ThromBio

Yesterday our research team celebrated the end of another successful year! Not only have we made significant progress in our clinical trials, but we have also made big inroads into understanding how our new treatments will dramatically improve stroke patients’ outcomes. The year ahead is going to be an exciting time for us all. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the ThromBio Team!

One of Australia’s corporate giants, Sir Roderick Carnegie AC sadly passed away in July 2024. Among many other things, Sir Roderick took a keen interest in supporting medical research and its commercialisation. Through a long-lasting friendship with Professors Hatem Salem and Shaun Jackson, Sir Roderick greatly supported their blood clotting research and it's commercialisation. Over a 25 year journey, Sir Roderick’s unwavering support has culminated in the development of exciting new treatments for stroke patients. Our Founder and Director Shaun Jackson, reflects on his time with Sir Roderick, highlighting the importance of mentorship, life-long learning and the support and encouragement needed by Australians to help them punch above their weight on the global stage. 

A glimpse into the lab where innovation meets science. Exciting to see firsthand the dedication and precision our team brings to developing solutions that push biotech forward! 🧬 Simone Schoenwaelder

This Sunday is World Thrombosis Day (13th), raising awareness about a condition that affects millions worldwide but often goes undiagnosed. Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots, which can lead to many life-threatening consequences including stroke. It's critical to understand the risks, symptoms, and preventive measures. Join the global effort to spread awareness, educate yourself and others, and take steps towards a healthier future. https://lnkd.in/eqSKqPf #ThrombosisDay #HealthAwareness #PreventBloodClots #StayInformed

This Sunday is World Thrombosis Day (13th), raising awareness about a condition that affects millions worldwide but often goes undiagnosed. Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots, which can lead to many life-threatening consequences including stroke. It's critical to understand the risks, symptoms, and preventive measures. Join the global effort to spread awareness, educate yourself and others, and take steps towards a healthier future. https://lnkd.in/eqSKqPf #ThrombosisDay #HealthAwareness #PreventBloodClots #StayInformed

Understanding what causes strokes and taking action to reduce the risks could save your life. Your lifestyle choices can greatly reduce your risk of stroke. 1. Stay active Regular physical activity helps manage weight, reduce blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels, all of which can significantly lower your stroke risk. 2. Eat well A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can prevent high cholesterol and heart disease, two major contributors to stroke. 3. Quit smoking Smoking doubles your risk of stroke by damaging blood vessels and increasing the likelihood of clot formation. 4. Limit alcohol consumption Excessive alcohol raises blood pressure and increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, both of which elevate your chances of stroke. Your health is in your hands. Making these lifestyle adjustments today can reduce your risk of stroke and improve your overall well-being. #StrokeAwareness #PreventStroke #healthyliving 

Many start-ups which look to have bright futures ahead may find themselves stuck in The Valley of Death. This is a phase where new innovations are deemed ‘too early’ for sophisticated investment, and ‘too late’ for further support from the Government, leaving companies forced to sell the rights to their inventions. In a time where local funding options for rapidly expanding Biotech companies are sparse, exploring new funding possibilities to turbocharge the next phase of the Australian biotechnology industry is crucial. Our founder and director Professor Shaun Jackson discusses the challenges Australian researchers are facing when bringing breakthrough drug innovation to market. #Biotech #TheVallyofDeath #AustralianBiotechIndustry

This week is National Science Week! To celebrate we interviewed our Head of Biology Simone Schoenwaelder about her experience in the field of science. What is your current position and what does a typical day look like for you? My current academic position is Associate Professor (Research) with the Thrombosis Research Group; I am also Head of the ThromBio preclinical biology program. In a typical day, I would be meeting with research staff and students to discuss results, plan research experiments, discussing scientific manuscripts in preparation and if I am lucky, working in the lab performing experiments.  What inspired you to pursue a career in biology, and how has your journey evolved over the years? I have always held a passion for medicine and medical research (and a secret somewhat morbid fascination for forensic science). I am completely captivated by the human body, both from a health and disease perspective, as well as from a cellular level. The intricacies of cells, how they work as integrated units to form an entire organism is just mind blowing.  What has greatly facilitated my journey has been the people I have met along the way. Working with intelligent and inspiring people who share the same love of science has been integral to my journey. A good example is my current team, with whom I have worked for nearly 30 years – you know what they say – when you find a ‘winning combination” stick with it. Can you share a recent breakthrough or project your team is working on that you're particularly excited about? My ultimate dream, shared by many in the medical research field, is to discover something that may contribute to the improvement of the human health condition. I started my research career working on an enzyme that has turned out to be a critical player in the development of pathological blood clots. Over the course of some 30 years, our team has developed a drug that can block this enzyme, and we are currently conducting Phase II clinical trials. Although it is still early days, I am excited by results that are showing promising trends. What qualities or skills do you believe are essential for success in a leadership role within the scientific community? To be a successful scientist, one must have an inquisitive mind, dedication and patience, exceptional attention to detail and a huge amount of resilience (and yes, I’ll admit we can be a little ‘quirky’). Those in the field will be familiar with the “roller coaster” which is down 95% of the time and up on a high for a fleeting 5%. That 5% makes it all worthwhile! Medical research is a long-term pursuit.  Looking back on your career, is there a piece of advice or a lesson you’ve learned that you wish you had known earlier? All too often the career path for medical researchers is seen as “mapped out” - there is never one path that is ‘correct’ to follow. #biotech #nationalscienceweek #drugdevelopment #stroketrials #medicalresearch

This week marks National Stroke Week, a vital time to raise awareness about stroke prevention and recognition. Understanding the signs of a stroke and how to respond can save lives. Remember the FAST acronym: F - Face. Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? A - Arm Weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? S - Speech Difficulty. Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? T - Time to call 000. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 000 and get them to the hospital immediately. Keep yourself educated and learn more by visiting the Stroke Foundation website: https://lnkd.in/gtFRBFe

Wishing a huge congratulations to four exceptional students who have been recognised by the University of Sydney for their academic achievements. Professor Shaun Jackson, Associate Professor Simone Schoenwaelder and Dr Yuping Yuan have had the pleasure of supervising and mentoring these students over the last few years. We are thrilled to witness the remarkable achievements of 4 of our most talented young scientists. Jinglu Yang, Ella Scott, Rocko Jarvis-Child and Ethan Italiano have all received first class honours as well as the University medal. That’s an amazing achievement and makes us very proud. Great Work Team!