Winners Announced for TRI Development Awards

Each will receive $10,000 to go toward their projects – ‘Predicting the success of immunotherapies’ and ‘Peritoneal dialysis mobile App (PD-Buddy)’ respectively.

Dr Gregor Kijanka, Mater Foundation Senior Research Fellow, said ‘the award will provide an excellent opportunity to tackle advanced melanoma with a multitude of approaches across several research teams within TRI. These synergies will certainly help us to improve current immunotherapies and develop safer and more effective treatments in the near future’.

Dr Kijanka’s team will be using the award to increase the hours of a dedicated research nurse within the Melanoma Unit, who will be working to identify, gain consent and collect data of approximately 40 advanced melanoma patients undergoing immunotherapy. 

Dr Magid Fahim, a Nephrologist , is part of a collaborative program between the Australian eHealth Research Centre, the UQ Centre for Online Research and the Australasian Kidney Trials Network to reduce complications and improve long-term use of Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) for people with end-stage kidney disease.

Dr Fahim’s team will be using the award to assist in developing a mobile App, called PD-Buddy, which enables patients to record symptoms in real time and gain invaluable medical advice.