Australian academics awarded AUD$3.3m to support women with endometriosis

Two Australian academics have received AUS$3.3m in grants from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to help women with endometriosis and improve clinical registries.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist, Jason Abbott, and health data expert, Louisa Jorm, from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney have been awarded the two Research Data Infrastructure grants to investigate a range of fertility options for women with endometriosis and develop cloud-based clinical registries.

Professor Jason Abbott has been awarded a AUD$689,000 grant to study fertility outcomes for women with endometriosis.

“We will look at what the assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes are, such as the number of eggs and the number of embryos, if treatment for infertility is required,” he said.

“We will also look at the maternal and neonatal outcomes for women with endometriosis compared to those without and the impact of surgery on ART and the fertility, maternal and neonatal outcomes.”

One in nine Australians are affected by endometriosis and are at risk of infertility issues later in life.

“Many people with endometriosis wanting a pregnancy may require ART to help them achieve that goal,” Abbott explained.

“There is some evidence that endometriosis affects pregnancy outcomes, and this may impact the way that we counsel people with endometriosis.

“Australia has a rich dataset around ART and this project will allow us to look at a range of different outcomes for the mother, the baby and the impact on the healthcare sector specifically in this field.”

Professor Abbott said this information will be used to better counsel people with endometriosis entering ART.

Professor Louisa Jorm, from UNSW Medicine & Health and Director of the Centre for Big Data Research in Health, will receive AUD$2.6 million to develop next-generation clinical registries.

Her team will create a software framework – NextCR – for organisations to use to establish and operate secure, cloud-based clinical registries.

The project will use advanced software engineering and artificial intelligence (AI) methods to transform near real-time data drawn directly from electronic medical records (EMRs) and other electronic data, including imaging.

“NextCR registries will enable totally new research that will lead to better patient outcomes,” said Professor Jorm.

“For example, developing new AI models to predict outcomes after a joint replacement and personalising the care of patients with coronary disease and cardiac arrhythmias.

“The near-real-time availability of this data will also allow for rapid feedback to improve patient care and support registry-based recruitment of patients into clinical trials.”