HEART OF AUSTRALIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Clinical Trials
Though there is more being done today to bring greater access to healthcare services in rural, remote, and First Nations communities, Australians living in these areas are often still excluded from participating in clinical trials due to a number of barriers such as distance, cultural differences, geographic isolation, and workforce capacity.
In 2024 Heart of Australia launched the Heart of Australia Research Institute (HARI) to help facilitate the inclusion of country patients into clinical trials, giving them an equal chance of accessing innovative treatments and solutions not yet available to the general public.
HARI is currently helping to deliver four ongoing clinical trials in rural Queensland with the support of our partners and research team members.
HARI Team Members
Investigators
Dr Rolf Gomes
BE, MBBS, FRACP
Principal Investigator
General Cardiologist
Dr Farzad Bashirzadeh
FRACP, MD, MSM
Principal Investigator
Respiratory (Thoracic) Specialist
Dr Richard Baer
BPharm, MBBS(Hons), MPH&TM, FRACP
Principal Investigator
Nephrologist
Assoc. Prof Karam Kostner
MD, PhD, FRACP, FCSANZ
Sub-Investigator
Cardiologist and Lipidologist
Dr Alexander Dashwood
BM, BSc, FRACP, MRCP (UK)
Sub-Investigator
General Cardiologist & Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Dr Elizabeth Clarkson
MBBS QLD, FACRRM, FRACGP, FARGP
Sub-Investigator
Rural Generalist (GP)
Team Members
Melissa Riedy
Senior Project Manager, Clinical Trials
Tiki Baker-Pearson
Clinical Trials Coordinator
Caroline Herbert
Clinical Trials Research Nurse
Jacinta Smalley
Clinical Trials Research Nurse
Jennifer Kroeger
Research Assistant
Active Trials
Research Trial 1
This trial will investigate the effect of lipoprotein (a) {Lp(a)} lowering treatment on the reduction of major cardiovascular events in patients with elevated Lp(a) levels.
Research Trial 2
This trial will assess morbidity and mortality on patients with heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) or HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) following a once monthly subcutaneous injection.
Research Trial 3
This trial is a phase III study to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a once daily medication in patients with Bronchiectasis.
Research Trial 4
This trial is a phase II clinical trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of a once weekly medication for patient with Chronic Kidney Disease.
Research Trial 5
This trial is a Phase III double-blind, randomised, parallel-group superiority trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of the investigational product compared with placebo in participants with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and established cardiovascular disease.
HARI Partners
