Building An Evidence Base For Funding Evidence-based Medicine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,338.00
Summary
Funding schemes should be subject to the same scientific scrutiny as the proposals they scrutinize. If funding schemes could be improved, and higher quality proposals funded more reliably, then evidence-based medicine throughout Australia could be improved. Current evidence shows a concerning variability in funding decisions. We will examine the costs and reliability of the Project Grant scheme and two cheaper alternatives. Any savings we find could be re-invested back into medical research.
Workplace Interventions To Reduce The Cost Of Neck Problems In Office Personnel
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$660,834.00
Summary
Neck pain in office workers is a major burden in industry in terms of lost productivity and personal suffering. This research will evaluate a novel intervention for the prevention and management of neck pain in computer users. The impact and value of neck specific exercises and best practice office ergonomics will be evaluated from the employers (productivity loss) and workers perspective (severity of neck pain). The findings will directly benefit future management of this significant health iss ....Neck pain in office workers is a major burden in industry in terms of lost productivity and personal suffering. This research will evaluate a novel intervention for the prevention and management of neck pain in computer users. The impact and value of neck specific exercises and best practice office ergonomics will be evaluated from the employers (productivity loss) and workers perspective (severity of neck pain). The findings will directly benefit future management of this significant health issue.Read moreRead less
Understanding Cortical Circuitry Underlying Sensory Integration And The Consequence Of Its Developmental Disruption
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,395.00
Summary
The mammalian neocortex is organised into six layers with a systematic pattern of wiring that relies on normal development and balanced activity of neurons. This project combines developmental, electrophysiological, optogenetic behavioural, and computational methods to establish how the properties of the precise structure of cortical circuits impact their function and how disruptions in the balanced activity during development affect circuit formation and function in the mature brain.
Dopamine Neuron Ontogeny: Convergent Neurobiological Pathway For Risk Factors Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,214.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is associated with changes in dopamine (a signalling molecule in the brain). These changes are present prior to psychosis, suggesting they begin early in development. Our aims are to manipulate key factors in the development of brain dopamine systems to clarify their role in psychosis and schizophrenia. This work has the potential to identify early brain changes that lead to schizophrenia, which in turn may generate better diagnoses and outcomes for people with this disorder.
Improving Outcomes For People With Acute Mental Illness In The Emergency Department: A Data Linkage Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$251,470.00
Summary
Currently, there is a lack of integration between emergency and mental health information systems. This means it is difficult for clinicians to comprehensively understand a patient’s interaction with other services – an important aspect when making treatment decisions. Our study will link 5 years of information from health, police and national death databases. This will identify areas where emergency services can be improved for vulnerable people seeking help for their mental health problem.
Neurobiology Of Childhood Speech Disorders: Improving Detection, Diagnosis And Clinical Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$994,575.00
Summary
One in 20 children have a speech disorder at school entry, with lifelong deficits in psychosocial, academic and employment outcomes. Little is known about the aetiology of speech disorders, preventing targeted care. We combine expertise in speech pathology, gene discovery and brain imaging, to advance knowledge on gene and brain contributions to speech disorder. We will have direct impacts on clinical care including detection, diagnosis and counselling, optimising outcomes for affected children.
Group A Streptococcal Human Challenge Study: Accelerating Vaccine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,018,741.00
Summary
Infection with group A streptococcus (GAS) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in the Aboriginal population of Australia. Concerted efforts for vaccine development have been hampered by the absence of a suitable animal model. To address this critical knowledge gap we propose to develop a controlled human infection model of GAS infection. This model will provide a direct pathway for the future appraisal of novel GAS vaccines.
Delayed Radial Glial Maturation Linked To NFI Deficiency As An Underlying Cause Of Cortical Defects In Humans And Mice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$801,979.00
Summary
The timely generation of neurons and glia is important for brain development and consequently brain function throughout life. Nuclear factor I (NFI) genes are important for regulating the production of neurons and glia, and people with disrupted NFI genes have severe cognitive and motor deficits. Using human genetic data and mouse models, we will analyse how disrupting these genes affects brain development, and changes the overall structure and wiring of the cerebral cortex as well as behaviour.
Developmental Schizotypy In The General Population: Early Risk Factors And Predictive Utility.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$830,952.00
Summary
This study will determine early childhood risk factors for psychosis-proneness in children aged 11 years, and emerging signs and symptoms of mental health disorders of these children, using population data from the NSW Child Development Study. Determining risk for psychosis as early as possible in the life course will enable the provision of preventative interventions to children at critical points in development.
Astroglial Remodelling Of The Interhemispheric Midline Is Regulated By Deleted In Colorectal Cancer (DCC) Signalling And Is Required For Corpus Callosum Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$669,400.00
Summary
The integration of information between the brain hemispheres occurs via a large bundle of connecting nerve fibres called the corpus callosum. People with a genetic mutation in DCC display mirror movement disorder and some have a severe brain defect where the corpus callosum fails to form, but at present we don’t understand the function of this gene. In this study we will investigate how DCC functions in early brain development to regulate corpus callosum formation and mirror movement disorder.