At Curtin Medical Research Institute, clinical and translational research<\/a> is conducted across a number of diseases and knowledge areas, including neurotrauma, neurodegenerative disorders, pain, iron metabolism, gastroenterology, nutrition and metabolism, supportive care in cancer, cardiovascular imaging research and artificial intelligence in medical radiation sciences.<\/p>\n Together, clinical and translational research form a continuous pathway that links the fundamental science, patient studies, and everyday healthcare, with the ultimate goal of improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and overall health outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n Researchers at the Curtin Medical Research Institute<\/a> study how diseases develop to identify new ways to treat them. They work towards safe and effective therapies that can prevent illness, improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life.<\/p>\n The team’s expertise includes synthetic biology and gene therapy, infectious disease pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and organoids.<\/p>\n In 2026, Curtin Medical Research Institute researchers won a Diabetes Australia Research Grant for a two-year project looking at why people with type 2 diabetes and a gene variant called apoE4 face a much higher risk of memory loss and dementia, and whether this can be stopped with simple, affordable pills. They will use a world-first Curtin-developed model to test two treatments: probucol, an existing cholesterol drug being repurposed for brain protection, and HA-1, a new compound they’ve patented. Alongside a simple blood test, the goal is to catch and prevent dementia early, making treatment easier to access for regional, culturally diverse and disadvantaged communities.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities continue to face challenges that impact on all facets of life. Our Indigenous-led research projects are combining multidisciplinary knowledge \u2014 both ancient and new \u2014 to develop solutions that will improve the wellbeing and support the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia.<\/p>\n Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker<\/a> is investigating how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content is taught in Australian schools and the impact it can have on the identity and self-esteem of young children. Professor Rhonda Oliver is exploring the benefits of using translanguaging in the classroom and developing more culturally appropriate assessments to improve, celebrate and nurture the literacy and communication skills of Aboriginal children in remote and regional areas.<\/p>\n Dr Robyn Williams<\/a> is leading a community-codesigned framework to improve how healthcare workers understand and respond to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Aboriginal Medical Services \u2013 with Aboriginal families at the centre.<\/p>\nDrug development and therapeutics<\/h3>\n
Indigenous health and wellbeing<\/h3>\n
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\n <\/div>\n<\/a>\n\n Improving the lives of those impacted by cancer: Dr Chloe Maxwell Smith<\/h4>\n \n
Dr Chloe Maxwell-Smith’s research seeks to understand how we can improve quality of life for people living with cancer, and their families, carers and health care professionals.<\/p>\n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/mimas-block>\n\n The enAble Institute<\/a> is conducting research that enables people with disabilities to access equitable opportunities for health, wellbeing and inclusion.<\/p>\n Our findings inform policy and practice related to the prevention of health and injury related disabilities, and enhance therapeutic and social-inclusion-related services for people with disabilities and their supporters.<\/p>\n Areas of research include autism spectrum disorders, Developmental Language Disorder, injury rehabilitation and more.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n Dementia negatively impacts the lives of many Australians and is a major contributor to healthcare utilisation and costs.<\/p>\nOur strengths<\/h2>\n \n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n
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Disability and inclusion<\/h3>\n
Dementia and ageing<\/h3>\n
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