Targeting Inflammation-associated Macrophages For Imaging And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,218.00
Summary
Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The development of effective therapies remains a major challenge and is often associated with severe side-effects. I recently developed novel targeting reagents to effectively deliver therapeutics and diagnostic agents deep inside diseased tissues, such as tumours and atherosclerotic plaques. My research will further explore their therapeutic and imaging applications in cancer and atherosclerosis.
There is huge interest in the development of bioactive peptides and proteins for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. However, the biggest challenge in the development of peptide and protein drugs is overcoming their poor stability in the human body. The aim of my research is to develop novel methods that provide therapeutically promising peptides and proteins the ability to resist the body’s natural degradation pathways so they can reach their biological target and act as effective drugs.
Characterisation Of The Genetic Networks Underlying Macrophage Differentiation And The Resolution Of Inflammation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,000.00
Summary
Chronic inflammation is a central player in many common diseases, impacting on the health and well being of millions of Australians. By using innovative genomic approaches to build a map of all of the gene products involved in the inflammatory process, this project aims to identify which are the critical molecules that normally switch off inflammation. Our ultimate aim is to develop new approaches to treating inflammatory disease.
Activated Protein C Suppresses The Abnormal Immune Response In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,558.00
Summary
This project will determine whether activated protein C (APC) reduces the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by altering the abnormal response of a type of white blood cells known as the T cells. Experiments will utilise T cells isolated from patients with RA, normal controls and an animal model of RA, to examine a newly discovered immune pathway now thought to play a major role in causing RA. The results will help clarify whether and how APC prevents joint destruction in RA
Targeting Central Inflammation To Combat Obesity And Obesity-related Cognitive Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
The current obesity epidemic means many of us will suffer from overweight or obesity for at least some of our lives. My findings show obesity can cause inflammation throughout the brain including in regions related to learning and memory. Here I hypothesize that obesity induces long-term changes in the brain’s immune cells, that this can explain why we see susceptibility to cognitive decline in obese individuals, and that we can reverse these negative effects by targeting these immune cells.