A PLANT only found in the Wet Tropics may hold the key to helping patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Dr Phurpa Wangchuk will use a $50,000 grant from the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation to further his research at James Cook University’s Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.
His group has discovered two novel molecules in a plant affected by climate change. “IBD affects one in 250 Australians, and this grant will help us to develop the novel molecules into marketable drug leads. We are aiming to secure intellectual rights for two molecules and hopefully publish our findings,” Dr Wangchuk said.
This discovery was the result of a collaboration with Professor Darren Crayn of the Australian Tropical Herbarium. The mountain-top plant was collected under a Queensland government collection authority.
Dr Wangchuk’s grant forms part of $218,000 funded by the Foundation this year – its second largest annual research funding round.
Foundation board member and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service A/Prof Eddy Strivens said the charity had now contributed almost $2 million to research in the region since 2007.
“Funding research is integral to the Foundation and we’re keen to grow this aspect of our support,” A/Prof Strivens said.
“Together with the hospital, we’re on a quest to achieve university status and you can’t have that without undertaking a lot of research. Our grants range from $50,000 to $25,000, $10,000 and $5000 and they are highly competitive and sought after. As well as JCU researchers, we are proud that our grants are now sought-after by hospital staff wanting to grow their knowledge and research capability.
“We would particularly like to pay tribute to Paul and Mark Kamsler who donate funds each year for a research grant named in their parents’ honour,” hesaid.
Cairns Hospital orthopaedic physiotherapist Ben Glenwright will use his $50, 000 grant to conduct studies about which hip replacement patients need intensive face-to-face rehab, or if they have equally positive outcomes through self-paced rehab.
“There is growing evidence nationally and internationally that not everyone needs that intensive rehab so I want to see what the situation is here in FNQ and then conduct workshops with patients and clinicians about what those users think a rehab program should look like,” Mr Glenwright said. “Ultimately it may be that we can better use resources for improved outcomes on other patients,” he said.
James Cook University AITHM PhD candidate Emily O’Hara will receive $25, 000 to purchase the latest technology to extract venom from potentially lethal box jellyfish. The aim is to increase sample yield and preserve heat-sensitive venom components.
“With this equipment we can extract more biologically active and medically accurate venom, in larger quantities, for use, both within our group and in other research groups worldwide. Ultimately, being able to extract larger quantities of higher quality venom will bolster future venom and sting research – locally, nationally and internationally.”
AITHM Professor Norelle Daly will use her $24, 000 grant to determine if compounds isolated from tropical plants can be used to develop a novel wound healing treatment.
JCU healthy ageing researcher Dr Kathryn Meldrum will use her $10, 000 Paul and Dina Kamsler Grant to survey CHHHS clinicians about the depression screening tools they use. This investigation will inform a larger project, to develop an appropriate screening tool for Aboriginal people living in Far North Queensland.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service Cancer services Nurse Educator Sara Hurren will receive $10, 195 towards research about skin irritant contact dermatitis. Clinical areas within CHHHS have limited information about skin irritant contact dermatitis associated with Peripherally inserted venous catheters lines. “There needs to be more data collected consistently and routinely. Without standardised assessment, nurses cannot assess what is causing the ICDs, document the patient's skin condition, review the early stages of ICD and practice early intervention for long-term PICC care. The research project aims to develop and trial a standardised assessment form for ICDs in patients with PICC lines in the oncology/haematology setting at Cairns Hospital.”
• Other grant recipients are:
• Linton Harriss: Nursing and Midwifery Graduate Cohort Study – strengthening our workforce in North Queensland
• Saparna Pai: Strategies to potentiate Q cell function for tuberculosis immunotherapy
• Linton Harriss: medical research capacity and culture in Northern Queensland
• Lucy Beswick: Determine the clinical necessity of using Smart Perfusion for all Endovascular lower limb reperfusions
• Kirstie Broadfield: Changing the Rules of Engagement for Emergency Examination Assessments
• Matthew Corbitt: Impact of Virtual Reality Surgical Training on Operative Proficiency for Surgical Trainees
• Craig McDonald: Review of high frequency pathology and point of care testing in the ICU
• Pornphimon Meesakul: Evaluation of cytotoxitiy, antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of FNQ Bush food
• Karma Yeshi: Exploring the mosquito repellent and larvicidal activities of essential oils against Aedes aegypti
• Natalie Conley: Attitudes and experiences of nurses who treat persons who have self-harmed
• Kirstie Broadfield: Changing the rules of engagement for Emergency Examination Assessment
