Research Strategy

Our research strategy includes overall principles and criteria to guide prioritisation of the research focus and identify specific areas of priority.

 

Visit here for details on 2021 CBS deficiency Research Grants.

Our Research Strategy aims to:

• Define key priorities for future research for Classical Homocystinuria (CBS deficiency); and
• Guide prioritisation and evaluation of research grants funded by HCU Patient Community Groups.

Key Focus Areas

Several areas of unmet need in the diagnosis and management of Classical Homocystinuria have been identified through advice from academic researchers and clinical experts.  We have defined 3 key priority focus areas for future research and patient advocacy:

We expect our near-term Research Strategy to focus primarily on advancement of new treatment modalities, in order to maximize the benefit to patients and lesson the burden of strict dietary control.  We will use 3 guiding criteria for prioritisation and evaluation of research grants:

• Potential risk/benefit of approach to improve patient care.
• Probability research in this area would move forward without funding by HCU Network Australia and HCU Network America (HCUNAs).  Lower priority placed on an area if industry funding available.
• Probability funding a project in this area would contribute significantly to progressing research in this area, including potentially attaining proof of concept to motivate industry funding.

Background

HCU Network Australia and HCU Network America have agreed to collaborate in specific areas that can benefit from global perspective and coordination.  One such area is to promote research for Classical Homocystinuria, which is supported by a global Scientific Advisory Board.  Over time, we hope to include patient groups from other countries and to be able to expand focus beyond classical homocystinuria to include cobalamin deficiencies and methylation disorders that also cause elevated homocysteine levels.