Distinguishing Self From World: Understanding The Neural Basis Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,307.00
Summary
Self-generated sensations - such as tickling oneself - typically evoke less activity in the EEG than physically identical, externally-produced sensations. Schizophrenia patients do not exhibit this “electrophysiological self-suppression” (ESS), which accounts for their characteristic tendency to misattribute their own thoughts and actions to other people. This project aims to rectify ESS levels in schizophrenia by artificially altering patients’ sensory feedback to self-generated actions.
COPD is a smoking-related airways disease that costs the Australian community over $8.8 billion/yr. It is predicted to become the third most common cause of death in the world by the year 2020 and is linked to an increased risk of lung cancer. There are no effective treatments for COPD. I have been working with a number of anti-inflammatory treatments in a smoking mouse model and will extend my research to see if these treatments can be optimised to treat COPD.
Understanding Adolescent Neurodevelopment: Relevance To Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,928.00
Summary
Schizophrenia first appears clinically during late adolescence. This project seeks to understand the molecular changes that occur during adolescent brain development that may underlie the behavioural abnormalities found in schizophrenia. We will focus on Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a gene which when reduced is associated with schizophrenia. By examining the role of this gene during adolescent brain development, we will better understand how disruptions to this gene may lead to schi ....Schizophrenia first appears clinically during late adolescence. This project seeks to understand the molecular changes that occur during adolescent brain development that may underlie the behavioural abnormalities found in schizophrenia. We will focus on Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a gene which when reduced is associated with schizophrenia. By examining the role of this gene during adolescent brain development, we will better understand how disruptions to this gene may lead to schizophrenia-like behaviours in adulthood.Read moreRead less
Overcoming Immunosenescence For Effective Stem Cell Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
An established treatment for blood cancers involves a stem cell transplant to replace the blood stem cells that are damaged by radiation and chemotherapy. However, treatment success is limited with advancing age due to multiple defects in the immune system. We will use new technologies to investigate how the ageing immune system copes with stem cell transplantation and explore new methods for improving recovery and immunity after HSCT.
Psychosis contributes significantly to global disease burden, affecting more than 3% of the population when schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorders are considered together. These conditions aggregate within families, and genetic risk factors do not conform to traditional diagnostic categories. My work employs brain-based classification techniques to derive subtypes of psychosis that dissect, and/or span the diagnostic categories, for investigation of modifiable genetic and ....Psychosis contributes significantly to global disease burden, affecting more than 3% of the population when schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorders are considered together. These conditions aggregate within families, and genetic risk factors do not conform to traditional diagnostic categories. My work employs brain-based classification techniques to derive subtypes of psychosis that dissect, and/or span the diagnostic categories, for investigation of modifiable genetic and environmental risk factors for psychosis.Read moreRead less
Control Of Organ Size During Development And Disease By The Salvadore-Warts-Hippo Pathway
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$331,674.00
Summary
Cancer is a disease that results from the generation of too many cells. Many signalling pathways control cell number including the newly identified Salvador-Warts-Hippo pathway. We are studying the mechanisms by which activity of this pathway is controlled, using the vinegar fly as a model. Information obtained from our study will aid understanding of human cancer as cellular processes which go awry in cancer, such as cell proliferation and death, are highly conserved between flies and humans.