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The Blood-Retinal Barrier - Modelling Mechanisms For Maintenance, Breakdown And Repair
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,310.00
Summary
We believe that breakdown of the barrier that separates the delicate nervous tissue of the eye from the bloodstream, the blood-retinal barrier, may be an early event in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), now overall the commonest cause of blindness in Australia. We have recently demonstrated with the first scientific clinical trials to be conducted in the world that an injection of steroid into the jelly of the eye, or vitreous , of the steroid triamcinolone slows the gro ....We believe that breakdown of the barrier that separates the delicate nervous tissue of the eye from the bloodstream, the blood-retinal barrier, may be an early event in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), now overall the commonest cause of blindness in Australia. We have recently demonstrated with the first scientific clinical trials to be conducted in the world that an injection of steroid into the jelly of the eye, or vitreous , of the steroid triamcinolone slows the growth of abnormal blood vessels in patients with wet AMD. In the current project, Prof Nick King, a cell biologist and viral immunologist, will collaborate with Dr Michelle Madigan, A-Prof Jan Provis, both experts in experimetnal AMD, and A-Prof Mark Gillies, a clinician-scientist specialising in AMD, to study how the treatment works using established animal and laboratory models of a damaged blood retinal barrier. We will be particularly interested in processes which are thought to critical in the development these diseases. We will also study newly described processes by which the junctions that seal the cells of the barrier together come apart. We will be interested not just in the cells that make the barrier, but also the effect of nearby cells that are thought to contribute to it. These studies will provide a solid foundation for the rationalisation of steroid treatment for AMD which can be expected to result in improved outcomes for our patients. The studies may also provide insights into how other barriers malfunction, such as the blood brain barrier which breaks down in Alzheimer s disease and multiple sclerosis.Read moreRead less
Advanced New Therapeutics And Diagnostics In Retinal Diseases And Glaucoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,550,944.00
Summary
This program proposal targets the most common blinding diseases in clinical ophthalmology. The applicant team includes research and clinical ophthalmologists and basic scientists. The team have an internationally established reputation in bringing basic science discoveries to the point where they can impact directly on clinical diagnosis and therapy. The proposed research includes new treatment therapies for diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, and retinal vascular diseases. A ....This program proposal targets the most common blinding diseases in clinical ophthalmology. The applicant team includes research and clinical ophthalmologists and basic scientists. The team have an internationally established reputation in bringing basic science discoveries to the point where they can impact directly on clinical diagnosis and therapy. The proposed research includes new treatment therapies for diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, and retinal vascular diseases. A new diagnostic technique for glaucoma and new instrumentation for detecting areas of poor blood flow and oxygen supply in the eye are also to be developed. Past successes in our current program grant make us confident that we can produce clinically useful outcomes from this new proposal.Read moreRead less
The Role Of SPARC In Regeneration And Neurogenesis In The Central Nervous System.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,870.00
Summary
Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the elderly. Although the brain has built-in mechanisms for repairing itself, these processes are slow and incomplete. We are investigating how these natural repair mechanisms work and how to stimulate them to improve recovery. Our initial results suggest that a protein called SPARC, which is involved in wound healing outside the nervous system, may be able to recruit new nerve cells and blood vessels to damaged brain tissue.
Improving Clinical Translation In Stroke: Targeting Cerebral Oedema In A Large Animal Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$637,530.00
Summary
A common and life-threatening complication of stroke is brain swelling which is the leading cause of death within one week of stroke and a predictor of poor outcome. Current treatments for brain swelling are inadequate. We have developed a drug that blocks the action of the neuropeptide substance P, which is involved in the development of swelling. We will assess the efficacy of this treatment to reduce brain swelling and improve long-term outcome in a relevant pre-clinical model of stroke.
Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier Structure And Function In Syringomyelia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$82,630.00
Summary
Syringomyelia is a disorder in which a fluid-filled cyst forms within the spinal cord. These cysts expand over time resulting in paralysis or even death. Syringomyelia occurs in association with spinal cord injury and a number of congenital conditions. In this project we aim to investigate the underlying cause of cyst formation, which is currently unknown. It is hoped that these studies will improve our understanding of cyst formation and facilitate development of better treatment strategies.
Restoration Of Cognitive Deficits Induced By Diabetes Through The Modulation Of Cerebrovascular Integrity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$261,251.00
Summary
Diabetes is a known risk factor for the development of dementia. However the details of this association have not been known. Recent evidence consistently shows that the integrity of blood vessels in the brain may be central to the onset of dementia, and consistently, damaged brain blood vessels are often reported in diabetic patients and animal models. This project is the first to target in restoring the integrity of those brain blood vessels in order to reverse diabetes-associated dementia.
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.