Biofocussed Prostate Cancer RadioTherapy (BiRT): A Personalised Approach To Delivering The Right Dose To The Right Place
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$753,565.00
Summary
We propose a new approach to treating prostate cancer with radiotherapy to move from the standard whole prostate treatment to a personalised treatment that varies radiation intensity throughout the prostate. We will mathematically combine features that influence radiotherapy effect from advanced imaging, clinical and biopsy information. This model will map out the radiotherapy dose required at each part of the prostate, to maximise killing of the cancer whilst minimising harm to normal tissue
Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a yea ....Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Australia alone. This project is a major joint effort by the Australian water industry and world-leading scientists to generate advanced knowledge and develop effective technologies for optimal odour and corrosion management in sewers, delivering large social, environmental and economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Optimising Heart Disease Prevention And Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,647,175.00
Summary
As we become older and risk factors such as obesity become more common, our biggest contributor to death and disability, cardiovascular disease (including heart disease), will continue to exert an enormous burden on our health care system and society. We will extend our ground-breaking research on multidisciplinary teams to create new and innovative health care programs to optimise the prevention and management of new heart disease and chronic forms of heart disease.
Periodontal Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease Among Aboriginal Adults; An RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,035,550.00
Summary
Chronic Kidney Disease is a growing public health concern in Australia, especially among Aboriginal populations. It is associated with progression to end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis, cardiovascular disease burden and high mortality. This study will use a randomised controlled trial design to determine if comprehensive periodontal therapy reduces progression of kidney disease among Aboriginal adults with chronic kidney disease residing in Central Australia.
Defining Epigenetic Predictors Of Long-term Outcomes Of Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,408.00
Summary
On average, those born premature do worse health-wise than those born at term. However, some do worse than others. Our aim is to identify these people at birth to better help doctors and parents to closely monitor their health. For this, we will be “reading the diary of pregnancy” in the molecules added to chromosomes in blood during pregnancy in young adults with will characterised states of health. We will analyse DNA from blood that we will extract from stored heel prick spots.
Overseeing the internet: new paradigms of network measurement. Like the electricity network, the internet is a core infrastructure, and so must be reliable and efficient. A gap in bandwidth supply is like a blackout in terms of lost business and productivity. This project will provide the measurement breakthroughs to ensure that network behaviour can be accurately and comprehensively monitored.
From Brain Maps To Mechanisms: Modeling The Pathophysiology Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,891.00
Summary
My Fellowship will develop a framework that integrates brain imaging data with mathematical models of the brain to help understand the mechanisms responsible for schizophrenia. By linking functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements to models of their underlying causes, the work may lead to new treatments that target the specific dysfunction in individuals with this debilitating brain disorder.
Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Modelling of Complex Systems. This Centre, formed by a group of high-profile researchers, brings expertise from linked but hitherto disparate areas together. It will place Australia at the forefront of research into complex systems.
The mission of the Centre is to stimulate research in mathematical and statistical modelling of complex systems and to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and techniques. The specific objectives are
- to formulate and ana ....Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Modelling of Complex Systems. This Centre, formed by a group of high-profile researchers, brings expertise from linked but hitherto disparate areas together. It will place Australia at the forefront of research into complex systems.
The mission of the Centre is to stimulate research in mathematical and statistical modelling of complex systems and to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and techniques. The specific objectives are
- to formulate and analyse mathematical and statistical models for natural and artificial complex systems,
- to use these models to develop an understanding of the behaviour of these systems
- to incorporate this understanding into strategies for management and control.Read moreRead less
Antagonist Of Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone As Therapeutic Agents For The Prevention Of Premature Birth In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,650.00
Summary
In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow ....In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow the extension of pregnancy term The development of protocols that will in turn reduce neonatal mortality. Additionally we believe that these new agents will be useful in preventing the onset of labour after fetal surgery. Currently there are no effective treatments capable of substantially changing delivery dates. Available therapeutics delay the onset of labour, at best, 24 hours. However, recent exciting results from our laboratories show that rising concentrations of the placental peptide Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone (CRH) are associated with the onset of labour. Further, we have also delayed the onset of labour in pregnant sheep by infusing a relatively insoluble CRH antagonist into the sheep fetus. Labour commenced ONLY AFTER the drug was withdrawn from the mother. This project builds upon an interdisciplinary team: medicinal chemists, molecular modellers, pharmacologists and endocrinologists, to further develop an exciting Australian discovery. Successful completeion of this research will, for the first time, allow the control of pregnancy duration MAXIMISING the benefits to mother and child, reducing mortality and later life morbidities typically associated with premature birth.Read moreRead less
Boundary Crossing Analysis for Random Processes with Applications to Risk Management. Effective management of environmental, financial and superannuation investment risks is vitally important for Australia. Results of the project will add to the theoretical foundations of risk management and provide new computational tools for specialists working in the areas of financial engineering, insurance, superannuation funds. These tools will assist in improving risk profile evaluation and developing new ....Boundary Crossing Analysis for Random Processes with Applications to Risk Management. Effective management of environmental, financial and superannuation investment risks is vitally important for Australia. Results of the project will add to the theoretical foundations of risk management and provide new computational tools for specialists working in the areas of financial engineering, insurance, superannuation funds. These tools will assist in improving risk profile evaluation and developing new statistical control charts for security monitoring of epidemics, networks intrusions and other potentially dangerous changes. The research will also give Australia a competitive advantage in the area of education related to stochastic processes, mathematical finance, control theory and their applications.Read moreRead less