11 Issue 1

PA Research Foundation Newsletter Issue 1 - 2011

To help us bring research to life - fill out coupon on back cover 07 3176 2359 pafoundation.org.au

Feature > Grant Recipients announced Bringing research to life > Prostate Cancer Appeal success

Research update > Construction continues on TRI Partners > QHA supports PA Research

PA Research Foundation Grants 2011

The PA Research Foundation is proud to announce a number of new research grants awarded to the medical researchers based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

A total of 14 grants were awarded in fields ranging from the study of growth factors in bone marrow, nutrition and dietetics and brain injury studies.

All funds raised through the PA Research Foundation comes from bequests, and donations from the general public therefore providing us with the opportunity to support our researchers and allow them to continue to develop exciting medical breakthroughs.

We would like to thank everyone who has donated generously to the Foundation and we hope you continue to support us and the outstanding work of the researchers.

Congratulations to all the following medical researchers and practitioners.

PA Research Foundation Project Grants 2010

Dr Catherine Cheung

Haematology, Division of Cancer Services

Expression of novel growth factors in bone marrow of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) $75 000

Ms Marion Mitchell

Nursing Practice Development Unit

Delirium and long-term cognitive impair-ment in ICU patients $75 000

PA Research Foundation Nursing and Allied Health Grants 2010

Ms Veronique Chachay

Nutrition and Dietetics Department

The role of resveratrol in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) $25 000

Associate Professor Jennifer Fleming

Occupational Therapy

Evaluation of the utility of a newly developed virtual reality prospective memory (PM) task in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) $25 000

Associate Professor Pim Kuipers

CFDHR

Efficacy-oriented care: An intervention with brain injured patients, family members, nurses and allied health professionals $25 000

PA Research Foundation New Appointment Grant 2010

Dr Eduardo Pimenta

Hypertension Unit

Effect of adrenalectomy and spironolactone on the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in patients with primary aldosteronism $75 000

Private Practice Trust Fund Grants 2010

Associate Professor Andrew Barbour

Department of Surgery

“Biomarkers for Stage 111 Melanoma Recurrence” $75 000Dr Katrina Campbell

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

“The effect of dietary sodium on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease: a blinded randomised crossover trial’’ $75 000

Associate Professor Carmel Hawley

Department of Nephrology

“The Utility of Serial NT-proBNP Monitoring for Predicting Cardia Outcomes in the Dialysis Population’’ $75 000

Dr Ali Naderi

Oncology, Division of Cancer Services

“A pre-clinical study of combined Androgen Receptor and MEK inhibition as a targeted therapy in Oestrogen Receptor negative Bre” $75 000

Dr Trisha O’Moore-Sullivan

Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology

“Use of aldosterone blockade to improve myocardial fibrosis in obesity” $75 000

Associate Professor Benedict Panizza

Queensland Skull Base Unit

“Development of neurotropism in cutane-ous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck” $75 000

Dr Elizabeth Powell

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

“Non-invasive assessment of liver injury in subjects with fatty liver disease” $75 000

Associate Professor Ian Scott

Department of Internal Medicine

“A new prescribing technology for older patients” $75 000

“The research grants allow us to develop practical strategies for improving services here at PAH, which will hopefully have implications for many other hospitals and rehabilitation services.”

— Associate Professor Pim Kuipers Centre for Functioning and Health Research


PA Research Institute a step closer to life Construction continues on TRI project

Saying “cheers” at your local pub last September contributed greatly to med-ical research and hospital support for Queenslanders everywhere.

More than 230 hotels took part in the Queensland Hotels’ Association’s (QHA) annual fundraiser where a tremendous $240,000 was raised for medical research and our regional hospitals.

QHA Chief Executive Justin O’Connor says research is the cornerstone of improved health and quality of life for all Australians.

“We were delighted we were able to donate $102,000 of that money to the PA Research Foundation,” Mr O’Connor said.

“We are proud to give back to the com-munity in this way and our members look

forward to out-doing each other in this charity challenge.”

ALH Hotels across the state ran a special “Your health is at steak” campaign, donat-ing $2 for every steak purchased during the campaign period, which raised an impres-sive $108,000 on its own.

Other hotels ran raffles, themed party nights, car washes, corporate breakfasts and golf days to raise funds.

The PA Research Foundation Board Chair-man Robert Bowen says a night at your local may not be seen as a charity event - but over the past seven years, QHA Hotel Care has raised over one million dollars to help improve the health of the community.

“Despite tough economic times the QHA and its Hotel Care campaign is one of the most important fundraising events for research that really does save lives,” Mr Bowen said.

“For the seventh year, more than 230 hotels across the State took up the challenge to help us so our research teams and regional hospitals are resourced to do the very best they can.

“This is one time when the toast in hotels across the State will literally be ‘cheers to good health’ because this money makes an unbelievable difference to our work.”

Hotel Care will run again in September 2011.

PA celebrates hotels fundraising efforts

... we were able to donate

$102,000 of that money to

the PA Research Foundation

Parts of the new Translational Research Institute (TRI) are starting to rise above the construction site’s fences as building continues into 2011.

With the demolition of previous buildings now complete and the foundations laid, the focus now moves to constructing the shell of the main building.

Staff will be able to watch as the TRI rapidly rises over the next few months.

Due to open in October 2012, the TRI will be a world-class medical research facility with strong links to clinical areas within the hospital.

It will house laboratory research facilities, plus areas for research support, adminis-tration and teaching.

The construction project also includes a bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, known as Biopharmaceuticals Australia (BPA).

The BPA will house Australia’s first large bio-pharmaceutical production facility,

JANUARY 2011

NOVEMBER 2010

enabling life saving treatments to be produced, clinically tested and manufac-tured in one place.

The TRI will house more than 700 research-ers from PAH, the Diamantina Institute, QUT and the Mater Medical Research Institute. Further information: www.tri.edu.au.

Fast Facts» The TRI will focus on a wide range

of health research areas including cancer, liver and kidney disease, malaria, HIV, osteoporosis, obesity, arthritis and diabetes

» It is a joint venture between PAH, UQ, QUT and the Mater Medical Research Institute

» The building will be seven storeys with 32,000m2 of research space

» The TRI will be the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere

► ► ► ► ► ►


Jocelyn Bartlem remembers smiling at the photos in the Hamilton Island travel brochures – little did she realise this holiday would forever change her life.

Holiday dramas should be about lost lug-gage or a case of sunburn but when this vibrant and outgoing Perth Occupational Therapist was thrown from a golf buggy she knew things were not good when she couldn’t feel anything in her lower body.

“I knew my injuries were serious by the way I had landed and the lack of feeling I had in my lower body. As an Occupational Thera-pist I had some understanding of what lay ahead. I thought I could be a paraplegic but I didn’t think my injuries would result in quadriplegia,” Jocelyn said.

Jocelyn broke her neck in two places and was transported to the PA Hospital where she spent most of 2010 rehabilitating in the Spinal Injuries Unit experiencing first hand the dedication and professionalism of the hard working team.

“The therapists, medical and nursing staff were absolutely amazing and they work tirelessly to help every one of the patients that come through their doors,” Jocelyn said.

“One of my personal struggles while there was the lack of updated equipment and technology available for patients that can be used with ease and independence.

“With no hand movement simple tasks like typing and pressing phone buttons are enor-mous challenges. If the Spinal Injuries Unit had access to the latest but affordable touch screen technologies like iPads and iPhones, it would allow patients with quadriplegia to ef-fectively learn skills while providing a better means to communicate whilst in the unit.”

‘Art for Spine’ is Jocelyn’s solution to raise funds for the PA Research Foundation so they can purchase the much needed equipment.

“We have over 100 pieces of art donated to us so far, which will be auctioned on the day,” Jocelyn said.

“All the funds raised from the art auction will allow the PA Research Foundation to pur-chase the technology to help patients who have lost the ability to do some of the simplest actions that we take for granted, like moving their fingers to type and press buttons .“

“Art for Spine” Art Auction will be held on Sunday 22 May 2011, Discount Art Ware-house, 34 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley at 6pm with registration from 5pm.

If you would like to make a financial do-nation to help us raise funds call our office on 3176 2359 or visit our website www.pafoundation.org.au

Please let the Foundation know your dona-tion is for the “Art for Spine” fundraiser.

PA Research Foundation supports “Art for Spine”

Friends and family of Gold Coast identity Sharon Torrens may have fare-welled a vibrant and colourful personality but in her memory they will also save hundreds of lives.

They have created a special record for the PA Research Foundation’s “in memoriam donations” where family ask for donations to a charity in lieu of flowers.

Donations came from as far away as South Africa and America with almost $5000 raised going toward the PA Hospital’s Renal Unit.

Mrs Torrens was a kidney transplant recipi-ent at the PA Hospital, firstly in 1987 then secondly in 1993. She also defied doctor’s orders and became the first transplant

patient to have a healthy baby boy in 1990. Mitchell is now 20.

PA Research Foundation Board Chairman Robert Bowen says with so many causes needing our support in memoriam dona-tions was a dignified way of honouring the memory of family and friends.

“Flowers are a lovely thought but when you think how much our researchers can achieve with donations and support – they literally do save lives,” Mr Bowen said.

“We value every donation – it is a tremen-dous way to make a very real contribution to the lives of your children, your grand-children and their children.”

To make a bequest or in memoriam donation, please visit our web site www.pafoundation.org.au or phone 3176 2359.


PA receives gift in memory

in loving memory

of Sharon Torrens

“Art for Spine”

34 Arthur St, Fortitude Valley

Sunday 22 May 2011

6pm (rego’s @ 5pm)

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Donation Form – Yes, I would like to support health research!

first name surname contact number email address

street suburb state post code

cardholder’s name cardholder’s signature

other card number expiry

/

If you wish to make a donation, please fill out and detach the below form and return it postage free to: PA Research Foundation Reply Paid 77401, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, or fax it to (07) 3176 7303. For enquiries, to donate by phone or to organise scheduled donations, please call (07) 3176 2359. For further information on the PA Research Foundation or to make an online donation, go to pafoundation.org.au.

Issue 1 Quiz!

1 How many grants were awarded to medical researchers at the PA Research Foundation? a) 10 b) 5 c) 12 d) 14

2 What is the name of the new research facility being constructed at the PA Hospital? a) Transnational Research Institute b) Translational Research Institute c) Transylvania Research Institute d) Transponder Research Institute

3 How much money was raised for Prostate Cancer during the PA Research Foundation Prostate Appeal? a) $50,000 b) $15,000 c) $150,000 d) $25,000

4 Who won last year’s Great Corporate Duck Race Challenge? a) Sci-Fleet Toyota b) Results Web Design c) 4KQ Radio d) Waterways Constructions

cheque or money order payable to the pa research foundation visa monthly credit card donation of $

heart disease

$30 $50 $75 $100 $150

diabetes bequestsprostate cancer free will servicemelanoma other regular giving please do not send me further information

i am interested in research into please send me information on

THIS ISSUES QUIz ANSWERS 1 - D, 2 - B, 3 - A, 4 - A

mastercard

$

please charge this card:

PA Prostate Cancer Appeal Thank you PA funds research microscope

The PA Research Foundation’s recent Prostate Cancer Appeal raised $50 000 towards the purchase of a state of the art fluorescence microscope for the researchers at the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland located at the PA Hospital.

“Our research group is expanding rapidly and thanks to the generous donations to the Foundation’s PC Appeal we now have our very own fluorescence microscope. This will give us greater flexibility to try new tech-niques and optimise our experiments more quickly,” Professor Colleen Nelson said.

“Put simply it will be used in clinical trials of prostate cancer treatments and to moni-tor the treatment of cancer in individual pa-tients from around Australia.

“This equipment is a basic requirement for a lot of molecular and cell biology tech-niques. We will be able to investigate many possible candidate proteins/genes that are involved in prostate cancer.”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in

Australia and the second greatest cause of cancer deaths in men. The latest data shows that in 2011 almost 20,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Tragi-cally more than 3,300 men will die as a direct cause of prostate cancer.

Research is the key to beating cancer and real progress is being made. We thank all our loyal supporters for making a contribu-tion to the success of our Appeal.

... in 2011 almost 20,000

men will be diagnosed

with prostate cancerProf. Colleen Nelson

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Brisbane may go ‘quackers’ for the annual Great Brisbane Duck Race but last year’s sale of 26,400 rubber duckies will literally saves lives.

This year’s race plans to be bigger than ever and you will soon be able to follow Quackers, The Great Brisbane Duck Race’s mascot on Twitter and Facebook.

Last year Quackers made his first appearance on You Tube as Brisbane com-muters got up close and personal on a train, at the Roma St Fire Station and ferry

terminals as listeners of 4KQ guessed where he might next show up.

Corporations and companies – why not put your name down for the 2011 Sci-Fleet Great Corporate Duck Race Challenge, the curtain opener to The Great Brisbane Duck Race and take on last year’s naming rights winner Sci-Fleet Toyota–winning this event lets you name it in 2012.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the quackiest way to help cancer research – 2011 The Great Brisbane Duck Race coming soon.

For more information call 07 3176 2359.

PA ducks flock together for cancer research

for Cancer Researchlet’s get

quacking!


PA Giving 2010 saw a record number of people choosing to make a vital commitment to research through the PA Giving Program – a tax deduction that puts research dollars into the lab.

The PA Giving Program allows you to donate on a monthly basis by Direct Debit – a simple way to make a regular contri-bution from your bank account. As well as being easy to set up, it costs us less in administration so you can be sure even more of your donation goes to fund world class research at the PA Hospital.

If you would like to make a nominated do-nation via Direct Debit simply call the PA Research Foundation on 3176 2359.

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11 Issue 1