Surveillance Of LGV Chlamydia Trachomatis Types Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$194,875.00
Summary
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). Annually, 50 million new cases of chlamydia are estimated to occur worldwide which if untreated, can lead to serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women and epididymitis in men. Over the past decade, there has been a sharp increase in diagnoses of chlamydia in Australia, coinciding with a reported upsurge in sexual risk behaviour (increased partne ....Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). Annually, 50 million new cases of chlamydia are estimated to occur worldwide which if untreated, can lead to serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women and epididymitis in men. Over the past decade, there has been a sharp increase in diagnoses of chlamydia in Australia, coinciding with a reported upsurge in sexual risk behaviour (increased partner numbers and-or practices of unprotected sex), particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). In addition, there are current outbreaks of an invasive CT strain, causing lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), throughout Western Europe, with cases now reported in the USA. LGV can lead to severe anogenital ulcers, which can increase transmission of HIV, hepatitis C, and other STIs. With growing international travel, the likelihood of LGV outbreaks in Australia, particularly in MSM, is increased. Recently, isolated cases of LGV have been noted in MSM attending Sydney and Melbourne Sexual Health Centres, indicating LGV is possibly already in circulation. Since we know little about circulating CT types in Australia it would be difficult to assess the burden of an LGV outbreak. Due to increasing CT infections and likely risk of increased HIV transmission, particularly with LGV strains, surveillance of CT genotypes in Australia, especially in MSM, is important. The purpose of this study is to type CT strains in our population by looking at their genetic makeup. CT-positive specimens from Melbourne and Sydney will be used to identify CT types in circulation and to assess if LGV types are present. The knowledge obtained from this study will be novel and invaluable, and could contribute considerably to the development of improved disease prevention and intervention strategies, including the design of vaccines.Read moreRead less
Brain Connectivity Imaging Markers To Confirm Diagnosis For Bipolar Vs. Unipolar Depression – A Connectome Approach.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$434,369.00
Summary
Differentiating Bipolar disorders from Unipolar Depression is a major clinical challenge. This misdiagnosis hinders optimal clinical care and has many deleterious consequences such self-harm, increased chances of suicide, poor prognosis, and greater health care costs related to this disorder. This project will provide urgently-needed advance in accurate identification of Bipolar disorders using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and remove one of the key obstacles to accurate diagnosis.
Risks And Benefits Of Breast Cancer Screening: BreastScreen WA Cohort Study Of Overdiagnosis And Breast Cancer Mortality
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,524.00
Summary
Overdiagnosis is the major downside of screening for breast cancer. This occurs when screening detects cancers that would not have caused symptoms in the woman's lifetime. This study aims to quantify the amount of overdiagnosis that occurs in the Australian breast cancer screening program (BreastScreen)
Massively Parallel Sequencing And PCR Optimised For DNA-based Diagnostics And Discovery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,664.00
Summary
The next generation of medical diagnostics and discovery in disease research will involve the marriage of PCR, a tool used to amplify large amounts of DNA from small starting quantities, and �next generation� sequencing, a way to sequence lots and lots of DNA on a single instrument run. This study aims to describe methods which allow scientists to screen hundreds of disease genes in hundreds of people simultaneously with high accuracy and high efficiency.
Ocular Motility In Autism And Asperger S Disorder: Dissociation Of Motor Deficits.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$131,235.00
Summary
We will use ocular motor technology to investigate motor dysfunction in autism and Asperger's disorder, to advance our understanding of the neurobiological bases of these disorders. This will help clarify whether neural networks are differentially disrupted in these disorders, as our previous clinical research suggests. This dissociation and the subsequent development of an ocular motor clincal screen may improve diagnosis, and potentially treatment, of these devastating conditions.
Early diagnosis of melanoma remains extremely challenging. Currently there are no validated blood-based biomarkers for early diagnosis. Therefore, a reliable screening test is an unmet medical need. Autoantibodies are emerging as promising biomarkers for early cancer detection. In a proof of principle experiment we identified five autoantibodies that provide 95% sensitivity / specificity. Now we will confirm and validate our findings and develop a clinical test for melanoma diagnosis.
Risk Factors, Early Diagnosis, And Effective Interventions For Neurocognitive Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,013,299.00
Summary
This program will focus on early detection of dementia, identification of novel risk factors, and development of new treatments, to help the burden of dementia in our community. It will build on three longitudinal studies – Memory and Ageing Study, Older Australian Twins Study and Sydney Centenarian Study, and three international consortia – COSMIC, STROKOG and ICC-Dementia, that the investigators have developed to achieve these aims. A prevention trial for post-stroke dementia is planned