Atherosclerosis: Lipoproteins, Cell Biology And Vascular Physiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,461,682.00
Summary
The world is confronting a major new epidemic of premature heart disease that is being driven by a global increase in obesity. There are several factors that contribute to the increased risk of heart disease in overweight and obese people. One is a low blood level of the “good” HDL cholesterol that normally protects against heart disease. Another relates to a decreased ability to remove cholesterol from the walls of arteries where it builds up to cause heart disease. A third is the fact that obe ....The world is confronting a major new epidemic of premature heart disease that is being driven by a global increase in obesity. There are several factors that contribute to the increased risk of heart disease in overweight and obese people. One is a low blood level of the “good” HDL cholesterol that normally protects against heart disease. Another relates to a decreased ability to remove cholesterol from the walls of arteries where it builds up to cause heart disease. A third is the fact that obesity is associated with a state of chronic inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation not only accelerates the development of heart disease but also makes people who have cholesterol accumulated in their arteries more likely to actually have a heart attack. And a fourth is the fact that the lining of blood vessels does not function normally in overweight and obese people. This loss of normal function is a very early sign of future heart disease. These factors are closely inter-related, with the “good” HDL playing a central role in removing cholesterol from arteries, inhibiting arterial inflammation and promoting normal function and repair of the lining of blood vessels. HDL is complex, consisting of a mixture of several subpopulations of particles that vary in shape, size and composition. Furthermore, these HDL subpopulations are continually remodelled as they circulate in blood in reactions promoted by a number of blood factors that change their size and composition. A major component of the research to be conducted in this program relates to understanding how the HDL subpopulations in human blood are regulated and how they protect against heart disease. The applicants have already made major contributions to understanding the functions of the “good” HDLs, how they take cholesterol out of cells in the artery wall, how they inhibit inflammation of the arteries and how they improve the function of the artery lining. We propose to extend these studies to establish how these protective functions can be enhanced, to find out which of the HDL subpopulations are most protective, and to identify how to increase the most protective HDLs in people at risk of heart disease.Read moreRead less
The Biology And Therapeutic Manipulation Of Lymphatic Vessels In Human Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,688,743.00
Summary
This proposal is for an established team of researchers and clinicians to explore the molecular control of the lymphatic system. This network of lymphatic vessels, located in organs throughout the body, is critical for regulation of tissue fluid and immune function. This program will explore the molecules which control the function of lymphatic vessels and their interactions with other cells in the body. It will greatly enhance our understanding of the lymphatic vessels and identify molecular ta ....This proposal is for an established team of researchers and clinicians to explore the molecular control of the lymphatic system. This network of lymphatic vessels, located in organs throughout the body, is critical for regulation of tissue fluid and immune function. This program will explore the molecules which control the function of lymphatic vessels and their interactions with other cells in the body. It will greatly enhance our understanding of the lymphatic vessels and identify molecular targets for medicines designed to treat cancer, cardiovascular disease and lymphoedema.Read moreRead less
Prevention And Treatment Of Chronic Heart And Kidney Disease Via Epidemiological, Pharmacol Device And Cell-Based Approaches
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,795,334.00
Summary
Heart failure describes where the heart cannot pump adequately to meet the needs of the body. This condition has a high mortality despite recent advances in therapy, therefore, there is an urgent need for new approaches to this condition. The present grant aims to: (1) identify patients at high-risk for future development of this condition where early intervention with drugs may reduce or prevent the development of new heart failure; (2) use novel drugs, devices and stem cell therapies to identi ....Heart failure describes where the heart cannot pump adequately to meet the needs of the body. This condition has a high mortality despite recent advances in therapy, therefore, there is an urgent need for new approaches to this condition. The present grant aims to: (1) identify patients at high-risk for future development of this condition where early intervention with drugs may reduce or prevent the development of new heart failure; (2) use novel drugs, devices and stem cell therapies to identify ways to better treat patients with existing disease; (3) focus on the effect of heart failure on the kidney and vice versa via early diagnosis and treatment strategiesRead moreRead less
Molecular Mechanisms Of Cardiac Function And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,213,642.00
Summary
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in our society. Almost two million Australians suffer from the debilitating effects of heart disease and it is the leading cause of premature permanent disability in our workers. Heart defects are also the most common type of birth defect and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from birth defects. Many of these problems can be attributed directly to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle and, at the cellular le ....Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in our society. Almost two million Australians suffer from the debilitating effects of heart disease and it is the leading cause of premature permanent disability in our workers. Heart defects are also the most common type of birth defect and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from birth defects. Many of these problems can be attributed directly to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle and, at the cellular level, of heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. Understanding the cardiomyocyte as well as integrated heart development, biology, physiology and function, therefore, holds great promise for major advances in the prevention and treatment of contemporary heart diseases. This Program Grant brings together a unique team of interactive researchers with expertise in cardiovascular physiology, as well as developmental, cellular and molecular biology. The outcomes anticipated from new insights into heart biology that will result from the proposed studies, are the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of heart attacks and heart failure.Read moreRead less
Control Of Proteases In Infectious, Degenerative And Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$11,668,789.00
Summary
Proteases are enzymes that control key processes in humans. The research in this program will result in major discoveries in the field of proteases and their inhibitors, with a focus on inflammatory, cardiovascular and degenerative disease. The knowledge gained from this strong foundation of fundamental research will underpin the translational outcomes necessary to combat the debilitating effects of immunological dysfunction, conformational and cardiovascular disease.
Clinical Trials Advances For Better Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,012,612.00
Summary
The NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC) aims to use clinical trials and methodological research in trials to improve health in Australia and internationally. Its research program will initiate major new clinical trials and a comprehensive program of research into trial methods, biostatistical analysis, health outcome analysis and decision analysis. Patient preferences and decision making, particularly in cancer, will be a focus. CTC uses data from its own and other clinical trials in combined ana ....The NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC) aims to use clinical trials and methodological research in trials to improve health in Australia and internationally. Its research program will initiate major new clinical trials and a comprehensive program of research into trial methods, biostatistical analysis, health outcome analysis and decision analysis. Patient preferences and decision making, particularly in cancer, will be a focus. CTC uses data from its own and other clinical trials in combined analyses to arrive at better evidence. The NHMRC program grant will allow important research studies to be integrated with trials funded from industry and other sources and will maintain the CTC’s internationally competitive research team at the cutting edge of new trial methods and systems.Read moreRead less
New Evidence To Guide Decisions About The Prevention And Treatment Of Common Cardiovascular Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,309,675.00
Summary
The Program brings together clinicians, epidemiologists and statisticians in a unique endeavour designed to improve the prevention and treatment of heart attack and stroke. For the foreseeable future, these conditions will remain leading causes of death and disease in Australia and most other countries in the region. While there are many established treatment and prevention strategies for these conditions there remains great potential for further advances to be made, which might avert very large ....The Program brings together clinicians, epidemiologists and statisticians in a unique endeavour designed to improve the prevention and treatment of heart attack and stroke. For the foreseeable future, these conditions will remain leading causes of death and disease in Australia and most other countries in the region. While there are many established treatment and prevention strategies for these conditions there remains great potential for further advances to be made, which might avert very large numbers of premature deaths and serious disabling outcomes. This Program of research seeks to provide new information that will give patients, doctors and policy makers innovative options for the treatment and prevention of heart attack and stroke. The Program will incorporate two main elements: observational studies and randomised controlled trials. The observational studies will establish the precise importance of each of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases (such as diabetes, blood pressure, smoking and cholesterol) at different ages, in different ethnic groups and in different geographic regions. Furthermore, these studies will also define the relative importance of established and novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease, providing important new information about how resources for prevention should be directed. The large-scale trials will provide evidence about the effectiveness and safety of a range of new cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment strategies. The work will build on the team�s very successful approach of evaluating the effects of established interventions in high-risk groups for whom those particular treatments are not currently indicated.The Program will also include studies that address the critical issue of translating health research findings into practice _ in terms of health policy, clinical practice and consumer behaviour. A particular focus involves the application and evaluation of novel Internet technologies for promoting best practice. The methodologies used by the team will ensure that the evidence generated by the Program is as precise and reliable as possible, in order to provide a sound base to guide decisions about changes in health care policy and practice. The research findings will have direct relevance to the healthcare needs of millions of Australians within the next five years, and the impact of the work will be assured by the development of implementation and dissemination plans for each major component of the Program.Read moreRead less
Molecular Mechanisms Of Cardiac Function And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,053,131.00
Summary
Adult-onset heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in our society, with almost 2 million Australians affected. Furthermore, structural heart malformations are the most common type of abnormality at birth and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from non-infectious causes. Many of these problems are due to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. Thus, we propose to understand, in fine detail, cardiomyocyte as wel ....Adult-onset heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in our society, with almost 2 million Australians affected. Furthermore, structural heart malformations are the most common type of abnormality at birth and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from non-infectious causes. Many of these problems are due to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. Thus, we propose to understand, in fine detail, cardiomyocyte as well as integrated heart development, biology, physiology and function as a prerequisite for the development of major advances in the prevention and treatment of these disorders.Read moreRead less
Improved Respiratory Support And Outcomes For Very Preterm Babies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,185,907.00
Summary
Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disa ....Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disabilityRead moreRead less