Menzies Health Institute Queensland

Important changes to health research at Griffith University.

As of 19 September, the Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ) will cease operations under this name. Most of our researchers will continue doing their excellent work within Griffith Health research groups and some of our research groups will be conducting their research as members of the recently launched Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics (IBG).

We're proud of the significant contributions made by our researchers since MHIQ was established in 2015. Their dedication to tackling some of the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century has been remarkable, and this work will continue to thrive within these new structures.

To stay updated on our ongoing research, we encourage you to follow Griffith Health and Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics (IBG) on their social channels. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing our future research advances with you!

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𝗡𝗖𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀

Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik and Ms Etianne Sasso, PhD student, along with NCNED researchers and collaborators have recently published the article “Novel characterization of endogenous transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels from Gulf War Illness participants” in the prestigious journal PLOS ONE.

The results from this study have identified a significant reduction in TRPM3 ion channel function in immune cells from veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Illness. This condition affects up to one-third of veterans who engaged in the Gulf War combat three decades ago.

Notably, symptoms experienced by veterans with GWI overlap Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID, both conditions NCNED research has been contributing importantly to the understanding of complex pathomechanisms and develop treatments.

The complete article can be downloaded via: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0305704

The NCNED team would like to sincerely thank all Gulf War veterans and other volunteers who have participated in this project and made this investigation possible.

Best wishes,
Sonya and NCNED team

NCNED would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to all the volunteers, Support Groups and the following Organizations:
• The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• MERUK
• The McCusker Charitable Foundation
• Mr Adrian Flack
• Talei Stewart
• The Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation
• The Buxton Foundation
• The Henty Community
• The Blake Beckett Foundation
• Change for ME Charity
• QLD ME/CFS/FM Support Association
• WA ME/CFS and Lyme Association
• Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group Inc
• Tweed ME/CFS/FM Lyme Support Group
• ME/CFS South Australia Inc
• ME/CFS & FM Association NSW Inc
• ME/CFS Australia Ltd
• National Advocacy Advisory Council for ME/CFS

, , , , Tom Kindlon's ME CFS & related page: News, Research and more, , , ME CFS and Lyme Association of WA, ME/CFS/FM Support Association QLD Inc, Australian National Advisory Advocacy Council for ME/CFS Research - NAAC, Fibromyalgia me/cfs Gold Coast Support Group Inc., ME Research UK, ME-ICC & other marginalized diseases (public group), , Me/cfs San Diego, , , , ME/ CFS South Australia Inc, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Group Australia Ltd, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis M.E Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS Science, Leeds ME Network, Stichting ME Research

Congratulations to Professor Elizabeth Kendall, MHIQ member, Co-lead of the Hopkins Centre and leader of the Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability Beacon who has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the King’s Birthday 2024 honours list for exceptional work advocating for people with a disability.

Professor Kendall said, “This award belongs to so many people, not just me. I have been fortunate to have been given opportunities to thrive in my personal and work life, so I can make a difference. But not everyone is given the same privilege. Everyone with privilege should feel obliged to make the world better for those who are disadvantaged by the systemic and entrenched ableism that is a persistent feature of our society.”

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Leading disability advocate honoured in King's Birthday List - Griffith News Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability Director Professor Elizabeth Kendall AM. Leading Griffith University disability researcher and advocate,

Professor Dianne Shanley, MHIQ member and Co-Lead of Changing Health Systems (CHESS) Research Group and her team had two brilliant days on Kalkadoon country, where hope, resilience and excitement filled the air, thanks to the heartfelt messages from community and local practitioners ❤️. Griffith University hosted a celebration of their Yapatjarrathati Project with the theme written by Aunty Joan Marshall: Walk together, stand together, keep the fire burning, inspired by and in support of this years NAIDOC focus.

They grounded themselves in on-country cultural activities and Elder knowledge. Day 1: celebrated the amazing achievements of 6 organisations using the Tracking Cube. Day 2: many great ideas about next steps and ways to truly change the health system, especially in remote areas facing systemic barriers. They are looking forward to bringing these new ideas to action!

Mithangkaya Nguli YPA Indigenous Corporation, Normanton State School, North West Hospital and Health Service, Happy Valley Kindy, Ngukuthati Children and Family Centre, and North and West Remote Health (NWRH) are carving new pathways to healthcare.

Huge shout out to Aunty Joan Marshall and Stacey Corporal who made it all happen, Sarah Horton who absolutely nailed leading the gathering of the minds, Marjad Page who is a constant guide for our next steps, Erinn Hawkins, Wei Liu from YourTrack Health team who passionately and tirelessly support implementation, Natasha Reid from The University of Queensland who is part of our origin story, and David Sullivan from Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care who joined us to connect and make next steps happen.

The National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases - NCNED is recruiting participants for several clinical trials dedicated to further knowledge and understanding of ME/CFS and Long COVID.

Details of the research trials taking place can be found at https://bit.ly/43BsHIF

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Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability Director Professor Elizabeth Kendall is helping organisations become more accessible by providing crucial insights about how users with disability are able to navigate physical spaces, online spaces, products and services.

With more than 18 per cent of the population living with disability, and even more people living with chronic disabling conditions, communities, government, and corporations are looking for ways to foster accessibility for a more inclusive society.

“Disability is not a limitation – it allows us to be creative, resilient and inspires innovative solutions,” Professor Kendall said.

“It is important to ensure organisations are meeting the diverse needs of all individuals, and Inclusive Voices provides fresh perspectives from our vibrant and unique community."

For further information email: [email protected]

Read more: news.griffith.edu.au/2024/05/16/helping-australian-organisations-to-become-accessible-and-inclusive/

Helping Australian organisations to become accessible and inclusive Helping Australian organisations become more accessible by providing crucial insights about how users with disability are able to navigate services.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗖𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

Ms Etianne Sasso and NCNED researchers have just published the article “Investigation into the restoration of TRPM3 ion channel activity in post COVID-19 condition: a potential pharmacotherapeutic target” in the prestigious journal Frontiers in Immunology. This NCNED investigation provides novel evidence of Naltrexone as a potential therapeutic intervention and TRPM3 as a treatment biomarker for Long COVID.

This is the first study to report the cell mechanism that underpins a potential pharmacotherapeutic intervention for the treatment of Long COVID. This study also validated TRPM3 ion channel dysfunction in Long COVID, providing further evidence regarding the ion channel dysfunction in the pathomechanism in Long COVID and ME/CFS.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1264702/full?utm_source=Email_to_authors_&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&utm_campaign=Email_publication&field&journalName=Frontiers_in_Immunology&id=1264702

The NCNED team would like to thank all volunteers who have participated in this study and made our research projects possible.

Best wishes,
Sonya and the NCNED Team

NCNED would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to all the volunteers, Support Groups and the following Organizations:
• The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• MERUK
• The McCusker Charitable Foundation
• Mr Adrian Flack
• Talei Stewart
• The Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation
• The Buxton Foundation
• The Henty Community
• The Blake Beckett Foundation
• Change for ME Charity
• QLD ME/CFS/FM Support Association
• WA ME/CFS and Lyme Association
• Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group Inc
• Tweed ME/CFS/FM Lyme Support Group
• ME/CFS South Australia Inc
• ME/CFS & FM Association NSW Inc
• ME/CFS Australia Ltd
• National Advocacy Advisory Council for ME/CFS

, , , , Tom Kindlon's ME CFS & related page: News, Research and more, , , ME CFS and Lyme Association of WA, ME/CFS/FM Support Association QLD Inc, Australian National Advisory Advocacy Council for ME/CFS Research - NAAC, Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group Inc., ME Research UK, ME-ICC & other marginalized diseases (public group), , Me/cfs San Diego, , , , ME/ CFS South Australia Inc, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis M.E Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS Science, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Group Australia Ltd, Leeds ME Network, Stichting ME Research

Congratulations Associate Professor Bronwyn Griffin, MHIQ member and Griffith Health School of Nursing and Midwifery on your successful Investigator Grant for the project a new implementable early burn care intervention strategy for children.

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Griffith awarded $2.2 million in NHMRC Investigator Grants Griffith University has been awarded $2.2 million across the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants. Congratulations to Associate Professor Bronwyn Griffin from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Dr Yun Shi from the Institute for Glycomics. Associate Professor...

Congratulations to Dr Claudio Pizzolato and the Project BioSpine team (MHIQ/GCORE program members) on winning a coveted place in a health tech accelerator program with Lumina Gold Coast that drives commercialisation of start-up technologies in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

“We are extremely excited to have been selected for LuminaX,” Dr Pizzolato said.

Griffith University Griffith Health

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Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation technology steps toward commercialisation Griffith University’s BioSpine team, led by Dr Claudio Pizzolato, has won a coveted place in a health tech accelerator program that drives commercialisation of start-up technologies in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP). Dr Pizzolato will join the intensive 14-week LuminaX (LX) p...

Congratulations to Professors Leighton Barnden and Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik and team, who have been awarded a $438,000 ME Research UK grant to track the progression of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

The team, from Griffith's National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) and MHIQ, will use an ultra-high field 7 Tesla (7T) MRI to capture a clearer depiction of brain regions and detect subtle brain changes in ME/CFS patients.

“We’re hoping the 7T multimodal MRI approach will be instrumental in tracking the progression of the disease over a three-year period giving us a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of ME-CFS,” Associate Professor Barnden said.

“By tracking disease progression, it should also help to identify potential biomarkers."

The research team consists of Associate Professor Leighton Barnden (CIA), Dr Kiran Thapaliya (CIB), Dr Natalie Eaton-Fitch (CIC), and Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik (CID).

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ME/CFS progression in focus with $438,000 grant Researchers will track progression of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Professor Julie Hides MHIQ member and Griffith University’s School of Health Sciences and Social Work in collaboration with the University of Sydney were recently invited by NASA to contribute their expertise in musculoskeletal health at the renowned Johnson Space Centre in Houston.

Due to the lack of gravity in space, astronauts are predisposed to muscle atrophy, bone loss and spinal pain.

“On Earth, when we are upright, gravity loads the spine and this loading is important for maintaining the health of spinal tissues,” Professor Hides said.

“In the case of astronauts in microgravity, the intervertebral discs can imbibe fluid and the spinal curves flatten, resulting in lengthening of the torso."

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World leading researchers convene to help combat space health hurdles Professor Julie Hides is supporting NASA in solving musculoskeletal injuries in space.