Dr Brent McMonagle
MBBS, PhD, FRACS (ORL)
Dr Brent McMonagle is an ENT surgeon on the Gold Coast
with sub-specialty training in otology, neurotology, sinus and
skullbase surgery. He has strong research and teaching
interests at Griffith and Bond Universities.
He has just commenced work on olfactory cell transplants
in spinal cord repair, continuing the pioneering work of
Prof Alan Mackay-Sim, Australian of the Year 2017, as
well as further research in peripheral nerve repair
and regeneration.
SPECIALISING IN
Hearing Loss • Tinnitus • Otitis Media • Exostoses • Mastoidectomy • Myringoplasty
Dizziness • Otosclerosis • Cochlear Implants • Cholesteatoma • Stapedectomy
Ossiculoplasty • Nasal Obstruction • Acoustic Neuroma • Facial Palsy • OSA • Rhinitis
Adenotonsillectomy • Nasal Polyps • Sinusitis • Pituitary Tumours • Parotidectomy
A. Suite 4, AHC House, 14 Carrara St, Benowa, 4217
F. (07) 5539 1581
E. office@drbrentmcmonagle.com.au
W. drbrentmcmonagle.com.au (07) 5539 2399
The cells collected by Dr McMonagle will
be used in numerous areas of testing and
development within the project, including how
to determine the best ways to prepare the cells
for transplantation, how best to structure them
for transplantation and in determining the best
surgical procedure for implantation.
Dr McMonagle is currently performing biopsies
to extract the olfactory epithelium (which houses
the olfactory glia) at the Pindara Day Procedure
Centre and in his rooms in Benowa with the
consent of eligible patients and volunteers. “I
have found many of my patients are happy to
be involved in the research project and want to
contribute to developing a cure for spinal injury.
It is a condition people truly want to see a cure
for,” Dr McMonagle said.
Dr McMonagle became involved in the
Olfactory Cell Transplantation Project while
completing his PhD at Griffith University under
2017 Australian of the Year, Professor Emeritus
Alan Mackay-Sim, who proved that olfactory
cell implantation was in fact safe in humans
an essential discovery in the advancement of
the OCT Project and the basis for a 2014 trial
undertaken by UK Professor Geoffrey Raisman.
Professor Raisman implanted olfactory
cells into a Polish Firefighter, Darek Fidyak,
who had suffered a significant spinal injury.
After the implantation Fidyak showed marked
improvement in his motor function and sensory
function, despite numerous limitations in
the therapy (including the preparation and
purification of the cells used). It is thought that
improving the purification and preparation of
the olfactory cells prior to transplantation will
dramatically enhance their effectiveness in the
outcomes achieved.
During his PhD research Dr McMonagle
developed protocols for purifying and
transplanting olfactory glia which he will apply
and further develop throughout the Olfactory
Cell Transplantation Project. Dr McMonagle’s
commitment to research into finding and
developing effective treatments for spinal injury
is further supported by his position as Scientific
Director of the Perry Cross Spinal Research
Foundation, an organisation with the stated
mission of finding a cure for paralysis. The
Perry Cross Foundation has been instrumental in
gaining support for the project and is committed to
assisting its advancement through clinical trials.
Should the current phase of the research project
prove successful, it is hoped the team will be
able to move forward into phase 1/11a of clinical
trials on patients with chronic spinal cord injury.
This phase of the research is expected to start
sometime in late 2018 and will aim to test the
olfactory cell implantation therapy in patients,
verify that it improves motor and sensory
function without detrimental effect, works across
a range of injuries, and discover what physical
therapy works best.