Mark Hughes Foundation Commits $18.9 Million Donation to University of Newcastle

 BY CAMERON TARAGEL

The Mark Hughes Foundation has donated a landmark $18.9 million philanthropic gift to the University of Newcastle to fast track brain cancer research.

The announcement this morning now brings the MHF's total contribution to the university to over $36 million. 

The donation places it as one of the largest philanthropic investments in brain cancer nationally and the university's biggest donation to date.

The foundation and university hope to collaborate to find a cure for brain cancer as it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in children and adults under 40.

Under previous donations, the university's Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research was established in 2022.

The collaboration will further strengthen Newcastle's current research centres for brain cancer and help translate current research into a clinical practice, allowing for more treatment options.

Mark Hughes Foundation Centre Director, Professor Mike Fay says the gift has boosted the first phase of research.

"We're building research platforms, forming partnerships, developing new drug developments and clinical trials," he said.

"Which is absolutely going to change the outlook for brain cancer patients across Australia." he said..

With the new funding, Professor Fay said the next 5 years will be taking research and implementing it practically.

"One of the things we are planning to develop is a treatment called theranostic treatment," he said.

"We give the patient a drug, initially it's got an imaging radionuclide on the back of it and then put the patient in a scanner so we can see where it's going in the body," he said.

"We change that over for a therapy isotope once we know the patient's appropriate for that sort of treatment," he said.

"It then floats around the body and binds to the brain cancer and we hope helps destroy it." he said.

Professor Fay hopes the new treatments like the blood test for cancer will allow the foundation to explore new treatments as quickly as possible.

"Some will be new drugs. Others will be drugs that already exist that we've found new uses for." he said.

The foundation and centre also hopes that raising awareness of brain cancer will help speed up research.

"We think with all this extra attention on brain cancer that things are starting to move an awful lot faster." he said.

Professor Mike Fay

HMRI Announces New Partnership for Cardiovascular Treatment

 BY PETER HYSLOP

The Hunter Medical Research Institute says it will have greater capacity to provide new clinical treatments for cardiovascular disease.

The institute has signed a memorandum of understanding with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, to explore new research opportunities.

Chief executive FRANCES KAY-LAMBKIN says she hopes more treatments are on the way.

Novartis Australia and New Zealand President Matt Zeller says the partnership is an important step for advancing quality treatment.

“Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in Australia, and we must be willing to work together, across the ecosystem, to try new things and see what can actually reduce the burden on communities, patients, and their families," he said.

HMRI Chief Executive Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin says it will fast-track research into practice.

"Traditionally, it can take up to 17 years for research discoveries to make it from the lab to the hands of clinicians. Collaborations like this with Novartis provide the additional funding, resources, and linkages needed to significantly shorten that timeline, directly benefiting patients and the broader community," she said.

Researcher in action. Credit: HMRI

Calls for more people to have their blood pressure checked

BY JORDAN REGNIS

The Hunter Medical Research Institute provided blood pressure checks at Customs House in Newcastle today.

Today marks International Hypertension Day, with people encouraged to have their blood pressure checked to prevent three preventable causes of death.

These include Coronary heart disease, Stroke and Dementia.

It's been revealed one in three Australian adults have high blood pressure, yet only half of them know they have it.

A Review of Health at Every Size

 BY JOHN THOMAS

A recent review of the popular Health at Every Size (HAES) practice found that it's benefits to a person's health are limited.

Conducted by a research team at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Mediacl Research Institute, the team found that while the HAES method can positively impact people's wellbeing, body image, and improve people's relation with food, HAES is not a replacement for any other kind of medical intervention such as nutrition therapy, medication, or treating chronic disease such as high blood pressure.

Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics' Clare Collins at the University of Newcastle says HAES is not "an approach for improving blood fat levels, blood sugar levels, or blood cholesterol." 

"If you are seeking strategies to improve your health Clare suggests "If you're really trying to improve your weight related health go have a chat with your GP about what strategies might be most suitable for you," she said.  

Collaborative Artwork Between Newcastle-Based Artist and UON Researcher Unveiled at HMRI

BY OLIVIA DILLON

A Newcastle-based artist and reproduction expert have collaborated to produce a new piece of art unveiled at the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) overnight.

This year's HMRI Art Series is the product of a collaboration between Researcher of the Year, Professor Brett Nixon and visual artist, Mitch Revs. 

The University of Newcastle's Professor Nixon is a member of the HMRI Pregnancy and Reproduction team, and his research focuses on genetic and environmental factors which impact the quality of sperm. 

At the HMRI Community Seminar last night, Professor Nixon said seeing his work come to life brought tears to his eyes. 

"I've devoted my life to this research field, not for the accolades but more to try and improve the outcomes for people that are suffering from infertility," he said.  

"I'm very touched by what Mitch has brought out of our research. He's a genuine artist."

The one-off artwork titled "Seedling" aims to shed a light on the crucial need for more researchers in the fields of infertility and reproduction, and showcase the significant fertility research being run out of laboratories in the Hunter. 

Mitch Revs was specially chosen to produce the artwork for this year's Series, and said he couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a worthy cause. 

"My biggest fear was not being able to reflect him (Brett) how he needs to be reflected; I felt a lot of pressure around the objective because I wanted to do a good job," Mitch said. 

"To have my work displayed at HMRI is a massive honour and achievement for me; it's one of those boxes everyone wants to tick." 

"Hopefully we can raise some much needed funds when we auction the artwork in a few weeks." 

"Seedling" will be auctioned at the HMRI Ball on Saturday June 17th. 

The money raised from the auction will go towards funding more vital research projects in the Hunter. 

Image: Mitch Revs

Image: Michelle Lawson

Hunter researchers make major step forward in melanoma treatment

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Researchers at the Hunter Medical Research Institute and University of Newcastle have made a breakthrough in treating late-stage melanoma.

Using a combination of two existing drug treatments, they've managed to significantly improve survival times for patients.

Professor Nikola Bowden says the results are exciting. 

"This clinical trial was people with melanoma who are resistant to all our current treatments," she said.

"What we did was take really old chemotherapy drugs and repurpose them to treat the patients and then to put them back on their previous immunotherapy treatment."

"The combination has worked really well."

The team says it was able to re-sensitise cancer cells to immunotherapy, through the combination of Azacitidine and Carboplatin.

It's been investigating their potential since 2015, with 20 people taking part in the trial between 2017 and 2021.

The patients survived an average of 47 weeks, and four of the patients are still alive today.

A second stage of trials is now underway using updated immunotherapy drugs, and initial results suggest it could be even more promising. 

"This group of patients have no other treatment options and have a very short prognosis usually," Prof Bowden said.

"It's an option for them, when all the other drugs have stopped working, and there's potential that it will work in other cancers as well."

Image credit: Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Hunter Researchers Hoping to Break Ground in Dementia Battle

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter researchers are set to launch two new studies hoping to identify dementia risk in older people and even delay progression of the disease.

The studies will focus on finding out if the buildup of plaques thought to cause Alzheimer's will work as a predictive test. 

There's also potential new approaches to antibody therapy could help remove the beta amyloid protein which makes up the plaques, slowing or reversing dementia symptoms.

The efforts are part of a collaboration between the Hunter Medical Research Institute and the Australian Dementia Network, in conjunction with international drug companies.

Professor Michael Breakspear, the neuroscientist leading the team, says the trials are a great opportunity for the Hunter.

"This is what's really new about these clinical trials, and the one that we've got here in Newcastle," Prof Breakspear said.

"We can find people in the community who look like they're really on that dangerous path to dementia and they've got amyloid in their brain, and for the first time we can offer them a treatment that will stop that accumulation of amyloid."

Researchers are currently looking for local participants to sign up to the trials.

Prof Breakspear says the first trial will involve cognitive assessments, genetic studies, and brain scans, while the second will focus on finding out if the antibody treatments are effective.

"It would be great to be able to identify people in their late 50s, 60s, and early 70s, and say, we think you're highly likely to be developing dementia," Prof Breakspear said.

"Here are some treatments we can offer you at the moment that will delay or even reverse or prevent what otherwise might happen in 10 or 15 years."

People interested in taking part in the trial can find out more at https://www.australiandementianetwork.org.au/i-am-a-member-of-the-public-or-consumer/volunteer-for-trials/.

Lung Health Seminar to Help Hunter Breathe Easy

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter locals with concerns about their lung health will have the chance to have their questions heard at a community seminar this evening.

The Hunter Medical Research Institute's Breathe Easy seminar is offering talks on how to manage asthma  in the age of COVID-19 and the potential for future research in the area.

There'll also be a Q&A session after the talks.

Professor Vanessa McDonald, a research leader in HMRI's VIVA Program, says natural disasters like bushfires and thunderstorms are making regional Australia a bit of an asthma hotspot. 

"Disasters have significantly affected people with asthma," Prof McDonald said. "For example, a few years ago there was the thunderstorm event in Melbourne, followed by bushfires and then COVID-19."

"We know that a lot of people in the community who have asthma might not necessarily be doing all the right things to manage their asthma most effectively." 

Prof McDonald says it's important sufferers stay one step ahead of the disease.

"These things are not going to stop," Prof McDonald said. "Bushfires will occur again."

"We really need to be prepared about what the best approach to take is when these events occur, particularly on the lives of people with chronic diseases including lung diseases and cardiovascular disease."

The seminar, running 6pm to 7pm this evening, is available online or face-to-face by registering at https://hmri.org.au/breathe-easy-asthma-and-lung-health-community-seminar-person-registration.

Hunter Medical Research Institute To Answer Burning Covid-19 Questions Thanks To NIB Grant

BY ISABEL EVERETT

The Hunter Medical Research Institute has received a funding boost to deliver their "Fast Facts" project, which will quickly arm health officials with up-to-date evidence to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

HMRI-affiliated researcher and University of Newcastle Associate Professor Luke Wolfenden, received the  funding grant from NIB. 

Working with the HNE COVID-19 Public Health response team, Associate Professor Wolfenden will collaborate with international disease experts and Hunter New England Health public health physician, Associate Professor Craig Dalton, to address COVID-19 health questions. 

The team will work closely with Cochrane Australia and Cochrane International, to access a living register of COVID-19 studies,  which includes bank of research questions and access to experts.

“This funding from nib  will enable us to establish a research team that can take the best Australian and International evidence and apply it locally, nationally and globally,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says.

“Given the novelty of the virus, early responses to the disease outbreak were based on similar viruses such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome),” explains Associate Professor Wolfenden. “However, while COVID-19 is related to these viruses, it is genetically, epidemiologically and clinically distinct.”

One of the questions this project may address is is the incubation period and how does this impact quarantine.

A number of small studies have reportedly been done so far, the project aiming to pool their data to provide a more precise and reliable estimate of the incubation period.

HMRI Institute Director Professor Tom Walley emphasised the importance of a cohesive approach to applying evidence-based research in times of a global health crisis. 

“This is a time when we need evidence and research, rather than opinion, to inform our actions,” Professor Walley says. “This work will make the best evidence available quickly to enable clinicians and policy makers to use it for patient benefit.”

Other important issues this project will examine include assessing the risk of infection and transmission among healthcare workers, and identifying the frequency and virus attach rates in schools.

nib Group Chief Medical Officer, Dr Mellissa Naidoo, said the $126,000 research partnership is important given there is still no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19.

“It’s vital that clinicians can access the most up to date research and evidence to inform patient care and community health,” Dr Naidoo said.

“We already have the expertise at a local level so we can move quickly to start work on the project,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says. “We’ll be working together over the next 6 – 8 months to ensure that the COVID-19 response is produced rapidly to a scientifically rigourous standard.”

Image Credit: APP

Bequest Could Help Drive Newcastle Art Galley Expansion

BY IAN CROUCH

The Newcastle Art Gallery and the Hunter Medical Research Institute will benefit from the largest bequest in the Hunter's history.

Former Newcastle ballet store owner, Valerie Ryan died in November last year aged 94.

In her will she bequeathed $10 million each to the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation and the HMRI.

Newcastle Council says the legacy will be held in trust by the foundation and dedicated to the gallery's collection or the building-expansion project.

Council set aside $7 million dollars in 2012 towards what was in 2013 estimated as a $21 million project after initial estimates were downsized from $30 million. A federal grant was obtained for $7 million but the proposed expansion hit a sang in 2013 when the state government refused to match the federal funds and the money had to be returned. 

Since then, the projected cost of the project has ballooned, with estimates topping $45 million dollars in January 2019. Council now estimates the project will cost $36 million.

It's now hoped the bequest will provide fresh incentive for the state and federal governments to fund the expansion to provide more storage and exhibition space for the 6,750 works of art in the gallery's collection  

Meanwhile the HMRI plans to use its $10 million share of the bequest to fund research into cancer, dementia and stroke.

The late Valerie Ryan bequeathed $10 million each to the HMRI and Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Picture: therherald.com.au

HMRI Trial to HeLP with Back Pain

BY MEGHAN RICHARDSON

One in six Australian's suffer from chronic back pain but a new collaborative trial is aiming to produce a more holistic approach health that challenges traditional treatment methods.

The program, titled HeLP Program for Low Back Pain is currently searching for participants to volunteer.

Hunter New England Population Health's musculoskeletal health team, with the University of Newcastle, and Hunter Medical Research Institute are working together to address issues within the current model of back pain treatment.

The integrated approach will also be working with the John Hunter Hospital's physiotherapy/outpatient department to help patients become more informed and plan for their long-term health.

The trial will focus on more than just back pain, with Research Fellow and program lead, Dr Chris Williams stating that traditional single approach treatments may not be effective.

"Chronic low back pain has many potential causes including lifestyle behaviours like excess weight, smoking, inactivity and the foods you eat,” he said.

“However many people do not receive advice and support to change these when they seek care, and they often end up neglecting their other health needs."

The HeLP  trial program will attempt a new approach to aiding patients with chronic back issues by considering the patient's pain in conjecture with their overall health.

The program is open to volunteers who have had ongoing lower back pain for more than three months and also have trouble with smoking, weight, and healthy eating.

If you or someone you know could benefit from the HeLP program you can contact the musculoskeletal health team at HNELHD-MSK@health.nsw.gov.au 

Pregnant Women To Trial Dieting App

BY OLIVIA PORTELL

Pregnant women across the Hunter in their second trimester are being called to trial a smartphone app that assists with diet management during pregnancy.

Developed by HMRI, the app focuses on nutrition through monitoring carbohydrate intake and portion sizes.

Dietician and PhD candidate Hannah Brown says that the app uses augmented reality to help pregnant women track what they are eating, potentially eliminating health problems in the future.

"Diet is really important during pregnancy, and we're focusing on carbohydrate intake in our study because previous research has found that high blood sugar levels in pregnancy can lead to negative health outcomes for both mother and baby, including birth complications as well as an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life."

Brown says that they hope the app will make keeping up with diet and nutrition during pregnancy a simpler process.

"We're hoping that the app will make pregnant women more aware of how much they are eating, and preliminary results are already finding that that's the case," she says.

"So we're hoping that the nutrition information in the app is also really helpful for them because we know that there's a lot of misinformation about nutrition."

Brown says that the feedback has so far been positive.

"We're finding that the pregnant women are really enjoying using the app, they're finding it really easy to use, it's making them more aware of how much food they're eating," she says.

"They're also really enjoying the nutrition information in the app, and that's because it's specifically tailored for pregnant women, and it's using evidence-based resources, again to ease that confusion."

HMRI launch Women in Medical Research Fellowship

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Just in time for International Women's Day, the Hunter Medical Research Institute has launched a new fellowships initiative aimed at female scientists.

The scheme includes a research support grant, along with secured salary, to help sustain the recipient’s own research project.

HMRI say it could lead to further research grants, government funding and commercialisation opportunities.

Companies, foundations and individual donors are encouraged to contribute to the funding pool, which supports female fellowships over three, five or 10 years.

Female researchers often spend valuable time applying for grants, while a fellowship guarantees funding, allowing scientific leaps forward.

HMRI Director, Professor Michael Nilsson said women tend to drain out of the academic system around the mid-point of their careers, causing a lot of intellectual capital to be wasted.

"...It's particularly so for women - of course, we have exceptionally talented scientists in that bracket," he said, but they are maybe even more at risk during this period for not attracting continuous funding.

"It's quite often the career phase when children are coming and families are established. 

Professor Nilsson said female HMRI researchers face significant career barriers. 

"There aren't many opportunities to secure long-term funding in that vulnerable phase...so I would say maybe it's not a glass ceiling, it's actually that they're sinking, without finding ways to sustain their career. " 

To donate to the fellowship fund, head to the HMRI website or contact HMRI Donor Relations on (02) 4042 1000. 

The Link Between Diets during pregnancy and Healthcare costs

BY: ALEX MURRAY

An online survey is underway from dieticians at the University of Newcastle, investigating how diet impacts pregnant women and their babies.

Using the survey, researchers are able to assess mother's in their final trimester in the ways they are eating and whether there is a link between nutrition and healthcare costs.

This will help nutritionists know what to recommend to women at different stages of their pregnancy as well as whether these healthy eating theories are saving the health system any money.

The chief researcher from the University of Newcastle, Professor Clare Collins says:

"Pregnancy is a very important time for women and nutrition can become very confusing with too many recommendations of what to eat and what to avoid."

"At the moment it's really hard for mums to access nutrition advice so we're trying to come up with a rationale to say - it can save everyone time and money if we give mums advice while they're pregnant."

Women who can volunteer for the survey need to be between 28 and 36 weeks pregnant, are over the age of 18 and are delivering their baby at the John Hunter hospital. 

Researchers say what is recommended to eat during a woman's pregnancy can influence not only her health but the wellbeing of her baby. 

For those wishing to complete the survey the link directly for participants is:

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pregnancyDQ#newspaper

For more information, contact the Hunter Medical Research Institute or the research team:

WEBSITE: https://hmri.org.au/
PH: (02) 4921 5646