Development Of An In Vivo Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic Model For Evaluation Of Antimalarial Drug Therapy Combinations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,604.00
Summary
The World Health Organization currently estimates that there are 300-500 million cases of malaria annually, with 1.5-2.7 million deaths. These are staggering data, given that almost 20 antimalarial drugs are now in regular clinical use. Multi-drug resistance is present in most tropical countries where malaria is endemic and there has been a rapid escalation in cases of malaria in developed countries over recent decades (imported by travellers). Clearly, there is a need to ensure that current and ....The World Health Organization currently estimates that there are 300-500 million cases of malaria annually, with 1.5-2.7 million deaths. These are staggering data, given that almost 20 antimalarial drugs are now in regular clinical use. Multi-drug resistance is present in most tropical countries where malaria is endemic and there has been a rapid escalation in cases of malaria in developed countries over recent decades (imported by travellers). Clearly, there is a need to ensure that current and new treatment and prevention strategies are rational and effective. This project is based on the premise that improvements can be made in the in vitro testing process of antimalarial drugs. The experiments will be conducted using mice and a form of malaria that is specific to mice but closely resembles human malaria. In the first stage, the relationship between the amount of a new antimalarial drug (dihydroartemisinin) in the body and the effectiveness of the dose will be tested. These experiments will be repeated using conventional antimalarial drugs such as mefloquine. Information from these studies will subsequently be used to evaluate combinations of antimalarials. The results will be used as the basis of extensive, collaborative clinical studies in South-East Asia that are beyond the scope of this project. The methods used for this research will be important for future testing of new antimalarial drugs or combinations of drugs for the treatment and prophylaxis of malaria.Read moreRead less
I am a lab-based neurochemist-cell biologist with expertise in protein chemistry and pharmacology. My research focuses on the dynamin family of proteins in the endocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in the molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission in th
Development Of A Simple Chemical Test For Detecting DNA-interacting Compounds For Medical And
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,450.00
Summary
The project exploits a simple chemical reaction to detect and measure the interaction of compounds with DNA. The test will be useful in the early screening of drug candidates for genotoxicity, identifying new anticancer drugs and also find application in the environmental, cosmetic and food industries. Work will focus on establishing peak conditions for the test, determining the scope of application, testing a panel of control compounds and performing a blind study to provide proof of concept.
NADPH Oxidase In Pathological Angiogenesis In Solid Tumours And Retina
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$581,989.00
Summary
Understanding blood vessel growth has profound clinical implications for many diseases. Blocking vessel growth is a promising strategy for treatment of cancer and eye complications accompanying diabetes, whereas treatments to stimulate new vessel growth will treat ischemic disorders ie. heart attack and stroke. Here we investigate whether targeting an enzyme that grows blood vessels has potential for making drugs to stop tumor growth or eye damage that occurs with diabetes and premature births.