The Inflammation and Cytokine Biology Research Program studies the molecule GDF15. This molecule was first discovered at St Vincent’s Hospital’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, and has been successfully commercialised to a number of international pharmaceutical companies.
The team’s continued research of the GDF15 molecule focuses on three main areas:
- How measuring GDF15 in blood can help diagnose and manage diseases
- Using GDF15-type molecules to treat obesity
- Blocking the action of GDF15 to treat anorexia cachexia (an untreatable condition linked to cancer and other chronic diseases that involves loss of appetite, weight loss and muscle wasting). Recent early-stage research of an antibody inhibiting GDF-15 has shown promising early results in this area.
The day-to-day operations of the lab are currently looking at understanding the detailed ways GDF15 and its receptor (GFRAL) cause anorexia, modulate metabolism, and impact cancer, inflammation and immunity.