Animals in research: zebrafish
Our series, Animals in Research, profiles the top organisms used for science experimentation. Here, we look at Danio rerio – the zebrafish.
Zebrafish are probably not the first creatures that come to…
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Analysis and Comment (39)
Animals in research: Drosophila (the fruit fly)
We’ve all heard of lab rats, but what are the other go-to animals for researchers, and why are they so popular? Our new series, Animals in Research, profiles the top creatures for science experimentation…
Don’t bury the benefits of research to improve the health system
If you missed the release of the McKeon review on Friday you’re not alone. The Commonwealth government released the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research just before the weekend – a time usually…
Health review panel adjusts funding recommendations
The McKeon review of health and medical research has reduced its short term funding bid in the face of current federal budget pressures.
The draft review, released in October last year, suggested an additional…
Explainer: what is comparative effectiveness research?
The evidence gleaned from medical research directly affects the decisions made about health care in Australia, driving everything from clinical practice guidelines, to which health interventions will and…
In Conversation Andrew Robb: full transcript
Doug Hilton: Welcome Andrew to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. This conversation between me, Doug Hilton, and Andrew Robb is part of The Conversation.
So Andrew, it’s been really exciting in the…
In Conversation with Andrew Robb: research must ‘back our strengths’
It’s hard to argue with the importance of research, particularly medical research. It leads to breakthroughs and can change people’s lives for the better.
But there are some crucial questions about how…
A better way to award NHMRC’s medical research grants
Last Friday, the results for this year’s round of applications for National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) grants were released. Because headlines focus on success and rankings, universities and medical…
McKeon review: we need to integrate research and health services
Last year the federal government asked my colleagues and I to investigate the state of health and medical research in Australia and make recommendations about the strategic direction of the sector.
After…
Man v mountain: how to overcome the evidence overload
Most doctors shudder at the sight of the growing mountain of unread medical journals gathering dust on their desks over months, if not years. They need not despair though, as there are less time-consuming…
Alzheimer hypothesis stuck in intellectual cul-de-sac
The size and growing magnitude of the dementia epidemic has forced a welcome decision by health ministers to name the disorder as Australia’s latest national health priority area.
Yet for researchers…
Human testing of illicit drugs – the highs and lows
Should governments make it easier to perform human research to discover medical uses of illicit drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy (MDMA) and LSD?
Professor David Nutt of Imperial College London argued recently…
It’s time to adjust our cancer research priorities
Cancer has been a National Health Priority Area since 1996 because of the burden it places on the Australian community. Of course, cancer isn’t just a health and economic burden – it takes an enormous…
Explainer: Crohn’s disease and intestinal immune balance
Scientific and medical articles, and websites by Crohn’s disease associations give similar definitions of the illness: “Crohn’s disease is a chronic, inflammatory disorder which may involve any part of…
Why some people ‘wake up’ during surgery
Awareness during general anaesthesia is very uncommon, but when it occurs it’s distressing for patients and their carers. Our understanding of this phenomenon has grown over the past decade but we’re still…
Medical research needs new body to champion healthy ageing
Australian medical research is undergoing its most important and comprehensive review in more than ten years. Led by the 2011 Australian of Year, the McKeon Review couldn’t have happened soon enough because…
Explainer: how does hypnosis relieve pain?
Hypnosis in one form or another has been around for thousands of years, but until recently, evidence to support its biological and clinically powerful effects have been lacking. Today hypnosis is used…
Health research: making the dollars count
This week’s release of the NSW Health and Medical Research Strategic Review identifies many opportunities to strengthen research and ensure the community extracts the maximum possible benefit from its…
What causes chronic pain? Microglia might be to blame
Imagine that a soft touch or brush of the skin was enough to evoke excruciating pain. This experience is common among people who suffer with chronic pain from nerve damage. The causes are varied and include…
Praying the gay away: when religion hijacks science
It’s been decades since electroshock therapy or other psychiatric interventions were routinely employed to “treat” homosexuality. These days, reparative therapy is more popular. It involves a combination…
‘Bad’ medical reporting – a history of shooting the messenger?
Journalists are having an increasingly hard time producing high-quality health stories. Medical journal articles feature in many health stories but new research shows their press releases may contribute…
Donating your body to science? Don’t worry, it’s not what it used to be
The recent discovery of hundreds of human body parts in the University of Cologne’s cellars shocked Germany’s academic community and raised broader questions about the rights of people who donate their…
Seeing double: why twins are so important for health and medical research
On Sunday, more than a thousand sets of twins from around Australia and the world will gather in Melbourne to celebrate the bond they share with their identical or fraternal twin.
The physical similarities…
A weighty issue: biggest losers have greater nerve activity
If you put a group of people on a calorie-restricted diet, you’ll see that some seem to lose weight easily, while others struggle to shed each pound. This difference doesn’t just come down to how much…
How does medical research deliver value for money?
The Federal Government’s main medical research funding body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), last week announced its 2011 program and development grants, and postgraduate scholarship…
Xenotransplantation: using pigs as organ and tissue donors for humans
Transplantation is the best available treatment for many serious health problems including diabetes, kidney failure and heart disease. These conditions affect millions of people worldwide and the cost…
Wonder organ – how the liver finds and destroys immune cells
Most people only think about their liver when recovering from a big night of drinking when it’s busily producing enzymes to break down the alcohol. But this “factory” of the body is vital for survival…
Explainer: why Australia needs Advanced Health Research Centres
In an attempt to bring Australia’s medical research, education and healthcare sectors into line with world leaders, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is planning to develop a new…
Monday’s medical myth: cracking your knuckles causes arthritis
For some it’s a morning ritual – cracking your knuckles before beginning the day. For others, it’s a way to pass time while pondering a thought or reading something particularly interesting online.
But…
Revealed: 57 pieces of the MS puzzle
In one of the largest human genetic studies ever undertaken, scientists have identified the major common genetic variants that contribute to the cause of the devastating neurological disease, multiple…
Question homeopathy’s remedies but not its approach
It seems the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is likely to follow the lead of the UK and denounce homeopathy as an ineffective and unethical therapy that shouldn’t attract scarce government…
All in the mind: when your brain tricks you into feeling the pain of others
You expect to feel pain when you fall off a bicycle but should you feel pain when you see someone else do the same? Some people do because pain is more than the actual injury; it’s a perception.
For some…
Monday’s medical myth: tongues register different tastes in different locations
The myth that the four common tastes of sweet, sour, salty and bitter are located at different regions of the tongue has existed for more than a century.
It arose from studies in the late 19th and early…
Pinky and the Brain: a new role for mice in growth hormone research
The phrase “growth hormone” conjures up images of either the very tall or the very short. And yes, growth hormone is important for promoting linear growth but this hard-working hormone also controls many…
Why ‘It’s never lupus’ – television, illness and the making of a meme
On the television show House, doctors try to diagnose mysterious illnesses, and often when time is running out all other options have been exhausted, one of the characters will offer a diagnosis of last…
An end to malaria? Mission definitely not impossible
More than 200 million people are infected annually with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, and around 800,000 people die every year of the mosquito-borne disease, most of them children.
As reported…
Monday’s medical myth: left handers are more likely to be geniuses
Left handers have copped their share of bad publicity in the past.
The term used to describe left handers in English is “sinistral”, which is derived from the word “sinister”.
And it’s no better in other…
Fixing a broken heart with stem cells
Vital heart muscles damaged during cardio arrest can be replaced by stem cells within the organ with the help of a special protein, scientists have discovered.
Heart attacks cause dangerous damage to…
Funding cancer research should not be a popularity contest
Some of the most serious forms of cancer are less likely to be the subject of a clinical trial than cancers with a less significant health impact.
Research shows that even being a disease is a popularity…
Research and News (20)
Research sector welcomes the election but wants a focus on productivity
Universities and researchers have broadly welcomed yesterday’s surprise election date announcement, with Universities Australia…
ERA results: medical research is Australia’s best
Australia’s medical and health sciences are leading the country in research quality, according to the Excellence in Research…
Medical funding gets green light as research sector braces for cuts
Universities Australia has welcomed the announcement of A$652 million in National Health and Medical Research Council grants…
Medical research needs $30b funding boost: McKeon
The cost of healthcare is escalating at an unsustainable rate and an additional $2-3 billion a year for the next ten years…
Q+A: Growing drug resistance a national concern, new Chief Medical Officer says
Emergency medicine specialist Chris Baggoley has been appointed Australia’s new Chief Medical Officer, after acting in the…
‘Game-changing’ printed tattoos may replace hefty medical monitors
Scientists have invented new stick-on ‘tattoos’ that track human heart, brain wave and muscle activity and could one day…
Plastic surgery implant firms when exposed to light
Scientists have invented a new pliable implant that can be injected in liquid form, massaged into shape and hardened up through…
New drug-chemo combo offers breast cancer hope
Combining a new anti-cancer agent with chemotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of some of the most aggressive and…
Scientists welcome move to uphold current stem cell laws
Human embryo stem cell research should be allowed to continue in accordance with existing rules, a legislative review committee…
Powered by sugar: scientists report glucose biofuel cell breakthrough
Scientists have created a glucose-powered biofuel cell that is five to 10 times more powerful than existing cells and lasts…
Malaria breakthrough shines light on drug resistance
Malaria parasites are able to adapt their growth rate to render anti-malarial drugs useless, according to new research by…
Nanotechnology delivers big dose of anti-cancer drugs to tumours
Scientists have developed tiny particles capable of taking large doses of anti-cancer drugs right to a tumour’s doorstep…
Sleeping on left side may halve risk of stillbirth
Women who sleep on their left side on their final night of pregnancy could halve the risk of their baby being stillborn compared…
Nasal spray vaccine may stop diabetes, early tests show
A nasal spray vaccine may prevent type 1 diabetes from developing in humans, early trial results show.
Type 1 diabetics…
Scientists discover molecule to cut blood supply to tumours
Scientists have unlocked the mechanism that helps kill the blood vessels that supply hard tumours, such as those found in…
Super microscope shines light on the immune system’s front-line defenders
For the first time, scientists have seen how the “front line troops” in the human body’s immune system work, debunking previous…
Journal rankings ditched: the experts respond
The Australian government has dropped the contentious system of ranking academic journals and assessing academics based on…
Medical schools call for 50% funding boost
Australia’s medical schools need a 50% increase in federal funding to boost the proportion of places available to domestic…
Don’t bring home the bacon: study links deli meats to bowel cancer
Red meats and processed meats like bacon, salami and sausage are strongly associated with bowel cancer, according to the…
How the war was won: the campaign to stop medical research cuts
One day in April, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research director Douglas Hilton called his communications manager…
Research Briefs (44)
Prickly problem of the porcupine quill solved
Tiny barbs on porcupine quills are what help the quill spenetrate flesh.
The barbs are similar to the edge of a serrated…
Family-based therapy can help anorexia
Families can be educated to help their children overcome anorexia nervosa, according to new research.
Family-based therapy…
Bile pigment fights heart disease
Bile can help protect against heart disease and cancer, according to new research.
People with higher levels of a pigment…
Thirty-seven weeks optimal time for twin births
Women pregnant with twins should give birth at 37 weeks to avoid complications, according to new research.
Thirty-seven…
New gene regulates muscle size
A specific gene has been discovered to regulate muscle size in a new study.
Genetically modified mice missing the Grb10…
New discovery will help fight autoimmune disease
A new way to regulate the body’s natural immune response has been discovered in a new study.
The new approach focuses on…
East meets West: new medical software analyses your tongue
New software combines ancient Chinese practices and modern medicine to measure health by analysing images of the tongue…
General knowledge and future thinking linked in brain
Our ability to imagine and look to the future depends on the brain regions that store general knowledge, a recent study has…
New drug to shrink brain tumours could prolong life
A new drug that shrinks brain tumours in melanoma patients has had promising results in phase one trials.
Researchers say…
Research may identify pre-eclampsia early
The thymus (a structure behind the breastbone) has been identified as an indicator of whether or not pre-eclampsia will develop…
Discovery will help dementia research
Brain cells responsible for controlling immunity and microglia inhibit memory during ageing, new research has shown.
However…
Nanotechnologies to improve oral medications
Nanotechnologies can be used to ensure disease-conrolling drugs are absorbed into the body much more effectively than traditional…
Eye damage halted by infrared light
Damage caused by exposure to sunlight and bright artificial lights can be prevent by pre-treating eyes with a gentle infrared…
Probiotics help antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
Consuming probiotics (found in foods such as yogurt) is associated with a lower risk of antibiotic-related diarrhoea, according…
Computers can help find cancer treatments
Computers have the ability to identify cancer treatments that otherwise would not have been considered, according to a recent…
Infections cause one in six cancers
One in six cancers are caused by largely treatable or preventable infections, according to new research.
The research looked…
Psychopaths have different brain structure
There is strong evidence that psychopathy is related to structural abnormalities in the brain, according to a recent study…
Device delivers signals from brain directly to muscles
A newly developed neuroprosthesis allows paralysed limbs to move voluntarily by sending messages from the brain to the muscles…
Defective gene linked to osteoporosis
Women with a particular faulty receptor lose 10 times more bone mass than women without it. The receptor for the energy molecule…
Half siblings provide clues for autism inheritance
The autism risk for half siblings of people with autism is about half of what it is for full siblings, according to a new…
Genes linked to osteoporosis
A number of genes are strongly linked to the presence of osteoporosis and bone fractures, according to a new international…
Hair follicle transplant furthers organ regeneration research
A hair follicle engineered from adult stem cells has been successfully transplanted into a hairless mouse.
The follicle…
Anaesthetic creates post-surgery ‘jet lag’
General anaesthetic alters your biological clock, according to new research.
The anaesthetic creates a chemically-induced…
Fatty acids fight cancer
Tiny agents found in omega-3 called epoxides have been found to block the spread of primary cancer tumours, according to…
Sturdy school shoes aren’t best for kids' feet
The traditionally solid and sturdy school shoe may not be the best option for kids' feet, according to a new study.
School…
Head and body lice may be the same species
Compelling genetic evidence suggests that head and body lice are the same species.
The study compared the protein-coding…
Disarm rather than destroy drug-resistant bacteria
Drugs of the future may disarm antibiotic-resistant bacteria rather than destroy them, according to new research.
A protein…
Tracking proteins gives insight into treatments of brain diseases
A new technique is able to rapidly identify and track the location of diseased proteins in cells, providing insights into…
Frogs used to fight superbugs
Nuclear scientists are analysing antibacterial skin secretions from Australian frogs to develop treatments for antibiotic…
Tests predict recovery time after concussion
Test scores following sports-related concussions can help doctors to predict whether patients will experience protracted…
New clues to muscle wasting in elderly
Permanent disconnection between nerves and muscles may be the cause of muscle degeneration in older Australians.
Sarcopenia…
Studies show our brains function to favour our own teams
Results from a recent study have shown that our brains respond differently to actions from our own sporting team.
This means…
Treatment of Golden Staph impeded by antibiotic resistance
The treatment of serious infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) is complicated by the development of antibiotic…
Preventing spinal cord degeneration proves feasible in animal study
A new treatment for spinal cord injury in animals is being developed at Queensland University of Technology, as part of research…
Health supplement hope for child muscle disease
A health supplement used by bodybuilders could be the key to treating a life-threatening muscular dystrophy affecting hundreds…
Scientists open new window into the brain
An unexpected discovery has led scientists to open an intriguing new window into the human brain, via the visual system…
Simple blood tests could identify prostate cancer
A discovery could lead to a simple blood test to determine the type of treatment necessary for prostate cancer patients…
Unusual gene variants linked to ADHD
New research has identified more genes related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and shows an overlap between…
Why does hair turn gray?
Hair colour, including gray hair, is dictated by Wnt signaling between hair follicles and melanocyte stem cells, according…
New cell to fight what ails you
A new type of cell in the immune system that helps protect against infectious diseases has been discovered by researchers…
One step closer to halting the spread of breast cancer
A key molecule that helps breast cancer spread beyond the primary tumour has been identified by researchers at the Albert…
Potential treatment for deadly E. coli disease
A “designer” probiotic bacterium that binds and neutralises the toxin produced by E. coli was produced by University of Adelaide…
New step forward in understanding drug resistant tuberculosis
Drug resistant tuberculosis uses sophisticated mechanisms to chemically change anti-tuberculosis drugs (aminoglycoside) once…
Autism changes the brain
Autism marks the brain at a molecular level, resulting in a dramatically different structure than a healthy brain, a new…
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Darren Saunders
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David Laing
Professor of Neuroscience
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Rachel Dear
PhD student in Sydney Medical School
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Terry Hilsberg
Mr
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Jon Wardle
NHMRC Research Scholar, School of Population Health
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Monika Merkes
Honorary Associate, Australian Institute for Primary Care & Ageing
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Ian Musgrave
Senior lecturer in Pharmacology
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Fabienne Mackay
Professor and Chair, Department of Immunology
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Fabien Vincent
PhD student, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
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Emma Anderson
Artist and Science Junkie
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Michael Vagg
Clinical Senior Lecturer at Deakin University School of Medicine & Pain Specialist
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Roger Carter
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James Smeathers
Senior Lecturer
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penny tagkalidis
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Leann Tilley
Professor of Biochemistry
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Bernadette Fitzgibbon
Neuroscientist
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Mike Nicholls
Professor of Brain and Cognition
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Frederik Steyn
Researcher in Endocrinology
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Chen Chen
Professor and Chair of Endocrinology
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john findlay
Researcher
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Graeme Stewart
Clinical Immunologist, Westmead Millenium Institute
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Genome Engineering
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Peter Brooks
Director Australian Health Workforce Institute
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Patrick Bertolino
Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Liver Immunology Group
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Cris Kerr
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Peter Cowan
Co-director of the Immunology Research Centre
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Nick Pendergrast
PhD Candidate in Sociology
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Anthony Park
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Douglas Hilton
Director, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute & Professor of Medical Biology
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Tim Flynn
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Jonathan Karnon
Professor of Health Economics
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Robert Peers
General Practitioner
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Nora Straznicky
Senior Research Officer, Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory
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bicycle technician
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NHMRC Australia Fellow
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Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in History
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Byron Smith
PhD candidate in Christian Ethics
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Danny Hoardern
Analyst Programmer
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Jennifer Power
Research Fellow at The Bouverie Centre (Victoria's Family Institute)
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Editor
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student
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PartiZan social critic
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Journalist
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Joel Mayes
Bicycle Mechanic
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Michael Valenzuela
Associate Professor & Leader of Regenerative Neuroscience Group, Brain & Mind Research Institute
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Postdoctoral Researcher
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retired
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Clinical Professor of Oncology
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Director, Centre for Software Practice
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Kate Leslie
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Professor of Pharmacology
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Evert Rauwendaal
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Sally Redman
Professor of Public Health and CEO
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Joseph Ting
Clinical Senior Lecturer
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Professor of Health Economics
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philip mckeon
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Vlado Perkovic
Executive Director, George Institute Australia
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Professor of Theoretical Physics
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Joan Heath
Laboratory Head, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and Associate Professor of Medical Biology
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Rob Buttrose
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Stephen Leeder
Director, Menzies Centre for Health Policy
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Michael Dobbie
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Phenomics Network
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Stuart Read
Australian Phenome Bank Curator
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Ruth Arkell
Associate Professor of Early Mammalian Development