Beating antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Fighting lung cancer

Heart disease and dementia link

I N T H I S I S S U E

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Roslyne’s life saved thanks to research!

RESEARCH IMPACT2

Roslyne beats stroke with lifesaving new treatment

Roslyne Harkness was your typical active and healthy 66-year-old grandmother of eight when suddenly, one morning last year, she collapsed with what turned out to be the early stages of a stroke.

“She blacked out soon after which is pretty serious with stroke. Her clot was stopping blood flow to the whole brain and breathing is the first to go.”

Upon presenting to the RAH, a nurse gave Graeme a harsh dose of reality: “We’ve scanned your wife – it’s a full blockage – if we can’t retrieve it she’ll die,” he recalled.

Thankfully, another nurse came out shortly afterwards with a doctor on the phone – it was A/Prof Kleinig asking for permission to administer what ended up being a lifesaving treatment.

“Then it’s hard to say how long, maybe about an hour or so later, the nurse came back and said they’d retrieved the blockage, your wife can speak and raise both hands. It was remarkable.”

Game changers in stroke careE n d o v a s c u l a r t h r o m b e c t o m y has been a game changer in stroke care over the past five years. It is a procedure which involves pulling the clot out directly from the affected artery in the brain.

A/Prof Tim Kleinig

A clot had occurred in the back of her brain in the basilar artery – a location which is usually fatal in 65 per cent of cases.

But thanks to world-leading research led by Associate Professor Tim Kleinig at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), and supported by The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF), Roslyne not only survived the stroke but has made a remarkable recovery!

Ros fell heavily while getting out of bed at 6.30am on the day of her stroke – a day she and husband Graeme had been due to look after three of their young grandchildren.

Graeme was immediately concerned and, despite Ros being conscious and able to say she just felt dizzy and hot, he called an ambulance and advised of a possible stroke.

“The triple-0 responder asked me what her breathing was like and it was what they call the ‘death rattle’. The ambulance came very quickly and took her to the RAH,” Graeme said.

3hospitalresearch.com.au

RAH stroke patients – including Roslyne – are lucky enough to be getting the latest advancements in this world-leading treatment, with A/Prof Kleinig’s current trial using thrombectomy in conjunction with a groundbreaking new clot dissolving medication called Tenecteplase.

This could not have been possible without the support of THRF!

“Roslyne got the higher dose of the medication and the clot shifted from the basilar artery to the posterior cerebral artery,” A/Prof Kleinig said.

“So the most serious part of the stroke was averted by the Tenecteplase clot dissolving medication and we kept the

Thanks to our generous donors, THRF is able to

support these advancements in stroke care to save

the lives of people like Roslyne!

More than 250 patients have taken part in this trial

at the RAH over the past two years, with the results

contributing to collaborative studies around the

world. Together with your help, Tenecteplase may

soon be approved as standard care for stroke and

save more lives.

Importance of supporting

medical research

Roslyne’s recovery Roslyne’s life was saved that morning, but she still had to recover from the initial onset of the stroke. However she is now fighting fit again, looking after her grandchildren and travelling the world with Graeme and friends.

“We are so grateful to Tim Kleinig and his team at the RAH and THRF who make all this possible. We’ve been very very lucky,” Roslyne said.

brain alive until she could have the thrombectomy and the rest of the clot was pulled out.

“She got the greatest benefit and she’s essentially made a complete recovery from something which was very likely to have been a fatal stroke otherwise.

“Roslyne is the epitome of the benefits of clinical research!”

4 RESEARCH IMPACT

The CCB’s Dr Joanna Woodcock is taking on the fight against lung cancer the leading cause of cancer-related death in Australia and fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer.

“Less than 20 per cent of lung cancer patients survive five years post diagnosis and we rely heavily on chemotherapy for treatment which causes serious side effects,” Dr Woodcock said.

“There is a huge need for new therapies to eradicate lung cancer cells without side effects and improve the outcome for lung cancer patients.”

Research leads to breakthroughDr Woodcock and her team, which has links to Thoracic Medicine at the RAH, have made an exciting breakthrough in the treatment of Non-small cell lung cancer which represents more than 80 per cent of all lung cancer cases.

It involves a family of proteins called 14-3-3 which are found in abnormally high numbers in cancer cells. Dr Woodcock has discovered a way to inhibit these proteins and stop the cancer cells from working the way they want to.

“This group of proteins is in all cells, but in solid cancers they have been found to be much more abundant than normal,” she said.

“We have designed a chemical compound which interferes with how these proteins help cancer cells survive and grow. If their growth is inhibited, then they can’t work as well and might die or can be killed with chemotherapy.”

Delivering the treatmentThe next step for Dr Woodcock, which is being supported by a generous donation from private donors VONBRI Foundation and facilitated through THRF, is refining the

Breakthrough in the fight against lung cancer

Imagine treating cancer with a puffer? That’s one unique treatment being investigated by researchers at the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) as a therapy for hard-to-treat lung cancer – and it’s not as farfetched as you might think!

Dr Jo Woodcock

chemical compound treatment and working out a way to administer it directly to the cancer cells.

“With the help of Professor Clive Prestidge’s Nanomedicine research group, which helps develop drug delivery solutions, we are looking for a delivery method which protects the compound and helps it be more targeted, therefore getting a more effective dose to the tumour.

“One way we’re looking at doing that is through inhalable forms. Imagine if we could tell a patient to go home and take a puffer, and that would help inhibit the cancer!”

This could revolutionise treatment for lung cancer patients, plus be transferrable to treat other solid cancer tumours!

5hospitalresearch.com.au

Did you know a common heart disorder can increase the risk of dementia by 40 per cent?

Fighting against heart disease and dementia

This is a frightening statistic, but one which cardiologist and researcher Dr Rajiv Mahajan at Lyell McEwin Hospital is determined to change.

Dr Mahajan secured a Mid Career Fellowship through THRF for his research project investigating Atrial Fibrillation (AF) as a risk factor for dementia.

AF is a common heart rhythm problem with symptoms including an irregular heartbeat, weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain.

“There is reason to believe that AF increases the risk of dementia as AF causes small blood clots that travel to the brain, sometimes causing silent strokes that patients are not aware of,” Dr Mahajan said.

“The aim of my research is to explore the idea whether subclinical AF is associated with the risk of dementia.”

Subclinical AF means that patients have AF but have not been clinically diagnosed with AF due to the irregular symptoms.

“People who present with obvious signs of AF are treated. However, there are some cases where AF isn’t recognised due to irregular symptoms and age,” Dr Mahajan said.

“If this study proves that AF leads to an increased risk of dementia, we may be able to impact the screening guidelines for AF so patients’ symptoms do not go unrecognised.

“It will lead to better outcomes for patients and families in reducing the risk of this terrible disease and reduce the dementia burden on society.”

Dr Mahajan aims to treat patients with AF with medication that will help the heart beat more regular, which will help the blood flow around the body, decreasing the risk of a silent stroke.

“I am extremely grateful to donors for making it possible for me to pursue my project and I’m looking forward to sharing my findings.”

Dr Rajiv Mahajan

You too can help progress lifesaving research like this! Simply fill out the enclosed form or visit our website hospitalresearch.com.au

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Prof Danny Eckert

Sleep is vital to our health and wellbeing. With four in 10 Australians reported as having regular inadequate sleep, more is needed to be done to fix this chronic health problem.

major burden of sleep problems in the community,” Prof Eckert said.

“We are grateful for the support from THRF to bring these facilities to life.”

Fighting sleep apnoea with new drug therapy The AISH is currently running two clinical trials to help develop the first ever medication to treat obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition which is also an underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke.

OSA is commonly treated with a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) but it is hoped a new drug therapy can open up the airways and improve sufferers’ sleep.

“The aim of the first study is to determine the effects of a combination of drug therapies (collectively called AD173) on sleep efficiency in people with OSA,” Prof Eckert said.

“We will also be looking at the effect of these combined agents on the arousal threshold – how

often you wake up during the night – and other sleep and breathing parameters. We will also measure sleepiness and next day alertness.”

Prof Eckert said another trial was being undertaken simultaneously to measure different doses of one of the drugs (called AD-036) versus a placebo.

“This second study is expected to provide guidance on the ideal dose of AD-036 and a deeper understanding on the safety and tolerability of the use of these medicines in people with sleep apnoea.

“The outcomes will greatly inform future treatments and give patients with low tolerance to CPAP machines an alternative option to treat their sleep apnoea.”

The team is looking for men and women with OSA (who are otherwise healthy and meet other eligibility requirements) to participate in these trials. Contact AISH on 08 7421 9873 or email carolin.tran@flinders.edu.au to find out more.

RESEARCH IMPACT

Improving health through sleep

Thanks to the support of THRF’s donors and ticket buyers in the Hospital Research Home Lottery, researchers are making significant breakthroughs in their understanding of sleep and chronic sleep conditions and the impact they have on our overall health.

Leading the way is the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health (AISH) at Flinders University, which has recently built a new state-of-the-art research facility to continue its lifesaving work.

AISH Director Professor Danny Eckert said the new facility, co-funded by THRF, had a six-bedroom acoustically-treated laboratory with the latest technology to measure respiratory and brain function, test for the impacts of environmental noise on sleep and conduct live-in sleep deprivation and circadian experiments.

“The facilities allow us to combine clinical, physiology, psychology and engineering expertise in a world-class environment to tackle the

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Geoff Thomas participating in AISH clinical trials

Sleep studies vital for people like GeoffOne person who knows all too well about the potentially life-threatening risks of obstructive sleep apnoea is Geoff Thomas, who has been dealing with the condition for 15 years.

“Research has come a long way since I was first diagnosed with sleep apnoea back in 2004” Geoff said.

Obstructive sleep apnoea affects an estimated one in 10 Australians and is characterised

by complete or partial blockages in a person’s airway while they are sleeping.

Geoff works closely with the team at the AISH as he feels passionate about advancing knowledge to save lives. He also sits on their External Advisory Committee as a consumer representative.

“The research being conducted at the AISH is a game-changer and will improve the lives of those living with sleep apnoea and other life-threatening sleep conditions,” Geoff said.

If you would like to support sleep research and help more people like Geoff, simply fill out the enclosed form or visit hospitalresearch.com.au

8 RESEARCH IMPACT

Did you know bacteria are smart? They hide in a slime to protect themselves from antibiotics. This slime is called biofilm.

Finding a way to pierce through this biofilm barrier and deliver treatments directly to a patient’s infection is essential to helping patients fight off their infections, specifically those with wound, implant and upper respiratory infections.

Dr Nicky Thomas, a THRF Mid Career Fellow based at the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, and his team have developed a unique Trojan Horse strategy (where the attack is hidden in a carrier) to help deliver an enzyme which can disperse the protective barrier.

“I met some researchers in Canada who have devised an enzyme which breaks down the slimy biofilm barrier,” Dr Thomas said.

“However these enzymes are not very stable. For example, you couldn’t eat them, because your stomach would destroy them.

The fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

“So we had to come up with a strategy for how we could deliver this enzyme so it still keeps its function and doesn’t get degraded by its environment. Importantly, we also want it to act only if it comes across an infection.”

That’s where your support of Dr Thomas’s unique fighting method comes in!

“To achieve this I have proposed a Trojan Horse strategy. So rather than knocking down that protective wall, we devised something that can get inside it and then kill the bad bacteria from the inside

“Using a safe food-grade compound, we can make tiny containers that we load with our enzyme and antibiotic, thereby preserving them.

“The remarkable thing about this technology is that we make the bacteria believe they have a feast on what looks like food to them – but what they actually do is open the gate to let in what leads to their downfall, just like a Trojan Horse.”

A new method of fighting bacteria which have become resistant to antibiotics has been developed by local researchers – and showing incredible results!

Dr Thomas and his team have also found a way for the carrier to sense the presence of bad bacteria and respond by releasing its load.

“The carrier senses an infection and uses the bad bacteria as a cue to release whatever it contains. We’ve actually shown that the carriers really like bacteria!”

With the carriers able to deliver both the enzyme which breaks down the biofilm and antibiotics to kill the bacteria – plus be attracted to infections – the bacteria doesn’t stand a chance!

And the results in the laboratory have been mind-blowing: “Using our Trojan Horse approach we see a million-fold reduction in bacteria, that is a 99.9999% reduction.”

Taking the carriers beyond the lab is the next step for Dr Thomas. We look forward to keeping you updated on this exciting research!

Dr Nicky Thomas

9hospitalresearch.com.au

Barry Hankins and wife Wendy

A gift for future generations

Leaving a gift in his Will is the ultimate way Barry Hankins feels he can help find a cure for the cancers, heart disease and other illnesses that have riddled his family.

The 73-year-old and his loving wife Wendy have both been hit by heartbreak over the years and are each bequeathing a gift to The Hospital Research Foundation to bring hope to future generations.

“I’ve been through quite a few health issues myself and with our family, maybe with this gift we can avoid a few of these things in the future,” Barry said.

“I’ve been to the Basil Hetzel Institute research laboratories and I’ve been extremely impressed with what they do there. And what The Hospital Research Foundation does over a whole heap of different disease areas is absolutely fantastic.

“It’s my way of saying thank you for everything you do.”

Barry’s health issues started with a double bypass on his heart in 2002, a condition which is hereditary after his

mother and two uncles passed away from heart disease.

He has also had a scare with prostate cancer which is what his father died from; Wendy has had three minor strokes; Wendy’s daughter died from melanomas which had spread to her brain, lungs and groin; and Barry’s first wife died of an unknown blood clotting condition called Factor V (five).

“These were all things that made me want to bequeath,” he said.

“The big one at the moment is in cancer. If we can get to the point where we can eliminate cancer even coming into the body, then that would be fantastic.

“Even though I’ve had my prostate removed, my PSA count is still going up. If it gets worse, we might have to consider radiotherapy.

“Even with all these things, I’ve lived a fairly good life. Why not help other people? I know it will be very well-spent.”

Despite a few of these setbacks, Barry and Wendy continue to live an active life through their lawn and indoor bias bowls commitments, while they also enjoy travelling to Queensland every winter.

We are extremely grateful for Barry and Wendy’s lasting legacy to help fight against the deadly disease and illnesses affecting our loved ones.

For more information about leaving a gift in your Will to THRF, speak to one of our friendly team members on

(08) 8244 1100.

RESEARCH IMPACT10

Tucked away in Adelaide’s Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre is an ordinary shed with extraordinary stories.

The Mule Shed Activity Hub is a rehabilitation space for patients who have sustained debilitating injuries from either a stroke, brain, spinal injury or another type of physical accident.

It is a safe space for patients to continue their rehabilitation outside of their hospital room, where they can participate in activities that appeal to them within a hands-on workshop and an area for board games, painting and drawing.

Supported through the Centre for Creative Health, a charity of THRF Group, the Mule Shed is led by Diversional Artist and Activity Hub Coordinator Brad Wilson.

“I haven’t yet had a person who hasn’t responded to these activities which is extremely positive. Two of those patients have come back as volunteers which is great for them!”

Helping patients get their life backOne of those patients is Milan, who was in a motorbike accident on Christmas Day 2018, suffering severe injuries including short-term brain damage, a fractured spine and damage to his body.

Today, Milan has made incredible progress thanks to his positive mindset and rehab including regular activity sessions at the Mule Shed.

“I’m a mechanic by trade so I naturally gravitated towards the tools at the shed,” Milan said.

“At the beginning I couldn’t even remember three words but through strategies I worked my way up. The Mule Shed not only helped with my physical recovery but it also helped mentally and spiritually. It added a lot of value to me and my recovery.”

Milan is now working towards returning to work with the support from Brad and his occupational therapist. A life-changing result!

“I’m working hard at my rehab and I’m looking forward to returning to work with the help from my occupational therapist and Brad. The shed has been an incredible help in my rehab and I’m grateful to Brad and everyone who is helping with my recovery.”

You will find Brad amongst the inpatients and outpatients who visit, welcoming and encouraging each patient to participate in daily activities on offer.

“The patients I see are dealing with life-changing injuries that have affected them both physically and mentally. They are going through rehab and trying to find their new normal and new routine,” Brad said.

“The shed is designed to assist with their rehab and get them out of their rooms, encouraging them to socialise and interact with people as well as working with their occupational therapist and myself on their recovery.

Healing through creative arts

Mule Shed Coordinator Brad Wilson with Milan

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Saving lives from pancreatic cancer

Ten people have now received life-changing surgery for hereditary pancreatitis only available in South Australia!

Meet Ashok Sapkota, the wonderful owner of Crust Pizza at West Lakes who is passionate about giving back to the community.

The procedures are performed at the RAH, with specialist staff from TQEH, Flinders Medical Centre and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) involved, as well as surgery taking place at WCH to provide children the same opportunity.

Professor Toby Coates, Head of Kidney and Islet Transplantation at the RAH, said the procedure involves removing the pancreas to manage severe chronic pain and avoid future risk of pancreatic cancer, followed by infusing the patient’s islet cells into the liver to create insulin and prevent diabetes.

“The surgery can take between four to seven hours. The pancreas is currently transported to Melbourne for the cell isolation in collaboration with St Vincent’s Hospital and thanks to funding from THRF, before returning to Adelaide for transplantation the same day.

“South Australian clinicians are now aiming to treat more children and adults from interstate as well as overseas to offer our skilled services to cure hereditary pancreatitis, reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, and prevent diabetes.”.

Prof Toby Coates

Why are you supporting THRF?

Part of my mission as a business owner in the western suburbs is to support my local community as much as possible and any opportunity that arises, myself and my team are eager to support.

We're particularly passionate about supporting TQEH because it's the main hospital in our territory and one of the great hospitals in SA. We're familiar with the great work being done by great people down there.

Likewise, with THRF I admire the passion and enthusiasm of everyone there that's contributing to improving patient care as it's such an important cause.

Has the community response been positive?

Yes, absolutely! We've received a really great response from our regular customers. At the two events we've run to raise funds for the hospital now, we've received excellent feedback from patrons who come out to participate because they share our passion for this important cause.

Thank you Ashok! If you wish to learn more about holding a fundraiser, visit

hospitalresearch.com.au or call (08) 8244 1100. ”Has there been a highlight?

The highlight would definitely be working with great people at THRF to achieve the outcome of seeing our venue packed full of people enjoying themselves and engaging with staff to raise funds and awareness about the cause. In total so far, we've raised approximately $700.

How can you join the fight?Do you work for an organisation that is looking for ways to positively contribute to the community? There are many ways your workplace can join us in the fight to saves lives!

• Staff engagement: Inspire and motivate your staff by inviting a THRF researcher to speak at your next workplace event! Or organise your team to attend a personalised tour of our world-class research labs to learn about the progress

we are making in the fight against deadly diseases.

You may also like to provide staff the opportunity to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the community by volunteering for our organisation.

• Fundraising: A fun, social and rewarding way to come together as a collective to raise much needed funds in the fight for cures and improved care in our hospitals. You may choose to engage in workplace giving, be involved in one of our fundraising events or you might even like to host your own event.

• Commercial opportunities: This can include cause-related marketing campaigns; pro bono and in-kind support; funding of a specific project, grant, student or piece of equipment; or sponsoring one of our yearly events. We would love to learn more about your organisation and how we can partner with you to fight the diseases you care about.

Visit our website or speak with our friendly team about how you would like to help find cures and improve care!

You probably know chemotherapy is a common treatment method for cancer, but did you know that because traditional chemo is delivered intravenously, it doesn’t reach cancers within the abdominal cavity very well.

Together with your help, we can purchase a piece of revolutionary new equipment called PIPAC (Pressurised Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy) that delivers chemo more directly to these abdominal cancers and in turn, brings a much higher rate of success and fewer debilitating side effects.

This is lifesaving for patients suffering from cancers of the bowel, ovaries, liver, oesophagus, pancreas and more!

Head Office 60 Woodville Rd Woodville, South Australia, 5011

(08) 8244 1100 hospitalresearch.com.au

Help us beat cancer with new chemo treatment

If you would like to help Adelaide patients access this revolutionary cancer-treating equipment, you can donate by returning the form within this newsletter, visiting h o s p i t a l r e s e a r c h . c o m . a u or calling (08) 8244 1100.

You will help change the way that cancers of the stomach are treated and save more lives!

Do you have a story you would like to share? Get in touch with us at contactus@hospitalresearch.com.au or on (08) 8244 1100.