Incorporating Genetic Information Into The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Cancers And Mental Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$123,502.00
Summary
Genetic information could improve diagnosis and selection of treatment for conditions such as cancer and psychosis. This aim of this research is to improve methods for using family history to diagnose patients, and to identify some of the genes involved in response to anti-cancer and anti-psychotic medications. This type of information can then be used to determine which drugs patients should be prescribed before starting treatment.
New drugs for cancer therapy that overcome resistance to standard chemotherapeutics and stop the spread of cancer are essential to develop. My preliminary studies discovered a strategy to increase the activity and delivery of our novel compounds to enhance the killing of cancer cells. I will design innovative agents in an effort to provide more effective therapeutics with fewer side effects to reduce the pain of cancer patients undertaking chemotherapy who are in the battle of their lives.
Efficacious Targeting Of Therapeutic Stem Cells To Diseased Livers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This project focuses on the challenging area of effective and optimal dosing of stem cell-based therapy for liver diseases. I will investigate the fate and therapeutic effects of natural, surface-modified stem cells and cell-derived vesicles in the body and in liver regions using mathematical models. My key goal is advance cell therapy by providing better dosing and cell engineering strategies.
Formyl Peptide Receptor Biased Agonists As Novel Cardioprotective Agents Against Myocardial Infarction.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Heart attack and its resulting heart failure are the leading causes of death in Australia. Examining a promising new target (formyl peptide receptors), I will use my knowledge of drug action at the single cell level to identify new drugs that act via a unique biased mechanism. These will be tested in pre-clinical animal models of heart attack to uncover critical new potential therapies that will protect the heart post heart attack and prevent the development heart failure.
Can Pharmacotherapy Prevent Alcohol Driven Suicides?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people and the 5th highest for people in their middle age. Harmful use of alcohol can be attributed to around a third of suicides, and there is evidence that alcohol related suicides represent a clinically distinct type of suicide. This research aims to identify medications that have the potential prevent alcohol related suicides by targeting behaviours associated with alcohol use.
New Insights Into Diabetes, Cerebrovascular Integrity And Dementia Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,946.00
Summary
Studies report that subjects with diabetic insulin resistance are at higher risk of developing dementia. Recent data suggest that disturbances in specialized blood vessels of the brain are responsible for the association between diabetes and dementia. This project will utilize state-of-art methodologies to visually explore if drugs commonly used to treat diabetes, provide cerebrovascular benefits.
Development Of New Heart Failure Therapeutics By Analysing Signalling In Heart Failure As A Network
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,965.00
Summary
After detailed analysis of cell signalling in diseased heart tissue we will facilitate the discovery of new therapeutic drug targets to stop the progression of heart failure in its early stages. It is hoped that the detailed analysis of heart failure signalling as a network rather than as individual pathways will enable the discovery of drugs which are more successful in stopping the progression of heart failure than the currently available drugs.
Polypharmacy In Elderly Australians - Can Deprescribing Improve Health Related Outcomes And Reduce Costs?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$344,644.00
Summary
Medications are often inappropriately prescribed in elderly Australians. This research investigates whether reducing certain classes of medications results in improved patient outcomes, and what the cost implications are of inappropriately prescribed medications and the costs of a service which reduces drug useage.