HTLV-1 is a lifelong infection of immune cells that sustains high infection rates up to 45% in key Australian communities. Despite HTLV-1 causing serious malignancy and inflammatory co-morbidities that shorten lifespan, few biomedical interventions are available. We will examine how the virus grows and alters immune responses to cause disease. With this, we can develop antiviral treatments to reduce virus infected cells, and make new diagnostic biomarker assays suitable for remote settings.
Preventing The Transition From Acute To Chronic Pain. The Role Of Neural And Non-neural Factors.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,998,900.00
Summary
Pain following injury usually dissipates as the injury heals, however in some individuals it persists and lasts for years. Chronic pain is extremely difficult to treat, particularly that which originates from a damaged nerve. One of the roadblocks in developing effective treatments is our limited understanding of the pathophysiology. The overall aim of this proposal is to address this gap and determine the processes that occur in the brain that results in acute pain transitioning to chronic.
Resolving Eosinophil And Inflammatory Heterogeneity In Chronic Allergic Airway Disease For Safer, Effective And Lasting Precision Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,166,165.00
Summary
Many patients with upper airway inflammation and asthma have poorly controlled disease and are in need of new effective therapies. We have discovered new cell subsets in the airways of these patients. We will use cutting edge single cell and spatial analysis of human tissues to define human allergic disease and inflammatory cells at unprecedented resolution. This will identify new targets for treatment and match patients with effective therapies to facilitate precision therapy.
NeuroGame: Can Neuromodulation Of Brain Rhythms Relieve Chronic Pain?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,568,407.00
Summary
The growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids in the therapy of chronic pain shows the urgent need to develop and test novel chronic pain treatments. We will address this need by developing and testing a novel and safe intervention that can provide pain relief via the primary source of pain: the brain. We will use cutting-edge imaging technology to unravel brain mechanism responsible for the recovery of chronic pain, including efforts to prevent rather than relive chronic pain.
Molecular Regulators Of Adaptive Immunity To Overwhelming Viral Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$786,898.00
Summary
Diseases caused by overwhelming viral infections, such as COVID-19, are associated with widespread impairments in immunity and constitute a major burden to human health. We have discovered that the molecule c-Myb is essential for the maintenance of immunity during chronic infection. In order to lay the foundations for novel and innovative anti-viral therapies, this project will dissect the molecular pathways regulated by c-Myb that maintain immunity during severe or chronic infection.
Harnessing Information Technology To Improve Self-management Behaviours And Health Outcome In People With Heart Failure: A Smarthome Ecosystem Living Lab Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,120,226.00
Summary
The burden of heart failure in Australia is substantial. Management of heart failure is complex and requires self-management of symptoms and behaviour change, which requires ongoing education and support to achieve. Current approaches for supporting self-management do not meet the needs of people with heart failure or the healthcare system. This Australian first project aims to co-design an intelligent smart home ecosystem (Smart Heart) to support the management for people with heart failure.
Plasma Activated Hydrogel Therapy For Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance In Chronic Wounds
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$755,023.00
Summary
The aim is to advance wound care using electrical ionised gas discharge (plasma) to deliver antimicrobial and healing agents through tailored hydrogel dressings into wounds. The technology will be configured for real-world wounds and clinical settings and its antimicrobial delivery system will be optimised to eradicate all wound pathogens and prevent re-infection. The technology has potential to revolutionise chronic wound care and alleviate the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance.
Evidence For Action On Cold, Damp And Mould In Australian Homes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$955,649.00
Summary
We know that living in cold and damp homes is bad for people's health. Surprisingly in Australia we do not know how much exposure to poor conditions and financial hardship combines to generate poor health at the population level. We will quantify this impact and estimate the benefit of interventions (such as mould removal and assistance for paying utility bills). This project will provide governments with evidence for tackling this housing-related health problem.