Centenary researchers awarded TIA Pipeline Accelerator Grants

The grants are part of a national scheme designed to accelerate the discovery and translation of health and medical research by subsidising access to advanced research infrastructure across Australia.

Dr Chuck (Charles) Bailey, Head of the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Rare Diseases & Gene Therapy, received support to improve how gene therapy is delivered using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Partnering with the UNSW RNA Institute, Dr Bailey will use mRNA-lipid nanoparticles prior to the delivery of AAVs to increase the effectiveness of gene therapy treatments, as well potentially reduce treatment costs and side effects.

Dr Mehdi Tabar, from the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Rare Diseases & Gene Therapy, has been awarded a grant to develop epigenetic-based treatments for rare autoimmune conditions called type I interferonopathies. In collaboration with the National Drug Discovery Centre, he will develop a laboratory test to help identify small molecules that target inflammation at the molecular level. By switching off disease-causing pathways, the goal is to deliver safer and more effective treatments for serious conditions such as lupus, Aicardi-Goutières syndrome and Sjögren’s syndrome.

Both projects highlight the Centenary Institute’s commitment to tackling complex diseases with innovative science, utilising the best in Australian infrastructure programs.