Clinician-scientist Dr Jun Yang has been awarded the
Endocrine Society of Australia’s Postdoctoral Award to continue her research into
heart failure.
A Research Fellow in the Centre for Endocrinology and
Metabolism and a Consultant Endocrinologist at Monash Health, Dr Yang is working
to understanding how some heart failure drugs affect the white blood cells of
heart failure patients.
“The ESA Postdoctoral Award will allow me to continue
research into the molecular targets of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR)
antagonists in heart failure patients using their peripheral blood samples,” Dr
Yang said.
“Heart failure is a disabling condition where the heart
cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It can be treated with drugs called mineralocorticoid
receptor blockers.
“Our project seeks to understand how these drugs affect
white blood cells in patients with heart failure and use this information to
develop a simple blood test that can accurately monitor heart failure to
improve patient care."
Dr Yang said the research may also help to inform develop
better heart failure drugs with less side effects, whilst revealing new uses
for existing drugs.
“The research will add to the growing body of evidence for
the direct roles of MR activation in the pathophysiology of cardiac fibrosis
and failure,” Dr Yang said.
“It may also reveal new uses of MR antagonists in other
conditions with pathological tissue fibrosis.”
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