Scientists at The University of Queensland and Macquarie University, Sydney have received almost $360,000 Federal Government funding to explore novel approaches to detect Growth Hormone drug cheats in elite sports.
Brisbane-based, internationally-published researcher Jennifer Wallace, a senior research fellow in UQ’s School of Medicine, is a chief investigator on the project with Dr Alamgir Khan and Dr Mark Molloy of the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility in Sydney.
Jennifer will conduct the research on human subjects, as a Senior Research Fellow, Division of Medicine, University of Queensland, in Brisbane Australia, and analysis of blood will be performed at the Australian Proteomics Analysis Facility at Macquarie University, Sydney.
The work builds on an international collaboration involving Jennifer, which developed the world’s first known detection test for Growth Hormone abuse in athletes, in time for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
In 1999, Jennifer Wallace, together with Associate Professor Ross Cuneo of UQ’s School of Medicine and Professor Peter Sonksen of the GH-2000 project, announced the preliminary Growth Hormone doping detection methodology. This project was funded by the International Olympic Committee, European Union and The University of Queensland.
Jennifer’s work with the GH-2000 project resulted in three new methodologies being developed for GH doping detection which could be used alone, or in combination.
“It has taken nearly a decade for these tests for GH abuse to be validated in large numbers, world wide, by independent experts,” she said.
“The results of large-scale studies have only recently been published in peer-reviewed journals.”
She said that the World Anti Doping Agency in charge of testing at the Beijing Olympics had announced that they were testing blood for GH abuse, but would not reveal specifically which tests would be used.
“This will help ensure that unscrupulous users do not get any information prior to the games which could assist them in attempts to avoid GH doping detection,” she said.
The new Australian project incorporates proteomics technology, a new science that focuses on the study of proteins. This will ensure that Australia remains well prepared against continually evolving strategies of the doping underground.
Dr. Alamgir Khan, Principal Investigator of this project at Macquarie University, said: “Based on our earlier work on detecting EPO using proteomics, this project will enable us to develop a method for distinguishing between body-produced GH and synthetic GH in blood.
"It will allow us to identify known and novel GH-induced proteins that may be used to identify drug cheats in sports."
Funding for the project: A feasibility study on the development of a method(s) for detection and analysis of exogenous growth hormone and its analogs using proteomics technology, is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the Anti-Doping Research Program (ADRP).
Media: Jan King 0413 601 248
