Musculoskeletal

Ageing & Pharmacology.

Researchers within the Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology are working to improve healthy ageing in older people.Our focus is on prevention and better management of the geriatric syndromes, including frailty, falls and confusion.

We are part of the Penney Ageing Research Unit and our research aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of medicines for older adults. We use laboratory, clinical and population based studies to understand the risks and benefits of medicines in older people, particularly with those with multiple chronic medical conditions. Our research aims to inform drug choices, doses and formulations of medicines for older people. This will help older people benefit from medicines and minimise adverse effects.

We have developed a pharmacological risk assessment tool, the Drug Burden Index, to assess the impact of an older person’s medicines on their physical function. We have demonstrated that higher Drug Burden Index is linked to loss of independence, more falls, frailty, longer stays in hospital and a greater mortality.

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Murray Maxwell Biomechanics Laboratory

The Murray Maxwell Biomechanics Laboratory is a biomedical engineering-based research group which studies the links between joint injury and diseases such as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy.

We study how injuries affect the mechanical function of joints, how changes in mechanical function drive disease, and how these injuries can be prevented.

We perform independent research, while also collaborating with orthopaedic surgeons and the biotechnology industry.

Our research focuses on the prevention and repair of ligament and tendon injuries - and improving orthopaedic devices and surgical techniques.

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Dermatology

At the Royal North Shore Hospital Department of Dermatology Clinical and Translational Medicine Laboratory, we focus on three key areas including clinical trials, clinical projects and translational studies.

It can take more than 30 years from the discovery of a new medicine in the laboratory to the approved use of that compound with a patient in a clinic. It can then be another decade before that medicine is widely adopted by the medical community.

Our research team accelerates this entire process in three important ways. Firstly, by being actively involved in clinical trials, we can offer our patients immediate access to the latest and most advanced medicines.

Secondly, we conduct clinical studies to improve our understanding of the use of existing and new medicines, alongside projects to improve the early diagnosis and recognition of diseases.

And lastly, we perform laboratory experiments, with a focus on clinical observation and human tissues to better understand the causes of these conditions.

Ultimately, this means we are able to contribute to the discovery of new and targeted therapies for all dermatological conditions.

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Hand Surgery

The Royal North Shore Hospital’s Department of Hand and Peripheral Nerve Surgery has a clinical and research focus. It provides high level care to patients with complex hand and peripheral nerve problems, while also advancing the science of the speciality through clinical and basic scientific research.

With an emphasis on clinically relevant topics, the department undertakes surgical outcome reviews, surgical technique developments, multi-centre international trials, comparative anatomy studies, and publishes case reports.

Our team has specialised clinical interests in congenital hand anomalies, brachial plexus injuries, tetraplegia and spasticity, and therefore much of the research undertaken focuses on these areas. Our work and research in these fields is recognised worldwide, with Professor Michael Tonkin and Dr Claudia Gschwind regularly invited to present findings at international congresses.

In a career focused on congenital hand surgery and its associated research, Professor Tonkin co-developed the internationally used eponymous Oberg Manske Tonkin Classification of Congenital Anomalies of the Hand and Upper Limb. This system now provides the basis of many research projects worldwide in congenital hand surgery.

Raymond Purves Bone & Joint Research Laboratory

The Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory leads Australia in research into some of the key musculoskeletal diseases affecting our population. This includes osteoarthritis, tendon injury and intervertebral disc degeneration.

There is currently no cure for these common, chronic disabling conditions and long-term management options are limited. It is only through a better understanding of the disease and tissue breakdown, that we will be able to develop therapies to modify the conditions.

The Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory team is well placed to improve the health of patients with musculoskeletal disease. We are located alongside Royal North Shore Hospital and have developed close relationships with orthopaedic surgeons at the hospital. This means our latest research developments can be efficiently incorporated into future clinical care.

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Pain

At the Pain Management Research Institute, our vision is to be a global leader in comprehensive pain management solutions. We strive to achieve this by undertaking cutting-edge research and delivering education and training to clinicians caring for people with chronic pain.

Since our inception in 1991, we have focused on patient advocacy and integrating our research and training with clinical services. Through this process, the latest research can inform future care.

The Pain Management Research Institute is part of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health. It has academic and lab space within the Kolling Institute building, as well as facilities in the Douglas building at Royal North Shore Hospital.

From here, our clinical research is undertaken alongside the nationally and internationally-recognised pain education program. Patients with acute pain, cancer pain and chronic non-cancer pain receive treatment in collaboration with the Michael J Cousins’ Pain Management & Research Centre.

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Allied Health

Research within the Kolling Institute focuses on the role of allied health professionals in patient care, from assessment and diagnosis to the management of patients.

Across the Northern Sydney Local Health District, there are more than 1,300 allied health professionals, representing 11 per cent of the workforce. These teams not only provide vital support in hospitals and specialist clinics, but in community settings as well.

The Northern Sydney Local Health District Allied Health Research team undertakes activities which encourage the participation of allied health clinicians in research activities. We are working collaboratively to build a culture of research which will ultimately inform best-practice care for patients.

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Neuroscience

Our group investigates the way neurogenetic disorders develop.

We focus on Mitochondrial diseases and movement disorders. We also provide diagnostic support for our large clinic for patients with mitochondrial diseases and movement disorders.

Our focus is to develop accurate methods of diagnosis and advance understanding of how genetic mutations cause neurological disease. Ultimately, we aim to translate the results of our research into improved clinical care for our patients with neurological disorders.

Defining an individual’s disease-causing mutations provides clinicians and patients with information for appropriate treatment and genetic counselling. We use next-generation sequencing methods to discover and identify new gene mutations in individuals who may have unusual disease symptoms.

Our specific goal is to identify key molecular pathways involved in the development of neurological diseases, with a particular focus on mitochondrial function. To understand an individual’s genetic mutation, we use various methods including molecular biological techniques, mitochondrial function assays, biomarker measurement and patient derived stem cells to create in vitro models of neurological disease.

Our clinical studies are aimed at determining the history of mitochondrial diseases, identifying factors that can predict disease progression and severity, and developing tools to monitor disease progression to enhance the performance of clinical trials.

Funding sources include the Mito Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council, HSP Research Foundation, Parkinson’s NSW, the Hughie Foundation and the Rebecca Cooper Medical Research Foundation.

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Orthopaedic Surgery

The Orthopaedic Surgery Department brings together surgeons from different specialties with a common interest in improving the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries.

We are currently conducting research into hip and knee replacement, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tendon disease, acute spinal injuries, musculoskeletal trauma and hand tendon dysfunction and repair.

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Osteoarthritis Research

The Osteoarthritis Research Team is a large and highly collaborative team which focuses on all aspects of clinical and translational research in osteoarthritis.

We work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including the Back Pain Research Team and are committed to designing and testing innovative, accessible, technology-based interventions that could accelerate recovery and decrease the burden of musculoskeletal pain globally.

Our research focuses on numerous aspects of osteoarthritis including the epidemiology of osteoarthritis, imaging in osteoarthritis, clinical trials, novel therapies in disease management and health services research for chronic disease management.

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Rehabilitation

The John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research focuses on research and education in rehabilitation and injury-related disability.

Our centre is part of the University of Sydney and the Kolling Institute, and our team has broad experience across a range of disciplines.

Our primary goals are to:

• Generate new knowledge to improve health outcomes for people with injury related disability
• Promote links with the research community, partner organisations, patient advocacy groups and non-government organisations, to support the effective transfer of research outcomes into health policy
• Improve clinical care for people with injury-related disability and translate research outcomes into clinical practice.

The centre, which was formerly the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, receives major financial support from the NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority and NSW icare Lifetime Care.

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Sutton Arthritis Research Laboratory

The Sutton Arthritis Research Laboratory focuses on solving health issues related to inflammatory arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis. Our ultimate aim is to find a cure.

We also investigate other inflammatory forms of arthritis, including psoriatic arthritis, as well as inflammatory skin conditions.

Our research is both laboratory-based basic science and patient focused. This combination allows our research findings to be directly incorporated into clinical practice.

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Department of Rheumatology

The Rheumatology Department brings together scientific researchers and medical clinicians with a common interest in improving outcomes for those with musculoskeletal disorders.

We are currently conducting research into the causes, impact and treatment of a wide range of disorders.

While some of our key areas of research are focusing on osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and low back pain, our clinicians and researchers are also investigating osteonecrosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Our researchers are members of national and international advisory committees that raise awareness and promote care and research for musculoskeletal conditions.

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