Research Update
Summer 2025 Research Update
August 2025
Where Column of Hope's research stands, from the labs in Sydney: what we set out to solve twenty years ago, what the team has proved since, and the step in front of us now.
Slide 1 — tap to see it full size Most of Column of Hope’s research efforts occur in two collaborative research centres in Sydney.
Slide 2 — tap to see it full size We were faced with a challenge to draw focus on solving issues, as the disorders were thought to be rare disorders. In the early 2000s, the NIH only acknowledged that there were 20,000 Americans with symptomatic Chiari malformation (CM) despite surgical counts supporting the 340,000-patient population. The image with the measurements shows how the tonsils of the brain is herniated down into the spinal column area causing the symptoms.
Slide 3 — tap to see it full size Chiari malformation alone can be debilitating, but it often causes syringomyelia with a whole new set of pain and paralyzing symptoms. The image on the right shows the brain tonsil herniation indicating Chiari malformation.
Slide 4 — tap to see it full size It is our contention that while we agree with the 3,000 estimate of poor outcomes per year, we feel there are likely another 3,000+ of marginal outcomes. We at Column of Hope believe truly successful surgical results occur significantly less than 50% of the time.
Slide 5 — tap to see it full size This is where we started 20+ years ago! Root causes and the physiology of the disorders were not known. Of course, with so many unknowns, each surgeon had to wing it, especially after problems arose with the initial surgery. This process results in poor outcomes, which continues the unsatisfactory loop. Column of Hope was formed knowing the cycle had to be broken, surgeons needed to know the pathophysiology of the disorders in order to treat them, and the false assumption that the disorders were rare left research unfunded. Column of Hope borrowed techniques from the for-profit world to bootstrap its early research.
Slide 6 — tap to see it full size It’s a major accomplishment to achieve surgical success in one centre. It's also a major undertaking to define these technical outcomes and allow patients in all centres to achieve those outcomes.
Slide 7 — tap to see it full size This slide highlights our bootstrapping strategies, which are similar to those used in successful start-up biotech companies.
Slide 8 — tap to see it full size Note the multiplying effect of the research, from increasing the scientists and surgeons interested in Chiari malformation to attracting much larger government grants to accelerate our research. Stoodley & Bilston are our two primary researchers in Sydney.
Slide 9 — tap to see it full size The number of studies and the quality of the publications speak for themselves. This research has taken us from “Unknown Pathophysiology” and “No Clear Treatment Goals” to consistent successful surgeries at one centre. Out next step is to determine the technical outcomes of surgery to share with neurosurgeons worldwide!!!
Column of Hope funded peer-reviewed research studies, with a link to each paper
Slide 10 — tap to see it full size Column of Hope is eternally grateful to its donors for making this possible!
Slide 11 — tap to see it full size Our Team in Sydney Australia. Seeds from Column of Hope have grown into a deep-rooted team!!!
Slide 12 — tap to see it full size At Column of Hope, we feel we have come much farther in the last 20 years than all the progress made combined in the nearly 460 years before that. We now need to run well in the anchor leg of this relay race to allow patients in the US and around the world to receive the benefits of the progress we have made in the lab and one centre! Your support for this anchor leg will be greatly appreciated.
