Skip to content
Home page - Centenary Institute Centenary Institute

Primary menu

  • Research
        • Research

          The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation

          Learn more

        • Cancer
        • Inflammation
        • Cardiovascular
        • Programs
        • Laboratories
        • Diseases
        • Expertises
        • Services and instrumentation
  • Support us
        • Support us

          By supporting the Centenary Institute you can help improve human health through excellence in medical research

          Learn more

        • Workplace giving
        • Host or join a fundraiser
        • Gift in your Will
        • Donate in Memory
  • Impact
        • Impact

          Our research develops new diagnostics, treatments and cures for some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases affecting society today

          Learn more

        • Breakthroughs
        • Community and research
        • Real stories
  • Health hub
        • Health hub

          A range of practical information to assist in the possible preventions to disease through evidence-based research on how the body works.

          Learn more

        • Inflammation
        • The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet
        • Ageing
        • Exercise Snack Program
  • News & events
        • News & Events

          Explore the latest research breakthroughs and ways you can take part in our series of digital and in-person events

        • News
        • Events
        • Media Hub
  • About us
        • About us

          We are world-leading independent medical research institute that drives collaboration to accelerate and translate solutions to our most complex health challenges

          Learn more

        • Governance
        • Corporate information
        • Annual reports
        • Our researchers
        • Careers and studies
        • Contact
  • Donate
    Centenary Institute > Impact > Breakthroughs

Breakthroughs

Since our inception over three decades ago, our researchers have contributed to life-changing scientific breakthroughs across cancer, inflammation and cardiovascular diseases.

As a world-leading independent medical research institute Centenary’s vision is to improve human health through excellence in medical research.

Visit our Media hub for the latest Centenary discoveries and scientific advances.

2022

  • Found that concealed cardiomyopathy is an important cause of sudden cardiac death where no cause is found from autopsy – and that genetic testing can help identify cases of concealed cardiomyopathy.
  • Developed a new nasal vaccination strategy that induces potent lung immunity and protection against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
  • Shown that genetic testing can diagnose cardiomyopathy in children and help detect who will have heart failure and require a transplant.
  • Identified a new drug target – an enzyme known as mast cell chymase-1 – for the potential treatment and prevention of COPD.
  • Found that two enzymes – transmembrane protease serine 2 and cathepsin B – are increased in COPD patients and favour greater SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to healthy people.

2021

  • Shown that inhibiting necroptosis, a form of cell death, could be a novel therapeutic approach for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • Found that the DPP4 gene family should be further studied to support potential new therapeutic approaches to fighting liver tumours.
  • Found that a new dual drug approach could offer up a highly effective treatment strategy for melanoma.
Dr Abdullah Al Emran

2020

  • Discovered for the first time a link between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an often fatal lung condition, and the gut microbiome.
  • Revealed that humans share important genetic mechanisms with a prehistoric sea sponge which is a fundamental discovery in evolution and advances understanding of genetic diseases.
  • Found human proteins existing in different and changing states with implications for the development of drugs in the fight against disease.
  • Discovered that genetic testing can reveal previously hidden heart defects in nearly a quarter of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors who seem to have a normal heart.
  • Demonstrated that the enzyme SphK2 is a key player in the regulation of insulin which could lead to a new treatment approach for diabetes.
  • Discovered that tumour-resident T cells are a critical determinant in survival rates of patients suffering from throat cancer.

2019

  • Found that an Australian sea sponge could hold the key to successfully combatting the deadly disease tuberculosis.
  • Uncovered the impact of new technology on the over-diagnosis of a little known inherited heart disease.
  • Discovered a key reason why the influenza virus is so effective at establishing infection and causing damage in the lungs.
  • Developed and tested a new type of vaccine targeting tuberculosis, the world’s top infectious disease killer.
  • Discovered that aspirin could be used to treat patients with severe tuberculosis infection.

2018

  • Discovering a new virus strain, which could change the way chronic and childhood kidney diseases are approached and treated.
  • Improved the diagnosis rate of a potentially deadly heart condition by up to 20 per cent.
  • Determined how to develop safer blood-clotting drugs.
  • Developed a novel drug which could potentially be used to treat patients with diabetic retinopathy; the main cause of blindness from diabetes.
  • Discovered a cure for a sub-set of one of the most common genetic blood diseases in the world, Beta-thalassemia.
  • Developed a novel drug which is being touted as a major step forward in the battle against obesity.
  • Created a more realistic model of primary liver cancer.

2017

  • Developed a new drug that could be effective in some of the hardest to treat cancers such as pancreatic and liver cancer.
  • Discovered that gut bacteria could hold the key to treating and preventing potentially deadly strokes.
  • Discovered a new cell in the liver, which will inform future investigations into liver disease and liver cancer.
  • Identified antibacterial compounds in soil that could lead to new treatments for tuberculosis.
  • Discovered a common pattern in the process of gene regulation that could be the key to treating and finding cures for cancers and other diseases.
  • Revealed that a naturally occurring chemical process to DNA can change the way information in genes are read to help treat cancer.

2016

  • Revealed new genetic insights on causes of sudden cardiac death in the young.
  • Identified the first possible link between the heart and the brain in epilepsy patients.
  • Identified drug targets for cerebral cavernous malformations.
  • Revealed new information about the way the cornea responds to damage to assist in treating blindness.

2015

  • Discovered that an enzyme could be a potential therapeutic target for limiting tumour growth and its spread into the liver.
  • Discovered new links between nutrition and prostate cancer.

2013

  • Discovered a new immune cell type that causes skin diseases and skin allergies.

2012

  • Discovered new drug candidates for prostate and breast cancer.

2011

  • Developed an integrated genetic and clinical approach for early diagnosis and treatment solutions to prevent sudden cardiac death.
  • Discovery of a new mechanism by which the liver kills immune cells responsible for graft rejection and viral clearance.

2009

  • Discovered micro RNA can be used to treat diseases associated with vascular leak eg stroke and myocardinal infarction.

2005

  • Discovered anti TNF therapy increases the risk of reactivation of Tuberculosis.
  • Improved the identification of human regulatory T Cells, a discovery used widely in clinical research settings.

1989

  • Discovered critical insights into the role of the immune system in health and disease.

Subscribe to receive news on
research updates and free events

Newsletter

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute.

We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Centenary Institute stands.

About

  • About
  • Governance
  • Corporate information

Research

  • Programs
  • Our researchers
  • News
  • Media hub

Careers & studies

  • Career opportunities
  • Life at Centenary

Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy statement

Contact us

Building 93, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Rd
Camperdown NSW 2050 Australia
Telephone +61 2 9565 6100
Fax +61 2 9565 6101

Centenary Institute ABN 22 654 201 090 (DGR 1) • Centenary Institute Medical Research Foundation ABN 85 778 244 012 (DGR 2)
© 2017 Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology.

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram