OR

Browse By

Physiology and pathophysiology of disorders of the musculoskelatal system (2016–2020)

Abstract:
This application for a Senior Principal Research Fellowship is to enable me to exploit new opportunities to address the enormous burden of musculoskeletal conditions, which is an important, but understudied and underfunded area of health/medical research. My focus is the most costly and prevalent musculoskeletal conditions of low back pain (LBP) and osteoarthritis (OA), and on those that impact activity including tendinopathies. I will also exploit lessons from these conditions to other conditions for which the neuromuscular system is critical, particularly incontinence. My emphasis is on conservative (non-surgical) non-drug treatments as these are the cornerstone of management. My overall objective is to improve outcomes by understanding how to apply the right treatment to the right person at the right time. I will do this through a broad research strategy spanning basic mechanistic research through applied trials of treatment efficacy to effective implementation in the community. My planned program, which is already funded by a new NHMRC Program Grant that I lead, will substantially build on and expand the foundation of major outcomes from my highly successful current Program Grant that is having an impact on outcomes for patients with musculoskeletal conditions. My program aims to: identify novel treatment targets; define patient subgroups that respond to specific treatments; optimise effects of treatment; provide evidence for novel and existing treatments; and identify optimal methods to translate research into improved outcomes and address evidence-practice gaps (an area of major new expansion with my team¿s new NHMRC CRE). I plan to exploit new discoveries in basic science and advances in clinical efficacy across the basic, applied and translational themes of my program, and by transfer of lessons between the conditions that I study. My research strategy includes extensive opportunities to develop a skilled cohort of early career researchers and students.
Grant type:
NHMRC Research Fellowship
Researchers:

  • Professor Paul Hodges

    Prof. & NHMRC Leadership Fellow(L3)
    School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
    Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
Funded by:
National Health and Medical Research Council