In an Australian first, a new $1million MRI compatible incubator designed for babies, will allow University of Queensland researchers to develop earlier and more effective treatments for newborns with brain impairment.

Until now, imaging premature babies' brains has not been standard practice due to the shortcomings of adult equipment and the risks to these extremely vulnerable patients - despite a significant incidence of impairment.

The MRI Neonatal Incubator will be located at the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital (RBWH) and the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH).

It slides into a standard MRI unit. This enables babies to lie undisturbed in a safe and warm environment while a non-invasive image of the brain is recorded. A safe magnetic field is used to create the images.

Internationally regarded perinatal researcher, Professor Paul Coldtiz, said the new equipment would be used by doctors for early diagnosis of impairment and enable research into prevention, as well as earlier and improved rehabilitation treatments.

"Research has shown that as the brain grows rapidly after birth, early diagnosis and treatment offers the best chance of a favourable outcome. Currently, however, many families do not discover their baby has cerebral palsy caused by brain impairment until their child is one to two years old," Prof Colditz said.

"Early diagnosis can also reduce the stress on the family," said Prof Colditz, who heads the Perinatal Research Centre at the UQ's Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR).

Professor Colditz's established track record in the field of MRI and perinatal research has enabled him to attract a consortium of collaborators to join with The University of Queensland to purchase the unit. Partners are Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, the Royal Children's Hospital and the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.

"We will be the first group in Australia able to conduct imaging of preterm babies and this opportunity has the potential to break down the current boundaries of brain impairment treatment and produce huge gains for babies and their families," Prof Colditz said.

He said scans would provide data for the development of new categories of brain impairment and outcomes, and assist in assessing the benefits of early interventions.

A large number of doctors and researchers will be involved. The collaboration includes UQ's Perinatal Research Unit - the largest in Australia, advanced brain imaging researchers and the nation's only dedicated cerebral palsy research centre.

Key members of the research team, headed by Prof Colditz, are Dr Stephen Rose, UQCCR and Centre for Advanced Imaging, UQ; Associate Professor Roslyn Boyd, Director, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Medicine, RCH and UQ; Prof David Reutens, Director, Centre for Advanced Imaging, UQ. The larger research team necessary to develop better treatments for brain injury in babies include Professors David Pow, Alan Coulthard, Nicholas Fisk and Drs Kathryn Buller, Tracey Bjorkman, Mostefa Mesbah and John O'Toole.

 Read more in The Australian 19/11/2009

UQQCR researchers successful in receiving funding for NHMRC project grants include:

Prof Nicholas Fisk,  Dr Allison Pettit, A/Pr Kiarash Khosrotehrani, and  Dr Liza Raggatt:  Preclinical optimisation of intrauterine transplantation of fetal mesenchymal stem cells for osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic disorder causing brittle bones and fractures.  Currently there is no good treatment. Transplanting stem cells before birth should allow them to build healthy bones early in life. Despite promising effects in animals, stem cell uptake is too low to prevent all fractures and ameliorate pain & deformity. We are studying how to improve the uptake of stem cells given to the fetus and neonate, in order to develop a treatment suitable for eventual use in humans.

Prof David Pow,  Dr Nigel Barnett, Dr Barbara Lingwood, Dr Stella Bjorkman, Dr Kathryn Buller, Prof Paul Colditz:  Astrocyte Regulation of Ammonia and Glutamate in Neonatal Hypoxia/Ischaemia

This project examines the novel finding that a critical protein needed to remove a toxic molecule in the brain, is rapidly lost in the neonatal brain after an hypoxic insult (lack of oxygen) such as can occur after a difficult labour.  This finding has potential diagnostic and therapeutic value.

Prof Paul Hodges, A/Pr Michele Sterling, A/Pr Michael Nicholas, Prof Jacek Cholewicki, Prof Mary Barbe, Dr Graham Moseley,Dr Asad Khan:  Why do people keep hurting their back: A longitudinal study of biological, psychological and social predictors

Prof Martin Lavin:  Role of Senataxin in protecting against neurodegeneration

A number of rare autosomal recessive ataxias have been described that overlap in their clinical phenotype. A subgroup of these have in common a reduced capacity to deal with damage to the genome which is associated with neurodegeneration. We are characterising the protein (senataxin) defective in one of these syndromes, ataxia oculomotor apraxia type 2 (AOA2). We have generated a mouse model of setx the gene coding for senataxin which will assist in our understanding of this disease.

Prof Martin Lavin,  Dr Thilo Dork: Rad50 protects the integrity of the genome to minimise disease risk

Rad50 is a key player in protecting the integrity of the genome to minimise risk of disease. The overall aim of this project is to investigate the role of Rad50 in maintaining the integrity of the genome to reduce the risk of cancer and other disease states.  

Dr Allison Pettit, Dr Liza Raggatt: Regulation of Bone Dynamics by Osteal  Tissue Macrophages (Osteomacs)

There is a high demand for effective treatments to rebuild and replace lost bone in fracture repair and osteoporosis. We have described a discrete population of macrophages (classically immune defense cells) within the specialized tissues that line bones. We have shown that these bone tissue macrophages have a novel role in promoting the formation of new bone. This project grant will extend these observations and identify the clinical potential of bone tissue macrophages to treat bone disease.

A/Pr Stephen Rose, Prof Stuart Crozier, Dr Olivier Salvado, Prof Alan Coulthard, Dr Paul Thomas, Dr Michael Fay:  Improving the Assessment of Brain Tumour Treatment Outcome using 18F-FDOPA PETMRI Fusion

The mortality rate within the first year of diagnosis for high-grade brain tumours is approximately 80%. A major factor contributing to poor outcome measures is the limitation of current neuroimaging techniques. In a novel approach we propose to combine the information available from MRI and PET images to better define the extent of the tumour and provide markers of early treatment response. This improved diagnostic information should improve survival rates. 

Prof Matthew Cooper, Dr David Paterson: Vancomycin derivatives active against resistant bacterial nosocomial infections

UQCCR funded Discovery Projects include:

Professor MF Lavin: Characterisation of the novel mitochondrial protein (CABC1/ADCK3) and its role in
protecting against oxidative stress

This is the first detailed characterisation and mechanistic study on a protein that protects against oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. Demonstrating the basis for this oxidative stress and its possible contribution to the cellular phenotype will be of benefit in understanding the disease process and ultimately designing approaches to minimise oxidative stress. An investigation of this protein presents an opportunity for the investigator to work at the forefront in this field adding to Australia's scientific leadership in the area. It also represents an ideal project for post-graduate training and is a collaboration between groups in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Professor MF Lavin; Dr TL Roberts: To investigate the role of the protein kinase SMG-1 in the stress response

This project is included in the designated priority area of research Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Ageing Well. It represents a mouse model to assist in the study of human disease. It is the first mouse model for SMG-1, a protein kinase that protects against a variety of different forms of stress. The strength of the model is that it can be combined with other mouse models to interrogate and elucidate the events occurring in different pathways for stress. The expectation is that ground-breaking data will be generated with this modelproviding scientific leadership on the role of this protein. It will also assist in establishing new collaborations.

Prof JJ Cooper-White; Prof NM Fisk; Dr L Grondahl; A/Prof EJ Wolvetang: Scalable, high throughput microfluidic platforms for tissue specific biomaterials
development and tissue genesis

The co-development of novel biomaterial platforms and new generation production methods for tissue analogues will provide the necessary stimulus for improved and more relevant methods of enhanced repair or regeneration of diseased or damaged tissues. These outcomes will result in faster time-to-market new generation therapeutic products for Australia and the world. These advances will have a significant impact on our healthcare costs and the quality of life for all Australians.

Dr DA Copland; Dr KL McMahon; Prof PA Silburn; A/Prof PJ Nathan: How does dopamine modulate adult new word learning?

Stroke is a chronic disease of increasing prevalence with increasing age. There is a critical need to develop more effective treatments of communication disorders in this population. One way of achieving this is to combine certain
drugs with language therapy. Through studying how these drugs influence language, this research will provide vital knowledge for developing effective forms of pharmacotherapy for adults with language disorders after brain injury. More effective language rehabilitation can have direct positive consequences on the ability to regain and maintain employment and social relationships after stroke or brain injury and will address the large and growing social and economic cost to the nation.

Dr M Mesbah; Prof PB Colditz; Dr C East; Dr JE Smeathers; Prof B Boashash: Detection and Quantification of General Fetal Movements from Accelerometer Measurements using Nonstationary Signal Processing Techniques

There are approximately 1,750 fetal deaths per year in Australian with about one-third occurring late in gestation and without an apparent cause. The development of an automated system capable of long-term monitoring of fetal health will result in accurate diagnoses and prediction of future outcome. This will, in turn, allow early intervention by the clinician to reduce fetal deaths and enhance the chances of good outcomes with resultant savings in social and financial costs to the community. The development of such equipment would spawn future research into intervention treatments and contribute to Australia's position as a world leader in computerised health monitoring systems.

UQCCR funded Linkage Projects include:

Prof Jane L Hunter, Dr Andreas Zankl: Skeletome - A Curated Online Knowledge Base Integrating Clinical and Biological Information on Skeletal Dysplasias and Related Conditions

Partner Organisations
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital DHS

The skeletal dysplasia knowledge base will:
* establish Australia as a world-leader in skeletal dysplasia research;
* provide researchers with an extensible and comprehensive online knowledge-base related to skeletal dysplasias;
* enhance clinicians' understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and management of skeletal dysplasias;
* facilitate collaborative discussions by patients, clinicians and researchers around specific cases to improve training, management and diagnosis; and
* enhance Australia's research expertise in Semantic Web and social networking technologies.

Prof Paul W Hodges, Prof James A Ashton-Miller, Prof Christos E Constantinou, Prof Robert A Gardiner, Dr Geoff D Coughlin, Mrs Ruth Sapsford: Urinary continence and incontinence in men: New insight through new technologies

Partner Organisations
GE Healthcare, Mungovan, Breckenridge Physiotherapy and Associates

Healthy ageing in men is largely overlooked. Disorders of continence are surprisingly common with increasing age, and are socially debilitating. To understand changes in continence and address healthy ageing it is first necessary to gain an understanding of continence mechanisms in healthy men. Continence in women has received wide attention, but anatomy and function differ, as do the challenges throughout life (childbirth vs. prostate disease). Using novel methods we will test a new hypothesis of male continence with the goal to provide new physiological discoveries, new methods, and baseline data upon which strategies to enhance healthy ageing and reduce the economic burden of disorders of continence can be developed and refined.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Max Lu congratulated UQ's ARC funding recipients, whose achievements have confirmed the University's position as one of Australia's leading research-intensive universities.

"UQ has again been successful in this nationally competitive funding round, with the funded projects representing the breadth and depth of research conducted at the University," Professor Lu said.

"UQ research is not only of the highest academic quality, but also carries significant commercial relevance, as highlighted by our third-place result in both the Discovery Projects and Linkage Projects schemes."

UQ's ARC funding recipients, whose achievements have confirmed the University's position as one of Australia's leading research-intensive universities.

UQ's success rate was above the national average in both schemes.

Professor Paul Hodges was honoured with an Award for Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision, in UQ's annual Foundation Research Excellence Awards. These awards reward those who help foster the next generation of researchers.

Professor Zlatko Skrbis, Dean of the UQ Graduate School, praised Professor Paul Hodges, for "his sustained and innovative contribution to excellence in research supervision at UQ". 

Professor Hodges has supervised six PhD students to completion at UQ with a further 13 currently under his supervision.

His supervisory philosophy strives to harness the productive potential of clinical practice combined with research. He provides strategies and a very active and supportive framework to achieve a healthy balance of creativity with risk, independence with collaboration.

His extensive enrichment program both challenges and supports his students to become leaders in their fields and future leaders of research.

Professor David Paterson was recently awarded one of only 3 prestigious QH Senior Clinical Research Fellowships.

Professor Paterson is a Brisbane trained infectious disease physician who
has held a number of senior medical positions internationally.
He has studied bacterial infections, resistant to multiple antibiotics, occurring
in a variety of settings ranging from "high-tech" transplant units in the United
States to rural regions of Africa and Asia.
As a recent recipient of the Senior Clinical Research Fellowship he will be
based at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and the University of
Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.
Prof Paterson will study the molecular and clinical epidemiology of infections
with antibiotic resistant organisms. This study will have a particular focus on
the translation of knowledge into prevention and treatment of these infections.

A University of Queensland researcher is part of a national project launching today which has received $1 million funding to discover the proteins that cause multiple sclerosis (MS).

Dr Judith Greer, a senior research fellow in UQ's Centre for Clinical Research, is participating in the research project - the first of its kind in Australia and one of the first of its kind in the world - to be launched in Adelaide by the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Health.

More than 2.5 million people worldwide have MS, with the disease costing the Australian community alone an estimated $2 billion each year. Despite considerable research efforts so far, there are few effective treatments for MS.

The new research project will receive funding of $1 million over four years, starting this year, under the Australian Research Council's Linkage Projects funding scheme and from MS Research Australia (MSRA), the research arm of MS Australia.

The research is a major national MS collaboration between three Australian universities and the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.  The collaboration includes:

• Professor Shaun McColl, University of Adelaide (SA) (lead investigator)
• Dr Judith Greer, University of Queensland (QLD)
• Professor Claude Bernard, Monash University (VIC)
• Prof Bill Carroll, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (WA)
• Dr Peter Hoffmann, University of Adelaide (SA)
• Professor Ian Smith, Monash University (VIC)

Dr Greer, who is an immunologist with a strong interest in the nervous system and autoimmune diseases affecting the nervous system, has high expectations for this project.

"Interactions between proteins and the immune system play a defining role in each stage of MS," she said.

"My group is particularly interested in how these interactions lead to the development of damage to specific parts of the brain and spinal cord in MS.

"If we can identify the set of proteins influencing the onset and development of the disease, it might be then possible to develop targeted treatments."

"With MS, there are a number of major stages that occur in the disease, including activation and remission," says Professor Shaun McColl, Deputy Head of the School of Molecular & Biomedical Science at the University of Adelaide.

"At each of these major stages, certain genes are activated.  Those genes express proteins, and we believe these could have the effect of switching the disease on and off.  If we can discover the key proteins and their roles in the development of MS, we could go a long way towards finding potential treatments or cures for the condition," he says.

The area of research involved in discovering such proteins is known as proteomics.

Mr Jeremy Wright, Executive Director of MS Research Australia, says: "This is a natural step for MSRA to help researchers make important new discoveries that will translate into real outcomes for people with MS. Together with the ARC we are investing $1 million into this promising new area for MS research."

Facts about MS

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune cells attack a person's central nervous system.  MS affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other.

More than 2.5 million people around the world have MS.  This includes around 20,000 Australians.

Three out of every four people diagnosed are women.

MS is the most common neurological disease in young adults.  It often strikes when a person is at their most active, usually in their early 20s, with increasing professional, social and/or family responsibilities.

The total financial cost annually of MS to the Australian community is estimated to be nearly $2 billion.

Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia was set up in 2004 by MS Australia to lift the MS research effort by raising funds and steering national research based on five interrelated platforms.

It advances knowledge of treatments, a cause and cure for MS by targeting research in which Australia can lead the world.

For more information visit: www.msra.org.au

Media: Dr Judith Greer, telephone 07 3346 6018 or email: j.greer@uq.edu.au</b>

Researchers at The University of Queensland have helped identify genes that could hold to the key to treating a common and deadly type of breast cancer.

The discovery suggests a vaccine could be developed for ER negative breast cancer, which accounts for a third of all breast cancer cases, has a generally poor prognosis and few therapy options.

Work carried out by Professor Sunil Lakhani and his team at UQ's Centre for Clinical Research, played a key role in the project which was lead by the international Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR).

The study results were published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The UQCCR team provided analysis of nearly 1,600 tumor samples to confirm the presence of two families of CT-X genes in nearly half of ER negative breast cancers. CT-X genes are thought to be responsible for a natural form of cancer control and might be the cause of spontaneous cancer remission.

"ER negative breast cancer includes a particularly severe type of cancer - triple negative breast cancer, which tends to metastasize early and often to the brain. Many of these cancers are not responsive to current therapies," Prof Lakhani said.

"These findings suggest that a therapeutic vaccine, combining members of the two CT-X families, could be a new therapy for filling a critical unmet need," he said.

TNBC is more common in young and African American women.

CT-X gene products are the targets of therapeutic cancer vaccines already in phase III clinical trials for lung cancer and melanoma.

Dr Andrew Simpson, LICR scientific director and an author of the study, said clinical trials based on the findings of the PNAS study could theoretically be initiated in the near future.