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Singapore Networking Grant

Year:
2012
Duration:
6 months
Approved budget:
$9,110.00
Researchers:
Professor Madhav Bhatia
Health issue:
Infectious disease
Proposal type:
Networking Grant
Lay summary
We have had a very productive collaboration with the Singapore research team led by Professor Shabbir Moochhala. This work, on inflammatory mediators such as H2S and substance P and processes such as neurogenic inflammation in sepsis, is a major health problem in New Zealand and worldwide and has resulted in 28 publications in high-impact international journals so far (including 9 publications since Madhav Bhatia's relocation to New Zealand - January 2010-August 2011). This research was funded by Singapore funding agencies, including the Biomedical Research Council, the National Medical Research Council, and the Defence Science and Technology Agency-National University of Singapore Joint Applied R&D Co-operation Programme. Professor Moochhala's group has state of the art laboratories and extensive expertise with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)- induced sepsis. CLP-induced sepsis is an internationally recognised experimental model of polymicrobial sepsis that closely resembles clinical sepsis. This procedure has been an important part of our collaboration so far. A suitable setup for this kind of work is lacking at the University of Otago. It is important to keep this collaboration going, which would enable the transfer of this technology to the University of Otago. Furthermore, this collaboration can be the basis of future grant applications for funding collaborative research between the two teams in New Zealand and Singapore. On a larger scale, there is a proposal for a Trauma Centre to be developed by DSO National Laboratories and National University of Singapore with Professor Moochhala in a leadership role representing DSO National Laboratories. There are ongoing discussions with Madhav Bhatia as a potential international collaborator at the Trauma Centre. This, again, would help enhance the international profile of New Zealand.