Double success for Hudson Institute with Brockhoff Foundation
By Rob Clancy, staff writer
A pair of exciting Hudson Institute research projects has received funding for the next two years from the Jack Brockhoff Foundation.
The projects of Dr Shouya Feng and Dr Elly Jarred, covering anti-inflammatory therapies for autoinflammatory diseases and the role of epigenetics in female reproductive health, stood out in a competitive field for these prestigious grants.
The Jack Brockhoff Foundation exists to support the health and wellbeing of all Victorians and among its philanthropic efforts it funds talented early-career researchers such as Dr Feng and Dr Jarred.
The Foundation was established in 1979 by the late Sir Jack Brockhoff, the Chairman and Managing Director of Brockhoff Biscuits Pty Ltd, a business established by his grandfather in 1880.
History of the Jack Brockhoff Foundation
Brockhoff Biscuits was a famous name throughout Australia from the late 19th century until the late 1970s, responsible for introducing staples such as Savoy biscuits and Savoury Shapes to the market.
Throughout his life, Sir Jack was keen to assist others in the community less fortunate than himself, and Hudson Institute is proud to be part of the Brockhoff Foundation’s efforts to bring much-needed medical breakthroughs to the people of Victoria and beyond.
Grant details
Characterising emerging anti-inflammatory therapies for autoinflammatory diseases.
Dr Shouya Feng
Autoinflammatory diseases are caused by genetic mutations that disrupt how our bodies control inflammation. Among the key proteins involved, NLRP3 stands out due to its significant contribution to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis. Importantly, gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding NLRP3 directly lead to an autoinflammatory disease named cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS).
Current CAPS therapies are delivered through injection and function by supressing the immune system, which can increase the risk of infections. Alternative oral treatments with fewer side effects are needed for CAPS patients.
This project aims to develop new drugs to specifically target NLRP3, offering safer and more effective treatments for CAPS and related diseases.
Understanding epigenetic mechanisms regulating female reproductive health.
Dr Elly Jarred
Ovarian dysfunction underlies significant female health conditions, including primary ovary insufficiency
(POI) which affects 1-3.7% of women under 40. Women with POI experience infertility, endocrine dysfunction, susceptibility to bone, metabolic and cardiovascular disease, and psychosocial impacts including depression.
Genetic factors explain 20-25% of cases, but the majority are sporadic and may result from environmental or non-genetic factors, such as epigenetics. Epigenetics stabilises gene expression and maintains normal cell function throughout life.
Environmental factors can affect epigenetics, but how epigenetic mechanisms regulate ovarian function and female health remain unclear.
This project is founded on my earlier discovery that disruption of the critical epigenetic modifier, EED leads to POI in mice, revealing what could be an essential role for EED in adult ovarian function and providing new novel insight into ovarian epigenetic regulation.
This research was supported by | Jack Brockhoff Foundation
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