New therapies for female infertility and post-menopausal complications
Puberty, pregnancy and menopause are the three major reproductive life events affecting women. Hormones control these reproductive events, and hormonal imbalances can greatly influence female fertility and post-menopausal physiological health.
Puberty, pregnancy and menopause are the three major reproductive life events affecting women. Hormones control these reproductive events, and hormonal imbalances can greatly influence female fertility and post-menopausal physiological health.
Dr Kelly Walton, a researcher at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, is undertaking new research involving modification of the body’s natural ovarian hormones as treatments for female infertility and post-menopausal complications, such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia.
Dr Walton’s research will be supported by her recent success in receiving a Rebecca Cooper Foundation project grant. The grant will provide $100,000 for a two-year research project.
“This funding will enable us to realise the therapeutic potential of our modified ovarian hormones, for the treatment of female reproductive pathologies. Following the success of this research, we hope to partner with industry to advance these approaches as human therapies,” Dr Walton said.
Dr Walton and co-investigator Associate Professor Craig Harrison lead the world in developing TGF-β therapeutics. The influence of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family on fertility and reproduction in adult mammals is extensive. These proteins govern egg and sperm development, control ovulation and fertilisation, and are intricately involved in conception and carry pregnancy to full term.
Several TGF-β proteins act as endocrine hormones to integrate reproductive status with physiological health. Loss of these proteins during menopause is strongly associated with declines in bone and muscle mass.
“Our modified forms of inhibin and GDF9 (both types of TGF-β proteins) are now 30-1000 fold more potent, allowing us to achieve a greater biological effect at a much lower dosage,” Dr Walton said.
“We are now poised to demonstrate in pre-clinical studies that our modified GDF9 can improve the quality of in vitro matured eggs. We will also test the capacity of our modified inhibin to reverse or prevent the bone and muscle loss observed in post-menopausal women.”
The Rebecca Cooper Foundation awarded 24 project grants this year, with a 21 per cent success rate for applicants. As the awardee of the top grant in the endocrinology category, Dr Walton has been invited to attend an awards dinner in Sydney, where she will meet the members of the Foundation.
“I am thrilled to receive this award,” Dr Walton said.
“It will support important research into female reproductive health, with possible treatment outcomes for female infertility and post-menopausal complications.”
The research team will comprise of Dr Kelly Walton and co-investigator Associate Professor Craig Harrison, with support from Associate Professor Robert Gilchrist from the University of New South Wales and Dr Dana Gaddy from Texas A&M University.
The Rebecca Cooper Foundation promotes, encourages and advances medical research in Australia. Since it was established in 1984, the Foundation has provided more than $22.1 million in funding. More than $1.5 million was provided in 2018.
Click here for a full list of the 2018 grant recipients.