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Transforming lives through medical research

An independent, not-for-profit, medical research institute dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain and nervous system disorders.

Together, we can ensure the diseases of today will no longer be the diseases of tomorrow.

From advances in dementia and mental health to discoveries in chronic pain and falls prevention, our scientists have been delivering world-class medical research for over 30 years.

Thanks to our fearless researchers and innovators, we continue to be advocates for the role of research in informing and transforming our response to some of the greatest health challenges of our times.

Neurodegeneration

Deepening our understanding of brain and mind disorders through scientific discovery

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Pioneering solutions for positive mental health through collaboration and innovation

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Translating neuroscience research into solutions with real-world impact

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Anti-inflammatory drug found to help adults with severe schizophrenia

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We are a leading independent global medical research institute focused on the world's biggest health challenges.

We conduct research and identify practical approaches towards better treatments, better care, and healthier societies.

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We are raising funds to support research posts, fellowships programs and infrastructure across our major centres in Australia, India, China and the UK.

Our mission is to improve the health of millions of people worldwide

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Finding better treatments for the world's biggest health challenges

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Transforming primary health care to support better health for more people

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Diabetes drug improves cardiovascular outcomes across a range of heart and kidney conditions.

08 Apr 2024

'ecoSwitch' recognised at 35th Banksia Awards for sustainability

05 Apr 2024

Alta Schutte honoured with NHMRC Research Excellence Award

28 Mar 2024

World-class centre tackles sex and gender inequities in health and medicine

27 Mar 2024

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Meet renu khanna, distinguished fellow.

Renu Khanna is a passionate advocate for women’s health and rights. Based in Vadodara in the state of Gujarat, India, Khanna co-directs SAHAJ-Society for Health Alternatives (SAHAJ), a non-governmental organisation that focuses on health and education issues and works with children, adolescents and women.

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Medical Research Institutes

Our medical research institute partners are world-leaders in their fields, and provide us with valuable expertise across a range of disciplines

In addition to our health service and university Partners, we are partnered with eleven medical research institutes.

ANZAC Research Institute

The ANZAC Research Institute's vision is to provide leadership and excellence in health and medical research activities throughout Australia, with a focus on aging, to improve the future health and medical care for the Australasian community. In so doing, the Institute will provide a lasting legacy to the veterans and their families who have created the society we have today.

The ANZAC Research Institute aims to co-ordinate the highest quality innovative research at all levels from public and population health, to clinical research, molecular physiology as well as cell and molecular biology.

Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute

The Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI), established by the Asbestos Diseases Research Foundation, is a charitable, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting the world's first stand-alone research facility focused on asbestos-related cancer. ADDRI is located in the Bernie Banton Centre, named in honour of the late asbestos diseases campaigner, Bernie Banton.

ADDRI comprises of a multidisciplinary team of scientists, including oncology-oriented clinicians, epidemiologists, molecular biologists, quality-of-life researchers and experts in biotechnology.

Encompassing professional and community education and promoting the significance of asbestos and dust-related health issues amongst opinion leaders, the ADDRI places a strong emphasis on achieving practical benefits for people affected by or at risk of asbestos and dust-related diseases.

The Centenary Institute

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute. Its strength is in uncovering disease mechanisms and applying this knowledge to improve diagnostics and treatments for patients and find cures for some of the most chronic diseases affecting today's society. The Centenary Institute focuses its research efforts in three key areas: cancer, inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI)

The Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is dedicated to advancing the treatment and prevention of childhood diseases, so every child has the opportunity for a healthy start to life. CMRI was Australia's first paediatric medical research facility and pioneered microsurgery, immunisations against lethal childhood illnesses and care for premature babies, all of which has improved the lives of countless Australian children over the last 58 years. Today, CMRI is the site of world-leading research in areas such as cancer, neurobiology, embryology and gene therapy.

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse

The mission of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse is to improve the quality of life of cancer patients, carers and their families by advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of the disease. The Chris O'Brien Lifehouse is an integrated and focused centre of excellence, offering everything a cancer patient needs in one place, including advanced onco-surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, clinical trials, research, education, complementary therapies and psychosocial support.

The George Institute for Global Health

The George Institute for Global Health is a global, not-for-profit health and medical research organisation, affiliated with leading academic partners, with major centres in Australia, China, India and the United Kingdom. Its  research is helping people all over the world to lead healthier lives, be it by transforming the way healthcare is delivered or by identifying the most effective, safe and affordable ways to prevent and treat chronic disease and injury. The George Institute is at the forefront of finding healthcare solutions with a single goal in mind: to improve the lives of millions of people around the world, today and in the future.

The Heart Research Institute

The Heart Research Institute is a world-class research institute and a hub for scientific excellence in cardiovascular research. Its scientists are focused on understanding the causes and complications of cardiovascular disease and are at the forefront of conducting innovative research to prevent, detect and treat the world's number one killer - cardiovascular disease. 

Kolling Institute

The Kolling Institute brings together a talented, dedicated and experienced team to pioneer new treatments and improve the health of the community.

As the longest-running research organisation in NSW, the Institute is recognised as a world-leading centre linking the Northern Sydney Local Health District with the University of Sydney.

It has been at the forefront of research for 100 years, turning scientific discoveries into medical realities. Today, hundreds of researchers are part of the Kolling team, all driven by a common goal to help diagnose, prevent and treat disease – and improve the care our community receives.

Kolling Institute researchers are in a unique position as part of a large health system - directly able to incorporate scientific breakthroughs into clinical practice. Supported by the latest technology and strong partnerships, our teams are embracing innovative research and improving the lives of those living with disease.

Melanoma Institute Australia

Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) pioneers advances in melanoma research and treatment that are making a difference to the lives of patients today.  They are a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and curing melanoma through innovative, world-class research, treatment and education programs.

MIA is a national affiliated network of melanoma researchers and clinicians based in Sydney at the Poche Centre – the world’s largest melanoma research and treatment facility. It’s from here that their specialists pioneer new research, conduct clinical trials, develop new treatments and promote awareness of melanoma and where their clinics treat 1,500 melanoma patients each year.

Westmead Institute for Medical Research

As one of the largest medical research institutes in Australia, the Westmead Institute for Medical Research brings together many disciplines and skills to improve the health and well-being of people in the Western Sydney region and beyond. Its vision is to attract great minds to do great research which is translated to improve health for patients and communities.

Its researchers are world leaders in breast and ovarian cancer, melanoma and leukaemia, diabetes, major infectious diseases including HIV; autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis; kidney, liver, heart, respiratory and eye diseases; mental health and neuroscience.

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research strives to improve the respiratory and sleep health of Australians through world-class research, care and education. Its team of 200 medical researchers is dedicated to investigating the causes of disease, finding better treatments and translating their discoveries into new clinical practice. The Institute is determined that its work creates a better life for people living with lung conditions and sleep disorders.

Centenary Institute

Dr Kieran English has won the top spot in Centenary’s ‘When Art Meets Science’ exhibition with for his portrayal of T cells, an important part of the immune system.

Research grant to advance ovarian cancer treatment

The Centenary Institute has received vital grant funding from Cancer Australia to lead new research efforts targeting chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer patients.

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The Centenary Institute currently has openings in eight project areas across our seven centres.

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Affiliate medical research institutes

Our ability to deliver world-class medical education and significant breakthroughs in crucial areas of healthcare couldn't be achieved without the strength of our affiliated medical research institutes. Explore the strength of UNSW Medicine & Health partnerships and how they ensure we’re improving patient outcomes in Australia and beyond.

Black Dog Institute

Children’s Cancer Institute

Garvan Institute of Medical Research

The George Institute for Global Health

The Ingham Institute

Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA)

Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

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About The Woolcock

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research strives to improve breathing and sleep health globally through world-class research, clinical care and education. We are a not-for-profit research institute.

Our Research

We're the leading respiratory and sleep research organisation in Australia. Our Centre for Lung Cancer Research is Australia’s first centre dedicated to understanding and treating lung cancer.

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The Woolcock Clinic is a world-leading medical centre specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of all sleep and breathing disorders. Our dedicated clinicians who are at the forefront of international health research are able to support patients with the latest innovations in diagnosis and cutting-edge evidence-based medicine.

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Evidence doesn't support spinal cord stimulators for chronic back pain - and they could cause harm

In an episode of  ABC’s Four Corners  this week, the use of spinal cord stimulators for chronic back pain was brought into question.

Spinal cord stimulators are devices implanted surgically which deliver electric impulses directly to the spinal cord. They’ve been used to treat people with chronic pain  since the 1960s .

Their design has changed significantly over time. Early models required an external generator and invasive surgery to implant them. Current devices are fully implantable, rechargeable and can deliver a variety of electrical signals.

However, despite their long history, rigorous experimental research to test the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulators has only been conducted this century. The findings don’t support their use for treating chronic pain. In fact, data points to a significant risk of harm.

What does the evidence say?

One of the first studies used to support the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulators was published in 2005. This  study  looked at patients who didn’t get relief from initial spinal surgery and compared implantation of a spinal cord stimulator to a repeat of the spinal surgery.

Although it found spinal cord stimulation was the more effective intervention for chronic back pain, the fact this study compared the device to something that had already failed once is an obvious limitation.

Later studies provided more useful evidence. They compared spinal cord stimulation to non-surgical treatments or placebo devices (for example, deactivated spinal cord stimulators).

A  2023 Cochrane review  of the published comparative studies found nearly all studies were restricted to short-term outcomes (weeks). And while some studies appeared to show better pain relief with active spinal cord stimulation, the benefits were small, and the evidence was uncertain.

Only one  high-quality study  compared spinal cord stimulation to placebo up to six months, and it showed no benefit. The review concluded the data doesn’t support the use of spinal cord stimulation for people with back pain.

What about the harms?

The experimental studies often had small numbers of participants, making any estimate of the harms of spinal cord stimulation difficult. So we need to look to other sources.

A  review of adverse events  reported to Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration found the harms can be serious. Of the 520 events reported between 2012 and 2019, 79% were considered “severe” and 13% were “life threatening”.

We don’t know exactly how many spinal cord stimulators were implanted during this period, however this surgery is done reasonably widely in Australia, particularly in the private and workers compensation sectors. In 2023, health insurance data showed  more than 1,300  spinal cord stimulator procedures were carried out around the country.

In  the review , around half the reported harms were due to a malfunction of the device itself (for example, fracture of the electrical lead, or the lead moved to the wrong spot in the body). The other half involved declines in people’s health such as unexplained increased pain, infection, and tears in the lining around the spinal cord.

More than 80% of the harms required at least one surgery to correct the problem. The same study reported four out of every ten spinal cord stimulators implanted were being removed.

The cost here is considerable, with the devices alone costing tens of thousands of dollars. Adding associated hospital and medical costs, the total cost for a single procedure averages  more than $A50,000 . With many patients undergoing multiple repeat procedures, it’s not unusual for costs to be measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Rebates from Medicare, private health funds and other insurance schemes may go towards this total, along with out-of-pocket contributions.

Insurers are  uncertain of the effectiveness  of spinal cord stimulators, but because their implantation is listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule and the devices are approved for reimbursement by the government, insurers are forced to fund their use.

Industry influence

If the evidence suggests no sustained benefit over placebo, the harms are significant and the cost is high, why are spinal cord stimulators being used so commonly in Australia? In New Zealand, for example, the devices are rarely used.

Doctors who implant spinal cord stimulators in Australia are well remunerated and funding arrangements are different in New Zealand. But the main reason behind the lack of use in New Zealand is because pain specialists there are not convinced of their effectiveness.

In Australia and elsewhere, the use of spinal cord stimulators is heavily promoted by the pain specialists who implant them, and the device manufacturers, often in unison. The tactics used by the spinal cord stimulator device industry to protect profits have been compared to tactics used by the tobacco industry.

A 2023 paper  describes these tactics  which include flooding the scientific literature with industry-funded research, undermining unfavourable independent research, and attacking the credibility of those who raise concerns about the devices.

It’s not all bad news

Many who suffer from chronic pain may feel disillusioned after watching the Four Corners report. But it’s not all bad news. Australia happens to be home to some of the world’s top back pain researchers who are working on safe, effective therapies.

New approaches such as  sensorimotor retraining , which includes reassurance and encouragement to increase patients’ activity levels,  cognitive functional therapy , which targets unhelpful pain-related thinking and behaviour, and old approaches such as  exercise , have recently shown benefits in robust clinical research.

If we were to remove funding for expensive, harmful and ineffective treatments, more funding could be directed towards effective ones.

This article was originally published in The Conversation as 'Evidence doesn’t support spinal cord stimulators for chronic back pain – and they could cause harm'  , written by Dr Adrian Traeger and Dr Caitlin Jones from the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney and Professor Ian Harris, UNSW Sydney. 

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Related articles

Spinal cord stimulation doesn't help with back pain, says new review, antidepressants use for chronic pain on the rise, but are they effective, opioids no more effective than placebo for acute back and neck pain.

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For more than 60 years, scientists at SVI have been inspired by discovery and driven by purpose.

Our team of 250 staff and students work collaboratively to tackle some of the most critical health challenges facing society today, including cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and dementia. We are passionate in our pursuit of fundamental biological discovery and practical application, because both are required to improve the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of human disease.

SVI is located on the campus of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, is affiliated with the University of Melbourne, and proudly operates in one of the world’s most dynamic biomedical hubs.

Principal research areas

• Osteoporosis and bone disease
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• Neurodegeneration
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Image caption: St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI) in Melbourne, Victoria.

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• Infectious diseases
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Empagliflozin after Acute Myocardial Infarction

Affiliation.

• 1 From Baylor Scott and White Research Institute, Dallas (J. Butler); the Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi, Jackson (J. Butler); the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center (W.S.J., J.H., A.F.H.), and the Duke Clinical Research Institute (R.D.L.) - both in Durham, NC; Women's College Hospital (J.A.U.), the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto (J.A.U., S.G.G.), and the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto (S.G.G.), Toronto, the Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton (S.G.G.), and the Section of Cardiology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg (S.Z.) - all in Canada; the Department of Cardiology, German Heart Center Charité, Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, German Center for Cardiovascular Research Partner Site Berlin, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin (S.D.A.), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma (M.M., I.Z.) and Boehringer Ingelheim International (T.G., W.J., M.B., M. Sumin), Ingelheim, the Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover (J. Bauersachs), and the First Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim (M.B.) - all in Germany; the School of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom (M.C.P.); the Heart Institute, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem (O.A.); Instituto de Neurología (INECO) Neurociencias Oroño, Fundación INECO, Rosario, Argentina (M.C.B.); the Heart Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, and the Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònomoa de Barcelona, Barcelona (A.B.-G.), and Son Espases University Hospital, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca (X.R.) - all in Spain; the Department of Cardiology, First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing (Y.C.), and the Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and the Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Shanghai (J.G.) - both in China; the Department of Cardiology, Medanta, Gurgaon, India (V.K.C.); the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney (G.F.); the Department of Cardiology, National Cardiology Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria (N.G.); Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan (S.G.); the Division of Cardiology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (J.L.J.); Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea (M.H.J.); Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia (Y.L.); Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (B.M.); the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook (P.B.P.), and Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (D.L.B.) - both in New York; the Ukrainian Institute of Cardiology M.D. Strazhesko, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Kyiv, Ukraine (A.P.); Collegium Medicum-Faculty of Medicine, WSB University, Dąbrowa Górnicza (T.G.), and the Institute for Heart Diseases Medical University (P.P.) and Jan Mikulicz-Radecki University Clinical Hospital (J.S.), Wrocław - all in Poland; the Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen (M. Schou); the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University Clinical Center Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia (D.S.); Université Paris-Cité, French Alliance for Cardiovascular Trials, INSERM Unité 1148, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Bichat, Paris (P.G.S.); the Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (P.M.); and University and Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania (D.V.).
• PMID: 38587237
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2314051

Background: Empagliflozin improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients with heart failure, patients with type 2 diabetes who are at high cardiovascular risk, and patients with chronic kidney disease. The safety and efficacy of empagliflozin in patients who have had acute myocardial infarction are unknown.

Methods: In this event-driven, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients who had been hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction and were at risk for heart failure to receive empagliflozin at a dose of 10 mg daily or placebo in addition to standard care within 14 days after admission. The primary end point was a composite of hospitalization for heart failure or death from any cause as assessed in a time-to-first-event analysis.

Results: A total of 3260 patients were assigned to receive empagliflozin and 3262 to receive placebo. During a median follow-up of 17.9 months, a first hospitalization for heart failure or death from any cause occurred in 267 patients (8.2%) in the empagliflozin group and in 298 patients (9.1%) in the placebo group, with incidence rates of 5.9 and 6.6 events, respectively, per 100 patient-years (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 to 1.06; P = 0.21). With respect to the individual components of the primary end point, a first hospitalization for heart failure occurred in 118 patients (3.6%) in the empagliflozin group and in 153 patients (4.7%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.98), and death from any cause occurred in 169 (5.2%) and 178 (5.5%), respectively (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.19). Adverse events were consistent with the known safety profile of empagliflozin and were similar in the two trial groups.

Conclusions: Among patients at increased risk for heart failure after acute myocardial infarction, treatment with empagliflozin did not lead to a significantly lower risk of a first hospitalization for heart failure or death from any cause than placebo. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly; EMPACT-MI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04509674 .).

Copyright © 2024 Massachusetts Medical Society.

Associated data

• ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04509674