-BIO200813 to access these delegate rates.

SAVE THE DATESTuesday 20 & Wednesday 21 August 2013

2013 Philanthropy for H&MR ConferenceGo to http://www.researchaustralia.org/events/category/conference for detailed information on the Conference.

This year our conference will be opened by NSW Minister for Health The Hon Jillian Skinner.

mailto:[email protected]


Winter 2013

Editor’s Corner

Who can put an article in Grass Roots?Grass Roots is designed to showcase the activity in philanthropy for health and medical research, through either fund raising activity, awards, or the results of actual research funded by philanthropy. It is also a vehicle for the broader community to understand the importance of philanthropic funding and how they can contribute to the expansion and improvement in health and medical research in Australia.

When will I need to get my article in by if I want to be featured in the next edition?The next article submission deadline is August 30, 2013. Articles should be no more than 1000 words long and please provide at least one photo (with a caption or subtitle) and a logo to accompany the article.

Please submit articles to; [email protected]

Sydney 2013 – Philanthropy ConferenceThe next conference will be held in Sydney during August 2013 and Mary Woolley President and CEO of Research America will be our keynote speaker. We are currently developing the program based on the concept of “collaboration for better health”. And of course, we have a number of sponsorship opportunities.

Research Australia does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, quality, completeness, currency, or validity of any information on its website or newsletter. Some of the materials in classified ads, press releases, and newsletters are also provided by other organisations. Research Australia does not edit or control the financial information it receives. Due to the possibility of human and mechanical error, neither Research Australia nor any of the contributors to this newsletter are responsible for any errors or omissions. All information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Neither Research Australia nor the contributors to this newsletter make any representations as to the accuracy or integrity of the information. They disclaim all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind, including warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Neither Research Australia nor its contributors will be liable for any damages of any kind incurred as a result of the information contained within this newsletter or on this site.

Research Australia grassROOTS winter 2013

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