Muscle disease crusader Chris Gillin might just get his wish. Cutting-edge 3D equipment has been donated to Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) after a collaborative effort that will see new treatments tested for genetic muscle diseases.
The Mantarray™, known as the genie's lamp, has been installed at MCRI thanks to substantial fundraising by the Gillin Boys Foundation and support from Curi Bio, a biotechnology company based in Seattle.
Image: Australia's first Mantarray™ machine, housed at MCRI.
Curi Bio's 3D muscle tissue analysis technology will enable researchers to undertake detailed disease simulations and potentially discover new drug treatments aimed at slowing down the progression of muscle diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic condition caused by skeletal muscle wasting.
Ashley Gillin and Ellie Fitzgerald from the Gillin Boys Foundation (pictured with Dr Peter Houweling, Leon Kiriaev, Casey Le, Dr Eppie Yiu, Dr Katy de Valle, Vanessa Crossman and Justine Adams) helped to unveil the machine at MCRI.
Chris Gillin, co-founder of Gillin Boys, said he was proud to play a part in helping to further muscle disease research. Chris has DMD and lost his brother Aaron and two cousins to the disease.
"We have raised a quarter of a million dollars for Australian-based muscle research in just 18 months, which caught the attention of the Curi Bio team," he said.
"Curi Bio has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure that the very best of their muscle tissue analysis technology has become available in Melbourne to make a difference now and in the future."
"I'm so proud to support MCRI's muscle research group, who are determined to improve the quality of life for people with muscle diseases and one day hopefully even find a cure."
Image:Ellie Fitzgerald and Ashley Gillin from the Gillin Boys Foundation with MCRI researcher Vanessa Crossman.
MCRI's Dr Peter Houweling said his team, including Dr Chantal Coles, was grateful for the ongoing partnership with the foundation.
"The muscle research team continues to benefit from the Gillin Boys Foundation's incredible fundraising efforts. To know this has been noticed and supported by Curi Bio is very heartening," he said.
"The Mantarray will be an enormous help in our efforts to develop new treatments for DMD and other muscle diseases and the partnership with Curi Bio will help us to slow down the damage caused by a number of devastating degenerative muscle diseases."
Image: MCRI researcher Dr Peter Houweling.
Curi Bio CEO Dr Nicholas Geisse said everyone involved in making this possible had the same goal.
"When we learned about the impactful fundraising by The Gillin Boys Foundation, we were compelled to support them in their mission to improve the lives of those with serious muscle diseases," he said.
"Curi Bio helps researchers worldwide discover and develop safer, more effective medicines every day. Chris and the Gillin family inspired our entire team to keep pushing on our mission to improve the lives of young patients with some of the world's most devastating diseases. We are humbled and honoured to be a part of the movement they started."
A quote from Chris has been engraved on the Mantarray, which is coloured gold in honour of the partnership between the three organisations. The inscription on the equipment reads:
"If I had a genie, I'd wish for no more Duchenne in the world. If that doesn't include me, just to stop it from anyone else having to go through it. That's a win for me. So, if you can find that genie for me, send him my way." Christopher Gillin.
