A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Nurse-led Intervention For Less Chronic Heart Failure: The NIL-CHF Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,166,160.00
Summary
The overall aim of the unique NIL-CHF Study is to examine the benefits of applying a specialist nurse-led, home and clinic-based intervention to optimise the care of recently discharged hospital patients with heart disease. Involving 950 patients, it will explore whether more flexible and individualised care to apply the best possible medical treatments is able to PREVENT the most deadly and disabling form of heart disease (chronic heart failure - CHF) and save money in the process.
Impaired Bone Remodelling Leads To Failure Of Orthopaedic Prostheses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,917.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active in ....The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active individuals to receive joint replacement surgery to improve their quality of life. This, combined with increasing life expectancy, and the known higher rate of failure of joint replacements in younger patients, means that the morbidity of a failed replacement, and the mobidity and associated mortality of revision surgery, will become an increasingly important health issue, with a major impact upon health budgets. The overwhelming majority of hip and knee prostheses have metal or ceramic on polyethylene bearing surfaces. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them leading to loosening, and evidence is accumulating that polyethylene wear particles are a major contributing factor to this process. It is therefore vital that we obtain better understanding of the causes of implant failure in order to extend the life of these implants and this project is designed to do so.Read moreRead less
Synchrotron X-ray Assessment Of Airway Surface Physiology For Cystic Fibrosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$778,228.00
Summary
We seek a cure or long-lasting therapy for the fatal airway disease in cystic fibrosis. Disease is caused by a shallow and dehydrated airway surface liquid (ASL), allowing bacteria to infect the lung. We can introduce a corrective gene into mouse airways where it can be effective for over 1 yr, but no fast, accurate and non-invasive measurement exists to test if treatments are successful. We will develop methods using synchrotron light to directly measure ASL depth changes in live mouse airways.
Identifying Target Genes For Novel Anti-epileptic Therapies In The Mouse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,802.00
Summary
Epilepsy is a disease which affects 2-4% of the population. There are a wide range of drugs available to treat the condition but there is consistently 30-40% of patients who do not respond well to any of these drugs and who continue to have seizures. The reason that there are no drugs available for these people is that most of the drugs available have been designed along the same principles. A new set of principles is needed to develop new drugs which will be able to treat those people not respo ....Epilepsy is a disease which affects 2-4% of the population. There are a wide range of drugs available to treat the condition but there is consistently 30-40% of patients who do not respond well to any of these drugs and who continue to have seizures. The reason that there are no drugs available for these people is that most of the drugs available have been designed along the same principles. A new set of principles is needed to develop new drugs which will be able to treat those people not responding to current therapy. This project is designed to identify new biologic pathways which may be interrupted with drugs to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy. This project uses a procedure to induce mutations into genes in mice and then screens for mice which do not seize when challenged with a drug which generates seizures in mice. Genetic studies will identify the mutated genes and these will be used as potential targets for new therapies or will identify new biological pathway which should expand the use of future anti-epileptic drugs.Read moreRead less
Dissecting The Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome With Complementary Genetic, Proteomic And Biophysical Strategies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$490,352.00
Summary
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is an eye condition in which flaky material deposits in the eye, greatly increasing the risk of cataract and glaucoma which can lead to blindness. PEX is also associated with heart disease, strokes and aneurysms. Cataract surgery in PEX patients has a higher rate of complications. In this project we will determine the nature of PEX material and why it forms. This knowlege will facilitate better diagnosis and treatment of PEX preventing associated blindness.
A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining Stability Of New Types Of Highly Porous Surfaced Acetabular Components In Total Hip Replacement
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$216,490.00
Summary
Numbers of total hip replacements are steadily increasing. The most common complication of hip replacement is late implant loosening, which can be predicted by early migration. We will examine early migration of a trabecular metal acetabular cup without screws, compared to a titanium fibre metal acetabular cup fixed with screws. Ideally, an acetabular cup would achieve a level of initial stability by press-fit alone without screws, as screws increase the risk of bone loss around the prosthesis.
Identification And Characterisation Of Novel Genes For Congenital Cataract
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,750.00
Summary
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The term describes a clouding of the lens which may lead to visual impairment. Congenital cataracts (present at birth) are less common than age-related cataract but the lifelong impact on vision can be severe, with a third of patients remaining legally blind. Late complications such as aphakic glaucoma may be blinding. We have shown that congenital cataracts are often inherited and have performed a population-based study in South-Eastern Au ....Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The term describes a clouding of the lens which may lead to visual impairment. Congenital cataracts (present at birth) are less common than age-related cataract but the lifelong impact on vision can be severe, with a third of patients remaining legally blind. Late complications such as aphakic glaucoma may be blinding. We have shown that congenital cataracts are often inherited and have performed a population-based study in South-Eastern Australia over the past 5 years to determine the causative genes. A large number of families have been involved in the study and solid progress has been made in identifying mutations in cataract genes and understanding what effect these may have on the patient's prognosis. We have recently identified a new gene in a large Australian family with a syndrome of cataract, mental retardation and teeth problems. This syndrome, known as Nance-Horan syndrome was originally described in Australia 30 years ago and we have worked with the original family to find the exact gene responsible. We already know that this gene causes the same syndrome in other families and in this project we will examine whether it can cause cataract without the other features or mental retardation without cataract. We will perform a series of experiments to learn what this gene does and how it causes the disease. We have also selected 3 other very interesting families with congenital cataracts for further study as we either know already or strongly suspect that they will enable us to identify further new genes for cataract, and in one case mental retardation. Our work in other diseases indicates that understanding the genes in severe young onset cases can give valuable clues to the causes of age-related forms and may in the future enable new ways to prevent and treat the commonest cause of worldwide blindness.Read moreRead less
Regulation Of Key Pathways Causing Peri-implant Bone Loss.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,639.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem in our aging population. Despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them which leads to loosening. This project aims to obtain a better understanding of the causes of implant failure and find ways to extend the life of these implants .