Research highlights and societal impact

Professor Richard Banati has a long-standing interest in the role of non-neuronal (glial) cells in the progression of neurodegenerative and neoplastic brain disease, particularly the role of glia in overtly normal brain tissue. More recently, his research has focused on the development of new in vivo imaging probes for non-neuronal cells and the methodological issues that arise from it. Ultimate goal of this research to improve our understanding of how glial cells regulate brain function and how glial pathways can furnish biomarkers of brain disease and therapeutic efficacy.

There is now considerable excitement amongst the international research community and clinicians in neurology and psychiatry, that one particular receptor found on glial cells , the so-called ‘peripheral type benzodiazepine receptor’ or ‘18 kDa Translator Protein’ can indeed be used as an neuroimaging biomarker of active brain disease in an otherwise healthy appearing brain tissue. Based on some of our earlier fundamental and animal experimental observations, researchers at the BMRI have been able to show that certain psychotic disease states or stages with cognitive decline show an up-regulation in this normally absent receptor in the brains of some patients. This indicates the presence of a subtle 'neuroinflammatory' brain tissue response in some subgroups of patients with psychotic illness. The significance of this observation lies in the possibility to finally address the fundamental issue why the illness course in patients with the same apparent diagnosis, e.g. 'schizophrenia', can differ so vastly. The differences in outcome are so significant, that the construct validity of this diagnostic label has been questioned since the early days of its inception. The BMRI has now begun to develop a biomarker index, including specific molecular brain imaging (positron emission tomography PET), that places greater emphasis on the prediction of variation in illness, secondary illness-related changes in health status and treatment responses. This approach is decidedly patient-focused. It attempts to measure the relevant parameters of health and undertake staging of illness – as is common practice in other areas of medicine - rather than promote specific 'diagnostic' markers that are of limited benefit to the patient.
Worldwide, there are intensive efforts, including at the BMRI and colleagues at ANSTO, to develop the second generation of glial biomarkers following the prototypes of imaging ligands for the ‘peripheral type benzodiazepine receptor’ or ‘18 kDa Translator Protein’. In parallel, there is an active program concerned with elucidating the exact function of the ‘peripheral type benzodiazepine receptor’ or ‘18 kDa Translator Protein’ in the diseased brain.

The research is conducted in interdisciplinary teams of experts in cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, physics, medical imaging, data modeling and various areas of the health and medical sciences. The application of fundamental nuclear science and advanced nuclear technology ( i.e. radioisotope-labelled molecular probes and positron emission tomography PET) to the life sciences is an important part of this research program. In association with Australian Nuclear Sciences and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the Bragg Institute (http://neo.ansto.gov.au/bragg) and the Australian Synchrotron (http://www.synchrotron.vic.gov.au/), there are unique opportunities to gain broader access to some of the most advanced nuclear technologies, reaching from in vivo imaging to accelerator mass-spectrometric analysis of drug distribution in biological tissue or the study of proteins by x-ray and neutron reflectometry. There is an active program to improve the access for women and young professionals to the broad field of nuclear science with its applications in the material, environmental and life sciences.