Preclinical Disease and Prevention
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Head of Laboratory
Associate Professor Melinda Carringtonmelinda.carrington@baker.edu.au
8532 1638
Research Overview
The Preclinical Disease and Prevention unit is devoted to helping people identify and address their risk of developing or managing two of Australia’s most prevalent chronic diseases — cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The research of the Preclinical Disease and Prevention unit is predominantly undertaken in community settings with a focus on higher risk individuals.
The Preclinical Disease and Prevention unit conducts rigorous, multi-disciplinary clinical trial research to demonstrate the benefits of nurse-facilitated models of care. Embedded within these disease management programs are the use of mobile devices (such as “apps” or avatars) and telehealth (phone or video conferencing) to promote health behaviour change and implement gold standard care to enhance management. Integral to this work is nurse management to deliver personalised care that targets risk and protective factors to help higher risk individuals.
We collaborate with eminent cardiologists, endocrinologists, leading GP academics, and Aboriginal health researchers. These partnerships, combined with the Unit’s expert team of research fellows, clinical researchers, nurses, and technical and administrative support staff enable the Unit to carry out innovative research for improving the management of cardiovascular disease.
Research Focus
- Randomised controlled trials of disease management programs for primary and secondary prevention of cardiometabolic disease.
- Establishing the evidence for nurse-led models of care.
- Risk detection and surveillance using a combination of traditional and novel risk indicators.
- eHealth to achieve optimal patient care and outcomes.
- Mass data analyses of primary care management of cardiometabolic risk.
- Sleep.
Staff
Associate Professor Melinda Carrington, Lab Head
Dr Stephanie Yiallourou, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Ms Carla Duarte, Research Assistant/Project Coordinator
Ms Asmita Dalal, Research Nurse
Ms Sally Kay, Research Nurse
Ms Glynis Cacavas, Research Nurse
Ms Lilly Zhu, Research Nurse
Ms Swetha Raghavan, Lab Tech Assistant
Ms Batsheva Greenbaum, PA/Admin Assistant
Mr Justin Braver, PhD Student
Mr Roberto Azcui, PhD Student
Mr Bryan Tai, Honours Student
Collaborators
Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge
Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University
Curtin Medical School, Curtin University
Cardihab Pty Ltd
Medibank Private Limited
Funding
Title: Improving secondary prevention and survivorship after a coronary event through enhanced disease management in higher risk individuals
Funding Body: Heart Foundation Vanguard Grant
Grant Number: 104773
Funding Period: 2021-2022
Investigators: Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Dr Quan Huynh, Prof Tom Marwick.
Title: Reducing readmission among patients with myocardial infarction in the COVID-19 era by applying digital cardiac rehabilitation and telehealth monitoring
Funding Body: HCF Research Foundation
Funding Period: 2021-2023
Investigators: Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Prof Tom Marwick, Dr Quan Huyhn, Prof Garry Jennings, Prof David Thompson
Title: Acceptability and feasibility of risk guidance in acute myocardial infarction via a technology enabled disease management program
Funding Body: Baker Department of Cardio-metabolic Health
Funding Period: 2021-2022
Investigators: Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Assoc Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis, Prof Brian Oldenburg, Dr Dominika Kwasnicka, Dr Quan Huynh, Dr Erin Howden.
Title: Application of machine learning to the development of a metabolic risk score for cardiovascular disease and a patient/clinician interface to effectively deliver risk information
Funding Body: Heart Foundation Predictive Modelling Strategic Grant
Grant Number: 105511
Funding Period: 2021-2024
Investigators: Prof Peter Meikle, Prof Gemma Figtree, Prof Clara Chow, Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Prof Jean Yang, Prof Andrew Wilson, Prof Tom Marwick
Title: Early detection of coronary artery disease by polygenic and metabolic risk scoring (EDCAD-PMS): an opportunity to start secondary prevention without a coronary event
Funding Body: Ernest Heine Family Foundation
Funding Period: 2020-2023
Investigators: Prof Tom Marwick, Assoc Prof Michael Inouye, Prof Peter Meikle, Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Dr Prasanna Venkataraman, Ms Carla Duarte.
Title: Medibank Heart Health at Home (MHH@H) pilot program
Funding Body: Medibank Private Limited
Funding Period: 2020-2021
Investigators: Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Dr Stephanie Yiallourou.
Title: Medibank Primary Prevention of CVD Pilot Program
Funding Body: Medibank Private Limited
Funding Period: 2021-2022
Investigators: Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington
Title: Risk guided intervention to reduce readmission in CHD patients
Funding Body: Perpetual IMPACT Funding
Grant Number: IPAP 2020/0606
Funding Period: 2020-2021
Investigators: Dr Quan Huynh, Prof Tom Marwick, Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington.
Title: Multifactorial, multidisciplinary nurse led Aboriginal dementia prevention through cardio-metabolic risk reduction, behaviour change and other strategies: a pragmatic RCT
Funding Body: NHMRC Targeted Research Grant
Grant Number: 1151848
Funding Period: 2018-2022
Investigators: Prof Sandra Eades, Prof Emily Banks, Prof Kaarin Anstey, Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Assoc Prof Daniel McAulley, Prof Ofra Leibovich- Kalter, Dr Grace Joshy, Lesley Nelson.
Funding Body: MRFF Keeping Australians Out of Hospital
Grant Number: 1176629
Funding Period: 2019-2021
Investigators: Prof Tom Marwick, Assoc Prof Melinda Carrington, Dr Quan Huynh, Dr Janette Randall, Prof Kazuaki Negishi, Prof Graeme Maguire, Prof Michael Pervan, Judith Dr Judith Hammond, Dr Paul MacIntyre, Dr Kevin Ng.
Research Opportunities
This research project is available to Honours students to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.
Research Publications
Carrington, M, Zimmet, P. Nurse co-ordinated health and lifestyle modification for reducing multiple cardio-metabolic risk factors in regional adults: Outcomes from the MODERN randomized controlled trial. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2021; (epub ahead of print).
Carrington, MJ., Cao, T., Haregu, T., Gao, L., Moodie, M., Yiallourou, SR &, Marwick, T. CODE RED: Overturning Australia’s cholesterol complacency. June 2020, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Stewart, S, Ball, J., Horowitz, JD., Marwick, TH., Mahadevan, G., Wong, C., Abhayaratna, W.P., Chan, YK., Esterman, A., Thompson, D.R., Scuffham, P.A. &. Carrington, MJ. Standard versus Atrial fibrillation-specific management strategy (SAFETY) to reduce recurrent hospitalisation and prolong survival: a pragmatic, multicentre randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2015;385(9970):775-84.
Ball, J., Carrington, MJ., McMurray, JJV. & Stewart S. Atrial Fibrillation: profile and burden of an evolving epidemic in the 21st century. Int J Cardiol. 2013; 167(5):1807-1824.