Right heart catheterisation (RHC) is the gold standard for assessing patients with pulmonary hypertension, but doctors require specialist training like that provided by MQ Health.

Associate Professor Martin Brown, who specialises in cardiology for advanced heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, says that like so many others during the pandemic, he was forced to look for innovative solutions to continue his work remotely.

“We couldn’t have face-to-face training, so we developed a virtual reality (VR) program module to train cardiology registrars in RHC,” he says.

“That led to a collaboration with health technology company Vantari VR to design a VR training module based on our current RHC simulation workshops.

 Dr. Vijay Paul, Co-CEO, Vantari VR; Associate Professor Martin Brown, MQ Health; Dr. Nishanth Krishnananthan, Co-CEO, Vantari VR

“The aim was to improve training, competency and confidence in performing this technique while enhancing diagnostic skills and reducing procedural errors, resulting in increased patient safety.”

The training is delivered via a laptop and VR headset. Clinicans perform virtual RHCs according to best-practice guidelines with dynamic imaging, monitoring and haptic feedback with the guidance of a virtual AI trainer.

Associate Professor Brown operating the VRRHC

Throughout the process, their performance is tracked in real time, including failed steps and proficiency scores.

Preliminary analysis has shown that after an initial learning curve associated with using VR and becoming familiar with the procedure, increased experience results in improved completion rates, reduced procedure time and fewer errors.

A view of the virtual reality interface

“We have now incorporated VR into part of our RHC training at MQ Health, and universities and medical schools around the world are also using our technology,” Associate Professor Brown says.

“While VR is used increasingly for medical training in several fields, no-one else has achieved what we have for RHC.”

Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan, Co-CEO of Vantari VR, could not be more excited with the collaboration.

“The VRRHC has been a huge success locally and in the US where clinicians are blown away by the fidelity, physics and dynamic imaging capabilities,” he says.

“The ability to improve patient outcomes by reducing error from these complex procedures – thanks to better training as well as ensuring accessibility for regional and remote healthcare centres – means we can democratise healthcare training and help cardiologists and clinicians no matter where they are.”

A new gene therapy treatment that has been shown to reduce uncontrolled seizures in mice will be ready to begin human clinical trials within two years.

A study published in Science Advances by a team led by Professor Lars Ittner at Macquarie’s Dementia Research Centre showed their treatment could prevent seizures in mice by clearing build-ups of a protein in the brain.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder worldwide, affecting about 70 million people. Two-thirds of those with severe epilepsy can be treated with traditional medications, but about a third of patients do not benefit from any of the available treatments. In some cases, the seizures worsen when treated with standard drugs.

Dravet syndrome, which is caused by a genetic mutation and begins in infancy, is one such form of severe epilepsy. It can result in as many as 40 seizures an hour, and is associated with serious developmental delays and a high mortality rate.

Professor Ittner and his team have been studying the causes of neurological diseases for many years, including extensive investigations into the role played by the build-up of tau proteins.

One of their recent studies found hyperexcitation of the neurons caused by tau protein build-up is a key driver of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Hyperexcited neurons fire continuously instead of only when stimulated, and can result in seizures, neural network dysfunction, and cognitive decline.

Having identified this link with hyperexcitation, the team began looking at diseases other than Alzheimer’s in which hyperexcitation was a key feature, including epilepsy.

Tau proteins: a delicate balance

The build-up of hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain’s microtubules has been shown to be associated with a number of neurological diseases, including various forms of dementia.

When functioning correctly, the phosphorylation process provides a fine-tuning function that allows proteins to communicate with each other. In the right amount and location, phosphoryl is vital to maintaining the brain’s signalling pathways, but too much can have a toxic effect.

When a protein molecule becomes hyperphosphorylated, too much phosphoryl sticks to its surface, altering its shape and impairing its ability to bind to and communicate with other proteins. The phosphoryl acts as a lubricant, allowing the molecules slip apart and float free, while also changing their secondary structure in a such way that they aggregate.

Professor Ittner likens this process to hair being washed down a drain. The drain can cope with a few hairs, but as more and more build up, they clump together with other detritus and eventually block the pipe.

In this case, the pipe is the human neuron. Once blocked it dies, and no treatment exists to regenerate neurons.

The newly published research was led by Nicolle Morrey, a second year PhD student from Professor Ittner and Dr Janet van Eersel’s team. The researchers proved that in contrast, when tau is phosphorylated by kinase p38y at a specific location on the genome, Threonine 205, it can prevent excitotoxicity, and therefore seizures.

“We can harness p38y to work in our favour,” Professor Ittner says.

“Recently, we designed a new gene therapy vector, and by introducing our new therapy to the brains of mice via this vector, we have been able to show we can increase production of p38y only where it is needed.”

When treated with the new gene therapy, mice with uncontrolled epilepsy had a better chance of survival, as well as showing marked improvements in behaviour and brain activity.

“We have tested this therapy extensively, and rigorous assessment by independent labs has confirmed our results,” Professor Ittner says.

“Our next step is to conduct more detailed pre-clinical evaluation in preparation for clinical trials.

“It is showing tremendous promise as a treatment for acute neurological conditions, and we hope to be able to offer it, initially to patients with uncontrolled epilepsy, within the next five to seven years.”

Earlier this year, Macquarie University created a new company, Celosia Therapeutics, to turn this and other ground-breaking research into commercially available medical treatments.

The Woolcock Insitute (the Woolcock), which brings together over 200 medical researchers, including scientists, engineers, epidemiologists and clinical professionals, will relocate to the Wallumattugal Campus in due course.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Medicine and Health) Professor Patrick McNeil said the partnership promises new collaborative opportunities in fields of research including respiratory and sleep medicine, the neurosciences and neurophysiology, dementia and neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and cardiology.

“Several of the Woolcock researchers already hold academic positions at Macquarie, and we are pleased to welcome new academic colleagues across Macquarie Medical School, the School of Psychological Sciences and the Department of Health Sciences,” said Professor McNeil.

“Both the Woolcock and MQ Health take an integrated, patient-centred approach to healthcare, starting from lab research to its translation into clinical practice, while providing research-enriched education for future leaders in healthcare.

“By partnering and co-locating with the Woolcock on campus, we are continuing to build on the strength of MQ Health’s transformative approach to healthcare. We anticipate building new cross-disciplinary research and treatments that will drive improvements for the community in all aspects of respiratory and sleep health.”

The centre will be located on a dedicated floor of Macquarie University Hospital, with four-state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating theatres and 29 beds supporting a short stay surgical model.

Macquarie University Hospital CEO, Associate Professor Walter Kmet, said the centre will champion the hospital’s philosophy of excellence in evidence-based medicine.

“This is an exciting partnership for our hospital as we continue to innovate in care, quality and safety for our patients,” Associate Professor Kmet said.

“The short stay model combines pre-assessment and prehabilitation to support a patient’s rapid recovery and help them return home sooner. Both the hospital and treating specialist decide if the model is appropriate for each patient, with decisions around their care, monitoring and rehabilitation to be made by our clinical team.

“As the number of joint replacements continues to increase in line with the ageing population, increasing access to short stay is a great development for our treating specialists and their patients,” he said.

A group of orthopaedic surgeons and Medibank will invest $29.6 million to support the establishment of the centre through a joint venture, with the surgeons and Medibank each contributing $14.8 million to fund the fit-out and equipment. MQ Health is contributing the floor space, with the centre to operate as an integrated part of the hospital.

The surgical centre will be accessible to all patients regardless of their health fund or if they are self-funded.

Medibank Group Executive, CEO Health Services, Dr Andrew Wilson, said the centre will expand Medibank’s no gap program, which provides customers with choice and value around their healthcare.

“Our no gap program gives our customers choice in how their treatment is delivered and can halve the number of days they need to spend in hospital. Instead, they have the option to rehabilitate in the comfort of their own home with full support from nurses, allied health practitioners and personal carers as required,” Dr Wilson said.

“It’s also designed to eliminate out-of-pocket medical costs commonly associated with a hip or knee replacement. For minor complexity procedures, these savings have averaged $1,200, although they can be as high as $4,700. This can make a real difference to household budgets at a time when the cost of living is increasing,” he said.

MQ Health Discipline Head of Orthopaedics, Professor Munjed Al Muderis, said the centre will provide a range of benefits.

“This world-class centre will help us meet growing demand for this model of care and provide opportunities to partner with the university on research and teaching,” Professor Al Muderis said.

The centre is expected to open in late 2023.

The initiative was led by PVC (Research Performance and Development), Professor Amanda Barnier and Deputy Deans Research and Innovation. The Themed workshops and Open-Door workshops gave researchers an opportunity to explore research strengths and consilience, and to forge new collaborations aimed at bringing a range of disciplinary perspectives to research problems.

Professor Greg Downey, Interim Dean, Macquarie School of Social Sciences participated in the Brain Capital workshop.

“Everyone worries about academic silos which can keep us isolated in our own groups, talking to the same people over again. Macquarie is a special place where you can get new connections to happen. I am excited to pursue new leads and find fresh collaborators,” he says.

Themed workshops were co-hosted by Professor Barnier, and Deputy Deans Research and Innovation and Open-Door workshops were hosted by Research Centre directors. Workshop themes included Ageing Well, Ageing Together and Living Pasts, Resilient Futures. There were also workshops on Sustainable Cities and Brain Capital.

“The workshops revealed new ways in which our researchers and research teams might collaborate, coordinate, and converge efforts to become more than the sum of our parts. They highlighted Macquarie’s many research strengths and culture of collegiality as well as enormous potential for new and distinctive approaches to solving the big problems of the future,” says Professor Barnier.

By 29 August, over 20 Expressions of Interest had been received. From these, selected collectives will be invited to pitch their MQRC bid to a panel of internal and external experts in late September.

Workshop participant Associate Professor Dr Lisa Spagnolo, of Macquarie Law School says, “at the end of the workshops there were some tentative ideas for potential future collaborations. Of course, it is up to individuals to follow through, something that isn’t easy when we are all time poor. But that was the beauty of the workshops – they were an impetus to do that. A great starting point to spark connections and interest!”

Information about the 2023 MQRC Scheme and Workshops can be found on the Research Centres Scheme webpage.

Macquarie University has been awarded more than $12 million in grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), announced in the latest grant application funding round. 

Among the grants is funding — including funding from partners — for a $10.7 million Partnership Centre on health system sustainability awarded to Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Director of the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, along with Professor Enrico Coiera and Professor Johanna Westbrook.

“This grant brings together researchers, policymakers, managers, clinicians and patients in a concerted effort to improve the way we deliver care to our citizens. It is one of the most important challenges we face in the 21st century. An effective and efficient health system is the hallmark of a caring, functioning society,” said Professor Braithwaite.

The grants also comprise Macquarie’s first ever Career Development Fellowship (CDF), awarded to chief investigator Dr Blake Dear from the Department of Psychology, to improve access to psychological treatment and the mental health of Australians with chronic physical disease.

Macquarie was also awarded two Early Career Fellowships, an application success rate of 40 per cent, which is double the national success rate for these grants.

Funding amounting to more than $5.7 million for nine Project Grants was also announced.

Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), said the funding will assist in continuing Macquarie’s commitment to conducting health and health system sustainability research with world-changing impact.

“Our overwhelming success in NHMRC’s recent funding round is indicative of the calibre and promise of Macquarie’s research. It speaks to the talent of our academics and to the strong research and development strategies that are helping us to achieve such goals.”

For the full list of grants, see the NHMRC website.

Neuroscience research is undergoing a revolution, thanks to the recent proliferation of EEG headsets used to record brain activity for video gaming. We sat down with ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders Postdoctoral Research Fellow Nicholas Badcock in advance of his hands-on workshop to understand the concept of “readiness to learn” and the many benefits of connecting children and adults with their optimal learning or working states.

What drew you to your research field?


I grew up in a family of teachers – my Gran, parents, aunty, uncle, and now my sister and three cousins are teachers – which likely shaped my value for education. Then I studied psychology in year 12 and it seemed that understanding cognition and the brain might not only be able to help people who struggle with learning but maybe even augment the process for all individuals. I find this important and exciting.

What would be an ‘elevator pitch’ of your research area?

Readiness to learn fluctuates in all individuals. Some people are early birds and some are night owls, but readiness also varies from hour to hour and minute to minute. Imagine if we could measure this readiness then alert learners and their teachers when they’re ready to learn. It could be as subtle as a buzz from wearable technology or a little ‘louder’ with a flashing sign over the student’s head, letting the teacher know to ‘Teach me now!’.  My research is aimed at understanding these patterns and implementing the technology.

In layman’s terms, what is the wider impact of your research?

Connecting children and adults with their optimal learning or working states will lead to more efficient education and work places. We’ve all had those days or afternoons when we’re just not into it. It’s likely we’d be better off switching tasks, doing something to re-motivate ourselves, or maybe it’s a sign that we’re getting sick and we should head home to rest. Alerting people to this information in a measurable and scientifically supported form will benefit the individuals as well as those with whom they interact. It would result in increased productivity but a wider implementation of this research would increase wellbeing, reducing negative physical and mental health outcomes.

Who has been your most significant research mentor?

Gen McArthur. She’s gone above and beyond to help me and my family settle in Sydney, and then there are the hours spent work-shopping ideas and being available, realistic, and excited about what we do.

If you were given one million dollars in research funding, what would be the first thing you would do?


Our research is a big task which will require lots of data from lots of people in lots of situations so one million dollars would allow us to employ research assistants to speed this up and get us closer to putting it in classrooms.

What has been your favourite and/or proudest research moment?


My favourite moments are when I’ve helped someone with a tricky task like programming, then they go off and expand on it, demonstrating that the help has spring-boarded them well beyond the original assistance.

Register for Nicholas’ workshop When Gaming Meets Neuroscience: Unlocking The Potential Of Mind Mapping Using Mobile EEG as part of the Macquarie Minds Showcase, 13-14 December.

Dr Annie Lau from the Australian Institute of Health Innovation has been honoured with a Women in Research Citation Award for her research in health informatics.

The inaugural awards honour the outstanding achievements of early-to-mid-career women researchers in Australia across all fields of research in science, social sciences and the humanities.

Annie was one of only 12 researchers selected for these awards across Australia.

“I am drawn to my research because of its potential to improve health outcomes for large numbers of people. I believe that by directly empowering individuals, helping them to understand their healthcare, and enabling them to take an active role, they will enjoy better health outcomes,” she says.

“When better-engaged healthcare consumers enjoy better health outcomes, we will see reduced strain on our currently overstretched healthcare system, allowing valuable resources to be reallocated to those with the greatest need.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius says he is greatly pleased that Macquarie researchers like Dr Lau are being recognised.

“Macquarie is demonstrating in so many ways the diverse nature of our research and its real-world impact,” he says. “I congratulate Dr Lau on her significant achievements in health informatics research.”

Jeroen Prinsen of Clarivate Analytics – who co-presented the awards alongside the Australian National University – said the awards would help encourage gender equity in research.

“We want to encourage greater gender equity in research and bring to the forefront outstanding contributions from women in research,” he said.

Dr Teresa Ching from the Department of Linguistics and the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), tells us more.

Early fitting or cochlear implantation is key to spoken language development in infants with hearing loss. Whereas children with profound hearing loss undoubtedly benefit from cochlear implants and get them early, it is currently not possible to accurately predict whether individual children with lesser hearing loss using hearing aids may benefit more from cochlear implants until signs of language delay are observed around 1-2 years of age.

Using the HEARLab system, clinicians already measure brainwaves of infants in response to speech sounds to identify whether hearing aids fitted to them are effective in making speech sounds audible.

This new development will measure brainwaves to tell us if a three-month-old baby wearing hearing aids hears that ‘see’ is different from ‘Sue’, or that ‘Sue’ is different from ‘shoe’ or ‘zoo.’ The brain responses to sound changes will either confirm that hearing aids are the best option for the infant or indicate that the child may be better served by cochlear implants.

By assessing an infant’s early discrimination ability in this way, clinicians will be able to identify infants who need cochlear implants when they are only a few months old so that families can be provided with the information to guide their decision on the best strategy to maximise outcomes for their children.

This is precisely what the ACORD test module in the HEARLab system will deliver. The software module will be developed by the HEARing CRC’s team at NAL, led by Teck Loi, Bram Van Dun, Fabric Bardy and Adjunct Professor Harvey Dillon, supported in part by the Medical Devices Fund grant.  The research and validation of ACORD involves myself, Bram Van Dun and Cara Wong at NAL, Professor Katherine Demuth in the Department of Linguistics at Macquarie, and Associate Professor Gary Rance at Melbourne University, supported by an NHMRC grant.  Commercial implementation of new software modules in HEARLab is commercially managed by HEARworks, led by Professor Bob Cowan and Katarzyna D’Costa.

Next week – 23 to 29 October – is International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. We caught up with environmental lead testing expert Professor Mark Taylor from the Department of Environmental Sciences who says that despite Australia being a high-income nation that has implemented many exposure control measures, some communities remain at risk.

What do Australia’s current health guidelines tell us about lead exposure?
Australia has set a blood lead level of 5 micrograms per deciliter (50 parts per billion – ppb) as the acceptable maximum level of exposure. International research has demonstrated adverse health effects at blood lead levels less than 10 ppb in both children and adults including cognitive damage, behavioral problems, fetal growth and increased blood pressure. In the three lead mining and smelting towns of Broken Hill, Mount Isa and Port Pirie, 50 per cent of young children have blood lead levels above 50 ppb placing them at risk of life-long adverse health problems. Recently, we calculated that around 100,000 Australian children would have blood lead levels above 50 ppb.

What can Australia do to eliminate lead contamination?
Some effective strategies have already been implemented: a now almost complete global ban of leaded petrol use is in place, and there is a United Nation’s Global Alliance to eliminate lead paint. We must also strive to hold mining organisations accountable when it comes to minimising environmental lead contamination and cleaning up contamination. Complete global elimination of the use of leaded petroleum for cars and airplanes (AVGAS), lead shot, wheel weights and fishing sinkers should also be a top priority for governments worldwide. Where there are viable alternatives, they should be used and where not, such as AVGAS, they should be developed.

How can we protect ourselves?
This is a difficult question to answer, because as far as we know there are no safe levels of lead and it is hard to identify exposure risks. Paul Harvey, a PhD student in my research group, recently published research showing that Australians are being unnecessarily exposed to lead via household plumbing products such as tap fittings. Installation of lead-free fittings and end of tap water filters can help to eliminate exposures. Houses built before approximately 1970 are likely to contain lead paint and require a professional decorator to remove it safely. Garden soil can contain high-levels of lead, particularly in the older parts of cities and in lead mining and smelting towns. To minimize exposure, remove or cover the soil and wash your hands before eating. For those who live, work or recreate (e.g. shooting ranges) in places where higher than normal amounts of lead are present, getting blood lead levels tested is an essential element of personal protection.

Learn more about Mark’s research in this field, or International Lead Poisoning Awareness Week.