Melbourne’s reputation as an arts capital and sports mecca is well-documented. But the city also rates as a research hot spot, with many of the breakthroughs made in Melbourne going global.
Professor Graeme Clark’s celebrated cochlear implant, a hearing device worn by more than 320,000 people worldwide, is frequently referred to as evidence of the city’s scientific pedigree. But there are other success stories – some of which might surprise – which have put the city on the map.
The Age’s science editor Bridie Smith, astronomer Christopher Fluke and malaria researcher Krystal Evans pick their scientific standouts – and nominate some promising projects still in development.
THE BIONIC EYE
What: The goal of building a bionic eye in Australia came out of the ‘2020 Summit in Canberra’ in 2008. The then Rudd government provided $50 million to two Melbourne-based groups: Bionic Vision Australia and the Monash Vision Group.
Why important: Apart from the blindingly obvious, it’s never been done before. Since 2009, three patients have had a prototype of the bionic eye implanted. Each patient had been blind for more than 20 years due to a degenerative condition called retinitis pigmentosa. In May this year, they were able to walk without a guide dog for the first time.
Quirky fact: Bionic eye patients will have diamonds in their eyes. Artificial ones, but diamonds all the same. Melbourne University materials researchers are experimenting with man-made diamonds which will be used to encapsulate the microchip, the engine of the bionic eye, which will be implanted into the retina. The diamonds are cooked up in five days using a microwave-like reactor at the Parkville campus.
Links:
http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/aboutus.html
RELAXIN HORMONE
What: Once described as the “dud hormone” by Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health chemist Geoff Tregear, it took five clinical trials, collaboration with six different biotechnology companies and almost four decades of study for Professor Tregear to prove that the relaxin hormone was anything but. Professor Tregear established the structure of the hormone and, more importantly, how to make an artificial version in the laboratory.
Why important: A synthetic version of the relaxin hormone is now the key ingredient in a new type of heart medicine which reached the market in 2012. Used to treat acute heart failure, it has been shown to improve symptoms and reduce deaths.
Quirky fact: Far from being a “dud hormone”, relaxin plays a key role in the early stages of life. It’s critical in pregnancy because it helps the heart, vascular system and kidney function. But Professor Tregear and his colleagues found a way for it to be useful at the end of life – by treating patients with heart problems in old age.
HENDRA VACCINE
What: The Hendra virus has killed four people and more than 80 horses since it was first identified in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra in 1994. A vaccine for the virus was developed by a research team including scientists from CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong.
Why important: Announced in 2012, this was the first Hendra vaccine. Its development was not only important for horses but for humans as well – because by vaccinating horses, you stop the transmission of the virus to humans.
Quirky fact: The scientists made the vaccine by using the ovary cells of a Chinese hamster. The ovary cells contain a protein called G-protein, which acts as an alert for the immune system. This made the protein the key ingredient in the vaccine. The cell line used to make commercial quantities of the G-protein came from the ovary cells of the Chinese hamster.
Link: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horses/health/general/hendra-virus
EVEN MELBOURNE’S POND SCUM IS WORLD-CLASS
What: One of the largest viruses known to science, Pandoravirus dulcis, was found in a pond at La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus.
Why important: In town for a conference, French environmental virologist Jean-Michel Claverie collected a sample of pond mud in 2011 containing the virus.
Unlike anything seen before, its discovery was announced on the cover of the prestigious journal Science last year. The virus led to the creation of an entirely new virus family, called Pandoravirus. The only other member of this family comes from Chile, so the discovery prompts fresh questions about the origin and evolution of life on Earth.
Quirky facts: It’s huge. The Melbourne virus has 1.9 million DNA bases and about 1500 genes – compared to the AIDS and influenza viruses which have 10 genes or less. An incredible 90 per cent of its genes are new to science. The Pandoravirus is the only virus known to exist in sediment.
Link: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/281
WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
What: Wireless, wearable sensors that monitor movement and muscle activity in real time, ViPerform devices are used around the world by sports scientists who can monitor athletes’ techniques in real time.
Why is it important: Developed by medical device company dorsaVi, the technology can also be applied off the sports field to monitor patients with pain and chronic injury, as well as in the workplace to assess occupational health and safety.
Quirky facts: The sports technology has been used by seven AFL teams and has also been adopted by English Premier League Football teams including Manchester United.
Link: http://www.dorsavi.com/
NATURE-INSPIRED SELF-CLEANING SURFACES
What: Dragonfly wings have a specialised ability to kill certain types of bacteria that fall onto them. This is because the wing surfaces are covered by a very fine array of tiny pillars – called a nanostructured surface. Through a collaborative effort, led by a scientists from Swinburne University of Technology, an artificial version of these self-sterilising surfaces is being developed using a material called black silicon.
Why important: Bacterial infections, such as the golden staph bacterium, can cause serious health issues for patients. With the growing number of people fitted with medical implants, including screws, plates and even artificial hips, it is important to identify and use biomaterials that will resist the growth of bacterial colonies.
Quirky fact: While dragonflies are not the only insects with natural defences against bacteria, the wandering percher dragonfly is a master. It is highly efficient at destroying bacteria, with one square centimetre of its wing able to kill over 400,000 bacteria cells per minute.
Link: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2013/131126/ncomms3838/full/ncomms3838.html
EPILEPSY CAN BE GENETIC:
What: At least 70 per cent of epilepsy has a genetic component. But it was only in the 1970s that scientists considered this an option, in addition to the long-held belief that epilepsy was acquired through a brain injury or tumour.
Why important: Professor Ingrid Scheffer from the Florey Institute’s Melbourne Brain Centre at Austin Health and Melbourne University led a research group which discovered the first gene linked to epilepsy in 1995. Since then more than 30 genes linked to epilepsy have been identified. The impact of her research has been significant. It has not only changed the way the disorder is researched and treated, but also opened the way for predictive testing for families, as much of her work has concentrated on identifying the genetic pathways by which different types of epilepsy are passed down in families.
Quirky fact: Epilepsy is a common neurological condition affecting 3 per cent of the population. Severe childhood epilepsies often begin in infancy.
Link: http://www.ingridscheffer.com/