Menzies Spring Bulletin 2019

Bulletin #0098

SPRING 2019 Funding boost: Dr Costan Magnussen (left) and Dr Yuan Zhou have both received Investigator Grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Tasmanian community to benefit from latest health funding Menzies research into cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis received a $3 million boost recently as part of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants round.

“We are delighted that the importance of these research programs has been recognised with this highly competitive national funding,” Menzies Director Distinguished Professor Alison Venn said.

“The funding will significantly boost our researchers’ ability to advance understanding of how best to prevent and treat diseases that affect many in our community.”

Menzies secured two NHMRC Investigator Grants

HELP NEEDED TO PINPOINT AIRBORNE PERPETRATORS As spring comes into full force, researchers are looking past pollen to what other airborne perpetrators are impacting on asthma and allergy sufferers across the State.

The research, carried out by the Menzies AirRater Team, will look at how airborne bacteria and fungi – the ‘aerial

microbiome’ – varies across Hobart and what that might mean for our health.

“We have increasing evidence that many of these airborne bacteria and fungi can affect our respiratory health,” research lead Dr Penny Jones said.

“What we don’t know are the types of airborne fungal spores and bacteria in Tasmania, and

totalling more than $2 million and more than $1 million for an NHMRC Partnership Project.

Successful Menzies projects included: NHMRC Investigator Grants Dr Yuan Zhou ‘Elucidating the genetic architecture of multiple sclerosis to influence improvements in disease outcomes.’

Dr Zhou’s research, which involves several large international collaborations, includes focus on the genetic drivers of MS and has the potential to lead to earlier detection of MS and the identification of new treatments.

We are delighted that the importance of these research programs has been recognised.

how they affect local asthma and allergy sufferers.”

The study involves taking samples of dust from the inside and outside of thirty homes across Hobart, as well as soils from gardens, and looking at which types of bacteria, fungi and pollen are present.

Volunteers will then be asked to collect samples of the aerial microbiome they are exposed to in their day-to-day life and to log their asthma and allergy symptoms using the AirRater

Dr Costan Magnussen ‘The long-term effects of child, adolescent, and young adult cholesterol levels on future cardiovascular disease.’

Dr Magnussen’s research aims to understand the long-term impact of early-life cholesterol levels on adult heart health, determining the best cholesterol measures and ideal ages when prevention and treatment could be optimised. The findings could lead to better practices to delay or prevent heart disease.

NHMRC Partnership Project Professor James Sharman; ‘Improved cardiovascular Disease in hEALth service delivery in Australia (IDEAL Partnership).’

Cardiovascular disease has the highest burden of global disease and highest level of health care expenditure in Australia. Professor Sharman will develop and test a new digital health service focused on the measurement and communication of cardiovascular disease risk, developed by researchers, industry, health service providers and policy makers.

smartphone app, a free app for asthma and allergy sufferers designed by the research team.

Researchers will then look at how the aerial microbiome relates to those symptoms and in the long run how it affects the community.

The team hopes to follow up on this pilot study with a larger research project in 2020.

To volunteer contact: aerial. microbiome@utas.edu.au or call 1800 322 102.

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Director’s message Welcome to the Spring Bulletin for 2019 Menzies recently celebrated a major boost to our research capacity with more than $3 million of funding as part of the latest National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant round.

This significant boost in funding is recognition of our internationally significant research in the field of cardiovascular disease.

This success is recognition of the calibre of our researchers and the impact of our research efforts in the community.

Importantly, this funding provides further support for some of our key research programs, which are internationally significant and aimed at ensuring longer and healthier lives for all Tasmanians Dr Yuan Zhou was awarded a NHMRC Investigator Grant to examine the genetic drivers of multiple sclerosis and the role of early life viral infection in MS onset and progression.

As part of our MS flagship, which continues to grow and generate significant advances in the field, Dr Zhou’s research has the potential to lead to earlier detection of MS and identify new treatments.

Dr Costan Magnussen also received a NHMRC Investigator Grant to determine the long-term impact of early life cholesterol levels on adult heart health, while Professor James Sharman received a NHMRC Partnership Project grant focussing on the measurement and communication of cardiovascular disease risk

using a new digital health service integrated within pathology services. This significant boost in funding is recognition of our internationally significant research in the field of cardiovascular disease.

This highly competitive national funding is a welcome boost to Menzies’ ability to advance understanding of how best to prevent and treat diseases that are highly relevant to the Tasmanian community and have a huge impact on the global burden of disease.

Kind regards,

Distinguished Professor Alison Venn, Director

‘Wind-blown dust’ linked to Indigenous respiratory health issues A strong link between earth-derived dust and poor respiratory health in Indigenous children has been found in the latest research produced by the University of Tasmania and the Telethon Kids Institute.

Research team member Professor Graeme Zosky, from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and School of Medicine, said the study was driven by the observation that Indigenous children experience high rates of ear and lung disease.

“Indigenous infants are seven times more likely to be hospitalised for a lung infection, and nearly nine times more likely to have chronic ear infections [than non-Indigenous infants],” Professor Zosky said.

The study compared data from 1077 Indigenous children in 66 remote communities in

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Menzies Bulletin Spring 2019

Western Australia and found a link between poor respiratory health and arid environments, where levels of earth derived wind-blown dust or ‘geogenic particulate matter’ were high.

“Our study found that high dust levels were associated with increased odds of hospitalisation for upper and lower respiratory tract infections and ear disease,” Professor Zosky said.

“The consistency of this effect across diseases was surprising.”

The study also acknowledged that these ambient dust levels can be easily reduced by simple

Let the dust settle: A study by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and School of Medicine has found a link between poor respiratory health and arid environments.

This work has important global health ramifications for communities in dry environments.

measures, such as dust suppression or re-vegetation programs in the communities.

“This work has important global health ramifications for communities in dry environments where geogenic levels are high, particularly those experiencing significant social disadvantage,” Professor Zosky said.

The research is part of an ongoing study which will go on to investigate the effect of other forms of pollution on the health of Indigenous children.

CANCER Insidious disease: Tasmanian devils have been ravaged by cancer in recent times.

Biting accounts for how the cancers are spread between devils.

Unexpected discovery behind second Devil Facial Tumour Researchers have identified the cell of origin of Devil Facial Tumour 2 (DFT2), the second transmissible cancer that was first observed in Tasmanian devils from the Channel area in South East Tasmania in 2014.

Thank you to our supporters who donated to our Winter Appeal.

You have helped support our researchers’ work into respiratory health, as they continue to unfold the airborne triggers of people’s asthma and allergies.

If you would like to donate to any area of research at Menzies, simply go to the ‘donate’ tab at menzies.utas.edu.au or fill out and return the donation slip in this Bulletin.

The research was performed by scientists from the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research, School of Medicine and Central Science Laboratory with support from the University of Cambridge, Australian Proteome Analysis Facility,

GREETING CARD COLLECTION

and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

In an unexpected discovery the research found that DFT2 originated from the cells that cover the nerves, called Schwann cells – similarly to DFT1 which was first seen in North Eastern Tasmania, in 1996. “The emergence of two independent transmissible cancers from the same tissue in the Tasmanian devil presents an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into cancer development, evolution and immune evasion in mammalian species,” senior team member Emeritus Professor Greg Woods said.

Lead author Dr Amanda Patchett said wounds caused from devils biting one another

The 2019 Greeting Card Collection is now available for purchase. This year’s collection features 12

might explain the link to how both cancers arose from Schwann cells.

“In humans, cancers can be caused by damage to cells because the repair process produces proteins that also promote cancer and these proteins also encourage Schwann cell growth,” she said.

“Because devils often have wounds, this leads to Schwann cells occasionally becoming cancerous in devils and biting accounts for how the cancers are spread between devils.”

The research team said the support of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal (www.utas.edu.au/devil) was critical for the long-term viability of this work.

Funding for the study was provided by the Australian Research Council, with support from the University of Tasmania Foundation through funds raised by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Appeal, Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme and a joint research initiative between the University of Tasmania and Bioplatforms Australia.

original artworks kindly donated by acclaimed Tasmanian artists. All proceeds from the sale of this amazing collection of cards go directly to supporting medical research at Menzies.

Packs of 12 cards are just $10. To view and purchase cards call into Menzies reception on the corner of Liverpool and Campbell Streets, Hobart, or go to www.menzies.utas.edu.au

Would you prefer to receive our publications and invitations by email? If so, simply send an email to enquiries@menzies.utas.edu.au to let us know. Or update your postal details on the tear-off slip attached to the Bulletin and return it to us. If you use the Reply Paid address at the bottom of the tear-off slip you won’t need a stamp.

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COMMUNITY

A healthy debate 2019 Menzies Debate Close to 200 people came together for another very successful and entertaining Menzies Annual Debate.

There was plenty of lively discussion, underhanded debate tactics (and even a choir!) in this year’s debate,

which teased apart the statement: ‘Education is the key to better health outcomes for Tasmanians.’

For those of you who couldn’t make it, catch all the debate action on the Menzies Facebook page.

Big crowd: Another popular Menzies Annual Debate.

Science Week Activities Science Week 2019 gave Menzies the opportunity to take our passion for science and research to community members of all ages, through the Festival of Bright Ideas (FOBI) in Hobart.

We also enjoyed the chance to showcase a range of ‘hands on’ science, and give people the chance to chat to our researchers one-

Enthusiastic: Menzies researchers at BeakerSt@TMAG (above) and FOBI (right) .

on-one, as part of the Menzies Living Laboratory at BeakerStreet@TMAG.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR DONORS FOR YOUR ONGOING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO MENZIES Listed below are our Everyday Angels, who make regular gifts to Menzies.

Mr Timothy Albion Ms Juliet Allen Ms Anita Allie Ms Kylie Anderson Mrs T Archer & Mr A Archer Mrs Jennifer & Mr Lionel Banks Ms Jess Bannister Mr Callan Barber Ms Janet Beadle Mr Tobi Beard Mrs Pamela Blunt Mr Paul Boucher Ms Jessica Bradley Ms Kathleen Brient Ms Beverley Brown Mrs Jane Burrell & Mr Lloyd Sokvitne Ms Jill M Cassidy Dr Susan R Cherry Mrs Emma & Mr Timothy Claridge Mrs Anita & Mr Michael Clarkson Mr Peter Cochrane & Ms Miranda Harman

Mr A M Cornish AO Mr R & Mrs G Cotgrove Mr Craig Coventry Ms Moya T Deigan Ms Carolyn Dunnewijk Mrs Patricia & Mr Donald Edwards Mr Josh & Mrs Felicity Ey Mrs Elaine & Mr Dennis Fairfield Dr Derek & Mrs Elizabeth Findlay Mr Simon Fleischmann Mr Peter Fountain Mrs Beverley Geard Mr Don W Goff Mrs Judy & Mr Trevor Grant Mrs Susan Haigh Mr Philip Hand Ms Paula Harvey Ms Judith Hastie Mrs Shirley & Mr Frederick Heath Ms Judy

The following individual and community supporters donated for the first time.

Hebblethwaite Ms Alison Hennessy Mrs Susan L Hinds Mr B & Mrs J Hortle Mr John W Hudson Ms Shelley Hunter Ms Carol Hurst Ms Marni Hyland Mr Andrew & Mrs Anne Inglis Mr Darrin Irvine Mr Gary & Mrs Susan Jacobson Mrs Wendy Jefferies Mr Raymond & Ms Dianne Jones Ms Tracey Jordan Mrs Margaret & Mr Alan Keogh Ms Margaret Knight Ms Sabina Lane Mrs Terry & Mr Ian Law Ms Anne & Mr Anthony Le Clerc Mr Mark Ley Ms Rebecca C Lipscombe

Ms Samantha Appleyard Branch Fabrications Pty Ltd Miss Lisa E Drinkwater

Mr Michael & Mrs Tracey Fawdry Ms Cheryl Gard Mr Neil Gray Ms Rosemary Hurst

Ms Michele McCulloch MND Support Group Mrs W Morgan Mr John Robinson Mr Peter Sylvester

Mrs Jane & Mr Nicholas Lovibond Mr David T MacLeod Mrs Marie Magill Mrs Betty M Marshall Mr Dugald McDougall Mr Marcus McEwan Mrs Helen McKibben Mrs Frances Joan McKinlay Ms Kate McQuaid Mrs Philippa Micklem Dr Kenneth & Mrs Yvonne Milton Mr Sam Mollard Ms Wendy Noye Mrs Anita Nutting Mrs Astrid A O’Toole Mrs Sally Oakley Mrs Jennifer A Parsons

Miss Alison Parsons Kim Paterson Mrs Glenda Paton Mr Andrew J Pitt Mr Nathan & Mrs Christabel Porter Mrs Pamela Rabbidge Ms Jillian Reade Mr Alan & Mrs Jancis Rees Mrs Margaret & Mr Brian Richardson Ms Hannah Richardson Mrs Jill & Mr Eric Robinson Mrs Frances M Russon Mrs Susan Sluce Ms Chianti Spaulding Mr Richard Sperring

Mr Alex Stanelos Ms Skye Stowe Miss Amber C Sturges Ms Carmel Taylor Mrs Cynthia Tennant Ms Karen TwynamPerkins Mrs Rosemary Van den Berk Mr Walter & Mrs Robin Verth Mrs Anne Warren Ms Caroline Wells Mr John & Mrs Kathlyn Wheatley Mrs Kathryn Whitchurch Ms Barbara White Ms Mandy J Williams Ms Janice Wilson Mrs Elizabeth Woolley

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RESEARCH

RESEARCHER PROFILE

Professor Eric Moses Genetic epidemiologist and Menzies Community Professorial Cancer Research Fellow

What were you doing before you joined us at Menzies as a staff member earlier this year?

I was the Director of The Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease (GOHaD) at the University of Western Australia. Prior to that I worked at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas where I led a major research program on the genetics of

preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease.

What is the current focus of your research?

The genetics/ epigenetics of complex human disease.

What are some of the recent findings from your work?

We have recently employed new genomics technologies in families to identify

new genetic risk factors for sarcoma and preeclampsia and to better understand the role of genetics in the risk of developing schizophrenia and related disorders.

Cardiovascular disease is also a current major focus and we are hoping to make a major contribution to understanding the genetic risk of this serious health problem using new technologies

in large population samples with linked health outcome data.

material of all the microbes – bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses – that live on and inside the human body) and the environment in health and disease.

What is the biggest challenge in your area of research?

The underlying complexities of common human disorders and diseases that pose a major health burden globally.

Understanding the interactions between individual human genetic variation, the microbiome (the genetic

What is the most interesting aspect of your work?

I enjoy working in multidisciplinary international teams with a shared vision to improve human health outcomes globally.

I enjoy working in multidisciplinary international teams.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Share experiences with my family and friends. I love being outdoors and in/or close to the ocean in particular.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO TEST HEALTH BENEFITS OF BUS TRAVEL Can regularly catching the bus improve your health?

This is one of the questions researchers will be examining in a new study focused on people’s transport habits.

Research lead, Menzies’ Dr Verity Cleland, said the worldfirst study aimed to determine whether an incentives scheme would lead to more passengers on buses and ultimately improve community health.

“We expect that more bus travel will increase incidental physical activity through walking trips to and from bus stops and less reliance on cars for short trips,” Dr Cleland said.

“Those small walking trips add up and contribute to

meeting the recommended 150 minutes/week of physical activity, which can have important health benefits.”

Dr Cleland said while physical activity was a major protective factor against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, greater bus use could also have important social, environmental and economic benefits.

“Buses are considerably cheaper for individuals than cars, promote social interaction, increase community engagement, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can stimulate local economies,” she said.

The study is being undertaken with Metro Tasmania, the Tasmanian

Keep up with our news

Department of Health/State Government and the Local Government Association of Tasmania.

All study participants will each receive up to $30 in Metro Greencard credit as a thank you for participating.

They will also be entitled to three free Menzies health checks and a free smartphone

app specially designed to help keep track of travel behaviour.

The study is open to people living in the greater Hobart region who are aged 18 or older and who currently catch the bus twice a week or less.

For more information on the study, call (03) 6226 4290 or go to: https://tinyurl.com/trips4health

Would you like to keep up to date with the latest Menzies news?

Find us on Facebook and ‘Like’ our page. You can read all our Bulletins and reports electronically at issuu.com.

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AWARDS

RESEARCH TO SUPPORT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME The impact of myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is the focus of new research being led by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research.

Supported by $155,000 in funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Targeted Health System and Community Organisation Research Grant Opportunity, ‘the ANCHOR project’ will look at the prevalence and economic costs of ME/CFS in Australia and its far-reaching impacts on patients, carers, the broader community and the health system.

The ANCHOR group comprises researchers from across the University of Tasmania, Deakin University and Emerge Australia the national consumer support and advocacy group.

Menzies Health Economics Researcher and project lead Dr Barbara de Graaff said the effects of ME/CFS were greatly underestimated.

“Rigorous debate over the past three decades, particularly regarding the cause and diagnosis of ME/ CFS, has led to a distinct lack of data on the condition,” Dr de Graaff said.

“The current lack of critical health information is a substantial barrier to

The current lack of critical health information is a substantial barrier to decision-making around clinical services.

Debilitating disease: Dr Barbara de Graaf is studying chronic fatigue syndrome.

decision-making around clinical services and interventions, social support services and research funding.”

Based on estimates from other countries, up to 250,000 Australians and up to 5,000 Tasmanians may be living with the condition.

Dr de Graaff said ME/CFS was a complex condition with debilitating health, social and economic impacts on

patients and carers. “In addition to overwhelming fatigue, this complex condition can impact brain function, along with the gut, immune, endocrine and cardiac systems,” Dr de Graaf said.

The evidence generated from the ANCHOR project will be used to support government decision-making around assistance for people living with ME/CFS.

Honoured: Associate Professor Fay Johnston receives the PHAA Tony McMichael Award for Health Ecology and the Environment from Peter Tait, PHAA Ecology and Environment Special Interest Group Co-Convenor.

Association of Australia (PHAA) also awarded Associate Professor Johnston the ‘Tony McMichael Award for Health Ecology and the Environment.’

“Tony McMichael was a brilliant scientist and made enormous contributions to society, so it was truly an honour for me to receive this award,” she said.

Associate Professor Johnston said she was proud to be involved with research focused on the health impacts of fire, smoke, pollen, air pollution and heatwaves, areas which were all at the forefront of climate change and future policy making.

“At this moment in history we all have a lot of work to do in ensuring all evidence on climate science and public health is urgently translated into policy,” she said.

Tony McMichael was a brilliant scientist … so it was truly an honour for me to receive this award.

Air quality expertise recognised Menzies’ Associate Professor Fay Johnston’s expertise in air quality research and contribution to public health was recognised recently with two prestigious awards.

The Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ): Innovation and Excellence in Air Quality Awards recognised Professor Johnston with the ‘2019 Air Quality Champion Award’ for her work on the AirRater App.

Available in Tasmania, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Port Macquarie, AirRater alerts vulnerable people when they are at risk from air-borne pollutants such as pollen and smoke and collects valuable information from allergy and asthma sufferers.

The Public Health

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More than flowers In Memoriam July 2019 to September 2019

One sentence in your Will can fund life-saving medical research.

If you would like more information, please contact the Institute Advancement Manager on 03 6226 4236.

Bequests save lives by funding research.

Thank you.

We gratefully acknowledge gifts made from the following estates: Estate of the late Monica June Lane Estate of the late Lillian and Ralph Sangster Estate of the late Edward Delahunty Estate of the Late Edith May Allen We gratefully acknowledge gifts made in honour of: Mr Rade Borojevic Mr Peter Collins Mr Peter R Daniels Mr John Drinkwater Mr William J Fawdry Mr Tai Forrester Mr Kelvin G Gillard Mrs Margaret D Gray Ms Denise I Harris Ms Bronwyn Moran Mr Thomas R Turnbull Ms Bridgette J Wallace