The Role Of Vitamin D In Determining Risk Of Developing Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$586,485.00
Summary
Juvenile Idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disease that occurs in up to 1/250 Australian children. Growing evidence suggests that low vitamin D increases risk of autoimmune disease, yet no-one has looked at its effect on JIA. We will compare vitamin D in blood, and also exposure to sun through life, between children with and without JIA. We will also look to see if vitamin D interacts with autoimmune disease risk genes. The outcomes of this study will help to inform policy on the impor ....Juvenile Idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune disease that occurs in up to 1/250 Australian children. Growing evidence suggests that low vitamin D increases risk of autoimmune disease, yet no-one has looked at its effect on JIA. We will compare vitamin D in blood, and also exposure to sun through life, between children with and without JIA. We will also look to see if vitamin D interacts with autoimmune disease risk genes. The outcomes of this study will help to inform policy on the importance of sun exposure to health.Read moreRead less
Solving the puzzle of complex disease - genes and their interactions with the environment. Many human diseases are caused by the interplay of genetic predisposition (nature) and the environment (nurture); but their causes remain a mystery, since much past research has focused on these aspects in isolation. This project will aim to better understand these complex diseases using a multi-factorial approach that brings both nature and nurture together.
Grant Montgomery is a genetic epidemiologist with a special interest in the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of common diseases. His work is focussed primarily on endometriosis and melanoma.
Understanding Gene-environment Interactions In Relation To Risk Of Age-related Cataract
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$86,514.00
Summary
Age-related cataract is the clouding of the lens, a leading cause of visual impairment among older persons. The burden of this common eye disease will only increase as the population ages. Besides age, other environmental and genetic risk factors that increase the risk of cataract have been identified. The aim of this research is to examine how the interplay of genes and environment contributes to age-related cataract formation, using population-based data of established studies.
Genetic And Environmental Risk Factors On Lifetime Risk Of Obstructive Lung Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,414.00
Summary
Classification of lifetime phenotypes of obstructive lung disease allows investigation of the effect of environmental and genetic influences on specific phenotypes along with the interactions between them. Through improved phenotyping ,the currently inconsistent relationships between asthma and COPD and their associations with genetic and environmental factors may become clearer.
Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It leads to long-term impairments in quality of life and has a 40% higher mortality rate compared with the general population. We know surprisingly little about the causes of Graves’ disease. One possible trigger is stressful life events; however, the relationship is yet to be proven. This study will assess whether stressful life events, specifically military deployment, are associated with Graves’ disease.
AusDiab 3: Emerging Risk Factors For And Long-term Incidence Of Cardio-metabolic Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,616,397.00
Summary
This study will track 11,000 Australian adults over 12 years to determine how many develop diabetes, obesity, kidney and heart disease. The study will develop ways to best predict those who are going to develop these conditions before they have arisen, and will explore a range of novel risk factors to better understand these conditions.
Linking Lifestyle And Molecular Biology To Inform Precision Public Health For Major Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,487,111.00
Summary
The Program of research seeks to increase our understanding of cancer risk. We will use our large collections of population and family-based datasets to conduct innovative analyses, improving our understanding of the roles that genetic, epigenetic and lifestyle factors play in our risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. This information should allow us to better predict a person’s cancer risk, enabling public health interventions, such as screening, to be delivered more effectively and e ....The Program of research seeks to increase our understanding of cancer risk. We will use our large collections of population and family-based datasets to conduct innovative analyses, improving our understanding of the roles that genetic, epigenetic and lifestyle factors play in our risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. This information should allow us to better predict a person’s cancer risk, enabling public health interventions, such as screening, to be delivered more effectively and economically to those most at risk.Read moreRead less
Optimising Large-scale Public Health Interventions To Control Neglected Tropical Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are a group of health conditions that affect the poorest of the poor, particularly in remote and rural areas. They affect the most vulnerable communities and cause substantial, chronic health harms impairing personal and social development. Several debilitating NTD are common in remote indigenous communities and Pacific islands. I propose a series of studies to investigate new strategies to control NTD in large populations where these diseases are endemic.