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Podcast offers insight into the future of healthcare

A fascinating and informative podcast has been launched showcasing groundbreaking research, innovative healthcare, and inspiring stories from across Northern Sydney.

Tomorrow’s Medicine Today is an initiative of the Northern Sydney Local Health District and the Kolling Institute, New South Wales’ oldest medical research institute.

Co-hosted by the Kolling Institute’s Academic Director Professor James Elliott and leading Royal North Shore Hospital anaesthetist Dr Matthew Doane, the series offers an insight into the impressive clinicians and researchers driving innovation and life-changing healthcare.

It’s a behind the scenes look at the latest advances in healthcare, as well as some inspiring stories from clinicians, researchers and their broader teams.

Anthony Schembri, Chief Executive of the Northern Sydney Local Health District, said the podcast offers a great opportunity to highlight our strength in research and innovation.

“Our teams are delivering truly outstanding work in healthcare and medical research,” he said.

“This podcast is a fantastic platform to share that work with our community and direct the spotlight to the people behind the breakthroughs.”

Co-host Professor James Elliott said the series demonstrates the depth of talent and discovery in Northern Sydney.

“Each year, Stanford University publishes a list of the top two per cent of researchers globally, and many of those names are my colleagues right here at the Kolling Institute and the local health district,” he said.

“That’s what inspired this podcast. It’s a chance to share details of the world-class research and healthcare here in Northern Sydney with a wider audience.”

The first episode is now available featuring Associate Professor Sarah Glastras on the future of diabetes care and prevention.

Listen here:

New episodes will be released fortnightly. You can also check them out on Spotify:

24 June 2025
Celebrating over 100 years of innovation

The inaugural Eva Kolling Research Day was staged within Royal North Shore Hospital, providing the perfect chance to celebrate the vision and generosity of a true pioneer.

Established in 1920, the Kolling Institute is the oldest medical research institute in New South Wales. It has been at the forefront of cutting-edge research for more than a hundred years, with its founding director Dr W. Wilson Ingram opening the first clinic for diabetes treatment in Australia.

In 1931, a new two-storey building was officially opened and named the Kolling Institute of Medical Research after businessman Charles Kolling. His widow Eva was a strong supporter of research and made a substantial donation towards the development of the new building.

The Kolling Institute’s iconic photo features Eva laying a foundation stone.

Her vision and the long-standing impact of the Kolling were highlighted at the inaugural research day by Royal North Shore Hospital honorary archivist Catherine Storey OAM, who shared insights into the Kolling’s remarkable journey.

The institute’s Academic Director Professor James Elliott said the event offered the chance for researchers to engage with visitors, to learn more about the health challenges facing the community, and to share details of their current research.

“A key part of our research success will depend on the strength of our community ties, including community driven clinical trials and broad community involvement,” he said.

“I would also like to thank the NORTH Foundation for their unrelenting support, and for raising awareness of the dedicated and skilled clinician researchers within the Kolling Institute.”

Early-to-mid-career researchers presented a poster display, illustrating their commitment to improving health outcomes, driving new health policy, and realising global reach.

Two awards were announced on the day, including an Excellence in Clinical Translation Science gong to Temitope Esther Afolabi from the Kolling’s Lab of Ageing and Pharmacology, and an Excellence in Basic Science award to Daisy (Qinrui) Chen from the Renal Research Lab.

24 June 2025
Kolling Institute Newsletter May 2025
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- Researchers target sleep for muscle pain relief
- Landmark clinical trial to improve lung cancer treatment
- Pioneering Muscle Map project receives funding support
- Travel awards for emerging research leaders
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23 May 2025
Beryl and Jack Jacobs Travel Awards offer crucial international opportunities

Five emerging researchers will have the chance to develop their skills and raise the international profile of the Kolling Institute thanks to generous funding from the Skipper Jacobs Charitable Trust.

Academic Director Professor James Elliott said a total of $40,000 will be shared by the early-to-mid career researchers to increase their research impact and strengthen their collaborations.

Pablo Cruz-Granados: travelling to Spain

Pablo, a PhD candidate within the Kolling’s Menière’s Disease Neuroscience Lab, will complete a three-month stay with the Otology and Neurotology group at the University of Granada.

Pablo said I would like to thank the Skipper Jacobs Charitable Trust for this amazing opportunity.

“During my time, I will be investigating the clinical phenotypes of Ménière’s Disease to gain a better understanding of its presentation in different populations,” he said.

“I will be expanding my skill set by learning advanced bioinformatic tools to analyse structural variants in DNA which could identify mechanisms underlying the disease.

“I’m excited to accept the Beryl and Jack Jacobs Travel Award and truly appreciate the generous support. It will be incredibly valuable for my research and upcoming travel.”

Dr Kenji Fujita: travelling to Denmark and Japan

Kenji, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Aged Care has helped develop a real-time calculation system to measure frailty in older hospitalised adults.

During his trip, he will deliver a keynote address at the International Pharmaceutical Federation conference in Copenhagen on innovative approaches to reduce the inappropriate use of medications in older adults.

He will also meet with research partners in Japan to advance their collaborative project analysing medication data from millions of older adults across community pharmacies in Japan.

Kenji said he was truly honoured to receive the award.

“This international travel will enhance my academic leadership profile, while strengthening cross-institutional partnerships and promoting the Kolling Institute’s innovative translational research globally,” he said.

Dr Noriko Sato: travelling to Washington, USA and Wakayama, Japan

Noriko is a research fellow within the Kolling who specialises in frailty research in older patients using data from six hospitals in NSW.

She will present the frailty study at the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology conference in Washington and chair an international symposium at the Japanese Society of Social Pharmacy.

Noriko said I am very pleased to have received this award and excited about the chance to present our study at the largest and most prestigious pharmacoepidemiology conference.

“This travel grant will broaden my expertise, strengthen international collaborations and extend the impact of our Kolling research using data to improve the use of medications in clinical practice,” she said.

Kate Bryce: travelling to North Carolina and Florida, USA

Kate, a PhD student with the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group at Kolling, investigates the use of digital technologies to encourage behaviour change in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Kate will attend the 2026 Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress in the USA, where she will meet with experts in behaviour change and implementation science, including collaborators from Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University.

Kate says their expertise will allow us to enhance the broader rollout of the ATLAS clinician eLearning platform for osteoarthritis and a mobile app for knee osteoarthritis named OA Coach.

“Visiting their universities and learning from their work will help refine digital interventions to support clinician and patient behaviour change more effectively, and I’m grateful to have received this travel award.”

Bimbi Gray: travelling to Florida and North Carolina, USA

Bimbi, a PhD candidate also with the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group, will attend the 2026 OARSI World Congress and deliver a presentation on the ATLAS program.

The trip will strengthen partnerships with leaders at the Thurston Arthritis Research Centre in North Carolina and the Arthritis Foundation’s Osteoarthritis Action Alliance. These collaborations will speed the implementation of ATLAS with insights to refine and scale the program for broader adoption.

Bimbi said she was thrilled to receive the travel award.

“As an early-career researcher, this experience will bolster my expertise in knowledge translation, implementation science and international collaboration, while also boosting the reputation of our research at the Kolling Institute,” she said.

Professor Elliott thanked the Skipper family for their generous backing of the program, and the NORTH Foundation for their ongoing support.

12 May 2025
The Kolling hosts the brightest minds in optogenetics

More than 80 top national and international scientists converged on the Kolling Institute for the 4th Optogenetics Australia meeting, featuring the very latest light technologies driving research.

The event attracted dynamic keynote speakers from the USA, Europe and China, and leading research institutions across Australia.

Chair of Optogenetics Australia and senior Kolling Institute pain medicine researcher, Associate Professor Karin Aubrey said optogenetics is a range of technologies that allow researchers to use light to control biological processors.

“New technologies often determine what is possible at the cutting edge of science, accelerating our understanding of what causes disease and how we diagnose, prevent and treat it,” she said.

“The first human application of optogenetics, published in 2021, partially restored vision in a blind patient.

“The technology is also being used to develop less invasive methods for sleep apnoea treatment, to reduce stroke effects and even to modify plants so that they can thrive in space.”

Associate Professor Aubrey said optogenetics is a powerful tool in neuroscience, as it allows researchers to study individual components of brain circuits that cause neurological disease.

“Australian researchers are using light-sensitive tools and other innovative techniques to study the brain’s stress, addiction, pain, memory and depression circuits.

“Encouragingly, we have a depth of experience in optogenetics at the Kolling within the Pain Management Research Labs, and the event provided a great opportunity for collaboration and networking.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in making the event a success, including leading international developers Professor Michael Bruchas from University of Washington, Professor Yulong Li from Beijing University, Deniz Dalkara from the Institute de la Vision in France and Assistant Professor Guosong Hong from Stanford University.

“These researchers are producing some of the best new tools in the field and it was valuable to hear the latest progress.”

The next Optogenetics Australia meeting will be staged in 2027.

13 February 2025
Researchers identify new gene linked to Meniere’s disease

In a crucial step towards a better understanding of Meniere’s disease, researchers at the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney have discovered a gene mutation which could greatly inform future treatment of the disease.

Meniere’s is a rare inner ear disease associated with sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo and debilitating tinnitus. There is currently no cure with treatment largely aimed at managing symptoms.

Meniere’s can be an inherited condition with approximately 10 per cent of patients having one or more relatives affected by it, but the latest research, led by world leading investigator Professor Jose Antonio Lopez-Escamez, indicates the inherited or genetic form of the disease may be more common than first realised.

His team has discovered a rare mutation of the GJD3 gene in both patients with and without a genetic history of the disease.

It is the first time this gene has been linked to any disease.

More than 400 people with Meniere’s disease were involved in the study, with 18 people or 4.4 per cent of the group found to have the genetic mutation, a statistically significant percentage.

Professor Lopez-Escamez said this new understanding could lead to a greater number of patients undergoing genetic testing.

“Many people will say that they don’t have the genetic form of the disease, but this research indicates there are many more people whose disease is directly linked to their genetic make-up,” he said.

“This is important as it will inform how we treat the disease going forward, particularly given the different forms of the disease and the exciting advances with gene therapy.

“Groundbreaking gene therapy is already being adopted internationally to treat hearing loss, and we anticipate this approach will be developed further to treat Meniere’s disease in the years to come.”

The latest research by Professor Lopez-Escamez and his team also identified a connexin (or connecting protein) linked to the GJD3 gene in the tectorial membrane of the organ of Corti – or the hearing organ.

“This is the first time that a connexin has been found in this part of the ear, and it may support the view that connexins regulate the microenvironment in the ear and influence hearing,” he said.

“We believe the mutated gene is impairing the function of the connexins within the ear and impacting hearing ability.

“We are pleased to have made this exciting progress and we look forward to further investigating the role of this gene mutation in hearing function and Meniere’s disease.”

The research has been published in the prestigious Genome Medicine journal.

For more details and to donate to the ground-breaking Meniere’s disease research, visit the NORTH Foundation.

31 January 2025
Groundbreaking work in geriatric pharmacology

For the past 20 years, Professor Sarah Hilmer has dedicated her career to optimising medicine use for older people and has achieved recognition as a national and world leader in geriatric pharmacology.

Not only has the Royal North Shore Hospital clinical pharmacologist and geriatrician set about improving medication practices for older people, but she has long advocated for ‘age-friendly’ clinical trials.

One of Sarah’s notable contributions has been the development of the Drug Burden Index (DBI), a risk assessment tool that measures an older person’s exposure to medications that slow them down physically and mentally.

“Over the past 20 years or so, we have been validating the tool in populations around the world to show that the higher your Drug Burden Index, the worse your physical function and your cognition is, and the more likely you are to fall or wind up in a nursing home,” she says.

Eager to put the initiative into clinical practice, Sarah and her colleagues developed a calculator that could measure a patient’s drug burden. They produced a way to integrate it into a hospital’s electronic medical record so that staff could use it when treating frail, elderly patients.

In 2021 — at the height of the pandemic — Sarah ran a successful pilot study implementing the calculator at Royal North Shore. “We managed to show that we could really improve prescribing,” she says.

For the past 18 months, she and her team have run a clinical trial in three hospitals in Northern Sydney and three on the Central Coast to see if this package of tools can help clinicians to identify patients who are not functioning optimally because of the medication they have been taking and to minimise medication related harm.

The tools are now available for clinical care across the Northern Sydney and Central Coast health districts and are being implemented at other NSW health districts.

Sarah is eager to see the tool as part of routine hospital care.

Nurses regularly have a “huddle” to discuss patient issues, which can include falls or delirium. Her team has been encouraging nurses to look at the Drug Burden Index during a huddle, and if it is high, arrange for a medication review.

“It might be that the medication is causing the falls or confusion,” she says.

Sarah has long advocated for ‘age-friendly’ clinical trials that make it easier for frail, older people to be included.

While the average older person takes up to eight prescription medications, globally, they are often underrepresented in clinical trials.

“We have a situation where we test drugs in healthy, older people or in middle aged people, and then use them in frail, older people with a lot of different complex problems. We wind up with all sorts of interactions and unexpected effects.”

“I think it’s really important that if we’re going to do clinical trials, we need to make sure that they’re inclusive of the people who are going to actually wind up using the drugs in clinical practice,” she says.

Her advocacy in this space extends beyond Australia. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently designed a roadmap for drug evaluation for older adults, and Sarah was the only Australian on the project, representing the Geriatric Committee of International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacologists, which she chairs.

Sarah’s work through development and implementation of the Drug Burden Index and her advocacy for age-friendly trials has significantly improved the quality of life for older adults. “We need to ensure our ageing population receives the best possible evidence-based care,” she says.

29 January 2025
Next generation of researchers streamlining complex medication choices

Two emerging leaders within the Kolling Institute’s Ageing and Pharmacology Lab are gaining attention for their impressive work to improve the quality use of medications.

Dr Nashwa Masnoon and Dr Kenji Fujita have received prestigious awards at the annual meeting of the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT).

Nashwa, who is also a pharmacist at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), has been awarded the inaugural ASCEPT Tony Smith Quality Use of Medicines Prize.

Head of the Ageing and Pharmacology Lab Professor Sarah Hilmer said this new prize is aimed at recognising influential researchers promoting the quality use of medicines.

“Nashwa is well known to many across the Northern Sydney Local Health District as a previous Medication Safety Pharmacist and as the Drug Burden Index Stewardship Pharmacist at RNSH, Ryde and Hornsby hospitals during a recent clinical trial,” she said.

“We are thrilled that she has been recognised for her work, which analysed data from hospital medication reviews of older patients in six hospitals across Sydney.

“The award will give Nashwa an opportunity to participate in a Science Meets Parliament event next year where she will be able to discuss crucial research and healthcare issues with federal political leaders.”

In another sign of the strength of the Ageing and Pharmacology research group, Dr Fujita was awarded the Belberry New Investigator Award, recognising him as an emerging leader in pharmacology.

“This award was based on Kenji’s large body of research using big data analysis to understand geriatric pharmacology and improve the quality use of medicines in older adults,” said Professor Hilmer.

“Kenji has applied his deep knowledge of pharmacy, pharmacology and data analysis to collaborative research spanning bench to bedside. His research findings will improve the use of medicines to enable healthy ageing.”

Professor Hilmer said it was encouraging to see two members of her team honoured for their substantial research progress.

The awards were presented at the annual scientific meeting of ASCEPT in Melbourne.

16 December 2024
Clinical trials informed by patient care

The Kolling Institute’s Professor Sue Kurrle and her team at the Rehabilitation and Aged Care Network at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital have been running clinical trials for 25 years, looking at dementia, frailty, and falls to name just some areas.

“We do trials as it keeps you cutting edge and they are really important for our patients,” she says.

As a geriatrician on the frontline, Sue is well positioned to identify the critical areas that need attention.

“You want to do the research that helps answer some of the questions that your clinical practice throws up,” she says.

Falls research

Sue says one of the most impactful trials she participated in was during her PhD research on hip protectors for older people.

Her study found that the underwear with built-in plastic “shields” stopped people from breaking or fracturing their hips when they fell.

“I got involved in hip protectors because we were looking after so many hip fracture patients in our rehab ward at Hornsby,” she says.

“It was the same with dementia and with frailty. Everything we’ve done in research has been driven by what you see in clinical practice.”

Dementia

With an ageing population in the area, Sue and the team have had a long interest in dementia.

Since 1999, they have run 56 trials for dementia drugs, some of which are part of global studies. Although most haven’t been especially successful, Sue says a recent tablet is promising, with the results soon to be published.

“The biggest message is that exercise is much more effective than medication in slowing the decline once you have dementia, or in delaying its onset. It’s one of the 12 modifiable risk factors,” she explains.

In 2012, the NHMRC awarded her $25 million for the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre, which funded 32 projects across the country which looked at care for people with dementia.

“We developed the clinical practice guidelines for management of dementia, which were the first ones ever done in Australia,” she says.

Frailty

The frailty intervention trial (2011 to 2013) involved 241 frail Hornsby residents. One group received exercise and nutrition interventions, while other received normal care. The experimental group saw numerous benefits.

“We turned frailty around,” she says, adding that the research is now being implemented in hospitals throughout Northern Sydney, with another frailty study soon to be published.

Clinical trials can last up to five years, and older patients often bring a relative along. Sue and her colleagues, including clinical trials research coordinator Roseanne Hogarth and clinical nurse specialist Bronwyn Cook have developed close relationships, knowing their families, pets, and even sharing coffee outings.

“They are like family,” says Sue. “The advantage of working in a smaller hospital is we really get to know our patients.”

9 December 2024
Kolling Research Symposium 2024

We would like to thank everyone involved in the 2024 Kolling Institute Symposium.

During the event, a diverse collection of researchers detailed the latest progress with their ground-breaking work into kidney and heart disease treatments, bone and muscle conditions, rare cancers, and neurological challenges. There was a focus too on the innovative work to develop a unique wellbeing index.

Researchers discussed how they’re tapping into technology to deliver care to large numbers of patients, improving outcomes with the latest heart valve devices and investigating the benefits of reducing multiple medications for older patients.

The symposium brought together researchers, representatives from our joint venture partners (Northern Sydney Local Health District and the University of Sydney) and a growing network of community partners to celebrate our impactful work.

Academic Director Professor James Elliott said the event featured thoughtful presentations, panel discussions, poster presentations, and an Oxford Debate on the impact of AI on healthcare.

“I would like to thank our guest speakers Professor Susan Morton, Director of INSIGHT at the University of Technology and Lifeline Australia ambassador and wellbeing advocate Matt Caruana who shared his personal experience and inspiring perspective,” he said.

“The symposium provided an opportunity to hear how our researchers are extending our understanding of complex conditions and improving therapies and outcomes.

“It also offered the chance to highlight some special awards for a group committed to increasing access to high-quality care, and improving the health and wellbeing of our broader community.

“I would like to congratulate the 2024 Kolling Institute award recipients for their remarkable commitment to our research success.” They include:

PhD Supervision Award
Associate Professor Sonia Saad
Department of Medicine, Renal Research Laboratory

HDR Student Award
Amanda Purcell
Renal Research Laboratory

Discovery Science Award Category A
Dr Nunki Hassan
Cancer Stem Cell and Biology Laboratory

Discovery Science Award Category B
Dr Sumit Sahni
Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory

Professional Staff Award Category A
Susan Smith
Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory
Kolling Histology Core Facility

Professional Staff Award Category B
Annette McCook
Research Development Officer

Excellence in poster presentation
Claire Wong

Excellence in oral presentation
Dr Karan Rao

“Thank you to the many people involved in bringing this large-scale event together to highlight the remarkable and life changing work underway at the Kolling Institute,” said Professor Elliott.

15 November 2024

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