THE STEPHEN SANIG RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The Stephen Sanig Research Institute

" All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered;
the point is to discover them. "   – Galileo Galilei

Our Mission

Meningococcal disease is an acute bacterial infection that can result in death or permanent disability within hours if not recognised and treated in time. Some 700 Australians are affected each year, most often children and young adults, resulting in death for 10-15%.  Survivors often suffer disabilities such as learning difficulties, sight and hearing problems, liver and kidney failure, and loss of fingers, toes and limbs.

The Stephen Sanig Research Institute has been established to develop and disseminate new and effective methods for the prevention, treatment and management of meningococcal disease, with the goal of reducing the incidence and effects of the disease in Australia.

The activities of the Institute fall into two complementary areas:

1. Research: improved understanding of the causes of meningococcal disease and new prevention, treatment, and amelioration methods.
2. Education: engagement with policy groups, medical professionals and public communities to broaden public awareness and facilitate the introduction of better practices for dealing with meningococcal disease.

In the future we aim to establish a research institute as the premiere research and education institution in the field of meningococcal disease, leveraging its reputation for research excellence and community involvement.  The institute's staff will include leading researchers, who are at the forefront of multidisciplinary research that brings together molecular and cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology.  The institute's researchers supported by first-tier technical staff, able to develop and maintain the innovative systems essential to their research mission.

The institute's outreach activities led by experienced educators, able to engage with the public to discuss the issues related to its mission, and well placed to effectively disseminate the insights arising from its research within the broader community.

Progression of Meningococcal Disease

Current approaches to the management of meningococcal disease focus on prevention through vaccination and post infection treatment.

The newly developed meningococcal protein-conjugate vaccines have promising results in duration of immunity, protective efficacy and impact on nasopharyngeal carriage, and, subsequently, disease transmission in relation to serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135.  However, they do not protect against serogroup B meningoccoci, a major cause of invasive disease. Development of vaccines against serogroup B has been hindered by an incomplete understanding of the specific noncapsular antigens needed to elicit protective antibodies.

Post infection treatment relies almost exclusively on antibiotics , which must be administered promptly after the appearance of initial symptoms.  However, early symptoms quite often resemble viral infections, and the rapid progression of the disease means that misdiagnosis can result in death or permanent damage within the first 24 hours.

The Research Agenda

The Institute's research and development program will blend science and technology to achieve practical, effective outcomes.  Our research goals will build on our past accomplishments, present activities and future anticipation, resulting in a program that is science led and result oriented. 

The Institute's research activities are organised in two sections:

• Microbiology and Immunology conducts basic research focusing on the pathogenesis of meningococcal disease. This fundamental research contributes to better understanding of the disease, and creates a formidable platform for new drug discovery.
• Biophysics and Bioengineering conducts applied research focusing on the identification of new compounds for the treatment and prevention of meningococcal disease, and the development of these compounds into safe and effective drugs.  This research relies on cutting edge biotechnology tools which have been developed by the Institute's research staff.

Initial Research Focus

Our initial research focuses on development of new therapeutic products that could be safely administered at the critical, early stages of the disease to minimise the impact of endotoxin systemic damage by:

1. inhibiting the release of endotoxins and neutralising their action
2. decreasing the susceptibility of organs and tissues to endotoxins, thus protecting them from damage.

This initiative leverages our extensive understanding of the immune and associated inflammatory responses.  Issues that are focuses of our investigation include the following:

• Antibodies to capsular polysaccharides play a major role in protecting against invasive disease. In addition, the antibodies to subcapsular antigens may contribute to the immunity. Host immune response to the meningococcus is important in determining disease occurrence and severity.
• The failure of timely antibiotic therapy to prevent death or amputation in some cases may be explained by genetic factors. Cytokines, chemokines, and other components of the host inflammatory cascade may mediate susceptibility.
• At least one meningococcal serogroup appears to escape immune detection via molecular mimicry. Serogroup B meningococcal polysaccharide capsule (alph-2, 8-linked polysialic acid) is identical to cell surface glycoconjugates produced in the developing human fetal nervous system. Bypassing or mitigating this mimicry might provide an effective solution for prevention of neuron and platelet damage during acute phase of the disease.

The Outreach Agenda: Education & Communication

In addition to the Institute's research activities, it maintains a set of comprehensive education and outreach programs to increase the public's awareness of meningococcal disease, disseminate current treatment protocols, and improve the rehabilitation prospects of people who have experienced permanent injury as a result of the disease.

One key initiative is the provision of PhD scholarships to gifted young scientists to encourage them to contribute new ideas and specialise in the field.

The institute also disseminates timely information on insights from our research projects and emerging views of the global research community.  These can be expected to offer new treatment options for the medical profession, and new policy options for the various supporting agencies, and the community.

YOUR DONATION COULD MAKE THE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TO
500,000 SUFFERS OF MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE WORLDWIDE