$3.6m NHMRC funding fuels innovative ideas

Premature birth, severe asthma and sperm stress will be a key focus for innovative researchers from the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), who were successful in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grants.

More than $3.6m will be allocated to three Newcastle research projects aiming to understand, address and reduce the severity of these specific diseases and conditions.

The successful NHMRC Ideas grants were awarded to:

Professor Craig Pennell  $1,363,053

Precision medicine tools to predict spontaneous preterm birth in early pregnancy

Preterm birth is the greatest cause of death and disability in children under five. Rates have remained unchanged for the last 10 years. Current tools to predict preterm birth early in pregnancy are poor and the ability to predict which interventions will be successful in high-risk women are limited. Building on 15 years of research, Professor Pennell and his team will use their previously successful bioinformatic pipeline to develop new genomic tools to predict preterm birth early in pregnancy in both low and high-risk women.

Professor Jay Horvat  $1,299,359

Manipulating iron metabolism in the airway mucosa for the treatment of severe asthma and COPD

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for significant premature death, chronic suffering and massive health care costs in Australia. Professor Horvat and his team conducted world first studies to show that altered iron levels in the airways affects disease severity in both asthma and COPD. In this study they will investigate how altered iron levels in the airways affects disease and test therapies that correct altered iron levels in the airways for the treatment of both asthma and COPD.

Professor Brett Nixon  $983,387

Targeting the epididymis to protect the integrity of the sperm epigenome

This project will enhance understanding of the molecular pathways by which environmental signals received by a father are transmitted to their offspring. Specifically, the team will determine how the male reproductive tract (epididymis) conveys epigenetic, environmental stress information onto sperm to influence offspring health. This work has major public health and socioeconomic implications in terms of minimising the risk of future generations inheriting stress-related health disorders.

The Ideas Grant scheme supports innovative research that contributes to the health of all Australians.

NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh said the scheme provided opportunities for researchers at every career stage to translate their ideas, whether it be formed in the laboratory, in the clinic or in the community, into deliverable evidence-based outcomes.

“The diversity across researcher career stage, discipline, disease focus and location will support a wide array of new research and answer some of Australia’s burning health and medical questions.”

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