Alzheimer's Research

Associate Professor Gerald Muench from the School of Medicine, together with EcoBiotics Limited, has been awarded a UWS Research Partnership grant to identify compounds from Australian native tropical rainforest plants for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other neuro-inflammatory diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s are severely debilitating, and their impact is becoming ever more prominent as our population continues to age. Ecobiotics is the first first company to be given approval to collect native material from Queensland's rainforests under Queensland's Biodiscovery Act (2004), and UWS researchers are excited to be involved in a project of such great importance.

The research team will test a variety of compounds isolated from Australian tropical rainforest plants, particularly from Northern Queensland, for their anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective potential. A number of these plant extracts have already demonstrated these activities in non-Alzheimer related studies, and will now be tested (and further purified) in cell culture models mimicking the inflammatory scenario of Alzheimer's disease.

This important research is representative of a growing capacity at UWS to engage in commercially oriented research. The Innovation team is excited at the bright future for UWS’s new School of Medicine, and we encourage you to watch this space for news on their commercially significant discoveries.

Please click here for the full Research Directions article published by the Office of Research Services at UWS.

IP Evaluation Panel

The University of Western Sydney's (UWS) growing innovation capability was on show again at this year’s third Intellectual Property (IP) Evaluation Panel, which took place last week, October 8th at Frogmore House, Werrington North Campus.

The panel consisted of a number of prominent people from within the engineering and science innovation industries, as well as some of UWS’s most prominent academic minds. Mr Paul Brennan, Managing Director of ASP plastics, was a valuable contributor to the discussion. With his expertise in product development and manufacturing, he was able to provide valuable insight into the commercialisation potential of a new invention from Prof Andrew Beattie from our Centre for Plants and the Environment on the Hawkesbury campus that will hopefully help to reduce the impact of an important agricultural pest.

Paul is seen here back right, along with Matt Lohmeyer , back middle, an expert in Biotechnology commercialisation (company affiliations) and Rob Burnside of the Innovation & Consulting team, back left, along with other UWS participants Dr Fiona Cameron front left (I&C) and Prof Oscar Hauptman, the new Professor at the Centre for Innovation Studies UWS.

Prof Janice Aldrich-Wright from the School of Biomedical Sciences on the Campbelltown campus presented her research on new medically related compounds, and we were very pleased to recommend the implementation of additional steps in order to help protect this potentially valuable technology.

While not traditionally associated with the development of new technologies, it was also very encouraging for the University to see the College of Arts making its first appearance at the panel. Imbedded within the College of Arts, MARCS auditory laboratories conducts pure and applied research on auditory perception and cognition. Watch this space for more information on exciting new developments on their class leading research.

UWS Engineering Innovation

Christian Burden from UWS Development has a long standing relationship with Ian, and is seen here during the factory tour with Ian on his left.

UWS Innovation & Consulting had the pleasure of recently visiting the Managing Director of Advance Metal Products, Mr Ian Stone at Ingleburn, Sydney. A major contributor to the annual design student’s Widevision forum over several years, Mr Stone has a long standing relationship with UWS and has been very supportive of undergraduates in the design area.

Innovation & Consulting are active in supporting the growth of effective Greater Western Sydney industry relationships with our university. It was terrific to hear that the company has hired many UWS graduates and is keen to continue a close relationship with the university.

Advance Metal Products is Australasia’s leading sheet metal manufacturer with some of the most high tech manufacturing facilities in the country, and utilises their relationship with UWS to access important engineering services. We are currently exploring further access to cutting edge engineering technology in our NATA accredited engineering laboratories for testing facilities for the company.

The UWS School of Engineering, lead by Professor Brian Uy, houses an array of testing equipment, now accessible by industry and this provides an open door for industry to talk through UWS I&C with the innovative UWS School of Engineering .