South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, also known as SAHMRI has had significant impacts in various areas over the past ten years, and this year is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with a week of events.
Ahead of the anniversary, Executive Director, Professor Maria Makrides spoke to Bench Side Story about 3 achievements in the past 10 years that have had significant impact
- International leadership breakthroughs in leukaemia research
- Culturally appropriate Indigenous health research and clinical care
- Omega 3 fatty acids as a preterm birth prevention
Looking ahead, SAHMRI is not standing still, and the newly built, and when fully installed, Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research will be Australia’s first proton therapy centre and the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Centre will occupy the ground floor and three below-ground levels of the Australian Bragg Centre building which has recently been completed on the eastern side of the distinctive SAHMRI building on North Terrace, Adelaide.
The centre will also be an integral part in a global network undertaking proton therapy research.
Proton therapy is a precise, non-invasive radiotherapy that can destroy cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue including vital organs.
As a relatively new treatment option and one that remains expensive and not widely available, proton therapy has only been validated against a small range of cancers. The technology is potentially beneficial in treating many other diseases, but more research is needed in these areas to prove its efficacy.
SAHMRI represents an exciting and unique statewide concept, bringing together basic and translational research, South Australia’s three universities and the health system. SAHMRI works in collaboration with its partners to provide a clear focal point for health and medical research, including paving the way for new partnerships, innovative research projects and improved health outcomes.
The career opportunities at SAHMRI for researchers ranges from early career stage to recognised experts in their fields. Nothing unique with that, but the ability to validate discovery makes SAHRMI a unique work environment.
According to Executive Director, Professor Maria Makrides, “The culture is characterised by being fast, focused, friendly, flexible, and fun, which has fostered innovation, collaboration, and the ability to take risks and learn from both successes and failures to make advancements quickly.”
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Role of metabolic dysfunction in advanced prostate cancer
Dr Gunter was drawn to the area of prostate cancer research and the intersection between chronic metabolic disorders and their emerging relationship to cancer. Her strengths include expertise in the metabolic syndrome, insulin signalling and metabolism, and she has a demonstrated record of successful and productive research projects in metabolic research where she now applies her efforts to understanding the role of metabolic dysfunction in advanced prostate cancer.
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Treatment pathways for chronic plantar heel pain
Jason Rogers is a Tasmanian physiotherapist clinician-researcher with a longstanding interest in improving musculoskeletal foot and ankle conditions. He completed his PhD at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania in 2022 investigating the clinical and imaging factors associated with a common foot complaint known as chronic plantar heel pain.
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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.
