Dr Madeleine Hinwood
Research Academic
School of Medicine and Public Health
- Email:madeleine.hinwood@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4014 3013
Improving chronic disease outcomes in Australia
Dr Madeleine Hinwood is using research to strengthen our knowledge of how mental illnesses develop, advance evidence-based treatments and preventions, and improve public access to safe, effective medication.
Madeleine is committed to improving the way mental and neurological disorders are treated and prevented in Australia. From preclinical research to informing health policies, the impact of Madeleine’s work is two-fold: contributing to a better understanding of stress-related disorders, and ensuring safe, effective medications are accessible to the public.
Delivering affordable treatments
While mental illness has received greater public attention and research funding in recent years, getting effective and affordable medication on the shelves for patients remains challenging.
“There are so many interesting preclinical (animal) studies happening to further our understanding of the brain and the disorders of the central nervous system. However, the translation of these studies into useful clinical applications is notoriously difficult.
“Even when research does translate to improved medications, we face the challenge of access and affordability for the general public. How do we get safe, effective medication into the hands of those who need it?”
In her role as an external academic evaluator for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Madeleine provides expert clinical and economic advice to the federal government to inform decisions about which new medicines should be subsidised for the Australian public, to make them more accessible.
Since 2015, Madeleine’s work has helped deliver subsidised pharmaceuticals for thousands of patients annually.
“We evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceutical listings. This is multi-million dollar applied research and evaluation that directly informs health policy and clinical practice, and impacts upon public access to medicines.”
Innovative mental health research
Alongside her evaluation work, Madeleine is involved in several innovative neurological research projects in collaboration with researchers from Hunter New England Health, the Stroke Research Group (Hunter Medical Research Institute and the University of Newcastle), and the Centre for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University in Sweden.
Still in the early development stages, the team’s collaborative research will explore how chronic stress can change the brain’s wiring, potentially making people more vulnerable to common mental health illnesses such as depression.
“I have a long standing interest in studying the changes in brain and behaviour that occur in response to stress. Increasingly, people are being exposed to detrimental levels of stress. And while short bursts are beneficial—allowing us to appropriately respond to potential threats—long-term, chronic stress can take a toll on the body’s resources.
“Stress is a key behavioural risk factor for a number of disorders, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, it hasn’t received the same attention as other behavioural risk factors, such as smoking or physical activity. Investigating the contribution of stress to these disorders provides an opportunity to dramatically improve health outcomes.”
As well as understanding the effects of stress, Madeleine’s team is looking for ways to combat it, by examining whether there is a gold standard for stress intervention strategies and exploring the interactions between stress and the immune system.
“There is a rapidly growing number of medicines that target the immune system. I’m interested to see how these medicines affect disorders of the central nervous system, and how this might interact with stress.
“For example, we can link the use of certain medicines to positive and negative mental health outcomes—such as risk of dementia or depression—in certain high-risk cohorts over long periods of time.”
Madeleine’s team is exploring new ways to mitigate the effects of chronic stress using a combination of treatments, such as pharmacological treatment and cognitive-behavioural strategies.
“The big question is: what strategies can we use to mitigate the presence of chronic stress? Currently, no one strategy has been shown to work conclusively, but we are committed to finding new solutions.”
Looking to the future
Madeleine’s work is attracting well-deserved attention. Over the past five years, Madeleine has secured $5.6 million in research funding, received a University of Newcastle Faculty of Health and Medicine award for best PhD thesis and, in 2018, she was selected to participate in the Faculty-facilitated ThinkWell Early and Mid-Career Women’s Development Program. The program provides support for emerging researchers, helping them progress in their field and make their mark.
For Madeleine, the idea of “making a mark” means building on preclinical research to help in the translation of novel prevention strategies and treatments for mental and neurological disorders.
“We are still at the beginning of our understanding about the brain and disorders of the central nervous system. I’d love to see what we know about how the brain works in another 100 years!”
Improving chronic disease outcomes in Australia
Dr Madeleine Hinwood is using research to strengthen our knowledge of how mental illnesses develop, advance evidence-based treatments and preventions, and improve public access to safe, effective medication.
Career Summary
Biography
Dr Madeleine Hinwood is a research academic in the School of Medicine and Public Health with the University of Newcastle. In this role, Madeleine provides external evaluation of submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, examining the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Her work directly informs health policy and clinical practice, helping to ensure drugs are safe, effective and accessible for the public. A promising early-career researcher, Madeleine is also involved in multiple traditional research projects that build on her early work as a preclinical neuroscientist, helping translate preclinical and early-phase neurological research into clinical approaches using epidemiological techniques.
Madeleine’s curiosity for how the brain works began during her undergraduate years studying psychology, where she focused on neurobiology. In 2013, Madeleine completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of Newcastle, supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award. Her PhD research focused on the relationship between central immune system activation, stress and mood disorder. Madeleine investigated neuroadaptations in response to chronic stress, examining how neurons and immune cells (microglia) in the brain change when exposed to chronic stress, and then targeted these adaptations with translational compounds, including medicines commonly used to treat infections or mood disorder.
Chronic stress is a known precursor to many disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease. By examining how chronic stress changes the brain, Madeleine’s PhD work highlighted how stress-related neurological changes may be associated with depression. The project also measured how antidepressants and other compounds affected these processes.
Before stepping into her current role with the University, Madeleine spent three years working in public health and health planning for a federal government program, running projects in health planning, epidemiology, and mental health. Her love for applied research, especially clinical studies, brought her back to the University in 2015 as a research academic, where she also completed a Master of Clinical Epidemiology in 2017.
Madeleine’s research interests include stress-related disorders (depression, anxiety, PTSD, and cardiovascular disorders); stress associated with chronic disease; health technology assessment; clinical epidemiology; systematic reviews; network meta-analysis; pharmaceutical evaluation; methodological research and cohort studies. Madeleine has published eight articles in peer-reviewed journals and 10 health technology assessment reports. Collectively she is cited over 700 times.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), University of Newcastle
- Master of Clinical Epidemiology, University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Epidemiology
- Health economics
- Mental Health
- Neurological disorders
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Pharmacoepidemiology
- Public health
- Statistics
- Stress
Languages
- English (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
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111599 | Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences not elsewhere classified | 40 |
010402 | Biostatistics | 15 |
111799 | Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified | 45 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Research Academic | University of Newcastle School of Medicine and Public Health Australia |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
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PUBH6250 |
Health Economics School of Medicine & Public Health, Faculty of Health & Medicine, University of Newcastle | Australia |
Lecturer | 25/2/2019 - 30/6/2019 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (14 outputs)
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2020 |
Gyawali P, Hinwood M, Chow WZ, Kluge M, Ong LK, Nilsson M, Walker FR, 'Exploring the relationship between fatigue and circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory biomarkers interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in the chronic stage of stroke recovery: A cross-sectional study', Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health, 9 100157-100157 (2020)
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2020 |
Higginson S, Milovanovic K, Gillespie J, Matthews A, Williams C, Wall L, et al., 'COVID-19: The need for an Australian economic pandemic response plan', Health Policy and Technology, 9 488-502 (2020) [C1] © 2020 Objectives: Pandemics pressure national governments to respond swiftly. Mitigation efforts created an imbalance between population health, capacity of the healthcare system... [more] © 2020 Objectives: Pandemics pressure national governments to respond swiftly. Mitigation efforts created an imbalance between population health, capacity of the healthcare system and economic prosperity. Each pandemic arising from a new virus is unknown territory for policy makers, and there is considerable uncertainty of the appropriateness of responses and outcomes. Methods: A qualitative approach was used to review mixed sources of data including Australian reports, official government publications, and COVID-19 data to discern robust future responses. Publicly available epidemiological and economic data were utilised to provide insight into the impact of the pandemic on Australia's healthcare system and economy. Results: Policies implemented by the Australian Government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 impacted the healthcare sector and economy. This paper incorporates lessons learned to inform optimal economic preparedness. The rationale for an economic response plan concomitant with the health pandemic plan is explored to guide Australian Government policy makers in ensuring holistic and robust solutions for future pandemics. Conclusions: In future, an Australian Economic Pandemic Response Plan will aid in health and economic system preparedness, whilst a strong Australian economy and strategic planning will ensure resilience to future pandemics.
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2020 |
Hinwood M, Ilicic M, Gyawali P, Kluge MG, Coupland K, Smith A, et al., 'Exploration of stress management interventions to address psychological stress in stroke survivors: a protocol for a scoping review', BMJ OPEN, 10 (2020)
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2020 |
Gyawali P, Chow WZ, Hinwood M, Kluge M, English C, Ong LK, et al., 'Opposing Associations of Stress and Resilience With Functional Outcomes in Stroke Survivors in the Chronic Phase of Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study', FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY, 11 (2020) [C1]
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2019 |
Hinwood M, Kluge MG, Ilicic M, Walker FR, 'Understanding microglial involvement in stress-induced mood disturbance: a modulator of vulnerability?', Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 28 98-104 (2019) [C1] © 2019 Elsevier Ltd Evidence demonstrating that microglial mediated neuroimmune disturbances play a central role in the aetiology of mood pathology have transformed the landscape ... [more] © 2019 Elsevier Ltd Evidence demonstrating that microglial mediated neuroimmune disturbances play a central role in the aetiology of mood pathology have transformed the landscape within psychiatric neuroscience. This article will place in context these recent developments and will place a particular focus on considering how microglia may contribute to shaping the operating environment of the CNS to foster susceptibility and resilience to psychopathology. Specifically, we will consider contributions from microglial priming, microglial modulation of synaptic plasticity, glial modulation of glutamatergic tone, and finally the role of neuroinflammatory disturbances in cerebrovascular integrity. Although much has been revealed about neuroimmune contributions to mood state and psychological health, our understanding of core mechanisms is still very much in a state of flux and it is likely that new insights will continue to shape our understanding well into the future.
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2013 |
Tynan RJ, Beynon SB, Hinwood M, Johnson SJ, Nilsson M, Woods JJ, Walker FR, 'Chronic stress-induced disruption of the astrocyte network is driven by structural atrophy and not loss of astrocytes', Acta Neuropathologica, 126 75-91 (2013) [C1]
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2013 |
Hinwood M, Tynan RJ, Charnley JL, Beynon SB, Day TA, Walker FR, 'Chronic Stress Induced Remodeling of the Prefrontal Cortex: Structural Re-Organization of Microglia and the Inhibitory Effect of Minocycline', CEREBRAL CORTEX, 23 1784-1797 (2013) [C1]
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2012 |
Tynan R, Weidenhofer JC, Hinwood M, Cairns MJ, Day TA, Walker FR, 'A comparative examination of the anti-inflammatory effects of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants on LPS stimulated microglia', Brain Behavior and Immunity, 26 469-479 (2012) [C1]
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2012 |
Hinwood M, Morandini J, Day TA, Walker FR, 'Evidence that microglia mediate the neurobiological effects of chronic psychological stress on the medial prefrontal cortex', Cerebral Cortex, 22 1442-1454 (2012) [C1]
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2011 |
Hinwood M, Tynan R, Day TA, Walker FR, 'Repeated social defeat selectively increases DeltaFosB expression and histone H3 acetylation in the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex', Cerebral Cortex, 21 262-271 (2011) [C1]
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2010 |
Tynan R, Naicker S, Hinwood M, Nalivaiko E, Buller KM, Pow DV, et al., 'Chronic stress alters the density and morphology of microglia in a subset of stress-responsive brain regions', Brain Behavior and Immunity, 24 1058-1068 (2010) [C1]
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2009 |
Walker FR, Naicker S, Hinwood M, Dunn N, Day TA, 'Strain differences in coping behaviour, novelty seeking behaviour, and susceptibility to socially conditioned fear: A comparison between Wistar and Sprague Dawley rats', Stress: The International Journal on the Biology of Stress, 12 507-516 (2009) [C1]
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2008 |
Walker FR, Hinwood M, Masters LM, Dielenberg R, Day TA, 'Individual differences predict susceptibility to conditioned fear arising from psychosocial trauma', Journal of Psychiatric Research, 42 371-383 (2008) [C1]
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Show 11 more journal articles |
Conference (7 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2012 |
Walker FR, Tynan R, Hinwood M, Woodworth SB, 'The role of microglia in cognitive disturbance: A new frontier in the neurobiology of stress', Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, San Diego, CA (2012) [E3]
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2011 |
Walker FR, Tynan R, Day TA, Ng A, Hinwood M, 'What have microglia got to do with it? New directions in the neurobiology of depression', Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Chicago, Illinois (2011) [E3]
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2008 | Hinwood M, Walker R, Day TA, 'Characterisation and cellular specificity of the [triangle symbol] FOSB response to chronic social stress in rat infralimbic cortex', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, Newcastle, NSW (2008) [E3] | ||||
2007 |
Hinwood M, Walker FR, Day TA, 'Characterisation of fosB response in rat forebrain following exposure to chronic social stress (Poster)', 7th IBRO 2007 World Congress of Neuroscience Program, Melbourne (2007) [E3]
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2007 |
Walker FR, Hinwood M, Masters LM, Dielenberg R, Day TA, 'Individual differences predict susceptibility to conditioned fear arising from psychosocial trauma (Poster)', 7th IBRO 2007 World Congress of Neuroscience Program, Melbourne (2007) [E3]
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2006 |
Paton BK, Hinwood M, Budd TW, 'The effects of MR scanner noise on auditory thresholds: a psychoacoustic study using SAM white noise, pure tones and complex tones', Clinical EEG and Neuroscience V37, April 2006, Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, University of Wollongong, Sydney, Australia (2006) [E3]
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2006 |
Hinwood M, Paton BK, Budd TW, 'Acoustic masking by EPI gradient sounds on detection thresholds for amplitude modulation as a function of a modulation rate', Clinical EEG and Neuroscience V37, April 2006, Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, University of Wollongong, Sydney, Australia (2006) [E3]
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Show 4 more conferences |
Other (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2020 |
Paolucci F, Lee D, Wall L, Hinwood M, Antonini M, 'A $200 fine for not wearing a mask is fair, as long as free masks go to those in need', (2020) [O1]
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2020 |
Milovanovic K, Higginson S, Gillespie J, Wall L, Moy N, Hinwood M, et al., 'COVID-19: The Need for an Australian Economic Pandemic Response Plan', : SSRN (2020)
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2017 |
Bell R, Prior F, Bell J, Hinwood M, O'Hara K, Goon L, 'Exercise and Weight Loss Supplements: Understanding the risk', (2017) [O1]
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Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 4 |
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Total funding | $7,451,614 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20211 grants / $446,302
Using a national level multi-registry analysis to determine whether prescribed anti-platelet therapies post-stroke can modify the risk of cognitive decline or dementia$446,302
Funding body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
Funding body | NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) |
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Project Team | Professor Michael Nilsson, Frederick Walker, Georg Kuhn, Professor Rohan Walker, Georg Kuhn, Jenny Nyberg, Professor John Attia, Sara Gustavsson, Doctor Madeleine Hinwood, Jenny Nyberg, Doctor Christopher Oldmeadow, Sara Gustavsson, Doctor Marina Ilicic, Professor Neil Spratt, Professor Chris Levi, Dr Leeanne Carey |
Scheme | Ideas Grants |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2021 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | G2000554 |
Type Of Funding | C1100 - Aust Competitive - NHMRC |
Category | 1100 |
UON | Y |
20202 grants / $206,936
Health Technology Assessment, Research Support and Other Services Panel$178,382
Funding body: Department of Health
Funding body | Department of Health |
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Project Team | Ms Danielle Lang, Mr Rob Bell, Mr Marc Bevan, Doctor Emily Walkom, Mr Jarrod Bell, Ms Lynn Goon, Doctor Madeleine Hinwood |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | G2000297 |
Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
Category | 2110 |
UON | Y |
Research Funding for Treatment of alcohol dependence with an mTOR inhibitor (TAMI) Study$28,554
Funding body: Hunter New England Local Health District
Funding body | Hunter New England Local Health District |
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Project Team | Conjoint Professor Adrian Dunlop, Doctor Amanda Brown, Professor Chris Dayas, Doctor Madeleine Hinwood, Professor Jennifer Martin |
Scheme | Research Funding |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2023 |
GNo | G2000584 |
Type Of Funding | C2220 - Aust StateTerritoryLocal - Other |
Category | 2220 |
UON | Y |
20161 grants / $6,798,376
Provision of external evaluation of Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and health technology related submissions$6,798,376
Funding body: Department of Health
Funding body | Department of Health |
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Project Team | Ms Danielle Lang, Mr Jarrod Bell, Mr Rob Bell, Mr Marc Bevan, Ms Lynn Goon, Doctor Madeleine Hinwood, Doctor Emily Walkom, Miss Chiara Berardi |
Scheme | Consultancy/Tender |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2016 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | G1601071 |
Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
Category | 2110 |
UON | Y |
Research Projects
Patient and Surgeon preferences for sham surgery trials 2019 -
Publications
Wall L, Hinwood M, Lang D, Smith A, Bunzli S, Clarke P, et al., 'Attitudes of patients and surgeons towards sham surgery trials: a protocol for a scoping review of attributes to inform a discrete choice experiment', BMJ OPEN, 10 (2020)
Collaborators
Name | Organisation |
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Professor Francesco Paolucci | University of Newcastle |
Doctor Madeleine Hinwood | University of Newcastle |
Ms Danielle Leigh Lang | University of Newcastle |
Edit
Dr Madeleine Hinwood
Position
Research Academic
Newcastle Evaluation Group
School of Medicine and Public Health
Faculty of Health and Medicine
Contact Details
madeleine.hinwood@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4014 3013 |
Office
Building | Level 5, Clinical Sciences Building. |
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Location | Mater Hospital, Edith Street Waratah , |