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The Economics Of Surgery: Using Routine And Registry Data To Improve Policy, With Particular Reference To Congenital Heart Disease (the Fontan Procedure) And Prosthetic Surgery (hip And Knee Replacements)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$86,073.00
Summary
My research will use economics to help improve surgery outcomes. Clinical and policy recommendations in surgery often come from a relatively low evidence base. I will make use of detailed data registries of previous recipients of hip and knee surgery (St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne) and Fontan heart surgery (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne) to develop advanced economic models of surgery outcomes. My aim is to use these models to improve real-world health policies in surgery.
Automated Screening Measures Associated With Risk And Treatment (SMART) Of Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,244.00
Summary
Women with greater mammographic density (white area on a mammogram) are at greater risk of breast cancer. Prof Hopper (supervisor) has led international research in this area using a method called CUMULUS. Drs Makalic and Schmidt (co-supervisors) have created an automated measure, called CIRRUS. My aims are to: find out which factors influence CIRRUS, confirm that CIRRUS predicts breast cancer risk, and develop automated measures of a breast cancer risk based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The Interaction Between Kidney Disease And Cardiovascular Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$44,013.00
Summary
People with chronic kidney disease have increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Establishing predictors of these events can identify individuals most at risk and stratify therapy. Modifying risks reduces the progression of disease in people with chronic kidney disease. Risk prediction modelling has been done, but is not validated and requires clinical usability and application. This research aims to develop and validate risk prediction models and from them create clinician-friendl ....People with chronic kidney disease have increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Establishing predictors of these events can identify individuals most at risk and stratify therapy. Modifying risks reduces the progression of disease in people with chronic kidney disease. Risk prediction modelling has been done, but is not validated and requires clinical usability and application. This research aims to develop and validate risk prediction models and from them create clinician-friendly interfaces.Read moreRead less
The Impact Of Infections, Anaemia, And Micronutrient Deficiencies On Infant Birth Weight And Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,613.00
Summary
This research aims to determine the impact of infectious diseases, anemia and nutritional deficiencies on low birth weight and infant growth in rural Papua New Guinea. The health of pregnant women and their babies will be assessed during pregnancy and up to 12 months post birth. We will determine which health indicators cause low birth weight and poor infant growth to enable development of interventions to improve health and pregnancy outcomes.
Epilepsy And Stress: An Explanatory Electrophysiological Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,233.00
Summary
Epilepsy is one of the most common recurrent neurological disorders worldwide, affecting between 1 and 2% of the population. The cascade of events culminating in epilepsy, or the role of seizures in altering brain structures and circuits has been difficult to define. Previous work from our group has shown that stress markedly accelerates the process of epilepsy development. I am developing a model of brain functioning from observed brain cells to chart the changes associated with seizures, stres ....Epilepsy is one of the most common recurrent neurological disorders worldwide, affecting between 1 and 2% of the population. The cascade of events culminating in epilepsy, or the role of seizures in altering brain structures and circuits has been difficult to define. Previous work from our group has shown that stress markedly accelerates the process of epilepsy development. I am developing a model of brain functioning from observed brain cells to chart the changes associated with seizures, stress, and potential treatments.Read moreRead less
The search for genetic vulnerability in autism research has been hindered by the assumption that the different symptoms which define the disorder can be attributed to the same causal mechanism. Instead it has been suggested that the social and non-social aspects of autism spectrum conditions (ASC) have distinct causes at genetic, cognitive and neural levels. This study will assess the autism phenotype across individuals with a high, medium or low genetic vulnerability to autism.
Understanding The Disruption-driven Clinical Environment To Enable Improvement In Patient Safety
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$77,150.00
Summary
Medical staff work in busy, often disruptive environments. There is growing evidence that disruptions compromise patient safety, although this process is not well understood. This project aims to use novel statistical methods to elucidate the complex relationship between disruption and adverse patient outcomes. It will enable informed intervention design and provide the tools to accurately assess the impact of such interventions.