Development Of New Therapies For Respiratory Diseases And Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$847,490.00
Summary
Prof Hansbro’s group have developed world 1st experimental models of emphysema, severe asthma infection and lung cancer. He uses them to further our understanding of these untreatable diseases. This has led to the development of new potential therapeutic approaches. Now, in discovery programs he will expand studies of pathogenesis to identify new therapeutic targets these diseases. In development and translational programs he will progress new therapies towards clinical application.
My research focuses on allergies and chronic respiratory disease in children, teenagers and adults. My goal is to identify the factors, which cause these conditions and also the factors, which can stop these conditions from getting worse. I will work with health professionals and the community to make sure the results of my research are used by doctors to improve the care of people with allergies and chronic respiratory diseases.
My work investigates the neural output to human inspiratory muscles and how it is related to mechanical effectiveness for breathing. The aim is to discover how this relationship can change with respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnoea. I also examine the changes in breathing muscle control in people with spinal cord injury. This work promises new understanding of the basic control of respiration and how it changes with disease.
Lung disease is a major cause of death and disability world-wide. Tuberculosis was responsible for 1.4 million deaths in 2011. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been high priority diseases in Australia for many years. It was estimated that there were over 3 million deaths attributable to particulate air pollution in 2010. In this Fellowship I will undertake a series of projects designed to improve our understanding of these diseases and their causes.
Allergies and chronic respiratory diseases are major causes of illness and death in Australia. Worryingly there are still many gaps in knowledge on how best to prevent and manage these diseases. The proposed program will investigate these questions and provide evidence to guide health policy and clinical management. As this program is built on state-of the-art methods and technology, these original Australian findings will be of great importance internationally.
Prevention And Management Of Chronic Disease In Primary Health Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$898,008.00
Summary
Over the past 10 years, Mark Harris has developed and led an innovate program of research on better ways to prevent and manage chronic disease in primary health care. This has included research on early intervention to assess and reduce the risk factors for these conditions involving innovative approaches to patient education; team based care; information and decision support systems. This research is now being extended to focus on disadvantaged groups and communities.
I am a physiologist-pharmacologist examining fundamental mechanisms of chronic inflammatory disease. By defining these mechanisms, I seek to discover the underlying cause of disease and to identify novel strategies for diagnosis and therapy of chronic diseases that are worldwide causes of morbidity and mortality.
‘Equally Well’: Addressing Comorbid Physical, Mental, And Substance Use Disorders With Psychological Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$715,210.00
Summary
Mental ill-health, substance use and chronic physical illness go hand in hand, yet treatment for all three health issues is rarely delivered. Amanda Baker is leading a team trialling psychological interventions for these co-existing health issues suitable for delivery in mental health, substance use and medical settings. Telephone and online interventions are also being developed. Addressing these three co-existing health concerns is expected to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.
Developing Novel Neuroreceptor And Channel Therapies For Pain And Addiction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$808,375.00
Summary
Chronic pain is a growing and poorly treated global health burden. There is a great need for novel pain therapeutics. We are discovering novel drug targets in pain pathways in the nervous system and new therapeutic molecules that selectively block information flow in pain nerves. Strong pain relieving drugs like morphine also lose their effectiveness after long periods of use. We are finding mechanisms responsible for this thereby providing a rational basis for development of better opioids and ....Chronic pain is a growing and poorly treated global health burden. There is a great need for novel pain therapeutics. We are discovering novel drug targets in pain pathways in the nervous system and new therapeutic molecules that selectively block information flow in pain nerves. Strong pain relieving drugs like morphine also lose their effectiveness after long periods of use. We are finding mechanisms responsible for this thereby providing a rational basis for development of better opioids and pain treatments.Read moreRead less
Improving Outcomes In Chronic Disease Prevention And Control
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$849,540.00
Summary
This fellowship focuses on improving health outcomes in people with or at risk of chronic diseases. This will involve systematic reviews to better understand the efficacy and safety of preventive therapies, with an emphasis on people with multiple chronic disease, and building on an ongoing program of health services research to identify novel strategies for implementation of evidence-based care within complex health systems. The work will be conducted largely in Australia, China and India.