Medicine at Austin Health
Cardiovascular and Tumourivascular Laboratory
Research in our laboratory has discovered an important role for calcitonin receptor (CTR) in the adaptive response of cells to stress that precedes the onset of apoptosis.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leaders: Dr Peter J Wookey and Professor David Hare
- A New reagent for detection of program cell death
- An antibody that detects a high molecular weight surrogate ligand of calcitonin receptor is detected in malignant glioma cells and cell lines.
- Student Opportunities
- The characterisation of CT Receptor expression in the CNS and perinatal PNS: the distribution, intracellular associations and functions of isoforms.
- The development of anti-NPY1 receptor antibodies for research into and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
- The treatment of the brain tumour glioblastoma (GBM): the efficacy of immunotoxin derived from anti-calcitonin receptor antibodies
Diabetes and Obesity
Our research focuses on type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetes complications and obesity. We have access to a large cohort of patients and undertake observational as well as randomised clinical studies in patients with type 1, type 2 diabetes and obesity. We are part of the Endocrinology Research Group, headed by Professor Jeffrey Zajac.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Dr Elif Ekinci
Endocrinology Research
The Endocrinology Research Group links biomedical research with translation into clinical care; spanning biomedical science, clinical studies and quality improvement projects.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Professor Jeffrey Zajac
Epilepsy Research Centre
Located at the Melbourne Centre in Heidelberg, the Epilepsy Research Centre is a large cohesive research group within the Department of Medicine at the Austin Health campus. Clinical and molecular genetic studies are conducted by studying individuals and families with a history of seizures using cutting edge research methods and technologies.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leaders: Professor Sam Berkovic and Professor Ingrid Scheffer
Hepatology and Gastroenterology Research Group
Our group conducts translational research investigating the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer using a number of animal models of liver disease.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leaders: Prof Peter Angus & Dr Chandana Herath
Integrative Neurophysiology
The Integrative Neurophysiology laboratory has focussed on central cardiovascular control mechanisms from the early 1990s. Since 2004 we have shifted our focus to central autonomic control of pancreatic and adrenal secretion in response to iatrogenic (insulin-induced) hypoglycaemia.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Associate Professor Tony Verberne
Islet Biology & Metabolism Group
The focus of our group is to understand genetic and biochemical mechanisms that contribute to reduced insulin secretion by using pre-clinical models including transgenic and knockout mice with islet beta cell dysfunction.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos
Metastasis Research Group
Our research is looking at mechanisms of prostate cancer progression and of treatment resistance, using molecular biology, structural biology and bioinformatics approaches in biomarker discovery as a means of identifying new diagnostic and drug targets.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Professor Albert G Frauman
Molecular Endocrinology and Musculoskeletal Research Group
Our team is using unique and cutting-edge genetically modified mouse models to study the biological mechanisms underlying osteoporosis, muscle wasting and obesity, which are all disorders of hormonal action. We are part of the Endocrinology Research Group, headed by Professor Jeffrey Zajac.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Associate Professor Rachel Davey
Obesity
Our overarching goal is to reduce the impact of obesity on health and wellbeing.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Dr Priya Sumithran
Reproductive Steroids Research Group
Major themes of our research focus on the roles of reproductive hormones in health and disease. We are part of the Endocrinology Research Group, headed by Professor Jeffrey Zajac.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Professor Mathis Grossmann
The Collaborative AuTism Study (CATS)
The Collaborative AuTism Study (CATS) consits of a multidisciplinary team that is working on gene discovery for various medical disorders, with expertise in clinical, molecular, bionformatics, and basic science domains.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leaders: Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO
Trans Health Research
We are a diverse, highly productive research group established in 2017 in response to community need and additionally provide a large clinical service to the trans and gender diverse (TGD) community.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: Dr Ada Cheung, Endocrinologist, NHMRC Research Fellow
Translational Neurogenetics Laboratory
The focus of this group is to understand the basic neurobiology of human epilepsy, speech disorders and deafness, and translate this knowledge into improved treatment of patients.
Academic site: Medicine @ Austin Health
Group Leader: A/Professor Michael Hildebrand