$10.3m NHMRC Investigator grants help search for health solutions

Friday, 15 December 2023

Six University of Newcastle researchers have been awarded more than $10.3m in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator grants* to tackle health problems such as pre-term labour, schizophrenia, endometrial and lung cancers, as well as asthma.

Research lab

In collaboration with Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)*, the Newcastle researchers will also use precision medicine to try and find improved and personalised treatments for people living with chronic disease and mental health conditions.

University of Newcastle Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Professor Zee Upton congratulated the researchers and their teams for pushing the frontiers in the race to solve some of the world’s most pressing health and medical challenges.

“This round of NHMRC Investigator grants, worth more than $10.3m, is our most successful to date. It recognises our researchers’ exceptional expertise in fields such asthma, cancer and pregnancy, as well as precision medicine – which uses genetics to identify new and personalised treatments for a range of chronic diseases.

“Their valuable work and commitment to identifying earlier detection tests and better treatments will lead to improved health and wellbeing of our communities. We are excited to see what future breakthroughs they will discover.”

The six successful NHMRC Investigators grants are awarded to:

Distinguished Laureate Professor Roger Smith  $2,953,040

Advancing treatment for preterm labour

Premature birth is a major cause of newborn baby deaths and lifelong disability. Current treatment can only delay birth for a few days. A new treatment developed by Professor Smith and his team is based on their studies of the uterus in labour. The team will combine drugs that block different pathways to arrest premature contractions with nucleic acid therapeutics to turn the contracting muscle back to a relaxed state. The drugs will be given in targeted nanoparticles that go just to the uterus, improving safety for mother and baby.

Professor Murray Cairns  $2,897,165

Using genetically informed precision medicine to improve the treatment of schizophrenia

The world urgently needs new treatments for schizophrenia that reach beyond the broad symptom categories to target the molecular basis of disease as it manifests in individuals. Professor Cairns’ research program will establish a new precision medicine approach that uses a patient's genetic profile to specifically match their disease-associated biology with a broad spectrum of treatments, including existing medications used in psychiatry, as well as those currently used for other conditions.

Professor Peter Gibson  $2,553,040

Future frontiers in asthma

Led by Professor Gibson, this research program will investigate how different types of treatment can achieve the complete removal of asthma symptoms and attacks, called treatment-induced asthma remission. Clinical trials of treatments, their combination, as well as a digital asthma self-management intervention will be used. Possible tests of asthma remission will be characterised. The cost savings of achieving asthma remission, and consumer views about this new treatment outcome in asthma will be identified.

Dr Shafiq Syed  $662,040

Dietary and metabolic control of Axin2+ stem cells in endometrial physiology and cancer

While the incidence of most cancers is decreasing globally, endometrial cancer deaths are on the rise due to rising obesity. The underlying mechanisms are not known. Having recently identified the cell-of-origin for endometrial cancer puts Dr Syed in a unique position to investigate how obesity and high fat diet alter functioning of these critical cells during endometrial cancer initiation. The study will provide novel metabolic targets for endometrial cancer therapy and a rationale for modifying everyday diet to maintain a healthy state.

Dr Yuchen Feng  $579,632

Exploiting long noncoding RNAs for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment

Cancer cells exploit a newly discovered class of molecules for their growth and resistance to treatment. This research program led by Dr Feng will develop a better understanding of how these molecules influence lung cancer initiation and treatment response. It will also uncover new biomarkers that reveal the presence of lung cancer, as well as new molecular targets for anti-cancer drugs. Findings from this research will pave the way towards earlier detection of lung cancer and more effective cancer treatments.

Dr William Reay  $662,040

Using genetics to improve the clinical management of common, chronic disorders and enable precision medicine

Millions of Australians live with chronic disorders, which are conditions that can last years and include diagnoses like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Many individuals do not respond well to current treatments for these disorders, and it is often difficult to uncover why this is the case. Dr Reay’s research aims to use genetics to both identify new and better treatments for these disorders, as well as target them to patients more effectively.

HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

*NHMRC Investigator Grants consolidate separate fellowship and research support into one grant scheme, providing each researcher flexibility to pursue important new research directions as they arise and to form collaborations as needed, rather than being restricted to the scope of a specific research project.

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