Twins are a gift to medical research but it’s non-identical twins providing insights into identifying fertility issues earlier. Professor Nick Martin wasn’t expecting big surprises after studying twins for 50 years, making these findings even more exciting. Nick shares the phone calls that inspired this path, the possibilities for early diagnosis and the need for lots more twin mothers to join is survey.

It’s one of the world’s most neglected and dangerous tropical diseases, endemic in remote Indigenous communities across Australia. Now, thanks to a new NHMRC grant, QIMR Berghofer researchers are leading an effort to eliminate strongyloidiasis, a potentially fatal disease caused by a parasitic worm. Project-lead Professor Darren Gray and team member Dr Catherine Gordon discuss their new project tackling the condition, which has a devastating impact on some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

Endometrial cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Australian women and its incidence is rising. But treatment options are limited, with a hysterectomy often the first line of defence. Associate Professors Tracy O’Mara and Dylan Glubb are conducting advanced genetic analyses in an effort to find better options for women. And their results are so impressive that the US Department of Defense has backed their mission to unearth new treatments for endometrial cancer.

It's known as the “silent thief of sight” - sneakily stealing the sight in one eye as the other covers for it. 300,000 Australians have glaucoma, around half don’t know it yet. Professor Stuart MacGregor explains the incredible genetic discoveries that could help prevent irreversible vision loss.

Imagine living a life free of asthma. Throw away puffers and medications and never have to worry about not being able to breathe again. The Anti-Inflammatory Protein 2 (AIP2) could be a game-changer that transforms the lives of millions of people affected by asthma, and even potentially cure this cruel disease. Associate Professor Severine Navarro explains how this remarkable story begins with hookworms and their interactions with their human hosts.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, but a team of scientists at QIMR Berghofer is on a mission to find ways to repair damaged heart tissue. To help achieve this ultimate goal, they're growing tiny living and beating models of human heart muscle in the lab. These cardiac organoids are no bigger than a chia seed, but closely mimic the real organ so the researchers can study the heart's biology and test new therapeutics. Professor James Hudson explains how the team's latest advance introduces a vascular system to the tiny heart models for the first time which has already proved to be a gamechanger for their research.

Researchers have identified RNA molecules that could lead to a simple blood test to detect aggressive cancers like pancreatic and ovarian at an earlier stage. These cancers have low survival rates because they are difficult to diagnose, particularly in the early stages. Associate Professor Jason Lee discusses developing a drug that could stop aggressive cancer cells from growing and spreading to other areas. Right now, he is testing the blood samples of people with severe and early stage pancreatic cancer and those who are healthy to find out how early the disease can be detected. This gives real hope that there could be earlier diagnosis and a novel drug to disarm aggressive tumour cells.

QIMR Berghofer researchers have found that nearly a third of melanomas picked up during routine skin checks may not be harmful. The findings highlight the need for further research to determine why some melanomas appear to stay dormant and undetected for long period of time. It also may lead to more accurate diagnostic tools which might spare some people the anxiety associated with a melanoma diagnosis. Professor David Whiteman, who led the study, said the results suggest up to 29 per cent of melanomas detected during skin checks may never have come to light if that person wasn't screened.

Did you know your genes play an important role in the risk of having a mental illness? Over the past decade, scientists have discovered hundreds of genes linked to all mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder. Professor Eske Derks says it's now time to translate these findings into the clinic to help patients with better treatments and more accurate diagnosis. There are a few challenges to overcome first to make this goal of "precision psychiatry" a reality.

One-in-four Australians have fatty liver disease, most don't even know it. With over two decades leading liver research in Australia, Professor Grant Ramm is excited about the possibility of repairing liver damage, It could be of particular benefit for those born with cystic fibrosis, with wider implications for possible use in treating scarring in other organs.

Research has shown for the first time how a complication of life-saving stem-cell transplants used for blood cancer patients, impacts the brain. It’s an important step towards improving the quality of life for patients with chronic Graft-Versus-Host-Disease (GVHD), a condition where transplanted donor cells attack the patient’s organs. While the transplant can cure the cancer, many patients develop chronic GVHD and are unable to return to normal life or work. Depression, anxiety and issues with concentration and memory are common, but until now were attributed to the emotional ordeal, or the chemotherapy or radiation. PhD candidate Rachael Adams explains how her preclinical studies show the brain is actually one of the organs targeted by chronic GVHD, which causes these neurocognitive issues. Her ongoing research is identifying altered biological pathways in the brain that could be the focus of potential treatments.

Imagine leaving school at 13 and becoming one of Australia's richest 200 people. Clive Berghofer AM has achieved just that, turning his work ethic, business acumen, and remarkable generosity to extraordinary philanthropic endeavours. One of those is helping QIMR Berghofer medical researchers find cures for diseases like cancer and Coronavirus through donations totalling more than $60 million. This is the story of the incredible philanthropist Clive Berghofer told in his own words.

Is a mastectomy the right option for all women with changes in the #BRCA genes? No – yet women who carry a BRCA variant of “uncertain” significance are unnecessarily having preventive mastectomies. Their variant could be benign, but they don’t want to take the chance it’s not. Professor Amanda Spurdle explains how a remarkable world-first data-sharing trial is helping remove the uncertainty for patients by working out which variants are harmful and which are harmless.

If you're allergic to shellfish - you were first allergic to something else! A new study unearthed the real cause, hopefully leading to better diagnosis and treatment of serious allergies. Associate Professor Severine Navarro talks about the culprit and its list of unexpected relatives of which you should be aware.

The story of how commercial sunbeds came to be banned in Australia is incredibly powerful, and two QIMR Berghofer researchers played an integral role in that momentous campaign. Now the world-first modelling they developed then is helping UK researchers in the fight to try and ban commercial solariums in England. But as Health Economist Associate Professor Louisa Gordon explains, despite the health and economic evidence, this will not be an easy campaign.

Malaria remains a major global health problem with nearly half of the world's population at risk of contracting malaria. In 2020, the World Health Organisation estimated there were 240 million cases of malaria and more than 620,000 deaths. It is also a disease of inequity with nearly all malaria deaths occurring in African children. To mark World Malaria Day, QIMR Berghofer researcher, Associate Professor Bridget Barber discusses the need for new anti-malaria drugs. Her research group is at the forefront of malaria research where they inoculate volunteer groups with malaria to test new drugs and evaluate their safety and efficacy. And as host Bridie Barry discovers, recent published findings are promising.

Professor Rajiv Khanna has had a fascinating 30-year research story in immunotherapy that has led to a game-changing therapy for people with multiple sclerosis. His treatment has seen a dramatic and sustained improvement in many people with progressive MS. Early results in Professor Khanna’s Phase 1 clinical trial show that people with MS who had been dependent on a walking aid were able to move around unassisted for longer periods of time. But getting to this stage wasn’t easy. In this episode, Professor Khanna shares what it took to get get this revolutionary treatment to clinical trials.

Brain cancer survival rates haven’t changed for about 50-years, but breakthrough research at QIMR Berghofer has found a weapon that might exclusively target cancer cells. This medical breakthrough was only possible through the establishment of one of Australia’s most comprehensive brain cancer tissue banks by Professor Bryan Day and his colleagues. It has already led to multiple discoveries worldwide.

Lupus is a chronic disease that can cause debilitating inflammation and pain in any part of the body, when the immune system attacks the healthy tissues. Treatment so far has been toxic, but Professor Fabienne Mackay, Director at QIMR Berghofer is behind the first new treatment for lupus in 50 years. She talks about how the discovery was made and what it will mean for the 5-million people who live with Lupus around the world.

An Australian first trial using deep brain stimulation is delivering exciting results for people living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is when people have recurring unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations that drive them to do something repetitively, which affects around half a million Australians. QIMR Berghofer Psychiatrist and Clinical Research Fellow, Dr Phil Mosley explains how the trial is delivering relief for people who have been suffering for decades with the disorder.