Research Portfolio

Our Centre has identified a portfolio of high potential research projects with significant commercialisation and impact opportunities for initial funding. These projects span pre-clinical, clinical and policy pathways in the three target areas of coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. 

Key considerations in selecting projects were:

  • Addressing a key market gap in the management, prevention, identification of coronary artery disease, heart failure and/or stroke.

  • Demonstrable evidence of potential - new IP, investment, implementation, solutions.

  • Evidence of strong market, community and/or stakeholder engagement and partnerships that could meaningfully accelerate products/ solutions along the translational pathway.

  • Feasibility of plans to ensure investments will achieve milestones and outcomes.

We also ensured that the investment portfolio achieved diversification in:

  • Disease - across the three target areas of coronary disease, heart failure and stroke.

  • Translational stage: preclinical, clinical and policy pathways.

  • Products - including digital health, medical devices, therapeutics, diagnostics and behavioural interventions.

  • Expected outcomes - such that the Centre will generate a broad range of impacts to Australian health, economy and consumers and be socially responsible and equitable.

Twelve Projects were funded in the first round, and an additional 12 projects have been funded subsequently.

Two projects have been discontinued owing to partner issues. 

Tranche A funded projects

Myocardial infarction

An engineered macrophage-derived cytokine as a therapy for cardiac infarct

  • Professor Peter Currie, Monash University (Lead) and Associate Professor Mikael Martino, Monash University

Tiwi Community

Improving heart disease risk assessment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

  • Elizabeth Barr, Menzies School of Health Research (Lead). Louise Maple-Brown, Menzies School of Health Research; Alex Brown, The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, David Peiris, The George Institute for Global Health

BiVACOR total artificial heart

BiVACOR total artificial heart – implantability enhancements

  • Chris Hayward (VCCRI, Lead), Paul Jansz (SVHS), Sam Emmanuel (SVHS), Michael Stevens (UNSW), Frank Nestler (BiVACOR), Daniel Timms (BiVACOR), Jason Kovacic (VCCRI)

  • Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI), St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney (SVHS), UNSW, GSMBE, BiVACOR Ltd

Multi-omic signatures of CVD in Aboriginal Australians (OSCA)  

  • Professor Alex Brown, Australian National University (Lead). Jimmy Breen, ANU; Stephen Pederson, Telethon Kids; Katharine McBride, Telethon Kids; Natasha Howard, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute; Leonard Kritharides, University of Sydney; Louise Maple-Brown, Menzies School of Health Research; Elizabeth Barr, Menzies School of Health Research; Stephen Nicholls, Monash University; Jason Kovacic, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

MICA – My Intelligent Cardiac Assistant 

  • Clara Chow (Lead), Liliana Laranjo, University of Sydney; Edel O’Hagan, University of Sydney; Lyle McMahon, University of Sydney; Marius Mather, University of Sydney

  • University of Sydney, Google

Cardiovascular care on Apple Watch

Apple Watch Australian Heart Study

  • Professor Martin Ugander, University of Sydney (Lead). Zaidon Al-Falahi, University of Sydney; Enid Eslick, University of Sydney; Andreas Andersson, Advanced ECG Systems


  • University of Sydney, Advanced ECG Systems, Mayo Clinic

 LITE CT brain scanner

  • Professor Kate Fox, RMIT  (Lead). Project Team: Geoffrey Donnan, University of Melbourne; Steven Davis, University of Melbourne; Bruce Campbell, University of Melbourne, Toh Yen Pang, RMIT; Azadeh Mirabedini, RMIT; Chris McCrowe, RMIT

  • Australian Stroke Alliance

The world’s first remote telerobotic endovascular thrombectomy technology

  • Professor Hal Rice, Gold Coast University Hospital (Lead). Geoffrey Donnan, University of Melbourne; Steven Davis, University of Melbourne; Cameron Williams, University of Melbourne

Cloud-based platform for proarrhythmic risk prediction

  • Associate Professor Adam Hill, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (Lead). Jamie Vandenberg, VCCRI; Jason Kovacic, VCCRI; Satya Arjunan, VCCRI

 Management and Patient-Engagement Strategies for HF Patients with Devices  

  • Professor Aravinda Thiagalingham, University of Sydney (Lead). Clara Chow, University of Sydney; Brodie Sheahen, University of Sydney; Tim Shaw​​, University of Sydney; Liliana Laranjo, University of Sydney; Rahul Sathiaraj​​, University of Sydney;  Naveed Khan, BIOTRONIC; Jan Ewert, BIOTRONIC

  • BIOTRONIK Australia Pty Ltd

Tranche B funded projects

A stem cell and biomaterial strategy to improve stroke recovery

  • Dr Bradley Broughton, Monash University (Lead). Mibel Aguilar, Monash University; John Forsythe, Monash University; Helena Parkington, Monash University; Thanh Phan, Monash University; Henry Ma, Monash University; Leon Teo, Monash University

Generation of low arrhythmogenic induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes to treat severe heart failure

  • Associate Professor James Chong, University of Sydney (Lead). Leila Reyes, University of Sydney; Zoe Clayton, University of Sydney; Sul Ki Kim, University of Sydney

JOIN US- Research Register

  • Associate Professor Bruce Neal, The George Institute for Global Health (Lead). Helen Monaghan, TGI; Richa Jaswal, TGI; Louisa Jorm, UNSW

 Immune signatures for detection of coronary artery disease and personalised heart attack prevention

  • Professor Gemma Figtree, University of Sydney (Lead). Helen McGuire, University of Sydney; Katharine Kott, University of Sydney; Jean Yang, University of Sydney; Ellis Patrick, University of Sydney; Stuart Grieve, University of Sydney; Barbara Fazekas, University of Sydney

MuMicrowave catheter for the treatment of hypertension  

  • Dr Pierre Qian, University of Sydney (Lead). Poornima Balaji, University of Sydney; Duc Nguyen, University of Sydney; Stuart Thomas, University of Sydney; Aravinda Thiagalingam, University of Sydney; Alistair McEwanUniversity of Sydney; Michael Barry, Western Sydney Local Health District, Ian Fong, Cath Rx

  • Western Sydney Local Health District, Cath Rx

Continuous mONitoring of recovery iN acutE isChaemic sTroke (CONNECT)

  • Dr Xiaoying Chen, The George Institute Australia (Lead). Craig Anderson, TGI; Candice Delcourt, TGI;  Ken Butcher, Prince of Wales Hospital; Kylie Tastula, Royal Alfred Prince Hospital; Xia Wang, TGI; Leibo Liu, TGI; Samuel van Bohemen, Nuroflux





  • Nuroflux Pty Ltd

 Development of PET-CT imaging in mouse models to screen for new anti-inflammatory therapies

  • Dr Kirsten Bubb, Monash University (Lead). Ben Chen, Monash University; Denuja Karunakaran, Monash University; Jordyn Thomas, Monash University

Establishing Robust Tandem Stenosis with Advanced Safety Enhancements using 3D Printing

  • Dr Yung-Chih (Ben) Chen, Monash University (Lead). Marziyeh Anari, Monash University; Taylah Banham, Monash University; Yi Hua, Monash University; Alex Pokrassen, Monash University

Targeting macrophage necroptosis in vulnerable plaques 

  • Dr Denuja Karunakaran, Monash University (Lead). Alex Pokrassen, Monash University; Dr Narmadaa Thyagarajan, Monash University

Developing a simulation training suite to improve safety and effectiveness of ECMO 

  •  Dr Rezan Jafary, Monash University (Lead). Vincent Pellegrino, Alfred Health; Shaun Gregory, Monash University; Andrew Stephens, Queensland University of Technology; Derek Huang, Monash University; Carol Hodgson, Monash University; Chris Bain, Monash University

Design refinement and pre-clinical testing of a radiopaque and fully resorbable stent

  • Professor Laurence Meagher, Monash University  (Lead). Gregory Szto, Peninsula Private Hospital; Bruna Cambraia Garms, Monash University


  • Dr Greg Szto Pty Ltd

Development of new diets enriched in gut microbial substances to treat cardiovascular disease 

  • Professor Francine Marques, Monash University (Lead). Associate Professor Sushil Dithal, Monash University; Dr Hamdi Jama, Monash University; Dr Rikeish Muralitharan, Monash University; Dr Smriti Shrestha, Monash University; Dr Simona Antonacci, Monash University