Research overview
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder often with debilitating symptoms and is estimated to affect one in nine females of reproductive age.
Currently our understanding of the pathophysiology of endometriosis is limited. It is also not clear why the progression and response to treatment modalities of the disease is so variable between patients. This leads to significant clinical challenges in identifying the best treatment for each individual.
A WA-based endometriosis biobank has been established at King Edward Memorial Hospital. We are collecting a range of biological samples including blood, urine and hair, as well as clinical data on the symptoms and progression of the disease. This project will use these samples to conduct an integrated analysis of metabolic and immune changes in the endometriotic lesions and in the systemic circulation and link these differences to the individual clinical features of the disease in each participant.
This will provide a uniquely rich dataset on each individual and allow us to identify metabolic and immune changes that are linked to the progression and symptoms of endometriosis, and how this varies across patients with different extent of disease and even within their different lesions.
This will provide a platform for a better understanding of the disease that can be used to direct new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to help alleviate the pain and other symptoms for those patients suffering from endometriosis.
Project researchers
Dr Mark Fear
Funders
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Project timeline
2023 – current
