NEW TREATMENT OPTIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE Design of next generation meshes using degradable polymers and stem cell based surgical constructs
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) develops when tissues, pelvic floor muscles and ligaments that support the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus and bowel) are damaged, usually in childbirth. This injury causes the organs to shift, or ‘drop’, into the vagina or event outside of the body. This can lead to debilitating symptoms including poor bladder or bowel control and pain during sex
POP Facts
- 1 in 4 women globally in their 40s live with POP
- 1 in 2 women over 50 years of age live with POP
- $200 million annual cost to the Australian healthcare system
POP is a lifelong, potentially debilitating condition. Despite the high prevalence, there is no cure for POP.
Dr Shayanti Mukherjee, Research Group Head, Translational Tissue Engineering at the with her team at Hudson Institute of Medical Research is developing new ways to prevent and potential cure pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The technology aims to ultimately lead to safer and more effective treatment for women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using a woman’s own stem cells to boost the effectiveness of a degradable mesh.
Dr Shayanti Mukherjee specialises in innovative cell-based therapies for pelvic floor disorders and birth trauma injuries.
Dr Mukherjee’s research uses a woman’s own stem cells to create a 3D-printed degradable mesh, promising to avoid the complications that have plagued previous synthetic non-degradable meshes.
“By integrating cutting-edge techniques like electrospinning and 3D printing of materials and cells, I aim to revolutionise maternal urogynaecological health, offering transformative solutions and improving the wellbeing of women affected by this prevalent issue.”
“This research has the potential to revolutionise therapies for pelvic floor regeneration and enable personalised medicine for women,” she said.
“By advancing innovative cell-based therapies, we are on the brink of transforming the landscape of maternal urogynaecological health, promising a brighter and healthier future for women across the globe,” said Dr Mukherjee.
Source: Hudson Institute of Medical Research
-
Enriching experiences in nursing mentorship
Mentoring in nursing is crucial for the development of nurses and the advancement of the nursing profession. It provides a supportive environment for personal and professional growth, knowledge transfer, and leadership development.
Australian Health Journal met with two nurses both working in Queensland, one the mentor, the other, the mentee. Both get to appreciate the experiences mentorship gives them.
-
Research funded to investigate early-onset bowel cancer progression
Bowel Cancer Australia recently announced a team led by Professor Michael Samuel as the successful applicant for a three-year $600k early-onset bowel cancer research project through the 2023 round of Cancer Australia’s Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme (PdCCRS).
-
Confronting picture of growing women’s health crisis in uterine cancers
Uterine cancers have become Australia’s fastest-growing women’s cancer, with incidence doubling over the past 25 years and projected to continue to surge. Without immediate action, more than 44,000 women are expected to be diagnosed by 2035, and 8,900 will lose their lives to the disease.
Released November 2025, Australia’s first State of the Nation: Uterine Cancers in Australia 2025 report by the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG), reveals a confronting picture of a growing women’s health crisis that has gone largely unseen and one that now requires immediate, coordinated national action.
