University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne has an outstanding international profile in many facets of the neurosciences. Our cohort of eminent neuroscientists spans the breadth of the University and utilises multidisciplinary approaches to investigate a wide array of areas ranging from the neurobiology of cognitive function through to applied research designed to minimise the impact of major health care issues relevant to the spectrum of neurologic and psychiatric illness.
The Centre for Neuroscience within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences is a self-funded hub for neuroscience research in multiple sclerosis research, stem cell science and neural repair, neurodegenerative disease, bioinformatics and neuroimaging, and a key coordinator of research higher degree activities in neuroscience both within the University and with our affiliate partners. The Centre’s Director is Professor Trevor Kilpatrick, who is also the leader of the Faculty’s Neuroscience and Behavioural Sciences Research Domain which encompasses the activities of approximately 300 researchers within the Faculty. The interests of these researchers are grouped into sub-domains and include: clinical neurology/neurodegenerative disease, developmental neurobiology and stem cell science, neurogenetics, neurophysiology/autonomic and sensory systems, mental health, advanced technologies (including imaging), molecular and cellular neurobiology, auditory and visual sciences, behavioural neurosciences, social psychology, clinical psychology, epilepsy, stroke, and neurotrauma.
Regenerative medicine, which is aimed at enhancing repair in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), is an area of dedicated focus for the University. In recognition of their advances in MS research, Professor Kilpatrick and his Multiple Sclerosis Research Group, which is based at the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, were awarded the prestigious Australian Museum Eureka prize for medical research for 2008. Members of the Group were also involved in research which led to the identification of two novel susceptibility loci for multiple sclerosis in a genome wide scan conducted by the ANZgene consortium under the umbrella of an ARC linkage grant coordinated by the Centre for Neuroscience. This work is now proceeding to functional studies to dissect out how the relevant genes alter the predisposition to multiple sclerosis. In addition, the Ausimmune study, a multicentre epidemiological study established to identify environmental precipitants of MS, in which Professor Kilpatrick has been a founding member, has identified vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor. Planning is now proceeding to determine the best way to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of developing MS. Enhancing this work are recently established alliances between the Centre for Neuroscience and Departments of Zoology and Pharmacology to create a University-wide focused expertise in stem cell biology. The University of Melbourne Stem Cell Interest Group has recently been established and brings together stem cell research groups at the University and affiliated medical research institutes for information and resource sharing and to foster collaborative activities.
University of Melbourne researchers are in the process of developing, refining and assessing new generation MRI techniques to study microstructural alterations within the cerebral parenchyma, both in animal models and human studies. Sensory neuroscience encompasses vision, hearing, olfaction, taste, tactile sensation and aberrations of sensation, such as chronic pain. University-based research in the sensory neurosciences can be found in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences’ School of Medicine Departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology and other Departments, as well as in the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences within the Faculty of Science.
The University of Melbourne has internationally recognised research across the spectrum of neurological disorders including stroke, epilepsy and dementia. The relevant research includes the interrogation of disease pathogenesis using animal models and in vitro systems, genetic studies, clinical trials and epidemiologically-based research. Drawing these groups together provides an opportunity to enhance translational opportunities through interaction with public teaching hospital partners in both adult and paediatric medicine.
Mental health and an understanding of the determinants of human behaviour continues to be a priority area for both public and academic focus. The University has considerable activity in this area, especially via the work of Orygen, the Department of Psychiatry, School of Behavioural Science and School of Population Health. Research currently being undertaken by neuropsychiatry groups at the University is at the forefront of identifying the clinical basis and best treatment strategies for a wide spectrum of psychiatric illness ranging from schizophrenia to eating disorders. Associate Professor Harry Minas of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for International Mental Health is leading an initiative which will see an international observatory established to eradicate human rights abuses against people suffering mental illness in developing countries.
The neurosciences are becoming increasingly dependent upon computational modelling/simulations, systems biology and the application of complex statistical analysis to large data sets, developments in the field of stem cell biology and the application of materials science and bionics, for which there are dedicated foci within the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science.
Research in neuroinformatics and systems biology will be enhanced by a $100 million Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative , $50 million of which has been provided by the State Government of Victoria. The University of Melbourne will be hosting this initiative which will see the development of a life-science dedicated computer during the coming years which will provide computational expertise to the life-science institutions throughout the Parkville Precinct and beyond, thus strengthening the life sciences capability of our neuroscientists.
The Centre for Neural Engineering (CFNE) is a joint initiative between the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. The Centre was recently awarded $17.5 million from the Commonwealth Education Investment Fund for fit-out and engineering research equipment for an Engineering node and Directorate, neuroscience research equipment for a Neuroscience node and a new building for a Data Centre equipped with data storage equipment, cooling and data backup capabilities. The CFNE will endeavour to facilitate productive knowledge transfer between the engineering and neuroscience disciplines. The core goals of the CFNE will be the development of new approaches to facilitate an understanding of how neurons, neural networks and ultimately, whole brains function and the creation and use of neurotechnology to enable the development of neural prostheses, such as the bionic eye.
The State Government of Victoria has recently provided $2 million toward the establishment of a cross-disciplinary research institute dedicated to innovations in broadband products and services that will benefit Australian society. The Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society will see leading researchers from the University of Melbourne engage with local and international industry partners, to develop and test new products and services in areas such as e-health, e-education, e-commerce, and environmental monitoring.
In recognition of the University’s strength in the neurosciences, the University is actively exploring ways to further enhance its profile and capacity in the neurosciences and to foster inter-disciplinary research to optimise meaningful outcomes. As is occurring with a small number of identified University theme areas, consideration is being given to the development of a virtual institute structure that could facilitate a coherent presentation of the University’s strengths in neurosciences. A key objective is to build on the links with public teaching hospitals, independent medical research institutes and commercial partners, including the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries, in order to facilitate knowledge transfer. This is especially important given that the University has entered into partnership with the Florey Neuroscience Institutes and the Mental Health Research Institute to develop shared facilities on the University campus at Parkville and at the Austin Health campus, collectively known as the Melbourne Neuroscience Project. The partners have entered advanced stages of planning for this development and we look forward to sharing these state of the art facilities by 2011. This development will create the largest neuroscience and mental health research facility in Australia, significantly increasing Australia’s capacity to undertake medical research.