About

Professor Jonathan Golledge is Head of the Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease and its pre-clinical arm The Vascular Biology Unit (VBU) at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University. Professor Golledge joined JCU in 2002 and established the Vascular Biology Unit with the aim of carrying out research intended to be translated into improved management of aortic aneurysm and other peripheral vascular conditions. We continue to seek high quality students and researchers to join our group. Trained as a vascular specialist, Professor Golledge took 2 years out of specialist training to obtain experience in research techniques as part of a Cambridge MChir (Doctoral equivalent), UK. His research commitment is illustrated by a large number of presentations at International and National meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals, including a large number in top specialised journals.

Professor Golledge holds a conjoint position between the School of Medicine and Dentistry and Queensland Health, where he works as a vascular surgeon. In addition to providing a high quality clinical service his principal aspiration is to improve management of peripheral vascular diseases. The research impact of this is evidenced by external grant support from the NIH, NHMRC, Queensland Government, NHF and other bodies. Of note in 2010 Professor Golledge led a successful bid to establish a NHMRC funded centre of research excellence for Peripheral Vascular Disease.

Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Fellowships
  • 2002 - Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  • 1994 - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Memberships
  • 2012 - Editorial board member, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
  • 2009 - Member of The Australian and International Stroke Genetics Collaboration
  • 2009 - Member of The Research Committee of the Faculty Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences
  • 2007 - Member of the Board of Surgical Research of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  • 2002 - Member of the Australian Vascular Biology Society
  • 2002 - Member of the School of Medicine Research Committee, James Cook University
  • 1996 - Member of the European Society of Vascular Surgery
  • 2002 to 2009 - Member of the ethics committee, The Mater Hospital, Townsville
  • 2003 to 2004 - Member of the Biological Sciences selection panel for internal grants, James Cook University
  • 1996 to 2001 - Member of the Vascular Surgical Society of Great Britain and Ireland
Other
  • 2012 - Editorial board Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
  • 2011 - Credentialling Committee The Townsville Hospital
  • 2007 - Editorial board member Atherosclerosis
  • 2003 - Reviewer The Lancet, Circulation, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Atherosclerosis, Journal of Vascular Surgery, European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, American Journal of Cardiology, American Journal of Pathology
  • 2003 - External reviewer for numerous granting bodies including the National Health and Medical Research Council, National Heart Foundation and other international funding bodies such as the Welcome Trust
  • 2002 - Chairman of the Austalian and New Zealand Society of Vascular Surgery Research Group
  • 2000 - Reviewer Stroke
  • 1997 - Reviewer The Journal of Vascular Surgery and the European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
  • 2003 to 2009 - Language Editor European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
  • 2002 to 2007 - Chairman of the BMedSci Committee, James Cook University
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
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ResearchOnline@JCU stores 518+ research outputs authored by Prof Jon Golledge from 2003 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Future Fund - Cardiovascular Health Mission

Activation of AMPK to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm (5As).

Indicative Funding
$1,044,836 over 3 years
Summary
Twenty million people worldwide (100,000 Australians) have weakening and dilatation of their main abdominal artery (AAA), responsible for 200,000 deaths/year due to aneurysm rupture. Randomised controlled trials show that surgery does not benefit patients with aneurysms <55mm in diameter. About 95% of AAAs are identified when they are small and are simply imaged every 6 to 12 months until aortic diameter becomes ?55mm, when surgery is considered. About 5% of AAAs fatally rupture during surveillance and 70% grow within 5 years to 55mm and are repaired, with the risk of complications. The lack of treatment for small AAA concerns patients who worry about aneurysm rupture, which impairs their quality of life. Surveys of patients and specialists, and our systematic reviews show the number one deficiency in AAA management is the lack of drugs to prevent aneurysm growth and rupture. A wealth of evidence suggests that pharmacological activation of the AMPK pathway may prevent AAA growth and rupture. We have access to a novel potent 5? adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway activator (O304) which has been shown to be safe in older adults for other indications. This 5As project will build on our past discoveries using our unique resources and expertise (clinically-relevant mouse model, human AAA explant culture methods, novel drug, statistical methods, human AAA biobanks, registries and genome wide data) to test if: 1. AMPK agonist 0304 inhibits aneurysm growth and rupture in our mouse model; 2. AMPK agonist 0304 reduces markers of AAA growth in human AAA samples in vitro; 3. Genetic AMPK upregulation is protective against AAA development and growth.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Joseph Moxon, Catherine Rush, Norelle Daly and Jenna Pinchbeck (College of Medicine & Dentistry, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral artery disease; Risk factors

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - Study Education Research Trust Account (SERTA)

Developing personalised management of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Indicative Funding
$50,000 over 4 years
Summary
Twenty million people worldwide (5,000 North Queenslanders) have weakening of their main abdominal artery abdominal aortic aneurysm; AAA). AAA is associated with a high risk of myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death (together defined as major adverse cardiovascular events; MACE). Current pathways for small AAA focus on identifying patients for surgical repair without attention to medical management. Approximately 4,000 AAA repairs are performed annually in Australia at a cost of ~$150M/yr. Surgical repair alone (in the absence of effective medical management) has limited impact in extending life. In our study of 526 Townsville patients who had undergone AAA repair, 48% had died within five years of repair, most commonly due to cardiovascular causes. Control of modifiable risk factors is not prioritised within current pathways. Our research over the last decade has discovered: 1. AAA thrombus predicts MACE and AAA events 2. Non-coding microRNAs (miRs) hold potential as specific AAA biomarkers 3. Imaging biomarkers of AAA -We discovered unique imaging biomarkers of AAA rupture risk (aortic peak wall stress [PWS] and peak wall rupture risk [PWRI]) which can be accurately measured 4. Over the last decade we developed the peripheral vascular biobank which uniquely has samples from thousands of patients. Using these prior discoveries and unique resources our aim in this project is to discover and validate novel blood and imaging biomarkers predictive of MACE and AAA events to later facilitate risk scores for clinical use.
Investigators
Jon Golledge (College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Prevention; Risk Factors

CRC for Developing Northern Australia - Grant

Tele-DFD: Remotely providing effective healthcare for diabetic foot disease

Indicative Funding
$840,000 over 4 years, in partnership with the Townsville Hospital and Health Service ($120,000)
Summary
Current models of care for diabetes-associated foot disease (DFD) management are not sustainable due to the recurring nature of this condition and lead to enormous social and economic burden (~$24 million / year). Models of healthcare that are financially viable and effective at meeting the challenges of the dispersed population of Northern Australia are urgently needed to reduce the rates of DFD-related amputations, and costs associated with preventable hospital admissions and ongoing treatment. This project will test whether a telehealth model of care (Tele-DFD) is more effective at achieving secondary prevention than the current usual face to face consultation model. If effective this model offers the potential of improved health outcomes and substantially reducing geographic disparity and social and economic burden from DFD.
Investigators
Jon Golledge in collaboration with Rebecca Evans and Joseph Moxon (College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Diabetes; Peripheral artery disease; Risk Factors

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Future Fund - Cardiovascular Health Mission

Supervised Home Exercise for Peripheral Artery Disease

Indicative Funding
$999,999 over 3 years
Summary
1 million Australians have leg artery blockage (peripheral artery disease; PAD) and are at very high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Up to one-third of patients having an acute cardiac event or stroke have PAD, which limits their recovery. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) have established supervised exercise therapy substantially improves the functional impairment caused by PAD and reduces the risk factors of acute cardiovascular events. International guidelines recommend supervised exercise therapy sessions are performed at tertiary facilities three times weekly for three months. These programs have poor uptake and are not suited to equitable provision across Australia particularly for regional and remote communities who have the greatest burden from PAD. Our workshops with patients indicated the commonest challenges to taking part in supervised exercise was travelling. In partnership with patients, health professionals and other stakeholders we have co-designed the Supervised Home-based exercise progrAm for Peripheral artery diseasE (SHAPE). This 12-week supervised exercise program is delivered directly to and completely undertaken within the participant's home using telehealth supervision and monitoring from a wrist worn accelerometer
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Belinda Parmenter, Clare Arnott, Rachel Neale, Nicola Burton, Clare Heal, Aaron Drovandi, Joseph Moxon, Jenna Pinchbeck, Christopher Askew, Richard Norman and Dylan Morris (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of New South Wales, The George Institute for Global Health, The Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Griffith University, University of the Sunshine Coast, Curtin University of Technology and Townsville Hospital and Health Services)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Periphreal artery disease; Risk Factors

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Future Fund - Cardiovascular Health Mission

Improving clinical pathways for abdominal aortic aneurysm through incorporating biomarkers

Indicative Funding
$1,000,000 over 3 years
Summary
20 million people worldwide have weakening of their main abdominal artery (abdominal aortic aneurysm; AAA) and are at high risk of both major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and AAA related events (AAA repair and rupture-related death). Most AAAs are identified at a small size when their risk of rupture is low. Management of small AAA focuses on repeat aortic imaging every 6 months to identify when the threshold diameter (50mm in women and 55mm in men) is reached for elective surgical AAA repair. Most small AAAs continue to grow in size and eventually undergo repair. No drugs have been shown to limit AAA growth and the clinical pathway focuses on identifying those needing surgery rather than medical management. There are no established means to individualise care. Our interviews with patients and health professionals indicate that the number one deficiency in current AAA management is the lack of individualising medical management to reduce the high incidence of MACE and AAA related events. Our international AAA alliance is uniquely placed due to our resources (biobank-registry) and IP (bioinformatics, clinical, engineering software, genomics, biomarkers, machine learning and pathogenesis) to addresses this unmet clinical need.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Clare Arnott, Thomas Gasser, Rebecca Evans, Joseph Moxon, Matt Field, Jenna Pinchbeck, Aaron Drovandi, Dylan Morris, Svetha Venkatesh, Truyen Tran, Catherine Rush, Aletta Schutte, Robyn Clay-Williams and Geoffrey Jones (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The George Institute for Global Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, Townsville Hospital and Health Services, Deakin University, The University of New South Wales, Macquarie University and University of Otago)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral artery disease; Risk Factors

Commonwealth Department of Health - Medical Research Future Fund - Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care

METformin for treating peripheral artery disease Related walking Impairment Trial (MERIT)

Indicative Funding
$1,215,182 over 3 years
Summary
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a very common chronic cardiovascular disease of ageing affecting approximately 1 million older Australians and causing substantial leg pain on walking (intermittent claudication), marked functional impairment, reduced quality of life (QOL) and very high risk of major adverse cardiovascular and limb events. Vulnerable populations (e.g. regional or remote, lower income and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations) have much greater PAD-related burden. Our past consultations with patients indicate that improvements in walking is their number one priority. The only widely available PAD treatment in Australia is revascularisation but this does not improve walking distance and has substantial safety concerns. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that metformin safely improves leg blood supply. MERIT is a placebo-controlled randomised trial performed across 7 sites. The importance of the trial has been endorsed by patients, Heart Foundation, Queensland Health and Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery and Alliance for Cardiovascular Trials. If positive, MERIT will identify a cheap, safe and widely available drug to improve the function and QOL of millions of older adults worldwide who have PAD.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Clare Arnott, Edward Strivens, Belinda Parmenter, Clare Heal, Christopher Reid, Aaron Drovandi, Joseph Moxon, Jenna Pinchbeck, Richard Norman, Dylan Morris, Christopher Askew, Sarah Larkins, Rachel Quigley and Yvonne Cadet-James (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of New South Wales, Curtin University of Technology, Townsville Hospital and Health Services, University of the Sunshine Coast and Indigenous Education & Research Centre)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral artery disease; Risk Factors

Heart Foundation - Vanguard Grant

Testing a 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor in models of the two main clinical presentations of peripheral artery disease.

Indicative Funding
$150,000 over 2 years
Summary
250 million people worldwide (>1 million Australians) have leg artery blockage (peripheral artery disease; PAD). Thecommonest clinical presentations of PAD are: a) leg pain on walking which limits daily function and reduces quality of life; b) ischemic ulceration which is associated with a high risk of major amputation. The only widely available PAD treatment in Australia is surgery to improve leg blood supply (revascularisation) but this has limited effectiveness and safety concerns. There are currently no drug therapies for these clinical presentations of PAD. A major limitation with past efforts to develop PAD drugs has been the absence of clinically-relevant animal models. We have developed mouse models representative of the two main clinical presentations of PAD. Based on the findings of our extensive preliminary research, this project tests a promising drug therapy (SBI-0206965) in these models. This study has real potential to discover a clinically valuable drug and will further validate valuable laboratory models.
Investigators
Jon Golledge and Norelle Daly (College of Medicine & Dentistry and Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine)
Keywords
Peripheral artery disease; Complications; Prevention; Risk Factors; amputation

National Health & Medical Research Council - Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies

The Metformin Aneurisym Trial (MAT)

Indicative Funding
$4,997,653 over 5 years
Summary
20 million people worldwide and 100,000 Australians have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The main complication of AAA, aortic rupture, leads to 200,000 deaths/year worldwide. AAA prevalence and mortality rates in Australasia are 4-fold higher than the world average, so research to improve management is a key priorty. Most AAAs are detected when theya re small, when an effective treatment would prevent the need for surgery. There is currently no effective drug therapy for AA, and 70% of small AAAs grow to a size requiring surgical repair which carries inherent risks of death and major complications. A large amount of observational data from patients and laboratory models suggest that metformin may be an effective drug therapy for AAA. The metformin aneurysm trial (MAT) will be a large-scale, multi-centre randomised trail done as a collaboration between investigators in Australia, New Zealand, Swden and the United Kingdom across 55 sites over a 5 year trial period. Patients with AAA measuring between 39 and 49mmm in diameter will be enrolled over 24 months, assiged at random to 1500mn of metformin extended release (XR) or placebo each day followed for a mean of 3.5 years. The primary outcome will be AAA rupture or repair. The sample size of 1,954 will provide 90% pwer (p=0.05) to detect a 25% or greater reduction in the relative risk of the primary outcome. A positive finding from MAT would identify metformin as the first effective medical treatment for AAA. Since metformin is low cost, safe and available worldwide, the trial will have direct clinical implications for tens of millions of people around the world for whom no preventative therapy is currently available.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Bruce Neal, Qiang Li, Gregory Jones, Matthew Bown, Anders Wanhainen, Richard Norman, Helen Monaghan, Dylan Morris and Joseph Moxon (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The George Institute for International Health, University of Otago, University of Leicester, University of Uppsala, Curtin University of Technology and Townsville Hospital and Health Services)
Keywords
Clinical Trial; Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Metformin

Queensland Health - Senior Clinical Research Fellowships

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Indicative Funding
$4,250,000 over 14 years
Summary
Developing novel therapies ad management pathways for Peripheral Arterial Disease. Aim 1. to assess the safety and efficacy of novel medications for PAD within carefully designed clinical trials and registries; Aim 2. to utilise clinical risk factors and novel biomarkers to develop models to better predict outcomes for PAD: Aim 3. To develop appropriate guidelines for the evidence-based management of PAD in Australia and assess novel ways to implement them within Queensland.
Investigators
Jon Golledge in collaboration with Paul Norman, Timothy Buckenham, Robert Fitridge, Bernard Bourke, Mark Nelson, Reinhold Muller, Anthony Leicht, Frances Quirk, Paula Clancy, Erik Biros, Corey Moran, Lesley Stainkey, Phillip Walker, Craig McLachlan, Yew Toh Wong and Melina Wilson (College of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Australia, Christchurch Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gosford Hospital, Menzies School of Health Research, College of Public Health, Medical & Vet Sciences, College of Healthcare Sciences, Townsville - Mackay Medicare Local, The University of Queensland, University of Technology, Sydney, Southmead Hospital, Bristol and St George's Hospital Medical School)
Keywords
Peripheral Arterial Disease

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - SERTA Research Capacity Grant

Improving outcomes for people with peripheral artery diseases

Indicative Funding
$140,000 over 2 years
Summary
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a collection of occlusive and aneurysmal vascular diseases associated with high risks of major adverse cardiovascular (myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death; MACE) and limb (revascularisation surgery or amputation) events [1,2]. >1 million Australians and 30,000 North Queenslanders have PAD which causes ~20,000 hospital admissions at a cost of ~$1 billion/year [1-3]. PAD disproportionally affects regional and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations [4,5]. PAD treatment focuses on surgery but this is associated with complications and alone is not effective at reducing the long-term risk of adverse events nor improving quality of life (QOL) [1,2]. This program develops new PAD management options and builds research capacity.
Investigators
Jon Golledge (College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral artery disease; Risk Factors

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited - Research Seed Grants

Metformin for treating peripheral artery disease-related walking impairment (MERIT)

Indicative Funding
$50,000 over 2 years
Summary
Blockage of the leg arteries (peripheral artery disease; PAD) leads to severe pain, walking impairment and a substantial risk of leg amputation and death. Over 20,000 North Queenslanders have PAD which is overrepresented in regional, remote and rural populations. There are currently no effective PAD medications. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that metformin, a cheap and safe medication, promotes formation of new vessels, improves microcirculation and muscle function and limits PAD-related pain. This placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial, run by a North Queensland vascular research collaboration, will examine the efficacy of metformin in improving walking ability of PAD patients.
Investigators
Jon Golledge, Alkira Venn and Joseph Moxon (College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Preipheral artery disease; Risk Factors

Townsville Hospital and Health Service - Study Education Research Trust Account (SERTA)

Metformin for treating peripheral artery disease-related walking impairment (MERIT)

Indicative Funding
$50,000 over 3 years
Summary
lBockage of the leg arteries (peripheral artery disease; PAD) leads to severe pain, walking impairment, and a substantial risk of leg amputation and death. Over 20,000 North Queenslanders have blocked leg arteries and the problem is over-represented in rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. There are currently no effective PAD medications. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that metformin, a cheap and safe medication, promotes formation of new vessels, improves microcirculation and muscle function and limits pain. This placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial will examine the efficacy of metformin in improving walking ability in patients with blocked leg arteries.
Investigators
Jon Golledge (College of Medicine & Dentistry)
Keywords
Prevention; Complications; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Risk Factors
Supervision

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These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • Plasma-assisted development of plant-based biomaterials for wound healing applications (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • IDENTIFICATION OF MEDIATORS IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING CAROTID PLAQUE INSTABILITY (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • Developing a Risk Score to predict the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular events in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (Masters , Primary Advisor)
  • Assessment and Intervention of Dietary Patterns in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
Completed
Data

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit Research Data Australia.

Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
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  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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