What is the issue for NSW?
As the state with the largest population in Australia, NSW suffers disproportionately from the economic and social burdens of heart attack and heart failure. This project will ultimately lead to decreased morbidity and mortality for heart failure and myocardial infarct patients. Success of this project could decrease the health care costs of NSW government and, in helping keep the NSW population healthy, would also contribute to increased productivity.
In terms of economic drivers, NSW requires new technologies to employ new scientists and attract industry. Our project looks to change views on “old models” of disease and this can lead the way for new health therapeutic sectors including cell, gene and RBA therapies. This can lead to job creation and economic growth.
What does the research aim to do and how?
Our project aims to improve the gap in current knowledge on the mechanisms that underpin heart attack and heart failure. It will do this using powerful new technologies that have only very recently become available. Such tools look at very diverse interactions of many different cells and how these cells may be involved in the process of heart failure. Recent increased computing power and machine learning algorithms have led to this new technology. Ultimately, knowledge from our project will lead to development of new treatments that target these unique cells and could reduce the numbers of people who have a heart attack and heart failure.