RESEARCHER PROFILE
Professor Kristofer Thurecht, Deputy Director of Research & Senior
Group leader, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology,
University of Queensland, Australia
Finding better ways of treating cancer, aside from finding a cure, aim to provide a better quality of life for those who suffer from it.
Professor Thurecht’s work focuses on nanomedicine and spans across the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and the Centre for Advanced Imaging, at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Professor Thurecht undertook his PhD at the University of Queensland and decided he wanted to go to the University of Nottingham in the UK, where his mentors pushed him into the new field of nanomedicine. On returning to Australia he brought his ideas on nanomedicine back to the University of Queensland, where he works today.
His research focuses on understanding how nanomedicines behave in biological environments using high-end imaging infrastructure, with a focus on radiopharmaceutical research to establish next generation drugs for diseases like cancer.
Nanomedicine research, particularly in the field of cancer treatment, has the potential to revolutionise traditional medicine and improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disease. Radiopharmaceuticals and molecular imaging are revolutionising cancer treatment by providing targeted therapies and precise drug delivery, showing potential for groundbreaking advancements in the field.
Radiopharmaceuticals utilise radiation as a potent therapy for treating diseases, particularly cancer. As Professor Thurecht states, the development of radiopharmaceutical for cancer treatment is a promising and innovative field in nanomedicine.
Outside of research Professor Thurecht enjoys fishing and boating with family on weekends.
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Investigating the benefits of donor human milk for preterm infants
Together, SAHMRI and Lifeblood are leading a consortium to revolutionise the way human milk, and novel products made from human milk, are used as nutritional and medical interventions to improve health outcomes in vulnerable infants, but with potential application for a diverse range of medical indications.
Currently, babies who are born early preterm – before 32 weeks – are given donor milk when their own mother’s milk is not available or in short supply. Whether donor milk is beneficial for babies born just a few weeks early is unclear, as very little research has been undertaken with these babies.
The GIFT Trial will soon commence as an investigation between SAHMRI, the University of Adelaide, the Red Cross Lifeblood Milk Bank conducted at five sites across three states in Australia.
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Identifying and treating autoimmune neurological disorders
Associate Professor Sudarshini Ramanathan is a neurologist and clinician scientist whose work focuses on autoimmune neurological disorders. Her research has helped identify new neurological syndromes due to antibody-mediated demyelination and encephalitis, and improve diagnostic tools and treatment guidelines for patients with autoimmune diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves.
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Dr Zarina Greenberg
RESEARCH IN BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE
@ SYNCHRON
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
