Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354474
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The ini ....Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The initiative will foster national and international cross-disciplinary collaborations to address the impediments holding back Australia's potential to take full advantage of our research strength in metals in medicine.Read moreRead less
Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiograph ....Development and Testing of Novel Contrast Agents for Diagnostic Imaging. Demand for diagnostic imaging in the Australian healthcare system is growing at over 5% per annum. To facilitate imaging, Australia imports radiographic contrast media costing in excess of $50 million every year. Existing iodine-based agents are not ideal for X-ray absorption in current CT scanners and also cause moderate to severe allergic reaction in around 5% of all patients, sometimes with fatal results. New radiographic media, which give enhanced contrast and provide greater patient comfort and safety are essential. Even a small fraction of the international market would generate millions of dollars in income, support growth and expertise in Imaging Technologies, and provide new markets for Australian mining of rare earth and bismuth metals.Read moreRead less
Amplifying light emission with metal-fluorophore nanostructures for ultrasensitive biosensing. This proposal focuses on translating nanotechnology to ultrasensitive molecular monitoring for biomedicine. We will apply a new tool, amplified fluorophores to proteomics where they will provide an improved method for early detection and understanding of diseases through molecular fingerprints. The project will also generate an ultra-sensitive, rapid technology that can be used for personalized point ....Amplifying light emission with metal-fluorophore nanostructures for ultrasensitive biosensing. This proposal focuses on translating nanotechnology to ultrasensitive molecular monitoring for biomedicine. We will apply a new tool, amplified fluorophores to proteomics where they will provide an improved method for early detection and understanding of diseases through molecular fingerprints. The project will also generate an ultra-sensitive, rapid technology that can be used for personalized point-of-care diagnostics. The applications can include the detection of disease markers, pathogens or the determination of protein content in a clinical sample. These technologies will be applicable across a spectrum or of diseases all of which will benefit the broader community.Read moreRead less
Functionalised MMP Inhibitors as Radiodiagnostic, Radiotherapeutic, and Radiation-Sensitising Agents for Metastatic Cancer. Identifying and treating malignant cancers is one of the major challenges facing the scientific and medical communities. In order to minimise side effects that accompany most treatments of cancer it is necessary to find ways of targeting the therapy to tumours and away from healthy organs. A difference between tumours and healthy tissues is the amount of the proteins (calle ....Functionalised MMP Inhibitors as Radiodiagnostic, Radiotherapeutic, and Radiation-Sensitising Agents for Metastatic Cancer. Identifying and treating malignant cancers is one of the major challenges facing the scientific and medical communities. In order to minimise side effects that accompany most treatments of cancer it is necessary to find ways of targeting the therapy to tumours and away from healthy organs. A difference between tumours and healthy tissues is the amount of the proteins (called MMPs) that tumours use to break out of their surroundings, to break into and out of the blood system, and to establish new colonies of cancer cells or metastases. This difference also distinguishes the most aggressive cancers. The purpose of this project is to develop means of identifying and targeting cancers using molecules that bind to these MMP proteins.Read moreRead less
Copper Radiopharmaceuticals for Molecular Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease. The expected outcome of this research is to develop molecular agents to allow non-invasive diagnostic imaging of senile plaques associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. This will contribute to a better understanding of the disease, assist in early diagnosis and help assess new intervention strategies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and affects over 160,000 Australians. The imaging agent ma ....Copper Radiopharmaceuticals for Molecular Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease. The expected outcome of this research is to develop molecular agents to allow non-invasive diagnostic imaging of senile plaques associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. This will contribute to a better understanding of the disease, assist in early diagnosis and help assess new intervention strategies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and affects over 160,000 Australians. The imaging agent market is a niche biotechnology industry in which Australia already has an international presence. The proposed research will lead to innovations to ensure Australia remains internationally competitive in this area. This research has potential social and economic benefits for the nation.Read moreRead less