Two Perron Institute researchers are recipients of three $100,000 WA Near-Miss Awards – Ideas Grants awarded by the Cook Government totaling more than $2 million to WA health and medical researchers.
Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said the grants were provided through the Government’s successful Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund.
The grants assist WA researchers who submitted applications to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grant scheme deemed suitable for funding but exceeded the NHMRCs budget.
Dr Jamie Beros, a postdoctoral researcher at the Perron Institute and The University of Western Australia (UWA), received funding for a project exploring a brain connectivity approach to treating depression with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).
rTMS is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation that is a promising alternative intervention for individuals with treatment-resistant depression. However, the neurobiological mechanisms of how rTMS induces changes in the brain are still relatively unknown.
“In our study, we will use advanced neuroscience techniques such as genetic modification and light stimulation to map some of the brain-wide changes induced by rTMS and how this may differ with different stimulation parameters,” Dr Beros said.
“We believe increased research into uncovering the fundamental mechanisms of rTMS is crucial for understanding how rTMS can best be used for improved therapeutic outcomes.
“I am grateful to be a recipient of this grant. The FHRI near-miss grant scheme is a fantastic funding opportunity, particularly for early to mid-career researchers like myself.
“It provides funds to collect preliminary data to support future grant applications and hopefully increase the likelihood of success.”
Key collaborators on the project include Associate Professor Jennifer Rodger and Dr Alex Tang from the Perron Institute and UWA and Dr Roger Marek from the University of Queensland.
Dr Virginie Lam from Curtin University’s School of Population Health and affiliated with the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and the Perron Institute received funding for two projects.
The first is investigating an innovative remyelination therapy aiming to restore myelin – protective sheaths surrounding nerve fibres – in people with multiple sclerosis, potentially improving symptoms and slowing or halting the progression of the disease.
Dr Lam’s other project aims to prevent cognitive issues in breast cancer survivors caused by chemotherapy, such as memory lapses and difficulty concentrating, by using neuroprotective compounds developed by her team.
Article sources include: WA Government and Curtin University media statements.