Australian researchers have defined some key characteristics of the metabolically healthy obese – those obese individuals who remain free from type 2 diabetes and other disorders that usually associate with obesity. Their findings have implications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity.

Exploring the paradox of metabolically healthy obesity

Garvan’s boards welcome three new appointments  

New appointments to Garvan boards bring breadth of leadership credentials

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Researchers are recruiting volunteers for a clinical trial they hope will improve survival rates for an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Example article new funding boosts Garvan breast cancer research

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A fundamental shift in science will bring about a fundamental shift in healthcare, says Garvan Institute’s Professor Joseph Powell.

Cell by cell: the path of a new era in disease diagnosis and treatment

And Paradoxically, a gene variant that increases inflammation also has a protective effect on the kidneys. Seen here, kidney cell nuclei (blue) and an influx of immune regulatory cells (pink) that prevent damage in an injured kidney. (Credit: Garvan)

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Scientists have discovered a gene that regulates inflammation also plays a key role in maintaining normal blood-sugar levels, providing new insight into how anti-inflammatory drugs can trigger diabetes.

Gene provides clues for preventing common diabetes side effect of corticosteroid treatment

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Clinical researchers at Garvan have noted an extraordinary and unexpected benefit of osteoporosis treatment – that people taking bisphosphonates are not only surviving well, better than people without osteoporosis, they appear to be gaining an extra five years of life.

An extra 5 years of life an unexpected benefit of osteoporosis treatment

Garvan scientists, in association with US pharmaceutical company DiaKine Therapeutics, have shown that a drug candidate, Lisofylline, could be useful in treating Type 2 diabetes. Lysofylline, an anti-inflammatory drug, is currently undergoing clinical trials for other diseases.

New drug a potential treatment for Type 2 diabetes

Garvan and CSIRO biodata visualisation expert Dr Sean O’Donoghue was inspired by famous French cartographer, Charles Minard, in representing what happens when insulin strikes the surface of a fat cell.

The Napoleonic proportions of insulin’s journey in a fat cell

Australian genomics researchers have announced the development of Sequins – synthetic ‘mirror’ DNA sequences that reflect the human genome. This intuitive new technology, which can be used to better map and analyse complexity within the genome, is freely available to the academic research community.

Navigating the human genome with Sequins

A Garvan study reveals that people with the rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi Syndrome may have an impaired autonomic nervous system. This discovery opens up a new way of looking at the insatiable appetite experienced by all sufferers, as well as their very high risk of cardiovascular disease.

A new way of looking at Prader-Willi Syndrome

New findings from Garvan have identified how ‘oestrogen receptor positive’ breast cancers become resistant to hormone therapy.

How some breast cancers become resistant to hormone therapy

Precision medicine is fast becoming a reality – making it possible to analyse an individual’s genetic makeup and to use that information to select the best treatments. In this article, first published in The Conversation, Professor John Mattick (Executive Director, Garvan) explores the areas in which precision medicine is already having an impact on the front line.

John Mattick: Four ways precision medicine is making a difference

Garvan welcomes the announcement, in the newly released Federal Budget, of a new $500M genomics mission for Australia. The new mission seeks to save or transform the lives of more than 200,000 Australians through research into better testing, diagnosis and treatment.

BUDGET 2018: A new national genomics mission for Australia

Australian researchers have uncovered ‘extraordinary cooperation’ between two DNA mutations that are often found together in lymphomas and leukaemias. The findings help us understand how immune cells can ‘go rogue’, behaving in ways that can lead to autoimmune diseases and to blood cancers.

‘Partner in crime’ mutations work together to kickstart lymphoma and autoimmune disease

Congratulations to our PhD students who were awarded prizes at the Australasian Society for Immunology (ASI)-German Society for Immunology (DGfI) conference in Canberra last week.

Student success at ASI-DGfI Conference

An international study has provided compelling evidence  that we inherit more than a DNA blueprint from our mothers and fathers – we also inherit vital instructions on how to use that blueprint.

We inherit more than DNA: the extra blueprint layer we can’t live without

A new study being presented today at ICE/ENDO 2014, the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago, demonstrates that ambient temperatures can influence the growth or loss of brown fat in people. Cool environments stimulate growth, warm environments loss.

The ICEMAN study - how keeping cool could spur metabolic benefits 

In long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer, the immune system sees the cancer as an infectious disease – and so is empowered to attack and destroy tumour cells, according to findings published today in Nature. The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative, which includes one of the world’s largest cohorts of long-term pancreatic cancer survivors, contributed crucial information to the study.

Long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer have ‘built-in immunotherapy’

Cancer cells that lie ‘snoozing’ in the skeleton can be awakened – or left to slumber on – by changes in the bone that surrounds them, Australian scientists have shown.

How to wake a sleeping cancer cell – and why you might want to

Clinical researchers from Garvan and St. Vincent’s Hospital have shown that a form of weight loss surgery, known as ‘gastric banding’, brings about reversal of diabetes in some patients, and dramatic improvement of glucose tolerance in others, within 12 weeks.

Rapid reversal of diabetes after gastric banding surgery

Information about the genome sequence of 1200 of Australia’s healthy older people has been made available to medical researchers worldwide, with the launch of the Medical Genome Reference Bank today by Garvan and NSW Health.

Genomes of healthy older Australians to accelerate medical research in NSW and beyond

Beta-blocker use increases bone density and reduces risk of osteoporotic fracture by around 50% in men and women, say researchers at Garvan, who used data collected from the long-running Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study to demonstrate their findings.

Beta-blocker use protects bone health

Australian scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind model of Parkinson’s disease in zebrafish. In the model, neurodegeneration occurs through a combination of genetic and environmental factors – just as it does in people.

World Parkinson's Day: “Fish with Parkinson’s” uncover a druggable pathway

Australian scientists have uncovered a promising new approach to treating pancreatic cancer, by targeting the tissue around the tumour to make it ‘softer’ and more responsive to chemotherapy. The findings are published today in Science Translational Medicine.

A one-two punch for pancreatic cancer: ‘softening’ tumours before chemo markedly improves survival

Pancreatic cancer likely takes between 10 and 20 years to develop, providing the potential for a very “broad window” of intervention if detected early, which may be possible for people who inherit a predisposition, say Australian clinical researchers. 

Early detection window when pancreatic cancer is in the family  

The recipient of the inaugural Connie Johnson Award for Breast Cancer at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research will be announced in Parliament House today.

Garvan Institute announces recipient of the Connie Johnson Award for Breast Cancer Research

Garvan welcomes the Senate Select Committee report into Funding for Research into Cancers with Low Survival Rates, tabled this week in Parliament.

Senate report a boost for research into low survival cancers in Australia

Australian scientists have shown, for the first time, that a family of untethered proteins builds up in the cells of children with a rare and serious genetic condition, known as mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD). 

Proteins on the loose in a debilitating childhood disease

Until now, the immune cells known as 'B cells' have been thought to specialise only in the production of antibodies. A discovery by Garvan immunologists shows they also have a role to play in regulating another important aspect of the immune system. This finding may benefit research into autoimmunity and transplantation.

Unsuspected aspect of immune regulation revealed

Australian researchers have uncovered how our immune system strikes a balance between attacking invaders and leaving our own tissues alone – and, in the process, have solved a 50-year mystery surrounding the role of an enigmatic antibody.

Die Another Day: how the immune system keeps ‘traitor cells’ in lockdown

Garvan scientists have confirmed a ‘weak link’ in the immune system – identifying the exact conditions under which an infection can trigger an autoantibody response, a process not clearly understood until now.

How infection can trigger autoimmune disease

A team of leading Sydney researchers is pioneering the use of a fast genomic sequencing technology to help determine the source of hard-to-trace coronavirus cases.

Sydney researchers develop rapid genomics strategy to trace coronavirus-1

Garvan researchers secured six Project Grants awarded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Breast cancer funding for Garvan researchers

Musson’s ‘White Butterfly’ collection supports triple-negative breast cancer research

A clinical trial to test how genetically engineered cells might restore insulin function and reduce the need for immunosuppression in patients with type 1 diabetes has been funded.

World-first gene therapy clinical trial for type 1 diabetes to proceed

The new ACRF INCITe Centre provides world-leading microscope technology for unprecedented views of cancer and immune cell interactions, a game-changer for cancer research

ACRF INCITe Centre for world-class cancer imaging launches at the Garvan Institute

Eight innovative projects will be supported by funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

NHMRC awards grants to Garvan researchers

Garvan’s A/Prof Marina Pajic has been awarded an eight-year Snow Fellowship to carry out precision therapy research that aims to improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.

A/Prof Marina Pajic to lead precision therapy research for pancreatic cancer – thanks to Snow Fellowship

Dr Amanda Khoury will take part in an acclaimed national program, becoming a role model for the next generation of scientists.

Garvan researcher announced as a Superstar of STEM

A gene that controls the cut-off switch for kidney inflammation could pave the way for more precise disease diagnostics and personalised treatments.

Inflammation ‘brake’ gene may help reveal outcomes of kidney disease

Children have a strong initial immune reaction to coronavirus, but don’t transfer this to long-lasting memory T cells like adults do, new research shows.

Children’s immune response to coronavirus: fast but doesn’t last

Evolutionary changes in the human genome point to new approaches for the treatment of disease.

Early humans’ migration out of Africa holds clues for medical research

By putting a stop to the cancer environment’s communication with pancreatic cancer cells, research may improve efficiency of chemotherapy for patients.

Pancreatic cancer ‘priming’ may make chemotherapy more effective

A powerful new stem cell technique has enabled large-scale studies of the relationship between human genetics and biology.

‘Village’ approach to transform stem cell research

Inherent ‘noise’ in the system of gene expression in tumour cell death is another tool cancer cells use to resist chemotherapy treatment.

Tumour cells’ response to chemotherapy is driven by randomness

Australian researchers have made a fundamental discovery about what happens in lymph nodes, shedding light on the causes of immune-related diseases like lupus.

Specialised garbage disposal cell, implicated in autoimmune disease, tracked for the first time

Garvan researchers have shown, for the first time, that exercise allows the body’s tissues to communicate with each other using tiny protein-filled packages known as vesicles.

When we exercise, our muscles and other organs communicate via ‘vesicles’

A new study in animals demonstrates that a diet rich in coconut oil protects against ‘insulin resistance’  in muscle and fat. It also avoids the accumulation of body fat caused by other high fat diets of similar calorie content  – although can cause fat build up in the liver. These findings are important because obesity and insulin resistance are major factors leading to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

How coconut oil could help reduce the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes

Garvan and Osteoporosis Australia are today delighted to announce the launch of Know Your Bones, a freely available online tool that helps consumers to understand their own risk of bone fracture.

Know Your Bones: new online bone health assessment tool launches

By studying the blood cells of people with an immunodeficiency disorder, scientists at Garvan have been able to identify the molecular mechanisms that lead to the production of antibodies in human B cells. This has wider implications for potential treatment of certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.

How a single molecule gives our immune systems their memory

‘Tumour-trained’ immune cells – which have the potential to kill cancer cells – have been seen moving from one tumour to another for the first time. The new findings, which were uncovered by scientists at Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, shed light on how immune therapies for cancer might work, and suggest new approaches to developing anti-cancer immune therapies.

Tumour-trained T cells go on patrol

Australian researchers have identified epigenetic ‘signatures’ that could help clinicians tell the difference between highly aggressive and more benign forms of triple-negative breast cancer.

Epigenetic signatures that differentiate triple-negative breast cancers

Life scientists now have access to a publicly available web resource that streamlines and simplifies the process of gleaning insight from 3D protein structures. Aquaria, as it's known, is fast, easy-to-use and contains twice as many models as all other similar resources combined.

Powerful tool promises to change the way scientists view proteins

Researchers from Garvan’s Immunology Division have been exploring ways to make interleukin-2 immunotherapy less toxic and more effective against cancer. In doing so, the team has uncovered surprising new information about how to boost the antitumour activity of interleukin-2 molecules.

Interleukin-2: releasing an immune system brake to attack tumours

For an immune response to get underway, an invading microbe must first be halted in the spleen, and then digested by immune cells known as ‘dendritic cells’, which guard specific portals. Australian scientists have now shown how these gatekeepers position themselves to undertake their task. 

How the immune system positions its gatekeepers

Scientists from Australia and the UK have done the most in-depth analysis yet of 100 pancreatic cancer genomes and highlighted 4 subtypes that may help guide future patient treatment. The study is published in Nature today.

How the landscape of the pancreatic cancer genome is coming into view

Garvan researchers have identified a potentially treatable subtype of pancreatic cancer, which accounts for about 2% of new cases. This subtype expresses high levels of the HER2 gene. HER2-amplified breast and gastric cancers are currently treated with Herceptin.

Potential treatment for a specific kind of pancreatic cancer

Research by Associate Professor Stuart Tangye and Dr Elissa Deenick, of Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, has shed light on why some children are unusually susceptible to infectious disease.

A piece in the puzzle of primary immunodeficiency

Weight and appetite experts from around the world met at a conference in Bangkok earlier this year to discuss sex differences in obesity. One line of discussion looked at factors leading to women’s weight gain during menopause, and how it might be avoided.

Why women should eat less, move more and consider wearing transdermal patches during menopause

Garvan researchers have shown that low levels of testosterone in men double their risk of bone fracture, all other risk factors being equal. This is a significant finding given that 30% of the 110,000 osteoporotic fractures experienced in Australia each year occur in men. It is likely that the findings will have implications for clinical practice, possibly including testosterone supplementation.

Low testosterone in men doubles their risk of bone fracture

The Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Program, led by Garvan’s Professor David Thomas, will be expanded to the Canberra Region Cancer Centre.

Rare cancer patients in ACT gain local access to Garvan’s clinical trial

A protein that controls milk production in the breast after pregnancy can ‘go rogue’ in breast cancer and drive the spread of cancer cells to the lungs, Australian researchers have shown.

Milk-producing protein ‘goes rogue’ to drive breast cancer spread

A landmark report, launched today by Garvan and Barlow Advisory, unveils wide-ranging clinical and commercial impacts of low-cost DNA sequencing and analysis.

Garvan Report: Genomics is disrupting the healthcare sector

Garvan congratulates Professor Mark Febbraio, who has won the 2017 Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) Kellion Award. The award recognises an Australian researcher who has made an outstanding contribution to diabetes research.

Professor Mark Febbraio: exercise is medicine

Know Your Bones, an online bone health self-assessment tool established by Garvan and Osteoporosis Australia, reached 50,000 website visits this month, and received a Highly Commended award at the prestigious National PRIA Golden Target awards. 

Know Your Bones reaches milestone – and scoops national award

Garvan scientists have identified a new group of immune cells that for the first time directly link two autoimmune diseases, Type 1 diabetes and Sjögren’s syndrome. Autoimmune diseases arise when the body’s defences become overactive, and instead of attacking invading microbes, it starts to attack itself. In the case of Type 1 diabetes, the body attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. In the case of Sjögren’s syndrome, it attacks its own salivary glands.

Breakthrough study links Type 1 diabetes and Sjögren’s syndrome

Microsoft is to support the development of Garvan’s Genetic Index, through an Azure high performance computing grant.

Microsoft cloud computing grant to support Garvan’s genomic research

A Garvan-led research team has performed the largest ever study of how ‘microRNAs’ function in cancer cells. Hundreds of these tiny molecules play an important role in whether cancer cells live or die, the researchers found.

Small but mighty: the tiny molecules that regulate cancer cell survival

Garvan congratulates four scientists who received awards at the 2018 Lorne Genome Conference 2018 for their research into cancer, chemotherapy resistance, epigenetics and genomic technology.

Garvan researchers make a splash at the Lorne Genome Conference

Australian researchers have shown why calcium-binding drugs commonly used to treat people with osteoporosis, or with late-stage cancers that have spread to bone, may also benefit patients with tumours outside the skeleton, including breast cancer.

Bone drug should be seen in a new light for its anti-cancer properties

A breakthrough study of over 450 pancreatic cancer genomes, published today in Nature, has shown that pancreatic cancer is in fact four distinct diseases. The study was led by researchers from the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative, Garvan, the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland. 

Genomics yields a new understanding of pancreatic cancer 

Garvan and Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science are planning to establish a joint centre for research in cellular genomics. The Centre, which will be known as the Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, will be housed in The Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney.

Joint Sydney research centre in the works for Garvan and Weizmann Institutes

A major study shows that whole-body MRI screening can identify previously undetected primary tumours throughout the body in people with high genetic risk of cancer.

Top-to-toe MRI screen picks up early-stage cancers while still curable

A Garvan-led research team has shown that a new therapeutic approach can enhance insulin secretion by the pancreas, and has the potential to improve islet cell transplants in individuals with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes: Releasing the 'insulin handbrake' could make transplants a reality for thousands

An international team of researchers, including Garvan’s Dr Ruth Pidsley, has shed new light on how DNA sequence variation can influence the developing brain. 

Schizophrenia and DNA methylation in the developing brain

Congratulations to Scott Youlten who won the People’s Choice and ASPIRE award at the 2015 UNSW Interfaculty Final held on 23 September with a presentation titled “Skeletal Marriage Counselling”

Scott Youlten wins People’s Choice and ASPIRE award at the 2015 UNSW Interfaculty Final

Congratulations to PhD student Saul Bert.

Saul Bert Awarded 2014 Garvan Thesis Prize

For significant contributions to science, leadership, philanthropy and the arts.

Garvan community recognised in Australia Day Honours List

A new study repurposing an antifungal drug for pancreatic cancer is one of two projects to be boosted by St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation funding.

Pancreatic cancer and brain cancer research projects supported by St Vincent’s Clinic Foundation grants

The level of collagen type XII in breast tumours plays an important role in triggering the spread of cancer cells around the body.

Collagen a key player in breast cancer metastasis

By revealing a new immune defence mechanism, researchers have made future diagnosis easier for patients with rare genetic changes affecting the blood, skin, brain and other organs.

The unleashed virus defence at the root of a spectrum of diseases

We have trillions of cells in our body – a single, individual cell can impact health and disease.

How does cellular genomics work?

Dr Thomas Cox and Professor Chris Ormandy have been awarded three-year Project Grants from Cancer Council NSW to explore innovative research projects in pancreatic and breast cancer respectively.

Cancer Council NSW grants for innovative cancer research

A study in zebrafish indicates that some genes linked to cancers in humans have been strictly regulated throughout evolution.

Ancient epigenetic changes silence cancer-linked genes

Garvan’s Dr Venessa Chin will be exploring new ways to match therapies to lung cancer patients, thanks to support from Pathfinders – a Sydney-based collective group with a mission to support cancer research at Garvan.

Finding the path to personalised medicine in lung cancer

Michael had suffered from mysterious medical symptoms his entire life. He received a life-changing treatment following a genetic diagnosis through the Garvan-led CIRCA program.

Researchers target immune system to treat rare cancer

Whole genome sequencing at Garvan guided targeted therapy for a child with a severe autoimmune condition.

Gene sequencing guides girl’s life-changing arthritis treatment

Associate Professor David Croucher has been awarded $614,000 to lead the development of better treatment strategies for children with neuroblastoma.

MRFF funding for Garvan cancer researcher A/Prof David Croucher

In an international quest for answers, Australian, French and American researchers have pulled back the curtain on a rare and mysterious disease – and exposed a new gene that can wreak havoc on the body’s defences. The team’s detective work signals new promise in the effort to globally demystify unexplained, perplexing diseases.

Gene-hunters make sense of a new immune disease

Garvan researchers have developed a method for detecting the products of ‘fusion’ genes in cancer cells more accurately than current clinical methods.

A more accurate method to diagnose cancer subtypes

Research reveals a new therapeutic target for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Psoriasis drug target offers potential for osteosarcoma

Garvan’s A/Prof Joseph Powell has received the Ruth Stephens Gani Medal for his research harnessing the genomic information of individual cells to drive new medical approaches.

Australian Academy of Science honours A/Prof Joseph Powell

The Garvan-led UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute is set to accelerate research in cellular genomics and single-cell sequencing – and to uncover new targets and treatments for disease.

New cellular genomics institute launches

KCCG has identified new opportunities in genomics where its researchers can have a significant impact.

KCCG announces new strategic direction

Garvan cements its commitment to championing gender equity through a new partnership.

Garvan’s newest role as one of Franklin Women’s Academic Partners

New study points to ways to maintain healthy muscles in older people.

Vitamin D deficiency may impair muscle function

Eight new NHMRC fellowships have this week been awarded to Garvan researchers, in recognition of their outstanding research into cancer and cancer epigenetics, antibody therapies, immunology, and neurodegenerative disease.

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