We take you ‘Behind the Discoveries’

Institute news

During such extraordinary times, we know medical research has never been more important.

So we’re pleased to share our latest Impact Report ‘Behind the Discoveries’. We take you behind the pioneering discoveries to hear about the people driving our life-changing work. 

Hear from our supporters, people in the community impacted by disease and our scientists who are all helping drive our discoveries. There’s a fascinating line-up of people that we want you to meet. These include:

• Associate Professor Morag Young, our Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Gender Equity Fellow. Find out how her work is helping to prevent and treat heart failure.
• Olive Thurlby, a longtime supporter who has left a gift for the Institute in her Will. She explains what prompted such a generous act.
• Associate Professor Neale Cohen, a diabetes expert who has been visiting remote communities in Central Australia like Ampilatwatja and Yuendumu for a decade. His work could reshape the way diabetes is treated in remote settings.
• Terry Lonergan. How a heart attack changed his world and what he is doing to prevent further heart events.
• Associate Professor Michael Inouye, Munz Chair of Cardiovascular Prediction and Prevention. He is harnessing big data to drive early intervention for those at risk of disease.
• Dr Xiaowei Wang who is setting up her own laboratory. Her use of imaging technologies such as ultrasound and MRI scanners is helping to better diagnose and treat heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases.
• Joanne Mitchell, a mother of two and clinical trials coordinator who suffered a stroke ten years ago. She is buoyed to hear about research that could one day provide early intervention for people at risk of stroke.
• Bethany Claridge, a PhD student who aims to understand messages sent within the heart during scar formation, often caused by a heart attack or high blood pressure.

We also outline how the Institute is keeping focused on the long game during the pandemic, by improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and diabetes.

This is critical because we know that in coming months the most vulnerable people in our community will rely on innovation from institutes like ours more than ever before.

Institute Director, Professor Tom Marwick explains how questions about how to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, how to control inflammation and blood clotting, and how to limit the effects of age on the development of cardiovascular disease, were key areas of research before the pandemic started, but are even more relevant now.

We are very grateful to everyone who has shared their stories, and allowed us to take you ‘Behind the Discoveries’.