Microbiome Research Centre
The Microbiome Research Centre (MRC) is Australia’s first research centre solely dedicated to studying the microbiota in health and disease. The MRC was established at St George Hospital in 2017 with a federal government grant awarded to the SSMRF.
Mission
The MRC’s mission is to tackle the health priorities of the Australian Government. The MRC uses the National Health Priority Areas (NHPA) as the template for expanding the research collaborations and infrastructure, drawing together the best available talent and expertise locally, nationally and internationally. Clearly the translational impact of this research will take several years to be fully realised but the agenda is very clear: to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians.
The MRC continues to expand its collaborative research agenda and now has 127 research projects including 28 international projects spanning across global hospitals, universities and medical research institutes.
Research themes
The MRC’s research is focused on the following five key pillars:
- Cancer
- Women and children’s health
- Infection, inflammation and immunity
- Critical care
- Mental health and neuroscience
The MRC is particularly interested in gastrointestinal cancers including gastric, oesophageal and colorectal, liver cancer and skin cancer. The MRC is are also studying the role of the microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease, Helicobacter pylori infection and its associated diseases, fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease, pregnancy and pregnancy-related diseases, urogynecological diseases, thrombosis, schizophrenia and various autoimmune diseases.
Funding
Over the past four years, MRC researchers have achieved significant success with research grant funding, securing over $21 million in addition to the $6 million federal grant to SSMRF.
Clinical research projects
Explore the MRC’s current research programs:
Find out how you can help – review projects that are currently recruiting volunteers.
Featured on Australian Story
On Monday 28 July, Australian Story on ABC TV explored Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) and its potential link to mental health and the story of Jane and Alex Dudley. The episode features expert commentary from Professor Emad El-Omar, Director of the Microbiome Research Centre and a valued Board Director of SSMRF.
The story also includes psychiatrist Professor Gordon Parker AO, and Jane and Alex Dudley, who share their powerful lived experience with FMT and mental illness.
