College of Medicine & Dentistry

Semagn Abate

Doctor of Philosophy (Health)
semagn.abate@my.jcu.edu.au

Joseph Kamara

Senior Lecturer Disaster Health and Humanitarian Assistance
joseph.kamara@jcu.edu.au

Eric Kalo

Lecturer Medical Education
eric.kalo@jcu.edu.au

Erin Waters

JCU Associate Professor
erin.waters@jcu.edu.au

Kannan Maharajan

Associate Professor, Pharmacy
kannan.maharajan@jcu.edu.au

Fahmida Begum Mina

Doctor of Philosophy (Medical, Molecular and Veterinary Sciences)
fahmidabegum.mina@my.jcu.edu.au

Kootsy Canuto

Principal Research Fellow, Indigenous Men's Health Promotion
kootsy.canuto@jcu.edu.au

Lynsey Brown

Adjunct Senior Lecturer
lynsey.brown@jcu.edu.au

Ali Isin

Adjunct Senior Research Fellow
ali.isin@jcu.edu.au

Seed funding -improving stroke management by characterising the ischaemic penumrba proteome.

Joseph Moxon - Medicine

01 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025

Current therapies for stroke work by restoring the blood supply to the brain to rescue oxygen-starved tissue at risk of dying (known as the ischaemic penumbra). Consumer groups highlight that therapies to slow the death of cells in the penumbra is a priority, however, surprisingly little is known about the biology of this tissue. This study will utilise laboratory models of stroke, and apply modern imaging, proteomic and bioinformatic approaches to characterise the major pathways driving penumbra phenotype. Generated data will provide a world's first perspective into penumbra biology as an important foundation for subsequent grants seeking to test potential therapuetic targets.

Comparison of PoCT for salivary cortisol with Salimetrics ELIZA Salivary Cortisol

Donna Rudd - Physiology and Pharmacology

31 Jul 2024 - 31 Jul 2025

Salivary cortisol has always been a useful tool for measuring and monitoring stress in individuals particularly in a research setting. This tool is now very much moving into a diagnostic setting with the use of salivary and hair cortisols as a part of routine psychiatric investigation. Methodological validation is important to ensure that the methods employed in research trials are validated to a standard expected in pathology laboratories and recommended by ISO15189 and local guidelines. This project will utilise salivary cortisol samples collected for two ongoing research trials to validate the Salimetrics Salivary Cortisol assay and provide researchers with quality assurance around their results.

Enhancing notification-driven linkage to care for people living with hepatitis C in Queensland: System constraints and solutions

Iyke Emeto - PHTM - Research Methods

14 Aug 2024 - 14 Aug 2026

This project aims to identify and address system barriers hindering the effective use of notification data to identify individuals with untreated hepatitis C (HCV) infection in Queensland, Australia. The study will focus on improving surveillance and linkage to care processes. Despite the availability of curative treatments, HCV remains a significant public health issue, particularly among high-risk populations. Current surveillance systems and case definitions are inadequate for identifying individuals with active HCV infection who require treatment. The project involves a comprehensive approach, including a literature review, system mapping, and gap analysis of the Queensland HCV surveillance system. Additionally, a pilot study will analyze HCV notification data to inform potential data outputs and system improvements. The ultimate goal is to develop recommendations for enhancing HCV surveillance and linkage to care in Queensland, contributing to Australia’s HCV elimination targets

Autologous Platelet-Derivated Grown Factors for the Functionalization of PCL-3D Printed Construct: an in-vitro and in-vivo study

Tulio Fernandez Medina - Dentistry

Immunomodulatory properties of three different chairside autologous blood preparations for the functionalization of pcl-3d printed constructs.

Tulio Fernandez Medina - Dentistry

Reprograming innate inflammatory response on neutrophils by altering the protein corona of titanium surface

Tulio Fernandez Medina - Dentistry

A Novel Highly Porous Bioresorbable 3D Scaffold using Pure Zinc Mesh for a Vertical Bone Augmentation

Tulio Fernandez Medina - Dentistry

Reprograming innate inflammatory response on dental implants towards advance osseointegration

Tulio Fernandez Medina - Dentistry

The anti-inflammatory effects of Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) venom peptides on the complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis

Haleagrahara Nagaraja - Foundation Studies

- 30 Nov 2023

The novel project aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory and therapeutic potential of proteins extracted from Chironex fleckeri (box jellyfish) venom in experimental arthritis using DBA/J1 mice. Collagen Type II-induced arthritis will be established in DBA/J1 mice, and after three weeks, the mice will be treated with 20 µg of venom proteins. The anti-arthritis effects will be evaluated through knee joint histology, arthritis clinical scoring, and inflammatory cytokine assays.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Prevention of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Recurrence: A Pilot Study

Haleagrahara Nagaraja - Foundation Studies

01 Jun 2022 - 01 Dec 2023

The study's main objective was to compare the healing parameters of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) between patients undergoing the standard of care (SOC) alone and Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) with SOC