Impactful research spotlighted in NHMRC’s '10 of the Best'

Projects led by Professor Cath Chamberlain, Professor Lex Doyle and Associate Professor Linda Wakim from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences have been featured in the latest edition of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) 10 of the Best.

This publication showcases outstanding research that is helping to address major health challenges faced by the community.

Professor Cath Chamberlain’s cited research, undertaken at La Trobe University, focused on new interventions to improve the cardiometabolic health of Indigenous mothers, and explored the role that complex and intergenerational trauma play in reducing the effectiveness of existing approaches.

These findings led her to develop a model of care for Indigenous parents experiencing complex trauma, which is now being piloted by community health services in Victoria and Western Australia.

Professor Lex Doyle was featured for his leadership of the Centre for Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute from 2009-2018, during which time it produced new knowledge in the fields of newborn resuscitation, respiratory support, neuroimaging, and developmental surveillance.

The Centre has also worked to translate this research into policy and practice to improve health outcomes for premature and unwell infants.

Associate Professor Linda Wakim’s cited research discovered that placing influenza-reactive T cells in the upper respiratory tract can provide long-term immunity from influenza by preventing the virus from reaching the lung, while also reducing viral shedding and transmission.

These findings have formed the basis for further research to develop an influenza vaccine that can provide longer term and cross-strain protection.

Read more about the featured projects on the NHMRC website