Optimizing Stroke Therapy - Advanced Brain Imaging And Reperfusion Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
Most stroke is due to a blocked blood vessel reducing blood flow to the brain. This research aims to optimize fast restoration of blood flow to the brain and improve patient outcomes. We will test potentially more effective clot-dissolving medication, examine potential benefits of redesigning pre-hospital ambulance transport systems and clarify the role of advanced brain imaging to maximize delivery of recently proven minimally invasive procedures to physically remove blood clots in the brain.
A Transgenic Approach To Rationale Drug Design In Plasmodium Falciparum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. It is responsible for more than 2 million deaths per year predominately in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many of the currently used drugs to combat this disease are failing through drug resistance in the parasite population. New and novel drugs are urgently required. This project uses state of the art techniques to identify and validate new and novel targets within the parasite that can be used for rational drug design
Protecting Australia From Future Swine Flu Pandemics-Functional And Structural Studies Of The H1N1 Swine Influenza A Surface Glycoprotein Hemagglutinin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,361.00
Summary
The severity of the present and future pandemic strains of the swine flu will depend on the ability to contain and combat infection via pre-emptive development of appropriate vaccines and drugs. To this end, my study of the surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin, will help predict and prevent future swine influenza pandemics by identifying potentially pandemic strains to be targeted for early vaccine development.
Mechanisms Of Abnormal Expression Of The IGF2 Gene In Disorders Affectin Foetal Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
The IGF2 gene is crucial for foetal growth. Only the copy inherited from the father is active, a phenomenon named parental imprinting. In some children with foetal overgrowth or growth retardation, the deregulation of imprinting of the IGF2 gene during the first days of foetal development will influence subsequent growth and will also have major implications in post-natal and adult life. We will investigate the mechanisms resulting in abnormal imprinting of IGF2 early in development.
Dendritic Cells In Innate Immunity And Their Potential Clinical Manipulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$443,946.00
Summary
Dendritic cells (DC) are rare cells that are crucial in response to infection and surveillance of damaged tissues. We aim to understand the tools that are expressed by DC that allow them to sense pathogens and the functions of different DC types once a pathogen has been detected. The ultimate aim is to be able to understand and harness the functions of different DC so that we may directly target them upon demand to aid in the course of infection or potentially as tumour therapy.
HIV is one of the highest public health priorities of our time. Traditional vaccines have been unsuccessful highlighting the need for alternative approaches to HIV vaccine design. We propose to modify a novel technology developed initially for targeted drug delivery, termed “capsules”, for the purpose of inducing an immune response. This is a generic technology with applications for other infectious diseases and cancer and brings together disparate disciplines of nanochemistry and immunology.
Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism And Insulin Action
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,558.00
Summary
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are two major health conditions associated with abnormal energy metabolism. In this proposal I will investigate the role of important metabolic proteins in regulating energy expenditure and insulin action in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, two crucial tissues for whole-body energy metabolism. These studies will provide critical insight into the factors leading to obesity and type 2 diabetes and will assist in identifying possible therapeutic targets.
Generation Of Mouse Models To Study The Roles Of Different Bcl-2 Family Members In The Regulation Of Apaptosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is required for the removal of infected, damaged or unwanted cells and its disrupted regulation is implicated in cancer, autoimmunity and degenerative disorders. The Bcl-2 family of proteins are key regulators of apoptosis. We propose to generate several mouse models to better understand the relationships between the different members of the Bcl-2 family in an effort to control this pathway for therapeutic purposes.