Woolcock, Hunter join forces in sleep research network

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) in Newcastle have joined forces to form what they claim is the largest respiratory and sleep research network in the southern hemisphere.

Woolcock director Prof Nobert Berend said the partnership would enable the two groups to pool their resources and become more competitive on a worldwide scale.

"Clinical research studies involve reasonably large numbers of people," said Berend.

"By collaborating with the Newcastle group we will have access to more people and therefore conduct larger studies which will give better outcomes and will also help us attract overseas investment."

The partnership will also enable the two groups to share human resources, techniques, equipment, as well as the results of clinical trials -- rather than duplicating studies.

"It's difficult to duplicate studies in Australia because there is just not the funding to support this," Berend explained.

One planned clinical trial will focus on the control of asthma and what should be monitored to obtain the best possible long-term outcomes for asthmatics. Currently it is not known what should be measured to achieve this -- whether it is measuring lung function, airway twitchiness, certain cells in the sputum, exhaled gases such as nitric oxide or another asthmatic indicator.

The HMRI has expertise in the cellular content of sputum and the WMRI has expertise in other areas that will be combined to carry out this study.

The two groups will also collaborate on sleep research, as both institutes have sleep labs set up.

Berend believes critical mass is important and by collaborating with other institutes this can occur. He said the partnership with HMRI would bring input from various teams, creating a more multidisciplinary approach that would aid help to produce novel, world-class research.

"I am very excited by the collaboration," said Berend. "We should do more of it."