Discovery And Validation Of Alzheimer�s Disease Biomarkers In Human Plasma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,126.00
Summary
With life expectancy increasing Alzheimer�s disease (AD) poses a rising medical and socioeconomic challenge, emphasising the need for the development of prevention and treatment strategies. Such strategies will be most effective if administered early in the disease process, making early diagnosis critical to their success. The identification of biomarkers in this project, which are altered during the development of AD, will lead to the development of such a means to diagnosis AD at an early stag ....With life expectancy increasing Alzheimer�s disease (AD) poses a rising medical and socioeconomic challenge, emphasising the need for the development of prevention and treatment strategies. Such strategies will be most effective if administered early in the disease process, making early diagnosis critical to their success. The identification of biomarkers in this project, which are altered during the development of AD, will lead to the development of such a means to diagnosis AD at an early stage, when interventions will have the most impact.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Association Between Incarceration While Pregnant And Maternal And Infant Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,500.00
Summary
The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. Th ....The number of women incarcerated within Australian prisons has doubled over the last ten years. Prisons contain large numbers of women from Indigenous backgrounds, women with a mental illness, women with violent partners and women with substance abuse problems. As such they constitute one of the most disadvantaged groups within Australian society and their children are unlikely to experience a healthy start to life. At any one time around 5-10% of women inside Australian prisons are pregnant. There has been no Australian research into the effect incarceration has upon pregnant women or their babies. Some believe that women who are incarcerated during their pregnancy may have better outcomes as they are outside their normal milieu with restricted access to alcohol and illicit drugs and separated from abusive partners. Others argue that the stress of incarceration and separation from family and friends could result in poorer pregnancy outcomes. This study will investigate whether being imprisoned while pregnant results in better or worse pregnancy and birth outcomes for Australian women and their babies.Read moreRead less
Novel Retinal Architectural Vascular Signs And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease: The AusDiab Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$754,254.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes are major health problems. Identifying 'people at risk' is critical to design preventative strategies. We have developed new computer software to measure detailed characteristics of retinal vessels. By appling this system to predict CVD or diabetes in the AusDiab Study we aim to find 'the best combination of risk factors' to predict CVD and diabetes. This will open up the possibility of new risk assessment using a simple 'eye scan.'
Validating And Optimising The Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Physiology Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$91,725.00
Summary
Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles ar ....Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles are applicable and optimal for fMRI-EEG data. The proposed project aims at validating and optimising the analysis strategies for fMRI-EEG data.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms Of Control Of Cell Growth And Proliferation By The AKT Kinase Family
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$568,452.00
Summary
Ribosome synthesis and function is critical for normal cell growth and division and hence this process is exquisitely regulated. Conversely, de-regulated cell growth can lead to cancer. We have identified new roles for the AKT and SGK families of kinases in controlling this process. This proposal aims to establish the mechanisms by which these enzymes control ribosome synthesis to better understand growth control and to provide insight for targeting these pathways in growth driven cancers.
Biochemical And Molecular Dissection Of The Mechanisms Controlling Ribosome Biogenesis By The PI3K/AKT/mTOR/MYC Network
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,180.00
Summary
Ribosome synthesis and function are critical for normal cell growth and division and hence this process is exquisitely regulated. Conversely, de-regulated cell growth can lead to cancer. We have identified new roles for the AKT and SGK families of kinases in controlling this process. This proposal aims to establish the mechanisms by which these enzymes control ribosome synthesis to better understand growth control and to provide insight for targeting these pathways in growth driven cancers.
The Design And Synthesis Of Sialyltransferase Inhibitors As Anti-metastatic Agents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$273,629.00
Summary
The prevalence of cancer and, in particular, cancer that spreads throughout the body has risen over the past twenty years in the human population and causes significant human mortality. A correlation between some of a cancerous cell's surface componentary and the ability of this cell to spread throughout the body has been established. This research project will provide a range of chemical entities (probes) that will intervene in this spreading process (metastasis). These probes will be the basis ....The prevalence of cancer and, in particular, cancer that spreads throughout the body has risen over the past twenty years in the human population and causes significant human mortality. A correlation between some of a cancerous cell's surface componentary and the ability of this cell to spread throughout the body has been established. This research project will provide a range of chemical entities (probes) that will intervene in this spreading process (metastasis). These probes will be the basis for a drug discovery programme that targets a particular aspect of the spreading process. Through molecular modelling, drug candidate synthesis and evaluation of these compounds in relevant test tube (in vitro) assays it is envisaged that a number of candidate compounds will then be evaluated in an animal model (in vivo assay). The technology to be used in this project is comparable to that which we used in the discovery of the recently approved influenza drug, Relenza?.Read moreRead less
SHANK3 As A Target To Reduce Hypertrophy And Heart Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$548,908.00
Summary
We have identified a large protein in heart that functions to facilitate the heart's response to disease. The proposed studies will define how this protein mediates responses and whether we can successfully interfere with the process to limit disease progression.
An Investigation Of Vibrio Cholerae Sialidase As A Target For Drug Discovery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$227,036.00
Summary
The prevalence of the disease Cholera still causes significant human mortality, in particular in underdevloped countries. The process that enables the cholera toxin to cause signficant damage is now partly understood. This research project will provide a range of chemical entities (probes) that have the potential of intervening in this process . These probes will be the basis for a drug discovery programme that targets toxin binding. Through molecular modelling based on protein structural inform ....The prevalence of the disease Cholera still causes significant human mortality, in particular in underdevloped countries. The process that enables the cholera toxin to cause signficant damage is now partly understood. This research project will provide a range of chemical entities (probes) that have the potential of intervening in this process . These probes will be the basis for a drug discovery programme that targets toxin binding. Through molecular modelling based on protein structural information, drug candidate synthesis and evaluation of these compounds in relevant test tube (in vitro) assays it is envisaged that a number of candidate compounds will be then further optimised for eventual pre-clinical investigation. The technology to be used in this project is comparable to that we have used in the discovery of the recently approved influenza drug, Relenza .Read moreRead less
Vancomycin Derivatives Active Against Resistant Bacterial Nosocomial Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$760,763.00
Summary
Bacterial infection is a leading cause of death worldwide and the emergence of superbugs that are resistant to multiple treatments is becoming a major global concern. Vancomycin is the drug of last resort for the treatment of hospital-acquired Gram -positive bacterial infections. We will synthetically modify vancomycin by incorporating naturally occurring membrane-associative peptides to produce novel antibiotics with multiple modes of action to avoid existing bacterial resistance mechanisms.