Florey Impact Report – Life-changing discoveries

Life-changing discoveries

“ The Florey in that moment changed our lives.”

“In 3-and-a-half long years we hadn’t managed a single positive outcome for all our dedication and effort. Chris and Lauren’s research allowed us to stop Fern’s seizures almost instantly, and she has been seizure-free ever since.”

– Philip Stephens, father of young Fern

Acknowledgement of Country

The Florey acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

The Florey is committed to the aims, principles and actions of marra ngarrgoo, marra goori : The Victorian Aboriginal Health, Medical and Wellbeing Research Accord.

Life-changing discoveries

The Florey is the largest brain research centre in the Southern Hemisphere, where remarkable minds are advancing the field of neuroscience and mental health research.

With 100 billion neurons and thousands of miles of nerve fibres, the brain is by far the most complex yet wondrous organ in the human body.

Everything we do involves the brain. And yet, there is still so much we don’t know about it when compared with other parts of the body.

Conditions and diseases that affect the brain impact millions of people – dementia, for example, is the second leading cause of death in Australia. Mental health conditions affect one in three people in their lifetime.

Having a brain condition can be devastating. The lives of the individual with the condition, as well as their loved ones, can be turned upside down.

Building advanced knowledge of the brain when it is healthy, as well as when it is affected by a disorder or disease, is the ultimate weapon for benefit. It is this knowledge that will bring earlier and easier diagnosis, unlock new and better treatments and ultimately provide answers that patients expect and deserve.

This is what motivates every researcher at The Florey –Australia’s premier brain research institute. Studying more than 20 brain conditions, including some of the rarest and most severe, we are applying the most specialised scientific skillsets and expertise to make life-changing discoveries.

On the pages that follow, you’ll find stories of real people whose lives have been transformed by the power of brain research. They have faced the unfathomable challenges that conditions such as stroke, motor neurone disease and epilepsy present. Their bravery in sharing their stories means we can all be inspired and learn just how vital The Florey’s research is.

Contents

Changing children’s lives

Fern Stevens had her first seizure at 7 months. Her parents Philip and Julie searched for answers, but it was only once they connected with Florey researcher Chris Reid about 3 years later that their little girl’s seizures stopped.

Professor Reid’s research into how different epilepsy medications interact with Fern’s rare form of childhood epilepsy helped doctors switch her medications, and the seizures stopped immediately.

Providing hope to people with MND

Clinician researcher Dr Thanuja Dharmadasa is establishing a new multidisciplinary motor neurone disease (MND) clinical research centre to link patients, healthcare workers, clinicians and researchers. It will make all the difference and provide much needed hope to patients like John, newly diagnosed with MND.

“Thanuja was reassuring and positive. She said, ‘We are going to be one step ahead of this, all the way’. It brought such peace of mind.”

Clinical trial for new Alzheimer’s drug

Suzanne Baxter is part of a groundbreaking clinical trial transforming the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Suzanne has amyloid plaque and is at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Through the Australian Dementia Network, of which The Florey is a leading partner, she has joined a clinical trial of Lecanemab, part of a new class of disease-modifying therapies approved in the United States.

Lecanemab is thought to have its greatest effects for those – like Suzanne – at the beginning stages.

Surviving sepsis

Disability advocate and sepsis survivor, Mandy McCracken, is eagerly following Florey research into a promising formulation that has been shown to effectively reverse the condition that robbed her of her hands and feet and very nearly killed her.

“It is incredible,” she says, of the research so far. “If this kind of treatment had been available to me, I might have been unaffected by sepsis.”

Finding new uses for existing drugs

Florey researchers are recommending human trials after an insomnia drug helped a man withdraw from his 16 drinks-a-day addiction. Professor Andrew Lawrence says the 31-yearold had poor liver function and suffered from insomnia, but stopped drinking with the help of insomnia drug, suvorexant.

“Sleep-associated problems affect close to half of all people with alcohol use disorder.

“The next step should be to conduct larger human trials to test whether suvorexant helps a broader group of people who have both alcohol use disorder and insomnia.”

Drug development takes time

The process of developing drugs –from the moment scientists make a breakthrough discovery through to a doctor prescribing a resulting drug –can take decades.

Florey Professor Brian Dean knows all about that lengthy process. In 1993, he discovered how receptors in the brain are connected to some schizophrenia symptoms.

More than 30 years later, a new schizophrenia drug utilising Professor Dean’s discovery, is on track to get US Food and Drug Administration approval.

Young people have strokes too

When Brianna Magdalani tells people she had a stroke, they struggle to believe it.

She was just 29 years old and about to become a mum when an undetected congenital defect caused her brain to haemorrhage, sending her into a coma for 3 weeks, followed by 8 months in rehabilitation. Her life was on a new trajectory. Stroke is increasingly common among young people, yet services don’t always cater to their needs. That’s why The Florey started the Young Stroke Service.

The future of science

Florey early to mid-career researchers are already delivering high-impact, world-class research to improve the diagnosis and treatments of brain and mental health conditions. One such rising star, Dr Taide Wang, is interested in how drugs affect the central nervous system.

“I’m testing various therapeutic treatments to inhibit ferroptosis and hope to advance new strategies to treat MND patients.”

The Florey’s story

For more than 50 years Florey scientists have been changing the world through their incredible research, breakthrough innovations, strong global collaborations, dedication and tenacity.

Florey researchers have pioneered techniques now used daily in laboratories around the world. They’ve discovered previously unknown diseases, and they’ve come up with new technologies to fasttrack drug discovery.

A bionic device to halt Crohn’s disease

Anthony Becker is the first person in the world to have an electrical nerve stimulation device inserted that could put Crohn’s sufferers like him into long-term remission. “At first, I didn’t realise the magnitude of it all,” he says.

He hopes his surgery will help others with the debilitating, lifelong inflammatory bowel condition. The device was developed and manufactured by the Bionics Institute in collaboration with Florey digestive and physiology expert Professor John Furness and the University of Melbourne.

Donor-funded impact

Many of The Florey’s leading researchers are fortunate to receive transformational support through generous donor-funded fellowships.

Dr Rebecca Nisbet says her Allan and Maria Myers Fellowship has enabled her to progress her research aimed at developing novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

“We would not be able to undertake this exciting research without philanthropic support, for which we are enormously grateful.”

Join the Florey family

One in five Australians are affected by neurological and mental health conditions. Every day, Florey researchers are working to find new ways to understand, diagnose, treat and prevent these conditions.

Our groundbreaking research is only possible thanks to the generous support of our donors. We are extremely grateful for all the support we receive from our community. Find out more about how you can join The Florey family and support our important work.

Saving children from seizures

A Zoom call with Florey researchers instantly changed the lives of Fern Stevens and her family.

Fern experienced her first seizure aged 7 months, back in late 2020.

She was on a bush walk near home in Armidale, NSW, happily nestled in her mum Jules Kryger’s front pack, when she stopped breathing and turned blue and appeared lifeless.

“I thought she was asleep, but when I tried to wake her up, she didn’t respond. My heart and mind began to race, and when I unclipped her from the carrier she fell lifeless into my arms,” says Jules.

The frantic first-time mum hurried out of the bush, performed CPR and called an ambulance. While waiting, the atonic seizure, with no convulsions, stopped.

But the next day in hospital Fern had her first tonicclonic seizure, with convulsions.

“We thought they were febrile seizures, which are fairly common,” says her dad, Philip Stevens. “Despite being a confronting and traumatic experience, we definitely had absolutely no inkling at that point of what Fern’s future held.”

After some months without any seizures, they started up again, and a neurologist diagnosed Fern with childhood epilepsy.

“Unfortunately, things deteriorated and her seizures became more serious and more regular. We were not seeing much control despite trying multiple

medications, and she was often lifeless, blue and not breathing for extended periods of time.”

These tonic-clonic seizures, with convulsions and loss of consciousness, were exhausting and took a full day to recover from, says Philip.

“Her favourite things were swimming and socialising, but these activities would trigger seizures, so we stopped being able to do the things Fern loved to do,” he says.

They visited specialists, spent weeks getting tested in hospital, and tried different medications; but the seizures only got worse.

“The process of trying to take control of her condition with drugs was a nightmare, and the side effects were really hard on her. She slept badly, had a tremor, was tired, and had serious behavioural problems.”

Fern had a pacemaker fitted once it was discovered that her heart stopped for 42 seconds during a seizure.

In late 2023, Fern was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy, caused by a variation in the HCN1 gene.

Relieved to have a firm diagnosis at last, Philip and Jules searched the internet for HCN1. That’s how they ended up on a Zoom call with Professor Chris Reid and Dr Lauren Bleakley at The Florey, one of the only places in the world studying HCN1 epilepsy.

“Despite the lifelong implications and seriousness of the diagnosis, we were relieved to have some answers.

Chris and Lauren told us about how HCN1 works, and we talked about what drugs Fern was taking.”

Chris and Lauren had engineered a special mouse model to mimic HCN1 epilepsy. They used it to test how a range of existing epilepsy drugs reacted with that form of the condition, publishing their results in the journal Epilepsia

“It’s often a case of trial and error for doctors to find the right drug to treat an individual patient,” Professor Reid says.

“We are not neurologists, we don’t see patients, and we don’t give medical advice. But we knew from our work in mice that one of Fern’s medications caused seizures rather than stopped them.”

For Philip and Jules, this news was a game changer.

“The Florey in that moment changed our lives. In 3and-a-half long years we hadn’t managed a single positive outcome for all our dedication and effort.

Chris and Lauren’s research allowed us to stop Fern’s seizures almost instantly, and she has been seizurefree ever since. This freedom is allowing her to develop

Unlocking hope: The race against SUDEP

Embarking on groundbreaking research, Professor Chris Reid and his team are looking at ways to limit the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), offering hope for children like Skyler Coghlan who suffer from one of the rarest and most severe forms of the disease.

When Bianca Coghlan and her husband, Daniel, brought their newborn daughter, Skyler, home from hospital, little did they know they were about to be thrust into a harrowing lifelong journey

“Skyler had her first seizure when she was 3 months old,” Bianca says. Triggered by a common cold, the seizure was the first sign of a rare and severe form of epilepsy caused by a genetic mutation.

the tools and energy to continue to overcome the many other challenges posed by the condition,” Philip says.

The proud parents say Fern is an inspiration.

“We feel incredibly fortunate to be Fern’s parents. From the day we met, she was a beautiful force to be reckoned with. We’ve always known her to be incredibly kind, outgoing, and a lover of life, despite her 4 years of life being riddled with unknowns. She is extraordinarily lucky to be a happy and bright girl who loves her life every day, seizures or no seizures,” Jules says.

“We know this experience will shape Fern, and the rest of us, to view life with a more balanced and compassionate perspective. Fern is deeply empathetic and caring, and we know she will use her experience to rally for those less fortunate than her and raise awareness to find treatments to improve the life of her HCN1 peers. With her kind and caring nature, I know one day soon she will be a great advocate for those less fortunate than her, to help raise awareness and find treatments to make life with this disease better for everyone.”

But it would be months before they received this crushing diagnosis. “She was 6 months and one-dayold when we received her diagnosis,” remembers Bianca. “We got the results back and it confirmed, she has the SCN1A mutation, Dravet syndrome. It was quite a confronting, morbid diagnosis,” she says. “It was completely heartbreaking.”

Dravet syndrome comes with a unique collection of comorbidities, including the potential for autism, behavioural changes, movement and mobility issues, and the constant threat of life-threatening seizures. “Skyler has had over 400 seizures in her life, including 21 in just one year that were severe enough to put her in hospital.”

But the threat that plagues Bianca and others in her family’s situation is the high risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Around 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy die of SUDEP each year, and there’s no identifiable or definitive cause, says Professor Reid, Research Lead of the Epilepsy Mission at The Florey.

In an effort to better understand the basis behind SUDEP and potential treatments to prevent it, Professor Reid and his team are looking closely at identifying a genetic defect in a potassium channel linked to SUDEP, testing the effectiveness of beta blockers in preventing it.

“If we can identify those who are prone, a small subset of patients that have a broken potassium channel in their heart, we can give them a very safe drug and hopefully reduce the incidence of SUDEP.”

New MND clinical research centre to provide hope

Dr Thanuja Dharmadasa wants to change the model of care for motor neurone disease patients, providing hope by integrating best clinical practice, innovative research, clinical trials and access to new treatments.

A tingling sensation and weakness down one arm were the first signs for John, a successful Melbourne businessman, that something was wrong.

It was December 2023, and the busy, otherwise fit and active 57-year-old was due to fly overseas with his family for Christmas. He wanted to check all was well, and his doctor referred him to a neurologist.

The specialist told him bluntly: “You’ve got MND. There’s no cure.”

It was so sudden, so final. Stunned, John and his wife went home with some out-of-date brochures and the phone number for a palliative care service.

“That was a tough week,” says John, using a pseudonym because he hasn’t told many people of his illness.

John, his wife and 3 grown children, were reeling. Like many Australians, their knowledge of MND was limited to high-profile AFL legend Neale Daniher’s story.

“You see Neale on the TV, and you can see it’s pretty debilitating,” John says.

MND can be hereditary, but not in John’s case. He felt lost and hopeless.

Then a friend mentioned The Florey, and he connected with Dr Thanuja Dharmadasa.

“Thanuja was reassuring and positive. She said, ‘We are going to be one step ahead of this, all the way’. It brought such peace of mind. It sounds cheesy, but after the week we had, we felt supported.”

She encouraged John to take the family trip as planned and see her again in January.

John’s initial experience can be typical for MND patients.

“Traditionally, patients were diagnosed with MND and sent home to manage. But there’s been major progress in our understanding of MND and now a lot can be done to improve quality of life and survival. This is particularly true for patients in a multidisciplinary comprehensive care clinic, a model of care more powerful than any drug ever tried for MND.”

A neurologist working at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and a clinician researcher with The Florey, Dr Dharmadasa is fulfilling her ambition of launching a

specialist multidisciplinary MND clinical research centre in Melbourne.

“My vision is to link patients, the people caring for them, and the researchers working to understand and cure this disease and drive best clinical practice.”

The clinical research centre wouldn’t be happening without the generous funding and support from FightMND and MND Research Australia, she says.

Dr Dharmadasa hopes to improve knowledge and understanding of MND through her work with a 7 Tesla (7T) MRI machine used to track changes occurring in the brain as MND progresses. She is also collaborating with the University of Oxford to develop advanced clinically relevant techniques to understand the earliest changes that occur at the disease’s onset.

“For a specialist neurologist, making the diagnosis is usually fairly straightforward, but two common questions I get from patients in the clinic are: ‘How will my disease progress?’ and ‘What’s my prognosis?’ The median survival is 3 to 5 years, but there’s a lot of variability,” she says.

Meanwhile, John and his wife are maintaining a positive attitude.

“At the moment I’m physically feeling pretty good,” John says.

“I’m still travelling a lot for my business, but my wife is coming with me more now, which is great. I’m also spending more time at the beach, where it’s quiet and relaxing. There’s a lot to digest, but I’m going to continue this way for as long as I can.”

Dr Thanuja Dharmadasa

Fast-tracking new treatments for alcohol use disorder

Building on a world-first discovery from 2006, scientists have found that a medication for insomnia could be a new treatment option for alcohol use disorder.

A 31-year-old’s incredible turnaround as part of a proof-of-concept trial using a drug called suvorexant, provides impetus for a larger clinical trial according to a team of addiction researchers at The Florey.

The patient remarkably withdrew from a 16 drinksa-day addiction and insomnia after being given suvorexant over 13 weeks as part of a Florey trial at St Vincent’s drug and alcohol withdrawal unit.

The Florey’s Head of Addiction Neuroscience and Deputy Director, Professor Andrew Lawrence, said the patient stopped drinking altogether during treatment.

“His liver function had improved, and he no longer had insomnia. It was a remarkable result for this medication and gives us important data to progress these findings across a larger group of people.”

“Insomnia features strongly in both withdrawal and relapse to alcohol use disorder. Sleep-associated problems affect close to half of all people with the disorder. Yet sleep disruption is an often-overlooked symptom that can hamper recovery.”

The theory of using suvorexant came from a discovery Professor Lawrence made in 2006 that signalling by a molecule called orexin in our brain is a key driver of alcohol seeking and relapse. This proved to be a seminal moment in the addiction neuroscience community, helping to identify a new treatment target.

Suvorexant, also known as Belsomra®, is a dual orexin receptor antagonist that suppresses wakefulness by

blocking the brain’s orexin system, which regulates wakefulness, sleep and appetite.

Professor Lawrence says the patient’s experience suggests such drugs could be a new tactic to help treat alcohol use disorder.

“Although we’re talking about just one person’s experience, we already have abundant evidence in preclinical models supporting a role for the orexin system in alcohol use disorder.”

Discoveries that give us information about how the brain is working and what parts of it are implicated in conditions such as alcohol use disorder, is a critical component of the research pipeline.

“Building our fundamental knowledge on which systems are affected in this disorder gives us a headstart in trialling medications that might be already marketed for other indications.

“Finding new uses for medications that are already approved in Australia and other countries shortens the lag between discovery and treatment by years – giving patients much-needed treatment options a lot sooner.”

Professor Andrew Lawrence

Redefining resilience

Co-designing a service for young stroke survivors

Brianna Magdalani had a stroke when she was 29 years old and 17 weeks pregnant with her first child.

“I felt a big pain in my head. My partner called the ambulance, and I ended up being in a coma for 3 weeks,” Brianna said.

It was revealed that an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) had ruptured. An AVM is a congenital defect affecting only one per cent of the population, where a person is born with tangled blood vessels in their brain that can one day rupture. Brianna’s AVM led to a haemorrhage.

“I then spent 2 months in the neuro ward and I was transferred to rehabilitation where I spent another 8 months.”

During that time, Brianna’s baby was born.

Each day, 18 young Australians (18 to 45 years old) will have a stroke. Almost 1 in 4 strokes in Australia are experienced by young people. And 88% of young people with stroke say they have unmet needs, something The Florey’s Young Stroke Service is eager to change.

“I think there is a common misconception that stroke only happens to old people – that’s a general societal misconception,” Brianna said.

“Even in my own network people say ‘what do you mean you had a stroke? It doesn’t make sense’.”

Florey researchers say that stroke is often misdiagnosed in people aged 18 to 45 – and it can severely impact a young person’s life. People can struggle with their identity, ability to work or study, relationships and emotional wellbeing.

Discovering the Young Stroke Service

“One day I was Googling young stroke and trying to better understand stroke for myself and I came across the Young Stroke Service.

“I thought this would be really good to participate in and share my experiences for other people who may be in my position. Because I initially didn’t know that young people had stroke.”

Brianna submitted an online application and then attended the Young Stroke Service launch and was welcomed into the service. She has volunteered to be part of the Lived Experience Contributor group, co-designing the service.

Brianna says she enjoyed connecting with others and sharing experiences.

“I think it’s valuable to contribute because AVMs affect only one per cent of the population and AVMs rupturing while pregnant are an even smaller percentage. If I can help someone else that is in my position, that’s really important,” she said.

Brianna says there needs to be greater awareness

Stroke survivor Brianna Magdalani, her partner Jonathan Covich and their daughter Mahali.

of how stroke affects many young people in the community

“The Young Stroke Service has opened up avenues for how in the future I might be able to get assistance. I have met other people with stroke who I can refer to the service because I know it will help them.”

Professor Vincent Thijs, co-lead Investigator for the Young Stroke Service (the other co-lead being Professor Julie Bernhardt), said the incidence of stroke in young people is increasing globally and for many young people the cause of stroke is unclear.

“By working with young people living with stroke and to co-design and deliver new evidence-based approaches to diagnose and manage stroke, we aim to implement clinical interventions that improve outcomes and help young people return to what’s important to them.”

Professor Thijs says health services do not always cater to the needs of young stroke survivors.

“Our team will review a patient’s goals with them and develop a plan to address their specific needs, assisting patients to access appropriate services and specialised assessments.

“Where patients would otherwise experience a gap in treatment options, they may receive bespoke services from within our program.”

Dr Karen Borschmann manages the Young Stroke Service and says that she is inspired by the work that she is undertaking with Brianna and the other 15 members of the Lived Experience Contributor group.

The Young Stroke Service’s digital platform, telehealth and in-person clinics (in Melbourne and Adelaide) links people with stroke and their families from across Victoria and South Australia with clinicians and researchers.

The service incorporates:

• neuropsychology assessment and therapy, including help with memory or emotional difficulties

• support for return to work and return to driving

• advice for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) applications

•GP and allied health services

• links to peer support and evidence-based information about stroke.

The Young Stroke Service has a vision to expand nationally.

“Everyone in the group is so dynamic and motivated to build this into a life-changing service,” says Dr Borschmann.

“We have already received beautiful feedback from patients about the positive impact the Young Stroke Service has had on their lives. By 2050, there will be 142,000 young Australians living with stroke. Imagine the impact that we could have on the whole community if the Young Stroke Service was available to all young Australians.”

“I have met other people with stroke who I can refer to the service because I know it will help them.”

– Brianna Magdalani

The Florey’s impact on the world

For more than 50 years Florey scientists have been changing the world through their incredible research, breakthrough innovations, strong global collaborations, dedication and tenacity.

1963

The Howard Florey Laboratories (HFL) of Experimental Physiology opens

Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies opens a new building – generously supported with funding from Kenneth and Baillieu Myer, and Ian Potter on the University of Melbourne’s grounds.

2016

1970

Changing salt levels in baby formula

Florey founder Derek Denton is focused on how the body regulates salt. After discovering that the salt content of commercially available baby formula is alarmingly high, he convinces global food manufacturers to lower it.

Understanding sperm epigenetics

Anthony Hannan and colleagues prove that increased stress hormone levels, exercise and environmental enrichment can affect sperm epigenetics and brain development and function in offspring. Following these initial discoveries in mice, evidence emerges for parallel processes in human sperm, with major transgenerational public health implications.

2016

1976

Isolating and synthesizing relaxin

Hugh Niall, Geoffrey Tregear and colleagues isolate and purify the hormone relaxin isolated from pigs. They determine its amino acid sequence, synthesise the hormone and describe relaxin’s structure for the first time.

A brain machine interface for people with MND and spinal cord injury

Clive May and Tom Oxley (Royal Melbourne Hospital) partner to complete studies in sheep to develop the ‘Stentrode’, a matchstick-sized device that sits in a blood vessel next to the motor cortex. Following safety tests, further trials have seen single Stentrodes implanted in patients with motor neurone disease, enabling them to use thought to control a cursor on a computer screen.

1982

Understanding osmoreceptors

Florey scientists discover the site of the brain’s osmoreceptors that detect dehydration and engage neural pathways to stimulate thirst and the secretion of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, thereby regulating bodily water balance.

2015

Developing treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases

The US Department of Defense funds a 6-year program, directed by John Furness, also involving The Bionics Institute, University of Melbourne and Austin Health, to develop a neuromodulation device to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.

1987

Precursor of Alzheimer’s disease identified

Perth-based neuropathologist Colin Masters (who later joins The Florey), with German molecular biologist and chemist Konrad Beyreuther, characterise amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, which forms cerebral plaques that cause Alzheimer’s.

2014

The brain’s role in inflammation

Robin McAllen, Davide Martelli and team discover the powerful antiinflammatory response of the splanchnic nerves to suppress systemic inflammation.

2017

Mobile stroke unit

Geoff Donnan teams up with Royal Melbourne Hospital, the University of Melbourne and Ambulance Victoria to launch Australia’s first Mobile Stroke Unit, a fullyequipped, custom-built specialist ambulance with a built-in CT scanner.

2018

Baker-Gordon Syndrome identified

Sarah Gordon collaborates with Kate Baker in Cambridge, to identify a previously unknown rare neurodevelopmental disorder that now bears their names. Dr Gordon’s team is currently investigating treatment options.

2021

‘Ebony’ mouse model

In a world-first, Chris Reid and Lauren Bleakley genetically engineer a mouse to mimic the disease of a rare and severe type of epilepsy exhibited in Ebony, a young South Australian girl. It opens the way to personalising epilepsy treatments.

2022

Drug engineering techniques

Daniel Scott, Christopher DraperJoyce and Ross Bathgate use engineered G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to discover new drug candidates for a broad range of brain diseases. The underlying technology platform is spun out into a new company, LASEREDD Therapeutics, and is now being actively commercialised for drug discovery with international partners.

1987

Making a global impact on chemistry

Florey scientists perfect how to use small fragments of DNA called ‘synthetic oligonucleotide sequences’ to identify where genes are expressed in tissues and biological fluids. Their technique is now used by scientists worldwide.

2013

Touchscreens for mice

1993

The Florey is named after Australian Nobel Laureate Howard Florey, who in 1939, with German biochemist Ernst Chain, identified penicillin’s therapeutic properties and developed the first broad spectrum antibiotic penicillin.

National CreutzfeldtJakob Disease (CJD) Registry

After 4 Australian women die of CJD following hormone treatments, and 2,500 more are at risk, a national CJD registry is established at The Florey to analyse and store samples and advance research.

Jess Nithianantharjah, who joins The Florey soon after, pioneers the clinical validity of rodent touchscreen technology by assessing cognition in mice and humans carrying the same genetic mutation. The method bridges the divide from animal to human studies for measuring cognitive symptoms in brain disorders, and is now used by researchers around the world.

2009

1993

Biological drivers of schizophrenia

Brian Dean discovers that muscaranic M1 and M4 receptors are negatively impacted in some people with schizophrenia and becomes one of the first scientists to argue that these receptors should be targeted to treat the disorder.

The Australian Stroke Clinical Registry is launched

Housed at The Florey since 2012, the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry is a national collaboration of stroke clinicians and researchers. Led by Dominique Cadilhac, the registry’s goal is to monitor and improve the quality of acute stroke care, and understand long-term patient outcomes. The data has informed policy and practice including National Stroke Targets endorsed in 2023.

2000

Key:

Raised our research capabilities

Improved patient outcomes

Focusing on brain disorders

Following a dramatic increase in interest in neuroscience, the then Florey Director Frederick Mendelsohn makes the strategic decision to change the Institute’s focus from physiology to brain disorders.

2004

Improving recovery from stroke

Julie Bernhardt leads an international clinical trial testing a range of mobility-based treatment protocols in acute stroke units to determine the optimal approach to early stroke rehabilitation.

2007

Epilepsy animal models

Steven Petrou leads work to develop some of the first animal models of genetic epilepsy, providing insight into disease mechanisms and a way to test treatments.

2006

Orexin and alcohol

Andrew Lawrence and colleagues publish the first evidence that the orexin system is involved in relapse to alcohol seeking. This discovery has resulted in a proof-of-concept human case study that supports targeting orexin receptors to treat alcohol use disorder.

2023

The US Food and Drug Administration reviews new schizophrenia drug

Thirty years after Brian Dean discovered the role of muscarinic receptors in schizophrenia, the US FDA begins reviewing KarXT, a treatment that acts via the muscarinic M1 and M4 receptors. Data from 3 clinical trials shows KarXT reduces the severity of symptoms of schizophrenia and improves cognitive deficits in some people with the disorder.

2023

Amyloid therapeutics approved for humans

Thirty-six years after Colin Masters discovered amyloid beta (Aβ), the first Alzheimer’s druglecanemab - to specifically target the protein is approved for use by the US FDA.

2023

World-first bionic device for Crohn’s disease

Following the success of John Furness and collaborators’ work on inflammatory bowel diseases, Austin Health clinicians implant an electrical nerve stimulation device into a patient with Crohn’s disease to trial whether it will prevent inflammation recurring after surgery.

Bionic intervention for Crohn’s disease

Anthony Becker’s pioneering experience as the first recipient of a bionic device for Crohn’s disease highlights the potential for innovative solutions in inflammatory bowel conditions.

Being patient zero for the first implantation of a bionic device designed to help manage Crohn’s disease was a surreal experience for Anthony Becker. “At first, I didn’t realise the magnitude of it all,” he says. “It wasn’t until later that I understood the significance. That my surgery could one day benefit others who suffer Crohn’s disease.”

Crohn’s disease is a debilitating inflammatory bowel condition, affecting the wall of the gut. It’s a lifelong condition that requires complex medication, which can include steroids and immunosuppressants. Severe cases often require bowel surgery to remove damaged sections affected by inflammation. Recurrence of the disease is common, often leading to the need for additional surgeries.

But the bionic device successfully implanted at the end of 2023 at Austin Hospital may be the key that unlocks an alternative path for Crohn’s patients.

Researchers have long been intrigued by the intricate connection between the nervous system and the digestive system, particularly in the context of inflammatory disorders.

“Inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s disease present a delicate balance where inflammation is necessary for tissue repair, but excessive inflammation can lead to tissue damage and severe consequences,” explains Professor John Furness, co-investigator and head of The Florey’s Digestive Physiology and Nutrition laboratory.

Professor Furness’s research played a pivotal role in the world-first in-human bionic implantation, his pioneering work contributing to the innovative device designed by the Bionics Institute in collaboration with The Florey, The University of Melbourne and Austin Health.

The device uses electrical stimulation to exploit the nervous system’s regulatory mechanisms to modulate inflammation levels where they are pathologically elevated.

After surgery, Anthony says he slowly regained his strength and got used to his ‘new normal’. Now his days are punctuated by an alarm that tells him when to activate his bionic device. “I have a wireless controller that I turn on, then off after 3 hours,” he explains.

It’s a minor sacrifice in the grand scheme of things, for the potential that lies ahead, suggests Anthony. He hopes to no longer need to go to hospital every couple of months to receive an immunosuppressant infusion, which comes with its own set of potential risks and complications – but for others with the condition too.

The ongoing trial marks a significant milestone on the road to revolutionising Crohn’s disease treatment. With a focus on delaying or preventing disease recurrence beyond a year post-intervention, the trial aims to validate the efficacy of this novel approach and pave the way for widespread implementation.

But the implications of the success of the bionic device extend far beyond Crohn’s disease. By leveraging the intricate interplay between the nervous system and inflammation, researchers are forging a path towards personalised, effective and minimally invasive interventions that have the potential to transform the landscape of inflammatory disease management.

For Anthony, if his journey can contribute in any way to that greater good, then it’s a journey worth taking.

Anthony Becker

A device like this was implanted into Anthony Becker as part of a trial to treat Crohn’s disease. Picture: The Bionics Institute

Advancing Alzheimer’s treatment

A series of subtle symptoms led Suzanne Baxter on a journey through a medical labyrinth that eventually led to The Florey. Now she’s part of a groundbreaking clinical trial set to transform the way doctors treat Alzheimer’s disease.

In a Melbourne hospital, Suzanne Baxter sat nervously waiting for answers, her mind clouded with uncertainty. It was 7 years since she first noticed something was amiss. Numbness in her face – a symptom she initially connected to a past surgery on her jaw – had taken her to the hospital for tests.

Doctors thought she could be in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). But this diagnosis turned out to be a short detour on the road to the truth, leading Suzanne to neurologist, and Director of The Florey, Professor Trevor Kilpatrick.

Consultations, tests, and a lumbar puncture confirmed her symptoms were not related to MS, but Suzanne continued to see Professor Kilpatrick twice a year to monitor her symptoms.

At one appointment she mentioned a subtle shift in the ease with which her brain could recall words.

As the pieces of Suzanne’s medical puzzle fell into place, a new shadow loomed — Alzheimer’s disease. With a family history of the disease, Suzanne faced the daunting prospect of following in loved ones’ footsteps.

“Dr Kilpatrick asked if I was interested in finding out if I was at high risk of developing the disease, or could have early Alzheimer’s symptoms,” she says. Suzanne agreed and underwent more tests, including an MRI scan, PET scan, and lumbar puncture.

The results confirmed she was definitely in the high-risk category for Alzheimer’s disease. “The reports showed amyloid plaque on the brain, which they told me could have been growing for the last 10 years.”

Amidst the shock a glimmer of hope emerged for Suzanne. “They asked if I was interested in being part of a clinical trial, and I agreed.”

Amyloid’s detrimental effect on the brain was discovered in 1985 by The Florey’s Professor Colin Masters, laying the foundation for the development of lecanemab, the very drug to be tested in the clinical trial Suzanne was offered.

Lecanemab is in a new class of disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s disease that has received full

approval in the United States. The Australian Dementia Network, of which The Florey is a leading partner, provides a way for volunteers to participate in the latest clinical trials.

Suzanne Baxter

Lecanemab is designed to clear away betaamyloid deposits in the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. It’s thought to be most effective for those, like Suzanne, at the beginning stages. Although treatments are currently available to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, this is the first class of therapeutics believed to address its underlying biology.

For Suzanne, deciding to be part of the clinical trial was a leap of faith fuelled by a two-pronged desire: to potentially stave off progression for herself but to also pave a smoother path for future generations — including her children — who could one day find themselves diagnosed with the disease.

“I was quite thrilled to be able to participate and am looking forward to seeing if it I can help in some way,” she says.

“Seeing my mum go downhill for 10 years, and my grandmother before that, I thought let’s try and get some action here, so the next generation won’t have to deal with the long, drawn-out process of the disease.”

Through fortnightly intravenous infusions, Suzanne hopes her results will mirror those of previous clinical trial patients, whose amyloid plaques were dismantled, and who experienced a slowed rate of cognitive decline.

This class of disease-modifying therapies is poised to challenge the very foundations of Alzheimer’s disease management, and with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) considering approval of lecanemab in Australia, future treatment of the disease could look very different.

With a core mission to make dementia a preventable and treatable disease, The Florey has been pivotal in providing patients like Suzanne access to groundbreaking clinical trials such as this one — bridging the gap between scientific discovery and patient care.

Against all the odds

Sepsis survivor reflects on her journey

Mandy McCracken has an amazing zest for life. But sometimes she imagines what it would be like if she’d known the symptoms of sepsis.

Mandy lives a busy and active life in regional Victoria with her husband Rod and 3 daughters.

One Friday night back in 2013 she was rushed to hospital, and her life changed forever.

Mandy had been vomiting blood, was suffering excruciating pain, and had passed out due to what she had been told was a bad bout of flu or gastro.

“Unfortunately, I’m incredibly stoic. I had been writhing at home on the couch with a temperature. But after a short time, I was feeling so much pain in my stomach, it was off the scale. I decided not to bother everybody and was trying really hard not to wake them up.”

The stoic mum said if she’d known then, what she knows now, she would have gone straight to hospital and asked: “Could it be sepsis?”.

For Mandy it was a sliding doors moment.

“I’d never heard of sepsis, and I had no idea. If I had, then perhaps my family wouldn’t have had to go through hell, and I’d still have my hands and feet.”

Sepsis is a condition that starts with an infection that the body’s immune system fails to conquer. It causes multiple organ failure, low blood pressure and kills approximately 11 million people globally every year.

On the way to hospital, Mandy’s condition worsened, and she was finally transferred to a Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance.

“My blood pressure had crashed. When I arrived at the hospital, they put me straight into a coma.”

She was so sick, the doctors prepared for the worst. Rod and their 3 little girls, Samantha aged 9, Isobel 7 and Tess 4, said their final goodbyes to her.

Thankfully, and against the odds, Mandy pulled through, but one of sepsis’s most damaging symptoms, extreme low blood pressure, had already taken its toll.

“When I woke from my coma 10 days later, my hands and feet looked like they’d been dipped in black paint, my hands were curling up like I was an Egyptian mummy.”

As with many sepsis survivors, amputation was unavoidable. Both of Mandy’s legs were removed below the knee, and both arms below the elbow.

In the future, such surgeries might be avoidable. A team led by Associate Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva at The Florey is working on a promising nationwide project to test whether we can stop sepsis in its tracks.

Associate Professor Lankadeva says work in preclinical models, as well as a recently completed clinical trial, has now shown that a pH-balanced formulation of sodium ascorbate, developed at The Florey over the past decade, is a promising anti-sepsis therapy.

“When somebody has sepsis, their blood pressure drops dangerously low, depriving the extremities of oxygen and causing multiple organ failure,” says Associate Professor Lankadeva.

“Their kidneys stop working, and in many cases, it’s fatal. We’ve seen these life-threatening symptoms reverse in septic patients that receive our promising therapy. Our next step is to trial our treatment in intensive care units around Australia, and really put it to the test.”

These days Mandy has four prosthetic limbs and is still a very busy community member, wife and mum. She drives, occasionally rock climbs, and advocates for people living with disabilities and sepsis survivors. She founded a peer support group for quadruple amputees called ‘The Quad Squad’ and a disability charity ‘Get Started Disability Support’, which aims to support those who are new to living with a disability.

Mandy is eagerly following The Florey’s clinical trials of sodium ascorbate as a potential treatment for sepsis.

“It is incredible,” she says, of the research so far. “If this kind of treatment had been available to me, I might have been unaffected by sepsis.”

Sepsis symptoms in adults and children include:

•Fast heart rate

•Low blood pressure

•Fever or shivering

•Shaking or chills

•Warm, clammy or sweaty skin

•Confusion or disorientation

•Shortness of breath

•Rash

•Extreme pain or discomfort

•Not passing urine

•Convulsions or seizures (in children)

•Lethargic or floppy (in children)

People with sepsis need immediate hospital treatment.

“If

this kind of treatment had been available to me, I might have been unaffected by sepsis.”

– Mandy McCracken

Sepsis survivor Mandy McCracken with Associate Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva

A new class of drugs for schizophrenia

A promising new medication is expected to usher in a new therapeutic era for schizophrenia, one based on a Florey discovery.

In 1993, Professor Brian Dean discovered that M1 and M4 muscarinic receptors, which are integral to the brain’s cholinergic system, were lower in some people with schizophrenia. Such changes would affect their ability to interact with others and their cognition, which are cardinal symptoms of the disorder.

“At that time no drug treatment was effective in reversing these two symptoms of the disorder,” Professor Dean says. His discovery opened up new treatment possibilities for drugs targeting cholinergic defects in people with schizophrenia.

“Existing schizophrenia medications haven’t really changed since the 1950s. Many people with the disorder are non-responsive and many experience side effects such as weight gain, dizziness and sleepiness. I really hoped my discovery could lead to a drug that was effective, without side effects that put people off taking it,” he says.

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly developed the drug xanomeline that, as suggested by Professor Dean’s research, activated muscarinic M1 and M4 receptors. While the treatment lessened the spectrum of positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in

a group of treatment-resistant people, it caused unacceptable side effects. Trials were stopped and Eli Lilly ceased work on xanomeline.

Next, Karuna Therapeutics pursued a treatment combining xanomeline with trospium, a drug to counter xanomeline’s side effects. Patients in a oneyear trial of the resulting medication ‘KarXT’ experienced significant and consistent improvement in symptoms and it favourably impacted their weight and long-term metabolic profiles.

Professor Dean says KarXT looks set to get US Food and Drug Administration approval in late 2024. Once that happens, other countries are likely to follow suit, he says.

“KarXT is a whole new approach to treating schizophrenia,” Professor Dean says.

“This 30-year journey, from the discovery of deficits in the cholinergic system in schizophrenia, to a treatment, shows how basic research like ours at The Florey is critical to the development of new drugs for brain conditions.”

The typical journey from scientific discovery to a new drug

Creating new drugs can take decades, from the instant a scientist makes a discovery to the moment it reaches the patient.

1

Drug discovery

Scientists conduct laboratory experiments to understand diseases. Their goal is often to identify genes or proteins for a new drug to target.

Approx. duration: 3 to 6 years

2

Drug screening, design and preclinical trials

Scientists develop formulations to fight disease. They conduct scientific testing to find the safest, most effective drug that is practical to make and administer. Drugs are tested in laboratory trials and with animal models.

Approx. duration: 9 to 18 years

6

Regulatory approval Regulatory authorities, such as the US Food and Drug Administration or the Australian Therapeutic Good Administration, approve use of the drug.

Approx. duration: 6 months to 5 years

5

Clinical (human) trials Phase 3

Hundreds of people test the drug to further check efficacy and safety. Some patients take a placebo, some take different doses of the drug. To eliminate bias, neither doctors nor patients know which treatment they are getting.

Approx. duration: 9 to 18 years

3

Clinical (human) trials Phase 1

Up to about 50 healthy volunteers try the drug to check for side effects, find the best dose and make sure it is active. This phase may be guided by a contract research organisation, such as Neuroscience Trials Australia.

Approx. duration: 6 months to 1 year

4

Clinical (human) trials Phase 2

Around 100 people with the disease test the drug, with some patients taking a placebo instead.

Approx. duration: 1 to 2 years

Fuelling science’s future

Our early- to mid-career researchers are already delivering high-impact, worldclass research to improve the diagnosis and treatments of brain and mental health conditions globally. Here are just a few of The Florey’s rising stars.

Dr Ashenafi Betrie

Translational Neurodegeneration Group

Dementia Mission and Systems Neuroscience Theme

Dr Ashenafi Betrie completed his PhD in cardiovascular pharmacology. He is interested in the roles metals, especially zinc, play in the vascular system. His work with dementia experts at The Florey focuses on understanding the link between the cardiovascular system and neurodegeneration.

Dr Samaneh Mirzaei

Neuroinflammation Group

Protect and Repair Mission

Dr Samaneh Mirzaei’s study in biomedical engineering, and her passion for improving healthcare outcomes through innovative solutions, led her to pursue a career in neural tissue engineering.

“The Florey has provided a dynamic environment where I can expand my professional network in the field. My time here has been rewarding, with significant milestones achieved in my research.”

“We found that cellular zinc is an important regulator of blood vessel calibre, determining how much blood vessels contract and relax.”

Dr Betrie is now finding practical applications for this discovery.

“I’m currently working with Associate Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva to translate our discovery into the clinic. I would really like to see where this discovery takes me and understand how this can lead to improving cardiovascular health.”

Dr Mirzaei’s primary research interest is exploring the link between the glymphatic system and neuroinflammation across ALS-FTD disease spectrum. She is also chair of the Florey Postdoctoral Association (FPA).

“I am committed to advancing my research in this field and exploring innovative approaches for neurodegenerative disease management. Additionally, I wish to contribute to collaborative efforts aimed at translating research findings into clinical applications for improved patient outcomes.”

Dr Muthmainah

Hormones in Psychiatry Group

Mental Health Mission

Dr Muthmainah completed her training as a medical doctor in Indonesia. As a medical student, she was amazed by the complexity of the brain and pursued her passion in neuroscience by completing her PhD at The Florey.

Dr Muthmainah and family

“Being part of The Florey has been one of the best moments in my life. The academic atmosphere and scientific and personal support that I got during my study really helped me shape my future. I have grown so much as a person and scientist here.”

“Now that I am back in Indonesia, I am following an academic research career pathway and I hope to contribute to the development of neuroscience research in my home country.”

Dr Carolina Gubert

Epigenetics and Neural Plasticity Group

Mental Health Mission

Dr Carolina Gubert’s family history has been a driving force in her pursuit of new discoveries for brain and mental health conditions.

“The complexity of the brain fascinated me, and still does, and

since then I have been trying to better understand its function and dysfunction.”

Dr Gubert has led the microbiota-gut-brain axis team of the Epigenetics and Neural Plasticity Group since 2018.

“I’ve found myself in an enriching and supportive environment that has allowed me to flourish.”

Dr Taide Wang

Motor Neurone Disease Group

Protect and Repair Mission

Dr Taide Wang’s PhD involved investigating how motor neurones degenerate in the context of motor neurone disease.

“I’ve always had an interest in how drugs affected the central nervous system. Currently I’m testing various therapeutic

Dr Wang receives an award from Florey donor John Milne

treatments to inhibit ferroptosis and hope to advance new strategies to treat MND patients.”

Dr Wang says his colleagues have played a vital role in his career progression.

“A huge contribution to my success throughout my career was being under the guidance of Professor Bradley Turner, and also having the support from all the research assistants in the group.”

Brilliant minds

Empowered by philanthropy

The Florey is privileged to have donors who can provide transformational support through fellowships. Fellowships enable our researchers to think big and innovate in ways that would not otherwise be possible. Over the course of 3 or 5 years, they are able to use their talents to address our biggest health problems from innovative perspectives without funding restrictions. We are extremely grateful for this kind of support, as are the researchers who receive these prestigious fellowships.

Being awarded The Florey’s Allan and Maria Myers Fellowship has provided me with the resources and support necessary to advance my groundbreaking research and create an advanced drug delivery system designed to transport medications into the brain for treating neurological conditions.

This innovative technology has enabled my team to effectively administer drugs that were previously unable to penetrate into the brain, resulting in significant therapeutic advantages in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.

Currently, my team is broadening the application of this platform by investigating its ability to transport various types of medications into the brain. I anticipate that this robust platform technology will unlock the therapeutic potential of numerous drugs, offering tangible benefits to individuals suffering from a range of brain-related disorders.

I would like to express my gratitude to Allan and Maria Myers for awarding me the fellowship and for their belief in my research.

Dr Fazel Shabanpoor, BBiomedSci (Hons), PhD

The Allan and Maria Myers Fellowship has provided me with an opportunity to progress my research program aimed at developing novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable disease that affects up to 1 in 10 Australians over the age of 65.

In addition, the fellowship has given me long-term stability, enabling me to support, through training and supervision, the next generation of research scientists.

Over the last year, my research team have developed new drugs and innovated ways to target the toxic molecules in Alzheimer’s disease. Some of this work was recently published in the journal Brain Communications and received global media attention.

Over the next 2 years we will be conducting preclinical trials in mice that recapitulate Alzheimer’s disease to determine the ability of our treatments to protect the brain and improve memory.

We would not be able to undertake this exciting research without philanthropic support, for which we are enormously grateful.

Dr Rebecca Nisbet, BSci (Hons), PhD

I received an Allan and Maria Myers Fellowship to investigate how the brain communicates with other vital organs – including the heart and kidneys – via autonomic nerves in disease.

My team and I are using state-of-art genetic engineering techniques to investigate how modifying activity within these nerves can improve disease outcome.

Our recent work has focused on how we can activate specific parts of the vagus nerve, a nerve that tightly controls the heart rate and its function.

This work could not have been possible without philanthropic support. I am enormously grateful to Allan and Maria Myers for their support.

Dr Lindsea Booth, BSci (Hons), PhD

I was fortunate enough to receive the Dowd Fellowship which has enabled my team and I to focus on research into novel peptide-based therapy drugs.

In 2023, together with my colleagues, we invented a new method to facilitate the development of peptidebased drugs against difficult receptor targets –this was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society

We also developed a start-up company called LASEREDD Therapeutics. The company gained strength with rapid progress being made in the development of novel therapeutics against a confidential target for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It will also assist other Florey researchers with neurotherapeutics projects.

All this was made possible by the vital funding through the Dowd Fellowship, which I am extremely grateful to have received.

Professor Ross Bathgate BSci (Hons), PhD

A bequest from the Estate of Lorna Darbyshire has funded my team and I to develop early experimental models.

MOGHE is a newly identified genetic epilepsy syndrome. Patients with this disease have infantile spasms, a form of seizure with the worst prognosis and no effective treatments. The genetic cause of MOGHE has been recently identified enabling us to develop novel preclinical models. This is important as it provides a unique opportunity to understand the underlying pathological mechanisms and identify new therapeutic strategies. The risky nature of early-stage preclinical model development makes it difficult to get funding through traditional grant systems.

We are grateful for the Lorna Darbyshire bequest, which has put us in a much stronger position to apply for large grants to rapidly progress our research into understanding and treating this devastating disease.

Professor Christopher Reid

BPharm, BSci (Hons), PhD

You can be part of the Florey family

One in five Australians are affected by neurological and mental health conditions. For many, current medications and treatments do not work.

Every day, our world-class researchers at The Florey are working to find new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent these conditions and help those in need.

Become a Florey supporter

Every donation to The Florey, no matter what the size, helps us develop new treatments, advance our understanding of the brain, improve health care and find new ways to assist our communities. You can give to specific areas of research or to a general support fund. Donations can be made via our online giving page or by contacting the Philanthropy Team who can help you decide what you would like to support.

Florey Future Fund

The Florey Future Fund is an endowment fund that will help provide a perpetual stream of income to support scientific research. By pledging a donation or leaving a gift in your Will to the Florey Future Fund you will be supporting research that will have a significant impact on scientific research for generations to come.

Include a gift in your Will

Including a gift in your Will provides a legacy of hope, ensuring a lasting contribution towards a better future. The decision to leave a bequest is a meaningful way to support medical research, and help improve the quality of life of those who live with brain-related conditions.

Thank you to our donors

Without the generous support of our donors, we would not be able to continue our groundbreaking research. Your donation helps our researchers to make a difference every day. We are extremely grateful to all our generous donors. For further information on how you can support us, please contact our team.

Email: philanthropy@florey.edu.au

Phone: 1800 063 693

Find out more: www.florey.edu.au/support-us

The Florey

30 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC 3052

+61 3 9035 3000

245 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, VIC 3084

+61 3 9035 7000

Info@florey.edu.au

Our cover photo

Phil Stevens and his daughter, Fern, who lives seizure-free, thanks to epilepsy research at The Florey.

The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

The Florey @TheFlorey