MIPS researchers receive MRFF funding to accelerate discovery research projects
Researchers from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) are leading, or playing an integral role, in a number of projects which have received funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
The funding will enable a diverse selection of discovery research projects, including trialling the use of ‘knowledge brokers’ in residential aged care, investigating new medicines to improve outcomes for stroke survivors and uncovering new therapeutic targets for neurofibromatosis.
Further information on the successful projects can be found below:
Knowledge brokers for evidence translation to improve quality use of medicines in residential aged care - $2 million
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Professor Simon Bell, Dr Amanda Cross
- University of Queensland – Dr Adam La Caze
- Monash, Primary and Allied Health – Professor Terry Haines
- University of Sydney – Professor Sarah Hilmer
- Flinders University – Dr Constance Kourbelis
- Brightwater Research Centre – Dr Lakkhina Troeung
- Dementia Australia – Lyntara Quirke
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has highlighted over-reliance on psychotropic medications as needing immediate action. Psychotropic medications can be inappropriately prescribed to people living with dementia in aged care. This project aims to trial the use of a 'knowledge broker' to implement new evidence-based recommendations to improve the safe and effective use of psychotropic medications in people living with dementia and in aged care.
The SPRINTS Project: Stroke – Prevention of Reperfusion Injury and Neuroinflammation – a Therapeutic Strategy - $2.6 million
- University of Adelaide – Associate Professor Renee Turner
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Dr Nicholas Veldhuis, Professor Jonathan Baell, Professor Michelle McIntosh, Dr Daniel Poole
- Monash Health – Professor Henry Ma, Associate Professor Connie Wong
- James Cook University – Professor Alan John Nimmo
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute – Professor James Andrew Bourne
Stroke represents a major clinical and social burden as it is the leading cause of adult disability, the second leading cause of dementia, and the third-leading cause of death. The SPRINTS Project: Stroke – Prevention of Reperfusion Injury and Neuroinflammation – a Therapeutic Strategy, represents a novel therapeutic approach to significantly improve patient outcomes following an ischaemic stroke. The project represents a low-risk strategy to deliver a novel therapeutic agent to clinical trial for an area of high medical need.
Defining NF1 clinical variation at the microscale to discover new therapeutic targets - $818,000
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute – Dr Andrew Ellisdon, Professor James Whisstock
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Associate Professor Michelle Halls, Associate Professor Erica Sloan
- School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health – Professor Eric Morand
- Monash Data Futures Institute – Associate Professor Ralf Schittenhelm
Treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1 remains a significant challenge. Patients are diagnosed by detecting loss or changes in the neurofibromin gene. However, this genetic information is not enough to predict disease severity. We will apply new technologies to uncover how the neurofibromin protein is dysregulated at the atomic level and inside the cell. This project will enhance our ability to predict disease severity at diagnosis and discover new pathways for therapeutic intervention.
Director of the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Professor Simon Bell, is also part of the team awarded a $2 million grant to ‘optimising health information exchange during aged care transfers’ – further information on the project can be found here.
Contact: Kate Carthew, Media Manager
Phone: +61 438 674 814
Email: kate.carthew@monash.edu