ANNUAL REPORT 2008-09 QIMR ANNUAL REPORT 2008-09 ANNUAL REPORT 2008-09 300 Herston Road, Herston QLD 4006, Australia P: (+61) 7 3362 0222 F: (+61) 7 3362 0111 www.qimr.edu.au [email protected] ABOUT US QIMR is one of Australia’s largest and most successful medical research institutes. Our researchers are investigating the genetic and environmental causes of more than 40 diseases as well as developing new diagnostics, better treatments and prevention strategies. The Institute’s diverse research program extends from tropical diseases to cancers to Indigenous health, mental health, obesity, HIV and asthma. OUR VISION Better health through medical research. OUR MISSION To prevent and cure disease through research. OUR PHILOSOPHY QIMR supports scientists who perform world-class ethical medical research aimed at improving the health and well-being of all people. 300 Herston Road, Herston QLD 4006, Australia T: 1800 993 000 E: [email protected] www.qimr.edu.au Project Manager Sarah Tennant Compilation Jann O’Keefe Editing Sarah-Jane Matthews Design Rowland OUR LOGO Graphic Support Mimi Kersting Photography Heather Matthews The QIMR logo is comprised of superimposed Tony Phillips benzene rings which symbolise one of the fundamental Published October 2009 molecular arrangements of the chemicals which make Copies can be obtained by phoning up living things. 1800 993 000 or [email protected] Online version available at www.qimr.edu.au Director – Professor Michael Good AO Deputy Director – Professor Adèle Green AC www.qimr.edu.au | [email protected] 1800 993 000 Cover Image: Close up of neuron network Inside Cover Image: Rebekah Brennan, PhD student Cellular Immunology Laboratory - Immunology Division QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 CONTENTS Organisational structure 2 QIMR at a glance 4 Research highlights 6 Chairman’s report 9 Members of Council 10 Director’s report 12 Patron’s message 15 Research Divisions 16 Genetics and Population Health 18 Immunology 34 Cancer and Cell Biology 47 Infectious Diseases 59 Joint Research 74 Corporate Division 80 Trust report 90 Members of Trust 91 Postgraduate training 96 World-class Completed students 98 Student awards 99 ethical medical research aimed Awards 100 Grants and funding 103 at improving Publications 106 the health and Lectures 130 well-being of Staff 141 all people Research students 150 Acronyms 152 QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 • 1 Administrative Support ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE General Manager Corporate Services Scientifi c Services External Relations Building Services Administrative Support Systems Implementation Stores Science Communication Safety Regulatory Affairs Purchasing Animal Welfare Graphic Support Business Development Flow Cytometry Fundraising Human Resources Glassware Services Business Services Q-Gen Histotechnology Records & Information DNA & Peptide Facility Culture & Information Technology Media Services Finance Animal Facility Grants Operational Services Transgenic Breeding Experimental Holding 2 • QIMRQIMMRM - AnnualAnnnnnual Report 2008-20092008-200 DEPUTY DIRECTOR DIRECTOR Assistant Strategic Science Director Committee (Advisory) Assistant Clinical & Translational Research Committee Director (Advisory) Senior Executive Team (Advisory) Infectious Diseases Immunology Cancer & Cell Biology Genetics & Population Mental Health Research Bacterial Vaccines Cellular Immunology Iron Metabolism Cancer Genetics Mental Health Research Malaria Drug Resistance Molecular Vaccinology Leukaemia Foundation Indigenous Health Cancer & Population Malaria Biology Immunology & Infection QCF Transgenics Studies Clinical Protein Discovery Centre Immunohaematology Signal Transduction Oncogenomics HIV Molecular Virology Molecular Immunology Molecular Pathology Molecular Psychiatry Bone Marrow Radiation Biology Parasite Cell Biology Transplantation & Oncology Genetic Epidemiology Infl ammatory Bowel RBWH Foundation Disease Scabies Tumour Immunology Conjoint Gastroenterology Molecular Epidemiology Helminth Biology Dendritic Cells & Cancer Drug Discovery Group Neurogenetics Clinical Tropical Medicine EBV Biology Hepatic Fibrosis Gynaecological Cancer Group Molecular Parasitology Cancer Immunotherapy Membrane Transport Molecular Cancer Epidemiology Mosquito Control Immunovirology Familial Cancer Molecular Genetics Qld Statistical Genetics Bacterial Pathogenesis Cancer Control Group EBV Molecular Biology Skin Cancer Carcinogenesis Epigenetics QIMRQIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 • 3 QIMR AT A GLANCE Supporting scientists who perform world-class medical research aimed at improving the health and well-being of all people. PATENT PORTFOLIO BY CATEGORY RESEARCH AGREEMENTS New treatment patents Research service agreements Vaccine patents Clinical trial agreements Delivery platform patents Commercialisation agreements Diagnostic patents Intellectual property agreements Drug target patents License agreements Others QIMR COMPETITIVE GRANT REVENUE 2000-2009 – FUNDING RECEIVED/AWARDED $ Millions 60 50 Other granting bodies 40 The Atlantic Philanthropies Queensland Cancer Fund 30 National Institutes of Health 20 National Health and Medical Research Council 10 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 4 • QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 NHMRC FUNDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT $ Millions $ Millions 20 8.0 18 7.0 16 14 6.0 12 5.0 10 4.0 8 3.0 6 4 2.0 2 1.0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 Grants Fellowships and scholarships Donations & Gifts Sponsorship Event Revenue Bequests/Gifts in Kind STAFF NUMBERS 600 500 400 300 200 100 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Staff Students QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 • 5 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS • Clinical trials begin for a vaccine to combat one of the world’s biggest disease killers – the Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria. • Donor antigen presenting cells found to cause graft versus host disease in bone marrow transplantation patients. • The genetic risk of schizophrenia found to be the result of thousands of common genetic variations common to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. • Identifi ed four new arboviruses from Antarctica. • Mapped the major chromosomes of Giardia duodenali; a common parasite that is often contracted from untreated water sources causing diarrhoea and vomiting. • Mapped the genome of Schistosoma japonicum; the fi rst fl atworm to be mapped. • Mitigated dengue risk in areas in southern Vietnam through the use of community based, biological control interventions to control the number of dengue spreading mosquito larvae. • Showed that the bacteria Wolbachia effectively shortens the life cycle of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, preventing it from spreading dengue fever. • Identifi ed elevated serum hyaluronic acid levels as a new diagnostic marker for the detection of cirrhosis in patients with haemochromatosis, removing the need for liver biopsy in 60% of patients. 6 • QIMR - Annual Report 2008-2009 CANCER RELATED RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS • Contributed to the development of a topical treatment for skin cancer by demonstrating the anti cancer properties of PEP005, found in the common radium weed. • Identifi ed the reason women with BRCA1 gene expression are at a higher genetic risk of developing breast cancer. • Identifi ed two gene variants that double the risk of developing melanoma. • Discovered women who eat a diet high in fats, processed and red meats may be at an increased risk of ovarian cancer. • Demonstrated that year-round regular sunscreen use for prevention of skin cancers produces cost savings for health providers in Australia. • Showed that a diet characterised by relatively low intakes of meat, fried foods and full-fat dairy products halved the risk of developing new cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). • Found the combined effect of obesity, acid refl ux and smoking increased the risk of developing oesophageal cancers. • Identifi ed additional breast cancer susceptibility genes through genome wide studies. QIMRQIMIMR - AnnualAnnual Report 2008-2009 • 7 AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS • Professor Emma Whitelaw, Senior Principal Research Fellow, received one of only 12 Australia Fellowships which will provide a $4 million injection of funding to further her research in the fi eld of epigenetics. • Professor Dave Kemp, Head of QIMR’s Scabies Laboratory, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in recognition of his service to medical research as a molecular biologist, particularly in the area of tropical health and infectious diseases, and for contributions to Indigenous health. • Professor Michael Good completed three years as Chairman of the NHMRC Council. • Former QIMR Director, Professor Lawrie Powell awarded the 2008 Distinguished Achievement Award of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. He is the only Australian ever to receive the award and only the third recipient outside the USA in 53 years. • Dr Stuart Macgregor awarded the 2009 Premier’s Award for Health and Medical Research. • Professors Adèle Green, Peter Parsons, Nick Hayward and Associate Professors Penny Webb and David Whiteman’s NHMRC Program Grant selected by the NHMRC for their 2008 list of “10 of the Best”. • Marina Kvaskoff received the 2008 L’Oreal France- UNESCO Women in Science Award. • QIMR’s fi rst Indigenous cadet, Lisa Whop successfully completed a Bachelor Applied Science (Medical Science) at the Queensland University of Technology. • Ms Lorna Lane, Corporate Division, awarded the Bancroft Medal for an outstanding