Inspiring Health
Transforming Care

Sydney Brain Centre

Neurology & Stroke is one of the Research Centres at Ingham Institute Liverpool. The location next to Liverpool Hospital allows the co-location of research, education and clinical practice.

What we do
We’re a neurology-focused research group specialising in stroke. Our research group in includes a diverse set of individuals and skill sets.

Research Group Impact
We’re currently running several clinical trials across all phases in an effort to improve individuals’ outcomes after a stroke or neurology event.

By searching for new treatments, improving what we currently have, or better assessing patients we’re striving to support people during one of their most difficult times.

Benefit to Community
So far, we’ve led the country in acute stroke research by:
• improving stroke identification pre-hospital
• developing new brain imaging tools to support stroke diagnosis and treatment
• completing world-leading trials that have changed global clinical practice

Group Leader
Mark Parsons

Major Accomplishments / Awards

  • 11 publications
  • grants >$1.3m
  • Ingham Institute Research Excellence Awards 2022 (Lady Mary Fairfax AC, OBE Distinguished Researcher Award)

Description

We’re currently undertaking the project to identify stroke risk factors, aetiologies and outcomes for First Nations and Pacific Islander people stroke survivors.

Research Impact

  • We found distinct cerebrovascular disease profiles in First Nations and Pacific Islander people who present with stroke symptoms in Australia
  • These profiles may be used in the future to direct targeted approaches to stroke prevention and care in culturally and linguistically diverse populations

Benefits

This project will create new approaches to stroke prevention and care that are urgently needed due to the diversities of disease present within and between communities.

In partnership with the communities, our findings will influence stroke education and prevention networks. The aim will be to produce culturally-specific programs and test their efficacy against existing strategies.

Collaborators & Partners

  • South Western Sydney Local Health District
  • South Western Sydney Clinical Campuses UNSW
  • First Nations communities
  • Pacific Islanders communities

Funder

UNSW Medicine & Health Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine (CVMM) Theme: Big Ideas Seed Grant Scheme

Description

The ongoing project unites pre-eminent clinical trialists with internationally renowned expertise in stroke imaging. We’ll explore the potential of the safe and widely available anti-inflammatory agent, colchicine, to reduce the vascular inflammation responsible for stroke recurrence and cognitive decline.

In a world-first study, we’ll implement a novel brain and blood vessel neuroimaging paradigm to shed new light on colchicine’s anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We’ll identify individuals at high risk of rapid disease progression.

Research Impact and Benefits

This project has the potential to substantially reduce the incidence of both recurrent stroke and vascular dementia. In collaboration with our partners, the project could completely alter stroke prevention guidelines and clinical practice.

Collaborators & Partners

  • Sydney Partnership for Health, Education, Research and Enterprise (SPHERE)
  • National Stroke Foundation
  • Australian Stroke Alliance
  • Multiple Health Service partners (including South Western Sydney Local Health District, Melbourne Health, Hunter New England Health)
  • Multiple Research Institutes (Melbourne Brain Centre and Hunter Medical)
  • Commercial partner — Siemens

Funders

  • MRFF (Medical Research Future Fund) Cardiovascular Health Grant
  • Ingham Institute Cardiovascular Research Grant

Description

We’re undertaking work to develop new brain imaging analysis tools with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. We’re using these tools to identify new strokes, and in particular support the identification of subtle or hard-to-identify strokes.

Research Impact and Benefits

We hope this work will enhance the extraction of important information from readily available data to support doctors looking after patients that they suspect are having an acute stroke.

Collaborators & Partners

  • Melbourne Brain Centre
  • John Hunter Hospital

The gift of a present husband and father

“We thought we’d lost him forever. But now he’s back with us and we’re so grateful.”

Jane Doe

When Sam suffered a stroke, his wife thought he would never recover. But thanks to Professor No Name’s pioneering research, Sam recovered his ability to speak and walk. For his wife Jane and family, there is no price too high to pay for the miracle of having a husband and father alive and well.

Find out how you can support our work

As a charitable organisation, the Ingham Institute relies on public donations and fundraising to enable our researchers to continue their vital work.

We’re proud that 100% of donations go directly to support medical research.
— Find out how you can personally donate to the work of the Ingham Institute
— Learn more about our corporate partnerships
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