Design And Use Of Conductive Biopolymers In Neural Stem Cell Network Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$74,055.00
Summary
Growing neural tissue from stem cells on an electrically conductive surface can improve cell growth over the short term, yet the functionality of the cells has never been fully established. We will investigate the use of polymers for facilitation of neural tissue growth from stem cells, test the functionality of the tissue produced, and investigate the effectiveness of implantation of the developed tissue into primates to supplement or replace damaged tissue.
Clinical Research Translation In Fluorescence-guided Surgery Of Brain Cancer: Developing A Surgical Endoscope With Enhanced Contrast
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
This proposal aims to improve the life expectancy of brain cancer patients by developing a new neurosurgical optical imaging device. The technology will transform the recently developed fluorescence-guided surgery procedure, where the tumour is endowed with artificial fluorescence. Our state-of-the art technology will enhance the fluorescence detection beyond visual perception to help remove hard-to-detect small cancer cell clusters, resulting in more accurate surgical removal of tumours.
Development Of A Non-invasive Magnetic Resonance Based Cartilage Damage Assessment Technique
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,131.00
Summary
This project will develop automated methods for the extraction of 3D maps of cartilage, bone and other anatomy from high field Magnetic Resonance Images of joints in the body.
MR Hip Intervention And Planning System To Enhance Clinical And Surgical Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$668,069.00
Summary
Degenerative hip disorders and osteoarthritis are a major cause of chronic pain and disability. This project will develop a software tool that allows clinicians to assess, monitor and plan patient treatment using magnetic resonance imaging. It will be the first tool that models joint motion using assessments of bone, cartilage and labral tissue. This will help guide treatment selection and improve outcomes from hip surgeries performed on over 20,000 Australians each year.
Automatic Brain Tissue Segmentation in Magnetic Resonance Images based on Knowledge-guided Constrained Clustering. Accurate volumetric measurement of brain tissues is of critical importance in the study of many brain disorders, disease diagnosis, disease progression tracking and treatment monitoring. The study in this research will result in the development of a powerful computational technique that allows automatic volumetric measurement and analysis of brain tissues. The software developed in ....Automatic Brain Tissue Segmentation in Magnetic Resonance Images based on Knowledge-guided Constrained Clustering. Accurate volumetric measurement of brain tissues is of critical importance in the study of many brain disorders, disease diagnosis, disease progression tracking and treatment monitoring. The study in this research will result in the development of a powerful computational technique that allows automatic volumetric measurement and analysis of brain tissues. The software developed in this project will expedite early clinical diagnosis and treatment of neural diseases for patients, hence saving life and reducing health cost both at the personal and the national level. Read moreRead less
The Role Of Nuclear Architecture In The DNA Damage Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$561,966.00
Summary
The goal of the proposed research is to understand how dynamic changes to the chromatin genome packaging network, interact with the DNA damage response and gene expression machinery, to repair damaged DNA and the impact this has on cancer biology. To do so we are combining cutting edge molecular biology techniques with innovative novel microscopy methods developed by our research team, that far exceed the spatiotemporal resolution currently used to study chromatin biology.
Novel Fluorogenic Probes For The Selective Detection Of Pathogenic Bacteria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,489.00
Summary
Current methods for the detection of multi-resistant organisms either require expensive instrumentation and expert analysts or are simple, but require 24-48 hours for bacterial identification. The ideal surveillance method would be cost effective, rapid, reliable, and simple to perform. This project aims to prepare a range of fluorescent substrates for incorporation into growth media which will then be evaluated for the specific identification of individual multi-resistant organisms, e.g. MRSA.
Unravelling Mechanotransduction Pathways In The Heart
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$949,956.00
Summary
This project addresses the still unresolved question of involvement of mechanosensitive ion channels in heart hypertrophy and arrhythmias including ventricular arrhythmias. These pathological conditions are a cause of a broadening fiscal healthcare burden in Western societies. Consequently, investigating the role of this class of ion channels in heart disease presents a priority for medical science and a great opportunity to improve the health outcomes for the Australian people.