NEWBORN SCREENING OF INFANTS AND NEWBORNS WITH CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM
Associate Professor Michelle Jack
Clinical Practice & Co-Lead Doctor of Medicine
Bond University, Queensland, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Robina, Queensland | July 2024
Michelle Jack is Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine at Bond University, QLD and co-Head of Paediatrics and a Paediatric Endocrinologist at Lismore Base Hospital in NSW. She graduated from Medicine at the University of Queensland with first class honours and the University Gold Medal and has a PhD in hyperinsulinism from the University of QLD. She has postgraduate qualifications in higher education and is a fellow of the higher education academy.
Assoc Prof Jack is an experienced leader and practitioner in the healthcare, research and higher education sectors. Career highlights include: Head of Department Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital; Academic Lead Education & Partnerships, University Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney; Head of the Beta Cell Laboratory, Kolling Institute; Chair Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group scientific program organising committee and Co-Chair international scientific program organising committees; Chair Northern Sydney Adolescent Committee; International Research Fellowship, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Head of Research, Impact Institute.
Assoc Prof Jack is passionate about the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents, with diverse research areas including the impacts of family friendly workplace initiatives, screening and management of thyroid disorders in infants and children. She supports her First Nations colleagues on Indigenous-led research projects funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, aiming to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations Children. Through her clinical and academic roles, Assoc Prof Jack hopes to make a positive difference to the health and well-being of children and their families.
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New treatments for patients with mental illness
Associate Professor Bernadette Fitzgibbon is a neuroscientist with several decades of experience in researching, developing, and translating novel therapies for mental health and chronic pain conditions. This includes the application and optimisation of brain stimulation and psychedelic therapies, overseeing large multi-site intervention trials, both within Australia and abroad. Through her work, she has developed meaningful collaborations with consumers, volunteers, policy makers, and services providers, ensuring that the outcomes of her work contribute towards real-world clinical impact.
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World-first clinical trial improves patient outcomes for kidney transplants (2023)
A world-first clinical trial conducted at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) and at hospitals across Australia and New Zealand has identified the best fluid treatment to reduce the risk of patients requiring dialysis after a kidney transplant.
Around one in three people who receive a kidney transplant suffer delayed graft function, which means the transplant doesn’t work immediately and they require dialysis.
The lead-author of the study, was Royal Adelaide Hospital Nephrologist and University of Adelaide researcher, Dr Michael Collins.
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Oral administration of insulin for Type 1 Diabetes
Huiwen Pang is a 3rd year PhD candidate in the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, focusing on biomedical health research. Prior to commencing his PhD, Huiwen studied animal genetics in his Masters degree at Huazhong Agriculture University in China.
People with diabetes, especially Type 1 diabetes, largely rely on the insulin injections or insulin pumps to control their high blood glucose levels, which is painful and has a high risk of infections.
Huiwen Pang is conducting research on nano-based drug formulations for Type 1 diabetes treatment, with a focus on using nanomaterials to load insulin for oral administration and employing anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory approaches to mitigate damage to beta cells.
