QUT is celebrating the award of $5,646,097.40 for four projects by the National Medical and Health Research Ideas Grants.
The recipients are:
Associate Professor Francesca Frentiu (pictured right) has been awarded $988,421.60 for the project, Combatting mosquito-borne encephalitic viruses: new biocontrol and risk prediction tools.
Chief investigator Professor Frentiu, from QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences, said the project’s aim was to develop novel mosquito control methods to stop transmission and control outbreaks of encephalitic viruses such as Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis and the closely related West Nile virus.
“Insecticides are the mainstay of the primary vector of these viruses, the Culex annulirostris mosquito, but their effects are diminishing as the mosquito has developed resistance,” Professor Frentiu.
“To combat the spread of these viruses, we will develop a new mosquito biocontrol and test its efficacy in Culex annulirostris populations in Australia using molecular genomics and modelling.
“We will identify areas in Australia at high risk of mosquito-borne encephalitic virus transmission for surveillance and provide practical new biocontrol and risk prediction tools for these viruses."
The research team comprises chief investigators Associate Professor Frentiu; Dr Gordana Rasic from Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer; Associate Professor Thomas Walker from University of Warwick, UK; Dr Elvina Viennet from Australian Red Cross Lifeblood; and associate investigators Professor Wenbiao Hu (pictured above left) from QUT, and Dr Laith Yakob from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Dr Jacqui Mcgovern, will lead the project, Developing alternative treatment options for osteosarcoma, which has received $1,230,925.40.
(Image from left: Dr Siamak Saifzdah, Dr Jacqui Mcgovern, Distinguished Professor Dietmar W. Hutmacher, Dr Flavia Medeiros Savi)
Dr Mcgovern, a senior research fellow in QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences, and leader of the Human ECM Program in the Max Planck Queensland Centre, said the project aimed to lift the survival rate for people with osteosarcoma (bone cancer), which, after five years, is as low as nine per cent.
“Despite more than four decades of clinical effort, osteosarcoma treatment outcomes remain poor, partly due to the unique challenges posed by bone tissue, which limits the efficacy of chemotherapy. High doses are required resulting in toxicity for the patient,” Dr McGovern said.
“This project proposes a pioneering approach to model human osteosarcoma within a sophisticated immunocompromised preclinical in vivo model.
“Our model allows us to study the interactions between bone, cancer, and the immune system under realistic physiological conditions which will enable us to investigate cutting-edge approaches such as localised chemotherapy, novel surgical interventions and bone regeneration strategies.
“Our team’s goal is to create innovative, clinically translatable therapies that enhance both survival and quality of life for osteosarcoma patients.”
Chief investigators on this project are Dr McGovern, and Dr Siamak Saifzadeh from QUT; Professor Boris Holzapfel and Dr Ferdinand Wagner from the Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich; Professor Tomoji Mashimo from the University of Tokyo; and Dr Amaia Cipitria from Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute.
Associate investigators are Distinguished Professor Dietmar W. Hutmacher and Dr Flavia Medeiros Savi from QUT; and Professor Kristen Radford from Mater Research, The University of Queensland.
The project, Targeting a master regulator of cellular energetics and plasticity in treatment- resistant prostate cancer, has been awarded $914,128.10.
(Image, centre: Dr Lisa Philp, from top left: Dr Melanie Lehman, Dr Charles Bidgood, Dr Nataly Stylianou: from top right: Professor Colleen Nelson, Dr Anja Rockstroh, and Dr Jennifer Gunter).
Dr Lisa Philp from QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences, who will lead the project, said prostate cancer affected 25,000 Australian men each year and despite detection and treatment advances, metastatic prostate cancer had only a 36 per cent 5-year survival rate.
“Targeting the androgen receptor has for decades been the main treatment for localised and advanced prostate cancer but fails in 20 to 50 per cent of men due to treatment resistance, meaning we urgently need new therapeutic options,” Dr Philp said.
“Our research team has identified a new treatment that blocks the tumour's fuel supply, stopping cancer growth and aggressiveness.
“This project will develop our promising new treatment in rigorous laboratory assays using patient-derived prostate tumours, to benefit men with aggressive incurable cancer.”
The research team comprises chief investigators Dr Philp, Professor Colleen Nelson, Dr Charles Bidgood, Dr Anja Rockstroh, Dr Melanie Lehman, Dr Nataly Stylianou, Adjunct Professor Laszlo Otvos Jr, all from QUT; Dr Philip Rowell from Metro South Health. Associate investigator: Dr Jennifer Gunter from QUT.
A new research project, Intersecting epidemics: genetic and clinical determinants of comorbid chronic kidney disease and diabetes in Indigenous Australians, led by Associate Professor Shivashankar Nagaraj (pictured right above) from QUT’s School of Biomedical Sciences has received $2,512,622.30 to tackle chronic health issues affecting Aboriginal Australians, particularly in remote areas.
The study will focus on chronic kidney disease and diabetes, which often occur together and are linked to other conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure.
“This project aims to uncover genetic factors that contribute to kidney disease and diabetes,” Professor Nagaraj said.
“By doing so, we hope to develop ways to identify people at risk early and provide better prevention and treatment options.”
Using advanced DNA sequencing technology such as long-read sequencing, the team will investigate genetic causes of these diseases in diverse Aboriginal communities. Their findings could lead to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatments, ultimately helping to address this major public health challenge.
The research team comprises Associate Professor Nagaraj and Dr Victoria Coyne (pictured above left) from QUT; Professor Wendy Hoy from The University of Queensland; Rica Lacey from Queensland Health; Professor Judy Savige from The University of Melbourne; Tamika Campbell and Reece Griffin from Carbal Medical Centre; Associate Professor Sree Venuthurupalli from West Moreton Hospital and Health Service; Mr Pirra Puruntatameri, a senior Aboriginal Elder and ceremonial leader of the Tiwi Islands and Therese Bourke, an Elder from Tiwi Islands.
(From top left clockwise: Associate Professor Shivashankar Nagaraj, Dr Lisa Philp, Dr Jacqui Mcgovern, Associate Professor Francesca Frentiu)
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