Outstanding grant success at Monash University and the MHTP

Professor Marcel Nold and Dr Claudia Nold

Monash University leads Australia in NHMRC Project grant funding this year, receiving over $100M.

Monash Health Translation Precinct (MHTP) researchers from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health (SCS) and the Hudson Institute of Medical Research together were awarded 23 NHMRC Project grants, totalling almost $18M.  Our success rate of 25% was well above the national average of 16.4%.

For the first time, MHTP researchers were awarded total funding greater than any other school of Monash University. SCS and Hudson Institute grants together amount to 30% of the Faculty’s total grants in this latest round.

Professor Marcel Nold, recently appointed as Monash University’s inaugural Professor of paediatric immunology, and Dr Claudia Nold received three grants for their team.

Professor Nold has previously found that the immune system molecule interleukin 38 disables several signalling pathways essential for Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) progress.

“This project grant will enable us to explore regulation and function of this molecule in cells from healthy people and SLE patients and in models of the disease,” Professor Nold said.

Head of Rheumatology Research Group in the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Professor Eric Morand is a co-investigator on this grant.

Professor Nold’s other project will explore interleukin 37, a powerful anti-inflammatory cytokine. 

Cytokines are messenger proteins that function as master regulators of biological processes, playing central roles in many diseases.

“We will evaluate interleukin 37’s mechanisms of action and its efficacy against several severe diseases, including cancer,” Professor Nold said.

Colleague and partner Dr Claudia Nold is also investigating Interleukin 37 as a novel therapy for necrotising enterocolitis, a disease that develops when the tissue in the inner lining of the intestine becomes damaged and begins to die.

Associate Professor Suzie Miller’s project will investigate new and improved treatment strategies for neonatal seizures.

Associate Professor Miller and Professor Hickey

“Seizures are the most distinctive and frequent indication of neurological abnormalities in newborn infants and are more common in the neonatal period than at any other stage in life,” Associate Professor Miller said.

“Despite evidence of the limited effectiveness and potential neurotoxicity of current anti-seizure medication, treatment has not changed for decades.”

“We will examine novel treatments that are less toxic and more effective, specifically designed and assessed for neonates.”

Meanwhile, Dr Joshua Ooi, Professor Stephen Holdsworth and Professor Michael Hickey received project grants to further their research into kidney disease—affirming MHTP as a world leading precinct in kidney research.

Dr. Ooi's research will investigate targeted therapies for autoimmune kidney disease. 

"I aim to develop treatments that will switch off the part of the immune system that is causing disease while leaving protective immunity intact," Dr Ooi said.

SCS Project grant recipients are:

	Name	Grant Title	TOTAL
	Professor Marcel Nold Department of Paediatrics	Interleukin 38: Uncoupling Innate Inflammation from Interferons in lupus	$1,048,668
		Exploring and Targeting the Anti-Inflammatory Signalling Mechanisms of Interleukin 37	$1,018,306
	Dr Claudia Nold Department of Paediatrics	Interleukin 37 – a novel cytokine therapy for Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the preterm.	$748,848
	Professor Michael Hickey Department of Medicine	Conventional and unconventional T cells in interstitial kidney disease	$480,531
	Dr Rebecca Lim Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	Amniotic Exosomes - Nanomedicine for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia	$647,057
	Professor Peter Ebeling Department of Medicine	Fractures and bisphosphonates: reviving osteoporosis treatment uptake by identifying the genetic, material, and microstructural risk factors of atypical femur fractures	$1,053,094
	Professor Euan Wallace Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	A Cell Therapy for Necrotising Enterocolitis	$659,428
	Associate Professor Suzie Miller Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology	New and improved treatment strategies for neonatal seizures	$883,209
	Professor Stephen Holdsworth Department of Medicine	DNase I as Treatment for MPO-ANCA Vasculitis	$868,340
		Generating endogenous antigen specific T regulatory cells to treat autoimmune MPO-ANCA GN	$873,340
	Dr Joshua Ooi Department of Medicine	Treatments for glomerulonephritis that harness antigen specific regulatory cells	$610,005
	Dr Nadine Andrew Department of Medicine	Evaluation of enhanced models of primary care in the management of stroke and other chronic diseases	$556,183