Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT)
IMPACT develops new and effective responses to mental and physical health for our community. We use cutting-edge approaches to translate our medical research from the laboratory to real-world solutions.
Our team of over 300 researchers has a shared aim to improve the quality of life of our global community. We work to develop innovative diagnostics, treatments and therapies for mental health conditions and chronic diseases.
IMPACT is unique in its transdisciplinary and collaborative structure. Our silo-free approach allows us to tackle the complex mental and physical disorders that are a significant burden of disease in Australia, and across the world.
Research Areas
Clinical Trials and Interventions
Our Clinical Interventions theme encompasses research to discover new treatments and understand biological pathways in mental illness and physical health conditions.
Theme Leader Associate Professor Olivia Dean and Deputy Theme Leader Dr Alyna Turner lead a team of passionate researchers, students, volunteers and research assistants. The continuous development of new collaborations and programs keeps our team on the frontline of discovering and evaluating new treatments and responses for a range of mental and physical conditions.
Food & Mood
Our Food and Mood theme conducts research that aims to understand the complex ways in which what we eat influences our brain, mood, and mental health.
Our world-class researchers from various backgrounds study the food-mood relationship at different levels, from microbiology to public health. Theme Leader Professor Felice Jacka (also Director, Food and Mood Centre) and Deputy Theme Leader Associate Professor Adrienne O’Neil lead the multi-disciplinary team of researchers and students.
Infection, Immunity and Cancer
Our Infection, Immunity and Cancer team undertakes discovery-based research focused on understanding the molecular basis of health and disease at the individual and population level.
Led by Professor Tania De Koning-Ward and Professor John Stambas, our internationally renowned researchers produce findings that are critical for identifying and accelerating new approaches to improving health and preventing diseases such as cancer, metabolic disorders and infectious diseases.
Mental Health Disorders and Neuroscience
Our Mental Health Disorders and Neuroscience team explores chronic disease patterns, risk factors, novel therapies, and effective treatments of psychiatric conditions, such as bipolar disorder and depression.
Led by Theme Leader Professor Michael Berk and Deputy Theme Leader Dr Seetal Dodd, our diverse research aims to develop new therapies, repurpose existing medicines and explore the efficacy of nutraceuticals that may lead to better mental health and metabolic outcomes, and enhanced drug safety. We explore a range of mental health issues across the life-course, from early life epigenetics to mental health and ageing.
Metabolic, Musculoskeletal and Other Co-morbid Disorders
Our Molecular Medicine team seeks to understand and improve the treatment of many of the most common chronic diseases impacting populations across all ages.
Our team, led by Theme Leader Professor Sean McGee and Deputy Theme Leader Dr Kathryn Aston-Mourney, includes prominent clinicians and scientists.
Our approach focusses on studying and understanding the basic biology of a condition and leveraging this new knowledge to develop novel treatment approaches. We use cutting-edge pre-clinical models and large-scale clinical cohort studies to gain new insights into the molecular mechanisms of disease.
Drug Discovery, Repurposing Therapeutics and Biomarkers
Our Novel Treatment Discovery team is led by Theme Leader Professor Ken Walder and Deputy Theme Leader Professor Wei Duan. Our team focus on developing new treatments for many prevalent health problems.
We aim to help those in our community whose lives and livelihoods are disrupted by complex and difficult to treat chronic health problems. This includes finding new uses for existing drugs, discovering new drugs or drug delivery strategies and finding better ways of diagnosing diseases.
Population and Epidemiological Analyses
Our Population Health team explores the physical and mental health of humans across the lifespan. Our projects integrate epidemiological, clinical and basic research approaches to conduct studies that have real-world translational applications. With this comes the unique ability to describe the epidemiology of physical and mental health conditions in the population.
Together, Theme Leader Professor Julie Pasco and Deputy Theme Leader Associate Professor Lana Williams oversee a diverse team of researchers and students. Our study participants visit the state-of-the-art clinical facilities at Barwon Health, where we conduct physical and mental health assessments. Data linkage with health registries broadens the scope of our research.
Collaborating Organisations
For a full list of national and international collaborators, visit impact.deakin.edu.au
Research Team
Research Staff
Directors
Research Theme Leads
- Associate Professor Olivia Dean, Clinical Trials and Interventions
- Alfred Deakin Professor Felice Jacka, Food and Mood
- Professor Tania De Koning-Ward, Fundamental Biosciences
- Professor Michael Berk, Mental Health Disorders and Neuroscience
- Professor Sean McGee, Metabolic, Musculoskeletal and other Co-morbid Disorders
- Professor Ken Walder, Drug Discovery, Repurposing, Therapeutics and Biomarkers
- Professor Julie Pasco, Population and Epidemiological Analyses
Research News
Research in Focus: The potential protective effects of ketogenic diets in brain disorders
The ketogenic diet is a recognised therapy for epilepsy in children with poorly controlled seizures, as well as, more recently, in adults. It is a strict diet high in fats and low in carbohydrates, which makes the body burn fat for energy instead of glucose (a process called ketosis).
This has led researchers to investigate the potential benefits of nutritional ketosis in other conditions, with possible improvements being reported in mild cognitive impairment, early Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autistic spectrum disorder. These share abnormalities in the metabolism of glucose, suggesting that a ketogenic diet may be useful.
It is important to understand how ketosis brings about these improvements before it can be considered as a potential treatment for brain disorders. Researchers at the IMPACT Institute, a collaboration between Barwon Health and Deakin University, conducted a review of worldwide research to provide a potential answer to this question.
This study suggests that ketosis may reduce the damage to the brain caused by brain disorders by changing the way some brain cells, known as astrocytes, react to the damage. Astrocytes are star shaped cells that have a supporting role in making sure the brain remains healthy and functions normally. When damaged by disease or injury, astrocytes try to defend the brain by growing bigger and multiplying via a process called astrogliosis.
Ironically, the effects of astrogliosis often play a major role in the development and acceleration of brain disorders, and is it through changing this pathway that nutritional ketosis is thought to have its protective effect.
Click here to read the full article.
IMPACT and Barwon Health MHDAS testing diet and exercise to treat COVID-19 related depression
A new collaboration between Barwon Health and Deakin University researchers is testing the powerful potential of food and physical activity to restore mental well-being among people feeling distressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Geelong based trial, by the Barwon Health Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services (MHDAS) and the Heart and Mind Research Group at the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), will deliver an eight-week, group-based, ‘CALM’ telehealth program, designed to reduce the mental health symptoms in adults with elevated psychological distress.
The trial, funded through a Medical Research Future Fund COVID-19 Mental Health Research grant, will directly evaluate the health impacts and the cost-effectiveness of the CALM program in comparison with established psychotherapy in patients presenting to Barwon Health via the Emergency Department or MHDAS.
IMPACT Heart and Mind Research Director Associate Professor Adrienne O'Neil said the 'CALM' program was based on well-established evidence for the use of diet and exercise as a treatment for mental health conditions.
"Lifestyle targets are the cornerstone for prevention and management of diabetes and heart disease, but not currently for mental disorders," Associate Professor O'Neil said.
"There is good evidence diet and exercise can complement standard care, but we don't know if they are as good as standard psychological care.
"This is the first study to test this approach directly with psychotherapy in a real-world mental health setting. This evidence is critical if we are to see lifestyle-based care become an embedded part of mental health care in the future. We hope this will provide future treatment options for people with mental health concerns."
Patients will be encouraged to continue taking any prescribed medication throughout the study.
In addition to Deakin University and Barwon Health, collaborative partners in the study include Monash University, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of New South Wales.
Michael Berk recognised as world-leading scientist
In 2019, Director of IMPACT Michael Berk was recognised as a world-leading scientist at the 2019 Victoria Prize and Fellowship Awards. Professor Berk was awarded the Victoria Prize for Life Sciences, acknowledging his research into risk factors, novel therapies, and effective treatments of psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder and depression.
Research Grants
For a full list of research grants, please click here. Highlights include:
- Medical Research Futures Fund - Mental Health Australia General Clinical Trial Network (MAGNET): Michael Berk: 2021 – 2026
- National Health and Medical Research Council - MRFF Efficient Use of existing medicines: Michael Berk, Alyna Turner, Olivia Dean: 2021 – 2025
- National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant - Nutritional Psychiatry: extending the evidence and ensuring translation: Felice Jacka, 2021 - 2026
- Stanley Medical Research Institute - A clinical trial of trimetazidine for bipolar depression in Spain and India: Ken Walder: 2021 - 2024
Featured Publications
Can Depression Be Prevented? If So, How? [NOTE – Full text for Barwon Health staff; public can view abstract]. Hoare E, Callaly E, Berk M. JAMA Psychiatry. 2020; June 24. Online ahead of print. |
Effect of aspirin vs placebo on the prevention of depression in older people. [NOTE - Full text for Barwon Health staff; public can view abstract]. Berk M, Woods RL, Nelson MR, Shah RC, Reid CM, Storey E, Fitzgerald S, Lockery JE, Wolfe R, Mohebbi M, et al. JAMA Psychiatry. 2020. June 3. Online ahead of print. |
Gut microbiota composition during infancy and subsequent behavioural outcomes. Loughman A, Ponsonby A, O'Hely M, Symeonides C, Collier F, Tang MLK, Carlin J, Ranganathan S, Allen K, Pezic A, et al. EBioMedicine. 2020;52:102640. |
Effect of aspirin vs placebo on the prevention of depression in older people. [NOTE - Full text for Barwon Health staff; public can view abstract]. Berk M, Woods RL, Nelson MR, Shah RC, Reid CM, Storey E, Fitzgerald S, Lockery JE, Wolfe R, Mohebbi M, et al. JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 |
Gut microbiota composition during infancy and subsequent behavioural outcomes. Loughman A, Ponsonby A, O'Hely M, Symeonides C, Collier F, Tang MLK, Carlin J, Ranganathan S, Allen K, Pezic A, et al. EBioMedicine. 2020;52:102640. |
Support Our Research
Participate in a Clinical Trial
To find out about clinical trials currently underway at Barwon Health, click here.
Donate
Clinical trials require ongoing investment and there are several ways to support this amazing work.
You can make a donation today and contribute to an item on our research wish list, consider a bequest in your will, or establish a lasting legacy fund in your name. No matter what size, your philanthropic support with deliver an immediate impact.
To donate now or for more information and further discuss your support, please contact the Barwon Health Foundation.
Wish List
- A donation of $1,000 - $5,000 can offer us a travel fellowship for our researchers to gain a global perspective and connections.
- A donation of $5,000 - $20,000 may provide a PhD scholarship for a student to explore a new field of research.
- A donation of $20,000 or more could support one of our diverse range of projects or contribute to the establishment of an endowed chair.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 09 August 2022
Research Lead
Alfred Deakin Professor Michael Berk
Health & Education Research Building
Barwon Health & Deakin University, School of Medicine
PO Box 281, Geelong Vic 3220
[email protected]