Targeting The Anti-angiogenic Factors Of Preeclampsia: Soluble Endoglin And SFlt1
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,024.00
Summary
Preeclampsia is a severe disease of pregnancy - the placenta releases toxins in to mum's bloodstream that circulate her body and damage her organs. As there are no efficacious treatments, clinicians are forced to deliver babies irrespective of gestation. Although the two toxins of preeclampsia have been identified, little is known about their regulation. This project aims to elucidate the regulation of these toxins and design therapeutics that can prevent their release in the clinic.
Development Of Novel Therapeutics To Prevent Or Treat Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,034.00
Summary
Preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication, affects ~3-8% of pregnancies. There is no cure. We have developed new strategies to tackle the disease, including delivery of agents specifically to the placenta and repurposing drugs safe in pregnancy. We will test whether these strategies can quench disease in models developed in our laboratory, and examine samples from women who participated in clinical trial to treat preeclampsia. This offers new possibilities in the management of preeclampsia.
The Structural Basis Of T Cell Recognition In The Context Of Lipid Presentation And The CD1 Isoforms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,558.00
Summary
CD1 molecules are critical in our host-defence against microbial pathogens. They survey our body for microbial lipids and then present them to our immune system for surveillance by T cell receptors. We aim to understand how a T cell receptor interacts with a CD1-lipid molecule. This interaction is crucial to the activation of our immune response and hence the elimination of the microbe. Once understood, this interaction can potentially be modified and has immunotherapeutic potential.
Defining The Optimal Nutrition In Pregnancy And Early Life To Prevent Childhood Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,900.00
Summary
Obesity threatens to reduce the length and quality of life of future generations and prevention is a priority. There is now good evidence that the risk a person has of becoming obese is related to the nutritional environment they experience before birth and in early infancy. My research aims to identify nutritional strategies which can be applied safely during pregnancy and infancy to help reduce body fat mass in children and improve their long term health outcomes.
Developing Molecularly Targeted Therapeutics And Diagnostics For Pregnancy Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,489.00
Summary
Pregnancy complications still causes the death of mothers, and their babies. During this fellowship, we will be developing new treatments and clinical tests for three important complications of pregnancy. We will run clinical trials of a new medication based treatment to cure ectopic pregnancies. We will also develop a blood test that can identify those babies still in the womb but suffering dangerously low oxygen levels. Lastly, we will develop drugs to treat preeclampsia, a serious condition o ....Pregnancy complications still causes the death of mothers, and their babies. During this fellowship, we will be developing new treatments and clinical tests for three important complications of pregnancy. We will run clinical trials of a new medication based treatment to cure ectopic pregnancies. We will also develop a blood test that can identify those babies still in the womb but suffering dangerously low oxygen levels. Lastly, we will develop drugs to treat preeclampsia, a serious condition of pregnancy.Read moreRead less
Haematopoiesis, Metabolic Disorders And Atherosclerosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
Dr. Murphy’s work is centred on examining how different diseases such as obesity, diabetes and other inflammatory conditions increase people’s risk of heart disease. He will explore how these various inflammatory diseases influence the produce increased levels of white blood cells, which is important as increased white blood cells are positively associated with disease severity. He will also explore the relationship between blood cancers, know as leukaemia and how obesity.