The Australian Society for Medical Research
ASMR MEDICAL RESEARCH WEEK® 2013
Media Release Embargoed until May 29, 2013
SUNSHINE STATE SHOWCASES MEDICAL RESEARCH
Who: Queenslands top young health and medical research scientists
What: Conference showcasing cutting edge research
Where: Translational Research Institute
When: Wednesday May 29
Brisbane’s Translational Research Institute is the venue for today’s ASMR Postgraduate Conference.
Young scientists from Queensland’s world leading universities, hospitals and research institutes present their
work across a broad range of topics including cancer, diabetes, stem cells, tissue engineering, MS, migraine,
infectious diseases, obesity and lots more!.
Knocking Down The Hendra Virus
Cutting edge therapeutics with nanoparticle delivery!
Historically the development of therapeutic agents to treat viral infections has been complex and challenging with many
acute viral infections remaining untreatable. Jana McCaskill (UQ Diamantina Institute) and colleagues are testing a new
technology that specifically targets the genes of acute respiratory viruses for potent suppression of viral infection. They
have used this technique to develop and analyse therapeutics targeting the highly pathogenic Hendra virus and have
identified molecules that cause 99.9% knockdown of virus replication. The group is also working at boosting the
efficiency of this therapeutic agent by improving delivery to infected cells in the respiratory system via a novel
nanoparticle delivery system. Jana said, “This is an innovative approach to treating acute respiratory viral infection, by
combining cutting edge therapeutic agents with efficient delivery to the pulmonary system. It potentially offers a superior
means to treat acute respiratory viral infections”.
EASING THE BURDEN ON KNEES! Implications, interventions and repair
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament for proper movement. Injuries to the ACL are common in
young athletes, particularly footballers, basketball players, skiers, gymnasts and martial arts practitioners. A rupture of
this ligament is a common and devastating injury in young people and a high risk factor for early onset osteoarthritis
regardless of surgical reconstruction.
Understanding the implications of Reconstructive Surgery
Stephanie Filbay (University of Queensland), has been looking at the impact of anterior cruciate ligament
reconstructions (ACLR) on the quality of life of young active individuals, five years or more following surgery. The review
found ongoing knee issues, such as pain, osteoarthritis, and sports participation restrictions can negatively affect quality
of life 5 to 16 years after surgery. These findings highlight the need for research to develop strategies to prevent and
improve poor quality of life following reconstructive surgery.
ACLs and Osteoarthritis Risk: New Intervention Opportunities - Early detection
Adam Culvenor and colleagues, also from UQ have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect damaging
changes to cartilage as early as one year after reconstructive surgery. Early detection of secondary injuries using MRI
will help direct the development of treatment strategies to address early joint changes before they become irreversible in
end-stage joint disease.
Engineering building blocks for cartilage repair
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of pain and disability in Australia. Tissue engineering has the potential to
overcome natural biological barriers, and effectively repair damaged cartilage. However, engineering tissues ~2 mm
thick (the thickness of cartilage in the knee) remains a challenge. Betul Babur from the Translational Research Institute
in Brisbane, with her colleagues, has developed a method where hundreds of cartilage microtissues are formed into tiny
“building blocks” for assembly into a larger tissue suitable for cartilage defect repair.
The Australian Society for Medical Research ACN 000 599 235 - ABN 18 000 599 235
Suite 702, Level 7, 37 Bligh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9230 0333/4, Fax (02) 9230 0339
Email: asmr@alwaysonline.net.au, Website: www.asmr.org.au Snr Executive Officer: Catherine West
Preventing the tragedy of neural tube defects in babies
Neural tube defects are one of the most common birth defects affecting approximately 1 in 1000 pregnancies worldwide.
The most common neural tube defect is spina bifida, a condition that can cause bladder and bowel incontinence,
severe infections, and paralysis. At present, our most effective weapon to prevent neural tube defects is dietary
supplementation with folic acid prior to pregnancy. However, despite folic acid food fortification programs, neural tube
defects continue to be a significant physical, emotional, and financial burden to individuals, families, and the healthcare
system. Dr. Kerina Denny (UQ) said, "Recent research in our laboratories has revealed a role for a key component of
the immune system, the complement system, in the formation of the neural tube in both mice and humans. It is
hoped that this research will provide a novel platform on which to develop new strategies to prevent neural tube
defects"
Ending Obesity: A Phone Call Away – fighting the flab by phone!
Making the call to end obesity
Obesity is a major public health challenge, and the prevalence of obesity is reflected in hospital admissions across
developed countries. For successful individual treatment of obesity, patients need to be followed up regularly. In reality
this is rarely possible due to limited resources available for such population wide services. Megan Whelan (Cancer
Prevention Research Centre) is evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of a telephone-based weight loss program
delivered via a hospital outpatient setting. Telephone delivery is a novel alternative to face-to-face weight loss services
that has the potential to provide greater reach, repeated contacts necessary to promote behaviour change and weight
loss, and have a greater impact on targeting obesity.
The Nose Knows!
Nosing ahead to regeneration
Did you know the nose is one of the few areas where nerve cells can regenerate?
Daniel Amaya from The Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery at Griffith University is investigating how the olfactory
system develops in mice to better undestand the regenerative process.
Daniel said “I am adding to the understanding of how the olfactory system develops in mice including how the olfactory
nerve, which sends information from the nose to the brain, is established as well as the roles that the different cell
populations have during this event”.
Knowledge of how the nose system is able to regenerate will move research further into developing treatments for
spinal cord injuries that will have the greatest outcomes for regeneration
Johana Tello Velasquez also from the Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery is studying transplantation of olfactory glial
cells as treatment for spinal cord injuries. She said, “One of the problems is that these cells sometimes don’t grow and
migrate in the transplantation site as well as expected so we need to enhance their activity”. She is developing an
effective screening method to identify natural products that increase the proliferation and migration of the cells. By using
this screening method, she has identified a natural product, JT1301, that dramatically improves the growth of olfactory
glial cells and could be used to improve the therapeutic value of transplanted cells in spinal cord injury.
Painkillers from Spider Venoms
One in five Australians experience chronic pain and current treatment is inadequate. Julie Klint, (Institute for Molecular
Bioscience) said, In the search for new ways to treat pain, researchers came across a family in Pakistan that cannot feel
pain at all. It was discovered, that the only abnormal part of their nervous system was that they lacked an ion channel
that contributes to pain signalling. Blocking this channel could prove to be the ideal target for pain treatment.
Spider venoms are a complex mixture of smaller parts (toxins) and by separating these, Julie and her colleagues have
been able to identify several toxins that block the pain channel very effectively. Julie is working on finding a toxin that
can block the pain channel selectively and thereby enable the engineering of therapeutics useful for the treatment of
chronic pain.
Interview and photo opportunities
Contact: Gautam Rishi
0401 255 010
Catherine West – 0415 928 211
Major National Sponsor of ASMR MRW®
Major National Supporter of ASMR MRW®
The ASMR Medical Research Week® is
supported by funding from the Australian
Government Department of Health and Ageing
The Australian Society for Medical Research ACN 000 599 235 - ABN 18 000 599 235
Suite 702, Level 7, 37 Bligh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Ph: (02) 9230 0333/4, Fax (02) 9230 0339
Email: asmr@alwaysonline.net.au, Website: www.asmr.org.au Snr Executive Officer: Catherine West