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Philanthropic support building our research expertise

A collection of researchers will develop their skills and establish crucial new collaborations following generous funding through the Skipper Charitable Trust.

Six researchers have received a 2024 Beryl and Jack Jacobs Travel Award, enabling them to travel for conferences and work with experts across the globe.

Academic Director Professor James Elliott was thrilled to announce the successful recipients, saying each researcher demonstrated how their travel opportunity will broaden their research expertise and lead to exciting new progress.

Dr Karen Bracken from the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group will travel to the University of Bristol to work with the team at the renowned Bristol Trials Centre. There she will gain a better understanding of recent advances in clinical trials, directly supporting her role as a clinical trials program lead.

Dr Barbara Lucas from the John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research will attend the Australasian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Conference in Cairns to present her ground-breaking research from the Best START trial into early intervention in children with Cerebral Palsy.

Dr Vicky Duong from the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group will travel to the United States and Canada to work with researchers at Harvard University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Toronto. This is set to be a valuable opportunity for Vicky to expand her international networks following her successful Category I NHMRC funded project in Australia.

Brian Kim from the Neuromuscular Imaging Research Laboratory will visit the United States to work with colleagues at the Northwestern University in Chicago. Brian is establishing machine learning methods to automatically quantify the soft tissues of the shoulder in patients needing surgical repairs.

Dr Vibha Patil from the Meniere’s Disease Neuroscience Lab will travel to Spain to build on her work into the genetics of Meniere’s Disease, a debilitating disorder of the inner ear.

Amanda Purcell, a PhD student in the Renal Laboratory, will also travel to Spain and the UK to further her studies around predicting gestational diabetes in early pregnancy. Amanda is set to learn cutting-edge techniques, complementing her growing knowledge in this field and strong analytical skills.

Professor Elliott said these opportunities would not be possible without the financial boost delivered through the Skipper Charitable Trust.

“I would like to thank the family behind the trust for their wonderful ongoing support of our early and mid-career researchers,” he said.

“Their help is directly strengthening our research expertise and increasing our long term impact.”

8 February 2024
New grant announced for up-and-coming Kolling Institute researcher

One of our impressive researchers has taken out a prestigious national award to broaden treatment options for diabetes.

Despite tough competition, Cameron Evans from the Cardiovascular Discovery Group has been awarded the 2024 Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovation (ACADI) PhD grant.

The funding means Cameron will be able to progress his research investigating the use of a new medication for diabetic foot ulcers and peripheral arterial disease.

Mirabegron is currently used to treat overactive bladder syndrome, but this research will help determine if it could be a suitable option for diabetic foot ulcers and vascular disease, where dysfunctional blood vessels reduce oxygen and nutrients in the tissue, and cause chronic wounds.

“Our use of Mirabegron works by improving blood flow to the lower limbs and increasing levels of nitric oxide, one of the body’s natural antioxidants,” Cameron said.

“This will help blood vessels and diabetic tissue function normally and heal ulcers.

“Current treatments include a cocktail of medications or vascular surgery which are invasive, costly and risky.

“So we hope our research will confirm if Mirabegron will reduce amputation, improve quality of life and increase life expectancy.”

Diabetes is continuing to escalate globally, with around 650 million people likely to have the disease by 2040.

“It’s anticipated, one in five of those with diabetes is likely to develop an ulcer, so we could potentially be helping more than 130 million people with our research.

“I am tremendously grateful for the ACADI PhD grant, which will greatly boost our project.

“Working weekends and researching five days is a tough slog, so receiving this grant is an incredible help.

“It’s a weight off my shoulders, and will give me dedicated time to progress our valuable investigations.”

12 December 2023
Kolling Institute Research Video

At the Kolling Institute, we are tremendously fortunate to work with so many skilled and dedicated researchers. Our Kolling video gives you an insight into some of our latest research and our inspirational teams.

11 December 2023
Collaboration driving research impactc

The strength of interdisciplinary research across the Northern Sydney (Arabanoo) Precinct was highlighted during a dynamic showcase at the Kolling Institute.

The annual event, which has been steadily lifting its profile, featured the latest research progress across allied health, nursing, medicine, as well as pharmacy, dentistry and public health.

More than a hundred people attended this year’s event hosted by the Precinct academic directors Professors Jim Elliott and Robyn Gallagher, and Associate Professor Margaret Schnitzler.

The showcase provided an insight into the successful collaborations between the University of Sydney and the Northern Sydney Local Health District, and their impact on the delivery of care.

Associate Professor Elizabeth Clarke detailed her interdisciplinary research investigating the use of kangaroo tendons for human ACL reconstructions. This project involved engineers and medical scientists from the Kolling, along with orthopaedic surgeons and an Australian industry partner.

A/Prof Clarke also discussed the Kolling Orthopaedic Biomechanics Robotic Arm, an exciting collaboration between engineers from the University of Sydney, orthopaedic surgeons from the NSLHD and global industry partners.

Elizabeth said these two examples highlight how interdisciplinary collaboration can achieve outcomes far greater than the sum of the parts.

“We would not have achieved the research and innovation goals without any one of the partners and team members on these projects,” she said.

Exercise physiologist Rosanna Tran delivered her presentation on the FORTRESS trial, which is assessing a frailty intervention in hospitals. Funded by the NHMRC, the trial is using a validated screening tool and an evidence-based intervention.

Rosanna, who is based at Hornsby Hospital, said the collaborative research will help establish a cost-effective model of care to help manage frailty and its adverse impacts.

Professor Mark Molloy from the University of Sydney discussed his collaboration with Royal North Shore Hospital colorectal surgeon Professor Alexander Engel to identify molecular markers of disease risk for bowel cancer.

“This project demonstrates how clinical services can be an important contributor to interdisciplinary research through linking our own strengths,” he said

“Collaborating with clinicians helps to make my research more impactful by bringing a patient-centric perspective.”

It’s anticipated there’ll be further interdisciplinary collaboration following the showcase event.

27 October 2023
Significant investment in our research announced
A large collection of research projects will get off the ground following generous funding through the Ramsay Research and Teaching Fund Scheme.

The scheme has directed more than $10 million to research on the Royal North Shore Hospital campus over the last 20 years, and this year a further $850,000 will be shared across 17 projects.

A diverse range of studies will be supported, strengthening investigations into cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes as well as osteoarthritis, neonatal care, thyroid function and physiotherapy programs.

The successful recipients this year are:
- Professor Dale Bailey
- Professor Roderick Clifton-Bligh
- Professor Gemma Figtree
- Professor David Hunter
- Associate Professor Sarah Glastras
- Associate Professor Joanne Glinsky
- Associate Professor Karl Ng
- Associate Professor Sean Seeho
- Dr Sally Baron-Hay
- Dr Grace Gifford
- Dr Matti Gild
- Dr Pierre Janin
- Dr Barbara Lucas
- Dr Sharon McCracken
- Dr Lauren Monds
- Dr Leo Pang
- Dr Kathy Willowson
NSLHD CE Adjunct Professor Anthony Schembri AM welcomed the investment saying it will help the district maintain its reputation as a hub of research excellence and high value care.

“We know that districts with an active research culture, where research is embedded as part of clinical care have a higher patient experience, less errors and better health outcomes,” he said.

“I look forward to following the progress of these projects, as well as their impact on lifting our standard of care and our understanding of a broad range of conditions.

“Personally, as a fellow allied health worker, it’s great to see our allied health practitioners being recognised with these important research grants.”

The recipients were congratulated by North Shore Private, Ramsay Healthcare Acting CEO Christian Hoengaard, who said the grants represented a tremendous investment.

“We look forward to all the good outcomes that will flow as a result of this research and I’m sure it will help us continue to deliver world leading care,” he said.

“We have a long history of collaboration and I look forward to building on that partnership for another two decades.”
13 September 2023
Crucial funds strengthening our research expertise

A group of researchers will have the chance to broaden their skills and establish new collaborations following a funding boost from the Royal North Shore Hospital Scientific Staff Council.

The council has awarded 12 travel grants to scientists working within the district and the Kolling Institute.

The diverse group of leaders is driving research progress into heart and kidney disease, cancer, musculoskeletal conditions and the quality use of medicines. Their investigations are helping to establish a better understanding of disease and improved models of care.

RNSH Scientific Staff Council Chair Dr Sumit Sahni said more than $25,000 will be shared amongst the group to allow them to present their research at national and international conferences.

“I would like to congratulate this impressive group. They are all developing their research expertise and increasing their impact in their individual areas, ultimately improving the care we provide,” he said.

The successful recipients include cancer researchers Drs Bharat Venkatesh and Nunki Hassan, musculoskeletal investigators Drs Joanne Glinsky and Xiaoqian Liu, and scientists improving the use of medications Drs Lisa Kouladjian, Kenji Fujita and Nashwa Masnoon.

Funding has also gone to kidney disease researchers Dr Ji Bian, Dr Qinghua Cao and Amanda Purcell, and two cardiology researchers Drs Jonathan Ciofani and Sina Fathieh.

Dr Sahni said the travel awards program has been supported for many years by Ramsay Heathcare and he would like to thank them for their continued investment in our research.

12 September 2023
Scholarship supports the next generation of top researchers

We would like to congratulate Kolling Institute researcher Amanda Purcell who has received a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation scholarship.

Amanda is part of our Renal Research Laboratory, working to improve treatment for those with diabetes and kidney disease.

She has been awarded a top-up scholarship aimed at supporting PhD students pursuing type 1 diabetes research in line with the foundation’s mission to treat, prevent and cure the disease. The competitive scholarship selects the best and brightest scientists in the field to ensure the next generation of researchers can carry out their ground-breaking work.

Amanda has welcomed the news.

“The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation PhD scholarship represents an opportunity to create meaningful change and gives me the privilege to be part of a community dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with type 1 diabetes,” she said.

“This support will give me the chance to attend conferences and workshops, helping me connect with experts in the field and share my research findings.”

Amanda will investigate if a medication can be used to treat diabetic kidney disease in those with type 1 diabetes and obesity. Type 1 diabetes often leads to complications, including diabetic kidney disease which can be life-threatening.

“The medication is widely used in type 2 diabetes for weight loss and to improve how cells respond to insulin.

“It is also used to delay progression of diabetic kidney disease in those with type 2 diabetes, but it is not known whether it would have these same benefits in those with type 1 diabetes.

“Using a pre-clinical model, my project aims to determine if using the medication for those with type 1 diabetes and obesity can improve kidney health.

“We hope the findings from this work will influence preventative care for diabetic kidney disease in people with type 1 diabetes and obesity.”

Dr Dorota Pawlak, Chief Scientific Officer, JDRF Australia said we are passionate about not only supporting well established scientists who are leading the field, but also the best early career researchers to foster the pipeline and to ensure breakthroughs continue to happen.

The scholarships allow PhD scholars to attend scientific conferences, present their findings and establish critical networks with both national and international researchers.

22 August 2023
Kolling researchers leading the fight against diabetes

With a concerning rise in the number of people developing Type 2 diabetes, our researchers at the Kolling Institute are offering hope and an effective way forward to reduce the impact of the serious disease.

Type 2 diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in the world, and if the current trend continues, it’s anticipated close to three million Australians will have the disease by 2025.

It often occurs in those who are over 40, overweight or if there’s a genetic predisposition, but increasingly doctors are seeing young adults and adolescents with the condition.

Sadly, many people may have the disease, and not realise it until the condition is well advanced.

Kolling Institute researcher and Royal North Shore Hospital endocrinologist Associate Professor Sarah Glastras said Type 2 diabetes is a crippling condition which can increase your chance of kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.

“There is no cure but it can be put into remission with lifestyle changes, with evidence suggesting that losing weight can help you manage your diabetes and return to normal blood sugar levels,” she said.

“It is an encouraging time with a range of new drugs, innovations and clinical trials in the pipeline which will offer tools and strategies to manage diabetes.

“In the next 12 months, there will be new combined medications which we expect will help with weight loss and the maintenance of glucose levels.

“These drugs will have the potential to halt the march of diabetes.”

For many people a combined approach of exercise, diet and medication will achieve significant results.

“I often tell my patients you can’t change your age or your genes, but we do have control over what we eat and how much exercise we do. Exercise is crucial to improving the body’s metabolism.”

New research is pointing to the benefits of a personalised diet program tailored to your individual gut microbiota.

“Importantly, there also needs to be greater access to these promising new medications, and a greater focus on the condition.

“Unlike cancer and heart disease, diabetes often doesn’t receive the attention and funding it deserves. There is a stigma associated with obesity and diabetes, a belief that people have brought it on themselves, neglecting the fact that it is a genetically driven disease.”

26 July 2023
Kolling Institute Year in Review 2022

Check out our Kolling Institute Year in Review 2022 celebrating our research success. It highlights our world-leading translational research and our impact across our priority research areas. Click on the link here.

10 July 2023
Recognition of our impact on the world stage
Kolling Institute Governance Committee Chair Michael Nugent said it is encouraging to see more than a dozen researchers from the Kolling have been profiled in an international study recognising the world’s best.

Published by Stanford University, the study has identified the top two per cent of researchers in the world across individual fields.

The study is based on metrics from Scopus, a database of peer-reviewed literature including scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Researchers were ranked on standardised information including citations, h-index, authorship positions and a composite indicator.

“I am pleased to confirm 16 researchers from the Kolling have been highlighted in the study, demonstrating the unique expertise and experience we have across the institute,” Michael said.

“These results are a further indication of the ground-breaking scientific progress we’re making, and the tangible impact we’re having on healthcare models of care and quality of life. Importantly, this impact is benefitting communities on a national and international scale.

“I would like to acknowledge the following outstanding group of researchers, who all have an unrelenting commitment to improving the care we receive.”
- Professor Rob Baxter (AM) – Breast Cancer Research
- Professor Ian Cameron – John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research
- Professor Ashley Craig – John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research
- Professor Jim Elliott – Neuromuscular Imaging Research Lab
- Professor Manuela Ferreira – Back Pain Research Group
- Professor Gemma Figtree (AM) – Cardiovascular Discovery Group
- Professor Paul Glare – Pain Management Research Centre
- Professor Lisa Harvey – John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research
- Professor Sarah Hilmer (AM) – Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology
- Professor David Hunter – Osteoarthritis Research Team
- Professor Chris Little – Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Lab
- Professor Gin Malhi – Academic Psychiatry and CADE Clinic
- Professor Lyn March (AM) – Rheumatology Department
- Professor Mark Molloy – Bowel Cancer Research
- Professor Michael Nicholas – Pain Management Research Centre
- Professor Carol Pollock (AO) – Renal Research Team
“I would also like to acknowledge the Kolling’s former Executive Director Professor Carolyn Sue who has been recognised in the study profiling the global leaders in research.

“It is wonderful that so many of our researchers are among the world’s best, driving significant improvements in research and clinical care.”
27 February 2023

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