Patients with ovarian cancer, arthritis, fungal infections, spinal injuries and chronic ear infections are likely to see the benefits of Federal Government funding for five projects at The University of Western Australia.
Researchers received more than $6.6 million in funding through the latest National Health and Medical Research Council 2024 Ideas Grants scheme.
Associate Professor Pilar Blancafort, from UWA's Medical School and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, will lead a team of researchers to improve therapy responses for patients with ovarian cancer.
"Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease in which cancer cells quickly spread and become resistant to chemotherapeutics that cause cell death by damaging DNA," Associate Professor Blancafort said.
"We propose reprogramming stress-induced cellular signalling to improve therapy responses for treatment-resistant ovarian cancers."
Dr Kai Chen, from UWA's School of Biomedical Sciences, will head a project to advance RNA therapy for arthritis.
"Reducing the population-level burden of skeletal disorders such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis is an unmet need," Dr Chen said.
"RNA is a molecule that carries genetic information and plays a crucial role in building proteins within our cells.
"Using an innovative imaging technique, we will develop small pieces of RNA to bind to the existing RNA in cells, switching off genes that lead to skeletal disease development."
Dr Luke Garratt, from UWA's Medical School and The Kids Research Institute Australia, will lead a team to tackle fungi that cause serious infections.
"Fungi such as Scedosporium and lomentospora invade the tissue, especially in people with weaker immune systems from transplantation or cancer and are tough to treat, as they are resistant to usual anti-fungal drugs," Dr Garratt said.
"We aim to show how the fungi interact with human cells, identify what they produce that allows them to invade the body and find new ways to detect and treat it to improve patient care."
Dr Stuart Hodgetts, from UWA's School of Human Sciences and Perron Institute, will lead a project to assess therapy for spinal cord repair using an implanted photobiomodulation device.
"Spinal cord injury is devastating; nerve damage is irreversible, leading to lifelong disability, and no successful treatment exists," Dr Hodgetts said.
"We have developed an implantable, wireless device to deliver clinically relevant doses of therapeutic light to the injury site.
"The proposed treatment will limit damage, improve function, and lead to positive long-term outcomes."
Dr Ruth Thornton, from UWA's Medical School and The Kids Research Institute Australia, will lead research to reduce disease recurrence in children with middle ear infection.
"Almost every child will suffer a middle ear infection by their second birthday and one in four children require surgery to insert grommets," Dr Thornton said.
"After surgery, parents give antibiotic ear drops twice daily for five days, which can be difficult and can lead to non-compliance — up to 50 per cent of children need repeat surgeries due to disease recurrence.
"We are making a one-drop medicine, to be taken during surgery, which removes the parents' need to give the drops, and prevents the requirement of repeat grommets."
