Driving Change: Using Emergency Department Data To Reduce Alcohol-related Harm
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,468,026.00
Summary
The proposed project is a system change within partner emergency departments, providing them the information and tools to act on both risky alcohol consumption in individual patients and the sources of alcohol in the community which cause the harm they experience. Most importantly, the proposed public health interventions act as a tool for emergency departments to regularly raise awareness with the public and policymakers regarding the impact of alcohol on patients, clinicians and hospitals.
The Role Of Anhedonia In Recovery From Opiate Addiction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$541,022.00
Summary
There is growing evidence that changes occur within the addicted brain reducing a drug user's ability to experience everyday pleasures. In this study, we will examine how a drug user's ability to experience pleasure relates to relapse and recovery. We will conduct a series of tests on a large sample of recently abstinent heroin addicts and follow them for 12 months. This project will provide unique insights that will be of direct relevance to clinical treatment.
Efficacy Of A 3-month Aerobic Exercise Regime For Restoring 'brain Health' In Heavy Cannabis Users
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,209,221.00
Summary
Over a ten-year period, we, and others have documented the brain and psychological harms associated with regular cannabis use. We have now shown that these harms are not permanent, but can be restored. However, the recovery process takes a long time. This study will build on our extensive work to date and, for the first time, investigate whether a specific form of exercise will cause accelerated and beneficial changes in i) the brain and ii) the daily lives of heavy cannabis users.
A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Cognitive Bias Modification Training During Early Recovery From Alcohol Dependence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,685.00
Summary
Relapse to alcohol dependence often occurs within days of detoxification, partly because alcohol-dependent people are easily triggered to approach alcohol-related cues. Computerised “brain-training” programs may reduce this “approach bias”, reducing risk of relapse. We aim to conduct a multi-site trial testing the effects of this training on alcohol relapse, and to estimate the savings to the health care system that could be achieved by conducting this treatment during inpatient detoxification.
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders; it affects 1% of the world’s population, yet about 1 in 3 patients fail to achieve seizure control with current drugs. We will improve the properties of small molecules (drugs) that specifically target the GTPase activity of the enzyme dynamin, to reduce seizure effect in the brain by a novel mechanism. We will optimize and pre-clinically test these future chemical entities as potential anti-epileptic drugs.
Centre Of Research Excellence In Medicines Intelligence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,500,000.00
Summary
The NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Medicines Intelligence is a co-ordinated research program that will accelerate the development and translation of evidence on prescribed medicines use and outcomes for regulators and payers. The CRE is perfectly placed to embrace the national ‘call to action’ from the Health Minister's recent announcement to establish Quality Use of Medicine Safety as a National Health Priority.
In 2013 there were ~200 million clinical cases of malaria, causing ~600,000 deaths. All antimalarial drugs are now associated with malaria parasite resistance. Thus, new therapies are urgently needed, including new drugs to prevent this disease. We have made the exciting discovery that an existing antimalarial drug can kill malaria parasites in a unique, previously unknown, manner. Here, we will investigate how this occurs and develop new drug candidates for malaria prevention.
Structure-based Design Of Novel Therapeutics For Multi-drug Resistant Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$669,148.00
Summary
Multiple drug resistance (MDR) in bacteria represents one of the most intractable problems facing modern medicine. The recent superbug, MDR-Neisseria gonorrhoeae (MDR-Ng), causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoeae. A multi disciplinary team with expertise in structural biology, medicinal chemistry and bacteriology will establish a comprehensive knowledge base aimed at developing new antibiotics to treat MDR-Ng by targeting a bacterial protein virulence factor.
Development Of Small Molecule Modulators Of Apoptosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$621,558.00
Summary
Cancers rely on the deregulation of key cellular pathways. Along with biological and genetic tools, small molecules are powerful probes to understand these mechanisms. During the course of this research program, we will develop new and drug-like molecules that reinstate the cell death process to combat malignancies. This research will bring important advances for potential chemotherapies and create probes to better understand the biology of programmed cell death processes.