Children’s Musculoskeletal, Endocrine and Diabetes Research Group (MED-Kids)

Professor Munns is a chief investigator on this MRFF-funded study working in collaboration with families, community, and health care providers to improve the lives, wellbeing and outcomes of children and adolescents experiencing chronic lower limb pain. This research will provide the foundation for evidence-based, family-centred care in the face of chronic lower limb pain.

Dr Ludwig is leading this project that is looking at novel techniques for diagnosing genetic bone disorders in children. We are using RNA sequencing from urine-derived cells to identify and characterise genetic variants in children with bone disorders where a cause hasn’t been identified on clinical genetic testing.

In collaboartation with Department of Oncology at Queenslan Children’s Hospital, we are investigating the musculoskletal health of children and adolescents who have had leukaemia.

Children diagnosed with ALL or LBL have a survivorship of over 80%, but there is a hidden musculoskeletal burden from their treatment. Survivors experience debilitating chronic musculoskeletal pain, reduced bone density, pathological vertebral or long-bone fractures, immobility, fatigue and avascular necrosis requiring joint replacement. The full impact on quality of life (QOL) and participation is poorly understood. We will:

• Evaluate the musculoskeletal health, scope of musculoskeletal impairments and impact on short- and long-term physical function and QOL.
• Develop clinical practice guidelines for monitoring and managing musculoskeletal health.

The Back in Action project is lead by Associate Professor Kylie Tucker. This project aims to determine if paraspinal muscle force symmetry differs in adoelscents with idiopathic scoliois compared to children with typically developing spines. We are dedicated to making significant strides in the field of scoliosis. Our research program stands out from existing studies due to the evaluation of neuromuscular features that are known predictors of muscle force generation capacity. By utilizing new high resolution, non-invasive MRI protocols, we can now quantify the relationship between these features, bony morphology, and muscle activation - for the first time and within the same patient population.

Kylie also leads the Laboratory for Motor Control and Pain Research, within the School of Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine, UQ.

Within this role, Kylie collaborates human movement, rehabilitation and clinical researchers to provide new insights into the development of neuromotor control through childhood and adolescence, the changes in movement control that occur in response to pain, and the patterns of movement control that may predict the development of painful musculoskeletal conditions throughout the lifespan.

Kylie is passionate about working with great people who are excited to learn more about movement control and to share this knowledge. 

Associate Professor Louise Conwell is the principal site investigator for this global phase 2 clinical trial. Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) causes hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) in newborns, infants and children. It is due to loss of regulation of the hormone insulin secretion from beta-cells of the pancreas. It is a rare, yet complex and genetically varied condition. There is a high rate of neurodevelopmental issues (due to brain damage from low blood glucose levels) and feeding difficulties. There are often very long hospital admissions for management.

In patients that do not respond to the oral medication Diazoxide, there is a lack of other effective and safe medical therapies. Some patients require removal of 95% of their pancreas which is associated with short term and long term consequences such as diabetes and lack of the pancreatic enzymes required for nutrient absorption. There may also be persistent low blood glucose levels needing further attempts at medication treatment.

RZ358 is an IgG2 antibody, a small protein that dampens down the action of the excess insulin. Earlier phase studies have shown it to be safe and well-tolerated leading to decreased low blood glucose levels without causing a side-effect of high blood glucose levels.

Congenital Hyperinsulinism International Collaborative Research Network (CHI CRN)

CHI Collaborative Research Network | Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (congenitalhi.org)

A/Prof Conwell has been a stream co-chair and is now a council member.

The CHI CRN launched in December 2020 supported by a grant through the Chan Zuckerburg initiative Rare as One Network based in USA. CHI is one of 30 rare disease patient organisations who are part of this network. 

The CRN is a network of patients and families, health care workers,  researchers, and patient organizations working together to accelerate research and cures for CHI. The CHQ CRN is committed to:

• Supporting collaboration across the globe
• Elevating the patient voice and ensuring the patient perspective is central
• Guaranteeing access to information, medical specialists, and treatments regardless of income and geography
• Engaging new researchers and ideas to find innovative concepts and foster additional leaders in the HI network
• Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion 

ATIC is a collaborative of clinicians and researchers focused on facilitating clinical trials for immunotherapies for children with T1D, and advocating for funding of immunotherapies. Queensland Children’s Hospital are involved in a number of stage 3 T1D trials through the ATIC.

TrialNet is an international network of leading academic institutions, endocrinologists, physicians, scientists and healthcare teams at the forefront of T1D research. Queensland Children’s Hospital is a site for various screening and prevention trials run by TrialNet.

The ENDIA study is a observational cohort study involving 1500 children recruited at birth, who have a first-degree relative with T1D. The study aims to investigate the various environmental factors which contribute to islet cell autoimmunity and therefore development of T1D. Queensland Children’s Hospital has been an ENDIA site since its inception.

Queensland Children’s Hospital is a lead site for the JDRF Global Centre of Excellence which is focused on improving clinical outcomes for children with T1D. It’s principle research domains include models of care, and health economics.