Foundation Sections

Funded Projects

Since 2006, the CSSANZ Foundation has provided $1.73M to fund research into colorectal disease.

The Research Projects funded in 2022 are:

2022 RCT of anastomotic technique in Crohn’s disease - Chief Investigator: A/Prof David Clark Details
2022 Early-onset Colorectal Cancer - Chief Investigators: Prof Frank Frizelle and Dr Oliver Waddell Details
2022 Effect of sacral neuromodulation on colonic transit in faecal incontinence - Chief Investigators: Dr Kheng-Seong Ng and Prof Michael Solomon Details
2022 Are disorders of lower gastrointestinal function really “functional” or are we just missing their organic, pathological basis? - Chief Investigator: Dr Marc Gladman Details
2022 Procalcitonin as a marker for the early diagnosis of anastomotic leakage after bowel surgery - Chief Investigator: Prof Andrew Hill Details

Previous CSSANZ Foundation funded projects include:

2021 A classification of pseudomyxoma peritonei to more accurately predict survival outcomes - Chief Investigators Prof Alexander Heriot and Michael Flood Details
2021 Residual vascular pedicle length following colon and rectal cancer surgery - Chief Investigators A/Prof Matthew Rickard and Kheng-Seong Ng Details
2021 Immunological scoring in early‐stage node‐positive and high‐risk node‐negative colorectal cancer - Chief Investigators Prof Alexander Engel and Ewan MacDermid Details
2020 Early onset colorectal cancer - Chief Investigator Prof Frank Frizelle Details
2020 A wearable body surface device for detecting colonic function and recovery - Chief Investigator A/Prof Greg O'Grady Details
2020 The Banding Study - Chief Investigators A/Prof Stephen Smith and Dr Brian Draganic Details
2020 Using a computer algorithm to automatically detect abnormal lymph nodes on CT scans for colon cancer - Chief Investigator A/Prof Tarik Sammour Details
2019 Unlocking the mysteries of gut development – a genetic explanation offering hope for better care of babies born with important bowel blockages – Chief Investigators Pierre Chapuis and Warwick Teague Details
2019 Characterising Colorectal Metastases and Optimising their Management – Chief Investigators Alexander Heriot and Atandrila Das Details
2019 Evaluating the role of the immune system as a predictive tool to identify which patients with rectal cancer will respond to neo-adjuvant therapy – Chief Investigators Alexander Heriot and Kasmira Wilson Details
2019 Lignocaine Infusion in Colorectal Cancer Patient Immune Cells (LICPIC Study) – Chief Investigators Peter Pockney and Stephen Smith Details
2019 Development of Theranostics for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer – Chief Investigators Andrew Stevenson and John Hooper Details
2018 Molecular analysis of polyps and tumours – Chief Investigators Alexander Engel and Mark Molloy Details
2018 Mitochondria and radiotherapy for rectal cancer – Chief Investigators Frank Frizelle and Jesse Fischer Details
2018 A probiotic to improve ileal pouch health – Chief Investigator Mark Thompson-Fawcett Details
2018 How the nervous system of the gut is wired to function normally and what happens in disease – Chief Investigators David Wattchow and David Smolilo Details
2017 Exploring the immune landscape and role of immunotherapy in treating colorectal peritoneal metastases - Chief Investigator Prof A Heriot Details
2017 Investigating colonic motor patterns in patients with faecal incontinence to identify colonic motor abnormalities in the distal colon - Chief Investigator: A/Prof P Dinning Details
2017 A randomised double-blind placebo controlled trial of prucalopride to reduce the duration of postoperative ileus in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery - Chief Investigator: Prof I Bissett Details
2017 Investigating the association between daily CRP trajectory and anastomotic leakage in colorectal surgery - Chief Investigator: Dr S Smith Details
2017 Exploring a Novel Nanotechnology Strategy for the Neo-Adjuvant Treatment of Rectal Cancer by Photodynamic Therapy and Ionising Radiation - Chief Investigator: Prof A Engel Details

2016 Investigating the effect of perioperative analgesia and steroid administration on Immunosuppression in Colorectal Cancer Patients - Chief Investigator: Dr S Smith Details
2016 CRC predict study: Investigating the relationship between molecular classification of colorectal cancer and clinical behaviour, and colonic microbiota - Chief Investigator: Professor F Frizelle Details
2016 Quantifying the peritoneal damage and inflammation due to ambient air during laparotomy, and effect of humidified, warmed carbon dioxide in mitigiating peritoneal injury - Chief Investigator: A/Professor A Keshava, Dr JY Cheong Details
2016 Personalising Treatment in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer - Chief Investigator: Professor A Heriot, Dr C Behrenbruch Details
2016 Investigating the innate and adaptive immune response in rectal cancer patients - Chief Investigator: Professor A Heriot, Dr J Kong Details
2016 Colonoscopy Simulation: Criterion validity using Direct Observation of Procedural Skills - Chief Investigator: Dr R Yap Details
2016 ADIPOSe: Australasian Decrease in Intra-Pelvic Obesity for Surgery trial - The use of a very low energy diet pre-operatively to reduce weight and improve outcomes in obese patients undertaking laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery - Chief Investigator: Dr S Bell Details
2016 Percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) with biofeedback for treating faecal incontinence- Chief Investigator: A/Professor M Schnitzler Details
2016 Investigating the role of the immune system as a new treatment option in anal cancer - Chief Investigator: Dr G Guerra Details
2015 The STAND study - Selective Treatment with Antibiotics in Non-complicated Diverticulitis - Chief Investigator: Professor I Bissett. Details
2014 The effect of very low energy diet on preoperative reduction of mesorectal fat volume in obese individuals. - Chief Investigator: Dr S Bell, Dr P Malouf Details
2014 Anatomical implications of a “Denonvilliers’-sparing” resection for low rectal cancer - Chief Investigator: Professor P Chapuis Details
2014 Molecular basis of chemoradiotherapy responsiveness in rectal cancer - Chief Investigators A/Professor M Morgan, Dr P De Lacavalerie Details
2014 Biomarkers to predict anastomotic leak following colorectal surgery - Chief Investigator: Professor A Hill Details
2012 Pathophysiology and management of post-operative gastrointestinal dysfunction - Chief Investigator: Professor I Bissett.
2012 Research study into anal fistula closure rates between the anal fistula plug (AFP) insertion and the ligation of interphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure - Chief Investigator: Dr P Stewart
2012 The immune response and rectal cancer - Chief Investigator: Professor C Platell.
2012 Faecal microRNA expression profiling for detection of colorectal pathology - Chief Investigator: Dr A Merrie
2011 Extended Chemotherapy during the "wait period" after completion of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for patients with rectal cancer (WAIT Trial) - Chief Investigator: Dr J Moore
2009 Phase III RCT comparing laparoscopic-assisted versus open resection for rectal cancer (A La CaRT Study) - Chief Investigator: A/Professor A Stevenson.
2009 A randomised phase III multicentre study evaluating the role of palliative surgical resection of the primary tumour in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (SUPER Study) - Chief Investigator: Professor C Platell.
2007 Prevalence of Faecal Incontinence in New Zealand - Chief Investigator: Professor I Bissett.
2007 Survival Outcomes in Patients with Stage II Colon Cancer - Chief Investigator: Professor C Platell
2006 Multicentred RCT of Laparoscopic Resection Rectopexy vs Fixation Rectopexy for Rectal Prolapse - Chief Investigator: Professor M Solomon