Three research projects led by doctors from Western Health have each been awarded $75,000 as part of Western Health’s research week ceremonies.
The prestigious Arlene Wake Chronic Disease Fellowships aim to support and recognise medical research and innovation that tackles chronic diseases in the community.
Fellowships were awarded for a digital health project that uses AI to precisely measure chemotherapy doses, a research project on diabetes during pregnancy, and a cutting-edge diabetes management software solution for GPs. The projects are led by doctors Matthew Wei, Annabel Jones and Christopher Preston.
Dr Wei’s project is a digital health solution that utilises AI to predict colorectal cancer patient response to chemotherapy. This data is then used to create tailored treatment plans, allowing Western Health staff and University of Melbourne researchers to provide individualised care with greater precision than was previously possible. Dr Wei is a colorectal research fellow at Western Health, and the funding from the fellowship will allow Dr Wei to integrate his research into surgery, which he hopes will translate into real-world outcomes and benefits for patients.
Dr Jones will use funding from the fellowship to further her research into gestational diabetes, which is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. Western Health has one of the largest maternity hospitals in Australia with high rates of gestational diabetes and endocrine disease, and one in five women based in Melbourne’s west develop the condition. Due to the high case numbers in expectant mothers and the rising prevalence of diabetes in the population, Dr Jones’ project is anticipated to provide insight into treatment options and prevention for the Western Health community.
Dr Preston’s research will trial the effectiveness of a tool called Future Health Today. Developed as a collaboration between University of Melbourne and Western Health, Future Health Today uses sophisticated algorithms to review patient records in general practice and automate the identification of patients who require further testing, diagnosis or management. It is hoped that this will help GPs to more effectively diagnose chronic disease in their practices, potentially having a major impact on the health of the community.
The fellowships were made possible by an anonymous donation and are named in honour of Dr Arlene Wake, who served as Western Health’s Chief Medical Officer and Executive and was instrumental in the conception of the Western Centre for Health Research and Education (WCHRE) and Western Health Chronic Disease Alliance.
Western Health chief executive Adjunct Professor Russell Harrison said Western Health is honoured to award the Arlene Wake Chronic Disease Fellowships.
“The projects recognised and associated funding assist Western Health in shaping the health outcomes of our often vulnerable population, and are crucial in helping Western Health provide the best care for our patients,” he said.
“These fellowships address some of the most pressing health problems impacting our community in the west, and we are thankful to have funding that focuses on specialised issues.”
