Obstetric Diagnostics and Therapeutics Group

• A//Prof Fiona Brownfoot

  Co-Lead of Research Group

  Fiona.brownfoot@unimelb.edu.au
  
• Dr Elif Kadife

  Co-Lead of Research Group

  elif.kadife@unimelb.edu.au
  

Research Overview

The Obstetric Diagnostics and Therapeutics Group is focused on developing novel devices and treatments to improve pregnancy outcomes. Comprising a team of clinicians; obstetricians and midwives, scientists and engineers our multidisciplinary team is in the perfect position to innovate. We have 3 main research themes focused on developing novel devices to improve fetal monitoring, treatments for placental disease and therapies to treat post-partum haemorrhage. We have taken many of these from lab assay to clinical trial. We are also commercialising our technology through start-up Kali Healthcare.

Developing novel devices to improve fetal monitoring.

We have developed a portable, wearable device that accurately monitors the fetus. This will give patients the freedom of movement during labour whilst maintaining accurate fetal heart rate detection and opens the possibility of at home fetal monitoring. We are also developing a sensor to more accurately detect fetal distress during labour.

Developing treatments for placental disease

Preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction result from inadequate placental function. Our team leads pioneering projects leveraging state-of-the-art technologies like advanced CRISPR RNA interception methods and novel animal models to explore potential treatments for these conditions. The team is focused on translation and have taken research from laboratory studies to human clinical trials.

Developing a treatment for post-partum haemorrhage

Postpartum haemorrhage is a major contributor to maternal mortality globally. Our team is dedicated to developing an innovative treatment to enhance maternal health outcomes.

Staff

A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot
Dr Elif Kadife, Scientist
Ms Alesia Harper, Research Assistant
Dr Abu Rana, Engineer
Dr Debjyoti Karmarker, PhD candidate
Dr Prathima Chowdary, PhD candidate

Collaborators

Prof Stephen Tong
Prof Marimuthu Palaniswami
Dr Emerson Keenan
Prof Natalie Hannan
Prof Eva Dimitiratis
Prof Joanne Said
A/Prof Cathy Cluver
A/Prof Rick Liu
A/Prof Diana Stojanovski
Prof Kieran Harvey

Funding

Our group is funded through a variety of sources including National Health & Medical Research Council, Beischer Medical Research Foundation, Austin Medical Research Foundation, The Epworth Medical Foundation among others.

Research Publications

BROWNFOOT FC, Hastie R, Hannan NJ, Cannon P, Tuohey L, Parry LJ, Senadheera S, Illanes SE, Kaitu’u-Lino, TJ, Tong S. Metformin as a prevention and treatment for preeclampsia: effects on soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and soluble endoglin secretion and endothelial dysfunction. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2016;214(3):356.e1-356.e15

BROWNFOOT FC, Hannan NJ, Cannon P, Nguyen V, Hastie R, Parry LJ, Senadheera S, Tuohey L, Tong S, Kaitu'u-Lino TJ. Sulfasalazine reduces placental secretion of antiangiogenic factors, up-regulates the secretion of placental growth factor and rescues endothelial dysfunction. EBioMedicine. 2019 Mar;41:636-648.

BROWNFOOT FC, Tong S, Hannan NJ, Binder NK, Walker SP, Cannon P, Hastie R, Onda K, Kaitu'u-Lino TJ. Effects of Pravastatin on Human Placenta, Endothelium, and Women With Severe Preeclampsia. Hypertension. 2015 Sep;66(3):687-97; discussion 445.

Kwang Jun Lee, Patrick K. Capon, Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Emerson Keenan, BROWNFOOT F*, Erik P. Schartner* (*Joint Senior Author). Influence of the photopolymerization matrix on the indicator response of optical fiber pH sensors, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 376, 2023

Mendis L, Palaniswami M, BROWNFOOT F*, Keenan E* (*Joint senior author). Computerised Cardiotocography Analysis for the Automated Detection of Fetal Compromise during Labour: A Review. Bioengineering. 2023 Aug 25;10(9):1007. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10091007. PMID: 37760109; PMCID: PMC10525263.

Long J, Zidan G, Seyfoddin A, Tong S, BROWNFOOT FC*, Chowdary P*. (*Joint Senior Author) An estriol- eluting pessary to treat pelvic organ prolapse. Sci Rep. 2022 Nov 21;12(1):20021. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23791-9.

Williams MJ, Ramson JA, Brownfoot FC. Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Aug 9;8(8):CD006764.