2021 Medical Research Grants Announced
November, 2020
Researchers Olivia Mitchell, Dr Lauren Giles, Terry Purton, Cynthia Honan, Annette Barrett, Dr Sukhwinder Sohal, Associate Professor Andrew Williams and Associate Professor Heinrich Weber.
The Chairman of the Clifford Craig Foundation, Associate Professor Don McTaggart AM, has announced the successful recipients of medical research grants.
Six new projects will be funded by Clifford Craig Foundation in 2021 with the grants totalling $312,617.
This is in addition to a previously announced research funding of $70,273.50 for research into COVID 19-The ASCOT trial, through the financial support of Clifford Craig, the Launceston General Hospital is playing its part in the search to find an answer on how to treat COVID-19.
This support enables the LGH to take part in this large multicentre trial, which will recruit patients in more than 70 hospitals across Australia.
Clifford Craig has also granted additional funding of $96,989.20 incl GST for the continuation of a previously announced project - Effect of photo biomodulation on Cardiac and Inflammatory Bio-markers after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention led by Cardiologist Dr Rohit Barthwal and GP Dr Michael Fox of $96,989.20 incl GST.
Associate Professor McTaggart said the combination of the newly announced grants with the existing research program will see the Clifford Craig Foundation allocate in excess of $680,000 for medical research in North and North West Tasmania in 2021.
"This announcement today sees the Foundation building upon our reputation for facilitating an important collaborative clinical medical research program at the Launceston General Hospital which supports local research that is undertaken by medical professionals at the hospital, medical and nursing students, and university researchers”, he said.
Associate Professor McTaggart acknowledged and thanked Clifford Craig's supporters and donors for their contribution towards funding the latest round of research grants.
The newly announced research grants are:
Early detection of early small airway abnormities in apparently normal smokers - Assoc Prof Andrew Williams - $15,794 incl GST
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the world and projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2020 making it a major public health concern. COPD is characterised by persistent respiratory symptoms and irreversible airflow limitations due to airway and/or alveolar abnormalities usually associated with exposure to noxious particles and gases.
The most important risk factor for COPD in the developed world is cigarette smoking with studies demonstrating the deterioration of pulmonary function associated with COPD IS directly related to the duration and number of pack-years of smoking. Dysfunction of the airways, lung and fine blood vessels is common in smokers yet early abnormalities are not detected with spirometry. It is believed that small airways (<2mm) are the initial sites of damage in COPD however current diagnostic tools such as spirometry are not sensitive enough to measure early changes in the small airways before the disease process becomes irreversible.
This project is the first in a proposed series of studies, each producing results necessary for the next stage, that will investigate new methods of measuring lung damage at an earlier stage of the disease process while it is still potentially reversible. The identification of reliable and valid methods of measuring early lung damage has important implications for diagnosis, development, and implementation of early treatment strategies and could potentially change the disease trajectory.
Cognition in multiple sclerosis: Associations with gut-brain biomarkers and exploration of cognitive symptom change in response to a nutrition intervention -- Dr Cynthia Honan - $57,683 Incl GST
Cognitive dysfunction is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PWMS) and can impact significantly on everyday functioning and quality of life. Recent studies have also found changes in the gut bacteria (gut microbiome) of pwMS. Importantly, gut bacteria are linked with inflammatory process, the brain's kynurenine pathway and resultant brain cell death. It is therefore probable that an imbalance in gut bacteria underlies the changes in cognition that occur in pwMS.
This research will investigate the effects of a probiotic intervention on cognitive symptoms in PWMS. It will also examine the extent to which inflammatory markers along the kynurenine pathway and an imbalance in gut bacteria is associated with cognitive dysfunction and cognitive changes over time. Benefits of the research outcomes will include reduced economic and health burden, improved clinical care, and improved patient health and quality of life. The research outcomes will also direct future research examining the gut-brain connection.
Does regular phone call follow up for adults who have completed a supervised Strength and Balance exercise program, enhance motivation, increase home exercise adherence, improve functional ability and prevent hospital admissions due to falls? - Olivia Mitchell - $52,140.00
Falls prevention is a national priority. Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Approximately 30% of adults over 65 years of age experience at least one fall per year. The risk of falling increases with age. This is set to increase as Australia's population ages, the proportion of people aged over 65 is predicted to increase from 15% (3.8 million people) in 2017 to up to 23% (10.2 million people) in 2066.
The Tasmanian Health Indicators (2013) reported a significant number of hospitalisations to occur in people aged 65 years and over had increased by a total of 13 946 hospitalisations in males (59%) and 9 770 hospitalisations (42%) in females between 2002 and 2011. Falls in the elderly could be potentially preventable hospitalisations.
The aim of this project is to increase exercise adherence and reducing falls and hospitalisation following a strength and balance program by employing a telephone follow up strategy for 12 months following group completion. The project will measure whether monthly telephone support for clients following completion of the Community Physiotherapy delivered Strength & Balance exercise program, result in improved Home Exercise Program (HEP) adherence, improved functional ability, reduction in the community falls and reduced hospital admissions. It will also explore what motivates or discourages participation in ongoing exercise to be able to provide the right treatment approach to the right cohort of people and enhance the treatment effect.
Impact of Nurse Led monitoring of Category 2 and 3 transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HOLEP) surgical patients during surgery waiting periods on prioritisation of care and satisfaction levels post surgery- Annette Barrett - $27,073.20 incl GST
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is extremely common among middle-aged men, affecting approximately 50% of men aged 50 years old, and up to 90% of men aged 90 years or older. BPH can lead to lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction and have an impact both on general health conditions and on quality of life. Research indicates 95% of men would prefer not to live with symptoms for the rest of their life and, 79% of men reported that BPH negatively influenced their life.
Consequently, it is not surprising that urological conditions pose a significant burden of disease, ranking 15th by disease group and accounting for 35 520 disability-adjusted life years in Australia, or 1.5% of the total disease burden. The high incidence of BPH which increases with age, the impact on the quality of life and the burden of disease indicate the importance and impact of appropriate, effective management and care.
The project aims to determine if nurse-led monitoring for patients awaiting electively 2 and 3 transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HOLEP) in north and north west Tasmania impacts on clinical outcomes pre-and post-surgery and client wellness and quality of life. It will also determine the most beneficial aspects of pre-operative nurse-led monitoring of men waiting for surgery. The project will also investigate if there are specific client factors which correlate to an increased likelihood of a need for escalation of care or early surgical intervention during the pre-operative period and which could inform prioritisation of pre-operative nurse monitoring and support or development of additional monitoring or surgical prioritisation categories.
Are newly introduced electronic smoking devices safe for smoking cessation and implications for SARS-COV-2 infection (COVID-19) - Dr Sukhwinder Sohal - $80,000 incl GST
Every year tobacco kills more than 15,500 Australians with a consistently upward trajectory (Cancer Council Australia). While cigarette smoking remains one of the most pressing global health issues of our time, newer forms of smoking devices have been introduced across the globe in the last decade.
Electronic cigarettes (ECS), which heat a solution (e-liquid) to create vapour are commonly used, and the latest addition to this list is the introduction of heat-not-burn (HnBs) tobacco products branded as IQOS (I Quit Ordinary Smoking) by Philip Morris International (1, 2). HnBs are hybrids between ECs and traditional cigarettes i.e. they are equipped with a device that heats the product, without burning to generate aerosol and the product being heated is not a liquid but real tobacco. They are collectively known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). ECs use is increasing at an alarming rate; it is believed it will surpass the use of traditional cigarettes in the next 5 years, with global sales reaching US$10 billion. Electronic smoking devices are often considered a safer alternative to cigarettes; however, the risks are significant, including increased risk of COVID-19 vulnerability.
This project will evaluate the effects of electronic nicotine delivery systems on inducing airway inflammation, evaluate the effects of electronic nicotine delivery systems on airway changes and investigate the susceptibility to COVID - 19. In addition, the project will generate increased awareness of these risks within the community, to deter established smokers from using these devices for smoking cessation and prevent young people from using them in the first instance. This research will have direct implications for patient health and will inform clinical practice.
Improving outcomes for babies born in North West Tasmania: a quality improvement study - Assoc Prof Heinrich Weber - $79,927 incl GST (North West Project)
It has been well recognised that events in early life, foetal programming, influences the development of chronic disease in adult life. Furthermore, lung development during pregnancy affects respiratory disease and health in later life. Pregnancy, therefore, presents an opportunity to influence not only the immediate health outcomes of babies but also chronic disease in adulthood. In a recent local audit of all pregnancies in NW-Tasmania, it was determined that the major antenatal factors associated with poorer outcomes in newborn babies were smoking, obesity (body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy. Obesity and smoking in pregnancy both lead to potentially preventable morbidity and mortality in both mothers and babies.
North West Tasmania has the highest rate of smoking during pregnancy in Tasmania which is also high compared to the rest of Australia. While smoking rates are declining overall, the decline was slowest in NW Tasmania and there has been no significant decline since 2013, Further, approximately 25% of pregnant women do not report that they are smoking.
This study will be the first Australian research project evaluating the impact of a Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitoring and obesity interventions during pregnancy on the outcomes of babies in an opt out program. If proven successful, this protocol will have immediate positive health implications for participants and their unborn children. This is of particular relevance to NW Tasmania where we have higher proportion of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, asthma and COPD. It will further explore pathophysiologic mechanisms, which includes collaborating with other researchers to extend the study which could potentially lead to identifying specific interventions for future use.
As these are relatively low-cost interventions it could have wider appeal and be realistically implemented into State-wide antenatal settings, and similar regions worldwide. If found to be successful, this could further impact chronic diseases in adulthood. Also, the detailed processes for continuous quality improvement would be available for use in the paediatrics department and elsewhere to inform future improvement activities.