Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Congratulations to Professor Rebecca Ritchie who has been named a 2024 ASCEPT - Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists Fellow - the highest honour the Society bestows upon its members. Professor Ritchie, internationally acclaimed cardiac pharmacologist and leader of Drug Discovery Biology and Heart Failure Pharmacology at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is the second Monash University ASCEPT Fellow recipient since the fellowship program began.  ASCEPT fellowships are awarded to outstanding members in recognition of longstanding contributions to research in their field, the wider pharmacology community and the Society. Read more below 👇

Congratulations to the outstanding researchers behind the ten MIPS-led projects to receive funding through the 2025 Australian Research Council Discovery Projects scheme. The ten projects represent research excellence across a broad range of programs, with the total funding across the breadth of work amounting to nearly $8.5m. Bravo to Associate Professor Darren Creek, Professor Patrick Sexton, Dr Matthew Belousoff, Associate Professor John Quinn; Professor Ben Boyd, Dr Tracy Josephs, Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis,  Dr Sarah Turpin-Nolan, Associate Professor Angus Johnston,  Dr Enyuan Cao, Dr Jie Tang; Professor Michelle McIntosh, Dr Stanley Cheng Xie, Professor Peter Scammells and Professor Arthur Christopoulos. Congratulations also to our project collaborators. For full project and researcher details visit the link below 👇 👩🔬

In an important step for diabetes-induced heart disease, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences researchers have discovered that ‘lipoxin A4’ (LXA4) could significantly reduce inflammation and improve function for diabetic hearts. Published in Cardiovascular Diabetology, the team - led by Dr Chengxue Helena Qin 秦承雪 and MIPS PhD candidate Ting Fu - found that (in mice) LXA4 could halve inflammation and scar formation, specifically in cases of heart disease induced by diabetes. #MonashPharm #MonashUni #ChangeIt

Congratulations to Professor Arthur Christopoulos, FAA FAHMS, Professor Chris Porter, Professor Patrick Sexton and Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis, who have all been identified among the top one per cent of international scientists by citations in the 2024 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher list. All four have been named in a list of the world’s most influential academics in the field of Pharmacology and Toxicology. The annual list uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify individuals from across the globe who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their chosen field or fields of research. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ghWW2Zwi #MonashPharm #MonashUni #ChangeIt

New research from Monash University reveals that gabapentinoids, commonly prescribed as a safer alternative to opioids for neuropathic pain, are associated with a higher risk of hip fractures, particularly in older adults. Co-author and Director of the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Simon Bell says, “the link between gabapentinoids and hip fractures existed across different age groups but the odds of hip fracture was higher among patients who were frailer or had chronic kidney disease, so these should be important considerations when deciding when to prescribe gabapentinoids.” Lead author and PhD candidate Miriam Leung adds that this study underscores the importance of caution in prescribing these drugs, especially for those vulnerable to falls and fractures. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gV9vshWe #MonashPharm #MonashUni #ChangeIt

Congratulations to Professor Chris Porter on being appointed a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor. Monash University has awarded Professor Porter, Director of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), the esteemed title of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor in recognition of his exceptional contributions to research, commercialisation, and mentorship in pharmaceutical sciences. The title of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor is the most prestigious honour conferred on serving professors at Monash University and is only awarded to professors of exceptional distinction who have made high-level and sustained contributions to their discipline, the University and the community. Under Professor Porter’s vision and  leadership, MIPS has excelled as a vehicle through which research discoveries can be translated into real-world impact. Throughout his tenure Professor Porter has worked tirelessly to deepen the quality and reach of the fundamental science based at MIPS and to translate those scientific breakthroughs into practical, commercial endpoints that deliver both better health outcomes and create new companies that grow the Australian biotechnology community. Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Arthur Christopoulos FAA FAHMS said “Chris is an outstanding and internationally respected leader, as well as an extremely generous mentor, who is committed to driving research quality at MIPS, an accolade that has been reflected in Monash’s long-standing reputation as one of the top Universities in the world for pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education and research.” On behalf of Monash and the broader scientific community, we extend our warmest congratulations to Professor Porter on this distinguished honour. To learn more about Professor Porter and his work, see this article: https://lnkd.in/gxb3UUGT #MonashUni #MonashPharm #ChangeIt 

Congratulations to Professor Peter Scammells on his appointment to the Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts. Professor Scammells, Associate Dean of Research at Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS), was selected by the ARC Board to join its College of Experts, a group of distinguished leaders from Australia’s scientific community who support national innovation by reviewing ARC grant applications and advising on emerging research fields under the National Competitive Grants Program. With decades of experience in drug discovery, Professor Scammells’ work spans cancer therapeutics, opioid pharmaceuticals, GPCR allosteric modulators, and the development of M1 and M17 aminopeptidase inhibitors. FPPS Dean Professor Arthur Christopoulos commended the appointment, describing it as “a true reflection of his outstanding research career and world-class expertise.” To read more: https://lnkd.in/gTzabPnr #MonashUni #MonashPharm #ChangeIt #ARC

Yesterday South Korea and Australia’s vibrant life science sectors came together at our Parkville campus for an afternoon dedicated to sharing insights into the rapidly advancing fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences and mRNA research and workforce development. Supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australia-Korea collaboration featured speakers from The KOREA HEALTH INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (KHIDI) UK LTD and Yonsei University’s Korea National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (K-NIBRT), along with representatives from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, FPPS, and leading voices from Australia’s vibrant life science sector - MTPConnect and mRNA Victoria. Director of MIPS, Professor Chris Porter, said the visit was an important step in paving the way for future collaboration between two world-leading scientific research sectors with common goals. “When Australia continues to facilitate linkages between industry, government and academia, not only are we creating new opportunities for our local scientific community, we also continue to strengthen our collective position as world-leaders in biotech research.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gzFA4Xh4 #MonashUni #research #mRNA

Congratulations to the Monash University-Yale University team behind $4M AUD in funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to drive forward a new treatment for ischemic stroke. The Monash lead, Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis, from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), worked with Professor Anne Eichmann from the Yale School of Medicine to participate in the ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health spark track for early-stage research efforts. The Sprint addresses critical unmet challenges in women’s health, champions transformative innovations, and tackles health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women. The research team also comprises Monash University’s Associate Professor Connie Wong from the School of Clinical Sciences and Dr michael whittaker, MIPS, as well as Professor Jean-Leon Thomas and Assistant Professor Lindsay McAlpine MD from the Yale School of Medicine. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHZe-Rmw #MonashUni #MonashPharm #ChangeIt

Seaport Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company which uses a unique drug delivery platform originally developed by Monash University, has announced the closing of an oversubscribed US$225 million Series B financing round, bringing the total capital raised by the Boston-based Company to US$325 million since launching in April 2024.   Seaport will use the proceeds to advance its clinical-stage pipeline of first and best-in-class neuropsychiatric medicines through important clinical milestones and to further advance the capabilities of the Glyph™ technology platform.   The Glyph platform was initially developed by Professor Chris Porter and his team at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is designed to enable and enhance oral bioavailability of clinically active drugs that were previously hindered by various limitations. Professor Porter said: “There have been some exciting developments in the field of neuropsychiatric medicines in recent times, but the need for more effective and accessible options for those living with a broad range of neurological conditions remains. It’s very rewarding to see the ongoing investment and support behind Seaport and the Glyph platform, which is showing great promise in its ability to advance much-needed and potentially life-changing neuropsychiatric medicines.” In addition to Professor Porter, the team at Monash that initially developed the Glyph technology was led by Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis and Dr Sifei Han and included Dr Luojuan Hu, Dr Dan Zheng, Dr Nathania Leong, Dr Garima Sharma, Dr Xiaotong Zhou, Dr Enyuan Cao and Dr Mitchell McInerney. #MonashPharm #MonashUni #Research #MonashInnovation