PEARLS
Preeclampsia Research Laboratories
July 2005 newsletter
PEARLS has this year had a golden opportunity to look at quality outcomes for mothers and babies. The project, driven largely by the unwavering dedication of Charlene Thornton, has now become the International benchmark standard for institutions in Sydney, Canada and Regional New South Wales. With time we are hoping that this excellent initiative will mean that we develop standards of care and that we can demonstrate improvements fro everyone by comparing results - ALL thanks to PEARLS.
PEARLS Scientists Win awards -It happens all the time.
- Dr Makris has this week won the prestigious Andrew Phippard Award for excellence in Preeclampsia Science at the Annual Scientific meeting of the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand.
- Charlene won a Travel Grant at the same conference.
- Dr Bei Xu has recently won a Heart Research Foundation Travel award to travel to Scotland to compare and lean new techniques in placental research. This will be great value to our laboratory as she will be rubbing shoulders with some big names in placentology and blood pressure research.
- Annemarie recently won the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Clinical Teacher of the Year Award.
PEARLS Laboratory
We are in our THIRD year in the Heart Research Institute and we have been fortunate to move into the new purposed-built quarters on Pyrmont Bridge Rd.
Preeclampsia Blood Test Project
Dr Angela Makris
Angela's blood tests have given us some amazing insights into the sequence of events that occur in preeclampsia. These tests are likely to prove useful in testing women with increased blood pressure and deciding who has preeclampsia or who has just elevated blood pressure (hypertension). Angela has also found that given the enormous differences between women, the tests will need to take into account factors pertaining to the mother's health as well as the baby's ultrasound results.
Drugs in Pregnancy Projects
Dr Bei Xu
Dr Xu has found some astonishing results looking at the effect of blood pressure drugs on the placenta. It is likely that they do not all act the same, although they all lower blood pressure. Some beneficial aspects of these medications especially with regard to how the placenta makes its hormone may mean that we make better choices for mother and their babies in the future.
Dr Angela Makris
Angela has discovered some beneficial effects of Garlic on placental function - if you can stand the smell.
Sr Charlene Thornton, Sr Jane Tooher, Angela Makris, Dr Robert Ogle, Dr Brendan Orr and Annemarie and Dr Geoff Brieger
The study of the effects of certain pain relief medication on blood pressure after delivery is underway. PEARLS was able to secure $40,000 funding from the Friends of the Mater to include women there in the study - a very exciting development.
Annemarie, Dr Robert Ogle, Charlene Thornton
The PIVOT study is looking at the effects of different medication on the baby when these drugs are used in crisis situations. The women in this study have generously given of themselves in the middle of a blood pressure emergency so that we can better tailor the treatment given. After 6 years and much blood sweat and tears, we look like finishing this project before the next newsletter.
Placental Growth Projects
Bei Xu
Bei is hoping to commence a project looking at the effects of the drugs we use on early (10 week) placenta growth. These are very tricky experiments which will involve watching the placenta grow in a petri dish. Although we are interested in the placenta as a whole, we would also benefit from looking at the contribution of the mothers cells in this environment and access to a fancy new machine - the FLOW Cytometer would mean that we could take these experiments to a new level. This work is being done in collaboration with other fantastic researchers at the Heart Research Institiute.
Education and Awareness Projects
Amanda Davidson, Annemarie Hennessy, Geoff Brieger
The team are attempting to attract corporate funding for a community lecture series. This will showcase our own Scientific and clinical team as well as the new building at the Heart Research institute. The focus will be on women health issues, especially cardiovascular health.
Clinical Outcomes Project
Charlene Thornton, Assoc Prof Annemarie Hennessy, Prof David Henderson Smart, Dr Andrew Child, Dr Robert Ogle.
Our capacity to determine whether women are at long term risk of future cardiovascular disease is only as good as out ability to define the extent of hypertension in their pregnancy. Charlene Thornton has identified the need for accurate data recording to achieve this and has developed clinical indicators where outcomes can be improved for mother and babies by identifying which factors in the management of these ladies which are amenable to change. This study may lead to an improved ability to directly compare outcomes between hospital and states, to determine the best possible care for our mothers and the least risk to their future cardiovascular health.
FUNDING
As always the amazing support of the PEARLS MOTHERS and FRIENDS has kept us going. The contributions of our PEARLS functions for 2004 gave us nearly $30,000 for laboratory equipment, wages and supplies. A huge thank you goes to Raphaël Jewellers who continue to be a rock for us (or a gem) and Michael and Angela Potts who gave us their restaurant and hospitality for the night.
Up coming events include a JAZZ Winter Dinner at the Mirabelle Cafe, Circular Quay, Sydney, which was booked out within a week! A big thank you to Michael and Angela Potts again for their amazing generosity and to Amanda Davidson and Ramona Roach for pulling this all together. We are having our Spring Cocktail party agian later in the year and detail will be available on our website www.preeclampsia.org.au (Tickets $50 per head) Our Sponsors list grows ever bigger and they can be found on the website.
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