RESPIRATORY HEALTH AND THE MICROBIOME IN THE LUNG ENVIRONMENT
Dr Steven Taylor, Postdoctoral Researcher,
Head of Respiratory Health Group
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
Adelaide, South Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Adelaide, South Australian | December 2024
Dr Taylor leads the Respiratory Health Group within the Microbiome and Host Health Program. His research employs tailored techniques that allow the lung environment to be characterised to a high level of accuracy, including detailed measurements of airway microbiology (microbiome), mucus composition, and inflammation. This information is used to identify predictive markers of chronic lung disease severity as well as determine effective forms of therapy.
Dr Taylor is one of the researchers leading The GRACE study, a project that aims to investigate the carriage and transfer of resistant bacteria or ‘superbugs’ in residential aged care.
Funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council’s Medical Research Future Fund, this study will produce new evidence to help us to improve facility management, including cleaning and hygiene practices, to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, and ultimately improve the health of aged care residents and the wider community.
Dr Taylor also recently led a study that showed genetics may play a crucial part in the efficacy of probiotics. Published in ISME Journal in June the study, focussed on the interactions between probiotics and individual genetic traits. Researchers say their findings suggest a more tailored approach to using probiotics may have the potential to significantly enhance gut microbiome regeneration and related health benefits.
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Discovery of RANK Ligand’s role in bone metabolism and the immune system to treat osteoporosis
Emeritus Professor Jack Martin’s research began a discovery cascade that led to the identification of a new protein and the development of a novel and effective drug therapy that is now used worldwide to treat osteoporosis, cancer and other diseases.
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CASE STUDY Next Generation Condom Contraception
Eudaemon Technologies, an early-stage medtech company with a focus on sexual reproductive health, is developing a hydrogel condom to address the need for a better feeling, next generation condom, with the potential to improve user experience and address issues with traditional latex condoms.
“Over 1 million STI’s being diagnosed every day and up to 120 million unplanned pregnancies every year result in a $60 billion health burden across the globe”, says Co-Founder and Executive Director of Operations, Dr Simon Cook.
Formed in 2018, the company focuses on developing tough hydrogels as an alternative to address issues with odour, colour, and taste commonly associated with latex condoms. This technology can be loaded with small molecule drugs for flavours or anti-STI compounds, and was developed in response to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to address unplanned pregnancies and STIs.
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Applying artificial intelligence to medical imaging for cardiovascular disease detection
Parmida is a software engineer and biomedical scientist whose research focuses on translating novel medical imaging technologies into clinical practice to improve the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease.
Her current work applies advanced deep learning techniques to retinal polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) imaging, aiming to generate clinically meaningful biomarkers and predictions of cardiovascular disease. Parmida’s collaboration partners include Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, Western Australia.
