Heart Foundation grants for groundbreaking research projects

Institute news

Congratulations to our Heart Foundation Research Grant recipients this year, and those around the country working to improve the heart health of our communities.

We’re delighted to receive more than $1.12m for new cardiovascular disease research. 

A hearty congratulations to our talented researchers:

• Vanguard Grant recipients
• ⭐ Professor Karlheinz Peter, Associate Professor James McFadyen, Dr Jonathan Noonan
• Postdoctoral Fellowships
• ⭐ Dr Pooranee Morgan, Dr Hannah Stevens, Dr Cheng Hwee Soh
• Postgraduate Scholarships
• ⭐ Danielle Robinson, Beryl Lin, Emilia Nan Tie
• Collaboration and Exchange Award
• ⭐ Associate Professor Erin Howden

The science these Vanguard Grants support

A new way to dramatically improve recovery from heart attacks
Dr Jonathan Noonan will run a clinical study for an arthritis drug, abatacept, that is being repurposed to stop immune cells from going into overdrive after a heart attack. This treatment nearly eliminated inflammation in mouse models, maintaining the heart’s ability to beat effectively. Check out the Ten News story below 🔽

A sought-after therapy that helps the brain recover after a stroke
Professor Karlheinz Peter received the grant for preclinical trials of an innovative therapy to reduce inflammation following stroke. This uses mRNA to produce a natural anti-inflammatory protein inside the body. This protein helps calm the immune system and protect brain tissue.

Effective heart screening programs for cancer survivors
Associate Professor James McFadyen will develop a diagnostic device to predict risks of bleeding and blood clots in patients on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). ECMO is a form of life support used in critically ill patients with cardiac arrest to keep blood moving through the body and keep oxygen and carbon dioxide in balance.

See full details on the Heart Foundation website.