- About
- People
- Funding
- Collaborations
Our research focusses on the role of the microbiome and diet in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gut disorders and manipulating the microbiome and diet for therapeutic effect.
We have demonstrated that faecal microbiota transplantation can safely induce remission of active ulcerative colitis but that the clinical effect diminishes with time. This provides evidence that this new therapy is both effective and practical in terms of delivery for patients. It is a therapeutic option for patients that does not result in immune suppression that many current therapies do. We have also established a not for profit organisation “BiomeBank” with The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) that will run the stool bank that is also used to treat South Australian patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.
Potential research students are encouraged to contact sam.costello@sa.gov.au and robert.bryant@sa.gov.au to discuss possible projects.
Media
- 7 April 2020: Australian Prescriber Podcast (Episode 74): Faecal transplants
- 16 January 2019: The Advertiser article (subscriber content only): Faecal transplants can treat bowel disease ulcerative colitis (research article in JAMA)
- 20 May 2018: The Advertiser article (subscriber content only): Fecal transplant can stop deadly C.Diff infection – if you can stomach it
- 21 March 2018: THRF website: Getting to the bottom of gut health
- 6 June 2017: SBS Insight “Gut Feeling” program. Additional story: Turning to faecal transplants to treat symptoms of debilitating gastroparesis
- 5 July 2016: Dignity Party transcript from ABC 891 radio interview: Dr Sam Costello interview on faecal microbiota transplant services
Researchers
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Dr Sam Costello
Position: Lead Researcher
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: sam.costello@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
UoA: Sam Costello
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Dr Robert Bryant
Position: Lead Researcher
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: robert.bryant@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
UoA: Robert Bryant
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Dr Lisa Dann
Position: Head of Laboratory Development
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: lisa.dann@biomebank.org
Profile: View profile
ResearchGate: Lisa Dann
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Associate Professor Bill Roediger
Position: Research Adviser
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Profile: View profile
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Dr Bron Lett
Position: Medical Scientist
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: bron.lett@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
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Imogen Ball
Position: Research Officer
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: imogen.ball@adelaide.edu.au
Profile: View profile
ResearchGate: Imogen Ball
Students
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Alice Day
Position: Student
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: alice.day@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
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Dr Karmen Telfer
Position: Student
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Email: karmen.kokkinn@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
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Dr Tom Goodsall
Position: Student
Theme: Inflammatory Disease
Phone: +61 8 8222 6000
Email: thomas.goodsall@sa.gov.au
Profile: View profile
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Student Alumni
| Name | Degree | Year | Thesis title | Supervisors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachel Davis | First Class Honours, Flinders University of South Australia | 2019 | Diet and inflammatory bowel disease | Day A, Bryant R, Miller M |
| Sam Costello | PhD, The University of Adelaide | 2019 | The role of faecal transplantation in the treatment of ulcerative colitis | Roberts-Thomson I, Hughes P, Conlon M, Andrews J |
| Chief Investigators | Granting body | Project Title | Type of Grant | Total Grant Amount | Funding Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forster S, Lawley T, Costello S | NHMRC (#1156333) | Characterisation of mobile antimicrobial resistance in the human gastrointestinal microbiota | Project Grant | $878,108 | 2019 - 2021 |
| Costello S, Bryant R | The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) | BiomeBank establishment | Establishment Grant | $100,000 | 2018 - 2019 |
| Costello S, Bryant R | The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) | Anaerobic Chamber | Equipment Grant | $41,475 | 2017 |
| Bryant R | Gastroenterology Society of Australia | Establishing an IBD gastrointestinal ultrasound service in South Australia | GESA Ferring IBD Clinician Establishment Award | $60,000 | 2016 |
| Andrews J, Hughes P, Conlon M, Roberts-Thompson I, Costello S | NHMRC | Faecal microbiota transplant for ulcerative colitis: A randomised controlled trial | Project Grant | $695,895 | 2015 - 2017 |
Industry collaboration with Microbiotica announced on 21 June 2018.
| Collaborator | Institution | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Jane Andrews | Royal Adelaide Hospital | Adelaide | Australia |
| Dr Michael Conlon | CSIRO | Adelaide | Australia |
| Dr Patrick Hughes | The University of Adelaide | Adelaide | Australia |
| Dr Lito Papanicolas | Flinders Medical Centre | Adelaide | Australia |
| Dr Jakob Begun | Translational Research Institute | Brisbane | Australia |
| Dr Oliver Waters | Fiona Stanley Hospital | Fremantle | Australia |
| Dr Sam Forster | Hudson Institute of Medical Research | Melbourne | Australia |
| Professor Peter Gibson, Dr CK Yao, Dr Jaci Barrett | Monash University | Melbourne | Australia |
| Dr Trevor Lawley | Sanger Institute | Cambridge | UK |
| Professor Simon Travis | University of Oxford | Oxford | UK |
