ARC Metals in Medicine Network

WA Regional Meeting, UWA Boat Shed 23 January 2004

A/Prof Murray Baker (UWA) / Dr Nat Lenzo (WA PET Cyclotron Service)
Dr Peter Barnard (UWA) / Danielle Meyrick (Murdoch)
Prof Sue Berners-Price (UWA) / Dr Laurence Morandeau (Sir Charles Gairdner Hosp)
Dr Kerry Carson (UWA,/Path Centre) / Joe Moniodis (UWA)
A/Prof Traian Chirila (Lions Eye Inst) / Dr Phil Oates (UWA)
Anita Chua (UWA) / Prof John Olynyk (UWA, Fremantle Hosp)
Dr Peta Clode (UWA) / A/Prof Tim StPierre (UWA)
Prof. David Day (UWA) / Dr Richard Stern (UWA)
Sarah Drake (UWA) / Don Thomas (UWA)
Dr Luis Filgueira (UWA) / Dr Debbie Trinder (UWA, Fremantle Hosp)
Nicole Gorham (UWA) / A/Prof Harvey Turner (Fremantle Hosp)
Dr Ross Graham (UWA, Fremantle Hosp) / Prof John Webb (Murdoch)
Dr Linda Harris (UWA/Curtin) / A/Prof Matthew Wilce (UWA)
Dr Mike House (UWA) / A/Prof George Yeoh (UWA)
Dr Alasdair Lee (Curtin)

Apologies: A/Prof Erica Baker (UWA), Dr Wanida Chua-Anusorn (UWA), A/Prof Dave Macey (Murdoch), Prof Ralph Martins (UWA/ECU), Prof Gordon Parkinson (Curtin), Dr June Zhang (UWA).

Prof Sue Berners-Price opened the meeting and gave a presentation on the proposed ARC Research Network with slides prepared by the Network Convenor, Prof Peter Lay. She explained that the purpose of the meeting was to identify researchers in WA with interests in the area of Metals in Medicine so that all possible participants in the Network were included. As a starting point she had divided research activities into four major themes. She asked members to consider whether the three research themes noted in the Network application (Development of Metal-Based Pharmaceuticals, Metals as Targets for Drug Development, Metalloenzymes as Targets for Drug Development) were sufficiently broad to encompass the research activities in WA.

The meeting then proceeded with four presentations on WA research in the area of Metals in Medicine:

Metabolism of Metal IonsDr Phil Oates

Biominerals in Medicine & BiomagneticsA/Prof Tim StPierre

Radiopharmaceuticals and the Prof John Webb,

Institute of Radiochemical EngineeringA/Prof. Harvey Turner and Dr Nat Lenzo

Metal-Based Drugs: Novel TargetsProf Sue Berners-Price

These talks were followed by two presentations on Techniques and Facilities of relevance to the Network

NanoSims and the Centre for Microscopy & MicroanalysisDr Richard Stern

Structural BiologyA/Prof Matthew Wilce

Following the presentations the meeting was opened to discussion. The following issues were raised:

  • Network participants.

The following people were identified as Chief Investigators on ARC grants in the general area of Metals in Medicine: Murray Baker, Sue Berners-Price, Traian Chirila, David Day, Alasdair Lee (ARC Fellowship), Dave Macey, Gordon Parkinson, Tim St Pierre, John Webb

The strategy of limiting Network participants to ARC grant holders was questioned as other members had significant NH&MRC funding, particularly in the area of Fe metabolism. Sue Berners-Price said that she would raise this issue at the Sydney meeting.

Tim St Pierre recommended contacting A/Prof Roger Price and A/Prof Richard Prince as possible other participants with interests in the area of Ca biominerals.

  • Scope.

In general members considered that the WA research activities in Metals in Medicine are encompassed by the three research themes. However a notable exception is the area of Biominerals (including Biomagnetics), which is an area of focus in WA that is unique in the Australian context.

It was also felt that greater emphasis should be given to metabolism of metal ions with special mention given to iron – several groups in WA had expertise in iron metabolism and the study of Fe overload disease.

Special mention should also be given to radiopharmaceuticals as distinct from other metal-based drugs. The Institute for Radiochemical Engineering (a joint initiative involving the four Perth universities and ANSTO) is an important initiative that will bring researchers to WA and opens new networking opportunities. The WA cyclotron has some unique features including the ability to provide short-lived isotopes such as 62/64Cu.

  • Cash and in kind contributions.

It was proposed that the universities should be approached for cash contributions once the contributions from the University of Sydney and other universities were known. In terms of possible industrial sponsors Tim St Pierre suggested that Novartis was a possibility as they are interested in Fe chelators. Sirtex should also be approached as they are interested in magnetic particles in cancer treatment. John Webb suggested that IBA (the manufacturer of the WA cyclotron) may be interested.

  • Budget items. The following items were proposed for inclusion in the budget:

Drug Testing. Phil Oates noted that the iron metabolism laboratory at UWA routinely uses cancer cells in culture that are derived from liver, breast, melanoma and colon. Provision of Research Assistance would allow this laboratory to provide a service to test metal-based drugs to members of the Network based in WA (in keeping with the proposal to support existing facilities). The Physiology Department has a long history of cell culture expertise.

NanoSims Development: Richard Stern’s presentation highlighted that the NanoSims instrument, recently installed at UWA, is unique in the southern hemisphere and offers exciting possibilities to members of the Network for imaging metal ions inside cells. However, this type of research is in its infancy and has not been developed elsewhere in the world. Support for a Research Assistant/Professional Officer to assist members of the Network to develop the technology (during exchange visits to UWA) was proposed. A particular focus could be the optimisation of transition metal determinations on the NanoSIMS.

Elemental Analysis: Tim St Pierre noted that his group routinely required a reliable service for analysing metal ions in biological samples and suggested that such a service would be generally useful to members of the Network.

Travel Costs: The special needs of WA in terms of isolation should be highlighted in the Network application as well as the extra travel costs required for travel to and from Perth.

  • Annual National Meetings: In considering the timing of National Meetings, Tim St Pierre noted that there is a conference on Genetics and Population Health in Perth in August 2004 with a session on the Management of Fe in Thalassemia.
  • Referees. John Webb proposed Prof Harry Gray (Caltech) as a potential referee for the application.
  • Feb/Mar Visit by EU/US Researcher. There was strong support for Prof Peter Lay’s proposal to bring one person from Europe and/or one person from the USA in late February early March to talk about the EU and North American situation with regard to Metals in Medicine. A symposium in Perth could be organised around the visit involving talks by postdocs and PhD students.