Projects that protect diabetic patients from loss of kidney function and improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer were funded by the NHMRC.
UNSW Sydney researchers have received $ 4.8 million from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for two clinical studies to improve the health of Australians.
Professor Sean Emery, UNSW’s senior vice dean (Research and Operations) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health, said funding is critical to helping researchers conduct innovative research that has the potential to improve quality of life and health .
“These grants will help our researchers develop new preventions and treatments to improve the quality of life for many people. I am proud of the researchers who were successful in this round and look forward to the results of their studies, ”said Prof. Emery.
A new therapy to protect against loss of kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes
Executive Director Professor Bruce Neal and a team of researchers from the George Institute and UNSW Medicine & Health have received $ 3.81 million for a study that could improve outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes.
Many people with type 2 diabetes develop serious heart and kidney complications. Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new type of drug that may provide benefits when used early in diabetes, but are currently only used when complications have arisen.
“Our study will test the value of SGLT2 inhibitor treatment for kidney protection in Australians with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes,” said Prof. Neal.
“One positive result could have a direct impact on the more than 100,000 Australians and 23 million people worldwide who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each year.”
The evidence showing that this class of drugs could protect against loss of kidney function is expected to lead to an update of national and international treatment guidelines and to make a strong case for reimbursing SGLT2 inhibitors as first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes would represent.
A new test to predict ovarian cancer prognosis
Professor Susan Ramus of UNSW Medicine & Health has received $ 993,500 to develop a tumor test for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients that can predict prognosis after five years.
“Ovarian cancer has a poor survival rate, less than 40 percent of women survive five years. There is a wide range of chances of survival, but very few features that indicate which patients are doing well or poorly, ”said Prof. Ramus.
Last year, UNSW announced that this global team of medical researchers had developed a diagnostic test for an ovarian tumor that could predict a woman’s survival five years later.
“With this grant, we will examine a large group of 800 newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients to see how accurate the test is. This test allows us to identify the women who are predicted to have poor survival and who would benefit from clinical trials of alternative treatments. If we look at the tumor changes in these women, we will identify potential treatments for clinical trials. “
The study team, which includes UNSW Professors Michael Friedlander and Claire Wakefield, will work with ovarian cancer survivors to determine patient acceptance of the test and the best ways to present the results. Once validated in this cohort study, this test will be ready for use in clinical trials for women who are predicted to have poor survival with current treatments.
