Use Of Snake Venom Prothrombin Activators In Blood Collection Tubes To Produce High Quality Serum To Improve Patient Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$284,706.00
Summary
The timely availability of high quality serum and plasma samples are of the utmost importance for accurate biochemical analysis in a clinical setting. This requirement is particularly true for patients on anti-clotting therapeutic agents such as warfarin and heparin. In this study we will employ potent prothrombin activators purified from snake venom to enhance the clotting efficiency of blood for serum preparation for biochemical analysis.
Effects Of Modification Of Dietary Sodium Intake On Endothelial Function In Obese Subjects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$252,920.00
Summary
The effects of a high salt intake on blood pressure are well known. The damaging direct effects of salt on blood vessels is less well known. This study will clarify whether reducing salt to the amount recommended by Australian health authorities for 6 weeks has a beneficial effect on blood vessels. It builds on an earlier 2 week study which demonstrated that reducing salt intake had a beneficial effect on blood vessels. The purpose of this study is to show whether this benefit is maintained in a ....The effects of a high salt intake on blood pressure are well known. The damaging direct effects of salt on blood vessels is less well known. This study will clarify whether reducing salt to the amount recommended by Australian health authorities for 6 weeks has a beneficial effect on blood vessels. It builds on an earlier 2 week study which demonstrated that reducing salt intake had a beneficial effect on blood vessels. The purpose of this study is to show whether this benefit is maintained in a longer study over 6 weeks.Read moreRead less
De-differentiation Of Committed Cells Into Haematopoietic Stem Cells By The Instructive Role Of The Transcription Factor HOXB4
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$683,040.00
Summary
Blood stem cells are long-lived and can give rise to every cell type of the blood system and due to these properties they are currently used in the clinics. Despite their importance, our knowledge of the mechanisms the control the multiplication of these rare cells is very scarce. This proposal aims to identify key factors that have the potential to convert mature, easy available blood cells into stem cells. This knowledge has to potential to lead to novel system that allow the expansion of stem ....Blood stem cells are long-lived and can give rise to every cell type of the blood system and due to these properties they are currently used in the clinics. Despite their importance, our knowledge of the mechanisms the control the multiplication of these rare cells is very scarce. This proposal aims to identify key factors that have the potential to convert mature, easy available blood cells into stem cells. This knowledge has to potential to lead to novel system that allow the expansion of stem cells for transplantations in the future.Read moreRead less
Too few blood platelets leads to fatal haemorrhage, and patients with low platelet counts require transfusions to prevent bleeding. We have recently discovered the key to keeping platelets alive, and now propose the critical experiments which will teach us how to manipulate it and allow platelets to live longer. Our team leads the world in this field. If successful we expect to improve blood bank platelet storage, and boost the supply of platelets available to patients in need of transfusion.
Ultrasonic Blood Pressure Measurement On Implanted Biomedical Surfaces
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,250.00
Summary
The project would develop a prototype device reporting blood pressure on a biomedical implant surface. The device would extract data in real time from a standard ultrasound scanner that images the implant. The School of Mathematical Sciences at Monash University will be contracted to develop this ultrasound pressure sensor.
Production Of Large Scale Erythroid Progenitor Cultures From Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$396,718.00
Summary
Transfusion of fresh red blood cell units of the correct blood type into patients can be life saving. However, access to units of the correct blood type is often limited due to limited supply of donor blood and its short shelf life creating the need for a constant donor blood supply. We propose to develop a system that allows us to generate unlimited numbers of human red blood cells in a culture dish which we will derive from differentiating human embryonic stem cell lines.
Investigation Of Dok2 And Dok1 Adapter Proteins, In The Negative Regulation Of Integrin AIIbb3 Platelet Signalling.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,831.00
Summary
Blood platelets play a key role in blood clot formation, prevention of bleeding and are the principal elements contributing to thrombosis leading to heart attack and stroke. Numerous studies have defined pathways promoting platelet activity, however less is known about their negative regulation. In this grant we will examine the role for proteins, Dok2 and Dok1, in the negative regulation of platelets, hoping this leads to development of novel therapeutics for prevention of cardiac disease.
Time-domain Analysis Of Right Ventricular-pulmonary Arterial Coupling As A Windkessel And Wave System.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$64,631.00
Summary
We seek to determine the number of people affected by pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) in Tasmania by collecting information from echocardiograms (heart ultrasounds). This is important because the incidence and prevalence is unknown but suspected to be unusually high in Tasmania. Also simultaneous pulmonary arterial pressure and velocity waves will be studied in humans to model pulmonary flow in an attempt to recognise pulmonary arterial hypertension earlier.