Application Of New Technologies And Methods In Nutrition Research – The Example Of Phenotypic Flexibility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$210,823.00
Summary
The aim of the Nutritech project is to develop better diagnostics of the effect of foods and dietary supplements on the health of an individual. NutriTech will develop new analytical technologies to comprehensively investigate the diet-health interrelationship and critically assess their usefulness for the future of nutrition research. A new automated method for measuring the effect of diet on multiple measures of DNA damage and nutrients in single cells will be developed at CSIRO.
Role Of The Drug Metabolising Enzyme Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,196.00
Summary
The current project will identify the molecular mechanism(s) that underpins the significant changes in phenotype seen in a range of human cancer cells. The expected outcomes will be to demonstrate that NAT1 is critical for the clearance of pABG in cancer cells. The results will be important in the context of understanding this family of intracellular enzymes and will change the current thinking on the function of the arylamine N-acetyltransferase in normal and cancer cells.
Protein Phosphatase 2A Methylation: Regulation And Functional Significance For Tauopathies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,713.00
Summary
Clinical studies have revealed that low blood levels of the vitamin folate are a risk factor for cognitive impairment, depression and dementia, which are prevalent in the elderly. Deregulation of the protein tau is a key event in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. This project will utilize cell culture and aged mouse models to determine how alterations in folate status and deregulation of protein phosphatase 2A affect the regulation of tau and other key brain processes that become altered in Alzh ....Clinical studies have revealed that low blood levels of the vitamin folate are a risk factor for cognitive impairment, depression and dementia, which are prevalent in the elderly. Deregulation of the protein tau is a key event in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. This project will utilize cell culture and aged mouse models to determine how alterations in folate status and deregulation of protein phosphatase 2A affect the regulation of tau and other key brain processes that become altered in Alzheimer’s disease.Read moreRead less
Diseases of the 21st century are complex with environmental and genetic causes. At the interface of these is Epigenetics - factors not specified by DNA sequence that control genes. Recent data show much of the risk associated with disease is set early in life, even during the time in the womb. The MCRI CDDE laboratory has assembled teams of researchers of diverse expertise investigating epigenetics of human development and complex disease to hopefully prevent or reverse them early in life.
Diagnostic Tests To Predict Risk For Life Threatening Pregnancy Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,824.00
Summary
The main complications of pregnancy, preeclampsia, preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction afflict 19% of first pregnancies and are life threatening to the mother or baby in 6% of pregnancies. Currently we have no way of knowing which women will suffer these diseases until symptoms manifest. We aim to develop genetic tests that can predict which women are at risk. This will permit earlier interventions that will improve the health of pregnant women and their babies.
VITATOPS - A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Vitamins To Prevent Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$391,364.00
Summary
A high level of a normal protein component in the blood (homocysteine) is fast becoming recognised as a new risk factor for premature stroke and heart disease, although it remains uncertain whether treatment with vitamins can prevent these diseases from occurring. VITATOPS is a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to examine the efficacy and safety of multi-vitamin therapy (folate, B6 and B12) in the prevention of stroke and other types of vascular disease. The VITATOPS ....A high level of a normal protein component in the blood (homocysteine) is fast becoming recognised as a new risk factor for premature stroke and heart disease, although it remains uncertain whether treatment with vitamins can prevent these diseases from occurring. VITATOPS is a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to examine the efficacy and safety of multi-vitamin therapy (folate, B6 and B12) in the prevention of stroke and other types of vascular disease. The VITATOPS study arises from a large body of consistent, biologically plausible evidence linking homocysteine in a dose-dependent fashion to stroke and other types of vascular disease. A simple, non-toxic, and inexpensive intervention in the form of multivitamins (folate, B6 and B12) has been shown to be highly effective at reducing homocysteine levels, irrespective of the underlying cause. All patients who are referred to a neurologist or general physician in one of the collaborating centres within six months of a stroke or transient ischaemic attack are eligible for the trial. In total, treatment will continue for a period of between 1 and 5 years. During this time, patients will be closely monitored in order to record the occurrence of any vascular events (particularly strokes and heart attacks). Neither the study investigator nor the patient will know which treatment they are receiving (i.e. it is 'double blind'). The number of vascular events in the treatment groups will be compared at the end of the study in order to determine whether vitamin treatment is beneficial. This application is for five years of support to allow the investigators to move from the pilot phase of VITATOPS in Perth to begin recruitment to the definitive trial in other centres across Australia and New Zealand. This study may have a major impact on patient management. If vitamins prove to be effective, we may recommend vitamin supplementation to all of our stroke patients in the future.Read moreRead less
Randomised Trial Of Homocysteine Lowering Treatment Of Depression In Later Life (B-VITAge)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$775,530.00
Summary
The causes of depression in later life are varied and complex, but available evidence suggests that cardiovascular disease plays an important role. High homocysteine (a robust risk factor for myocardial infarction and strokes) accounts for about 20% of all cases of depression in older age. We have previously shown that treatment with vitamins B12, B6 and folate reduces homocysteine. We propose to run a trial to test if lowering homocysteine decreases the severity and prevalence of depression.
Predictors Of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality In The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,544.00
Summary
The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study was set up in the early 1990s to investigate prospectively the role of diet and other lifestyle factors in causing common chronic diseases including common cancers and cardiovascular disease. Between 1990 and 1994, 41,500 people, aged 40-69 were recruited into the MCCS. About 30% of the cohort are southern European migrants to Australia who were deliberately over-sampled to extend the range of dietary and lifestyle exposures. Migrants from southern Europe ....The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study was set up in the early 1990s to investigate prospectively the role of diet and other lifestyle factors in causing common chronic diseases including common cancers and cardiovascular disease. Between 1990 and 1994, 41,500 people, aged 40-69 were recruited into the MCCS. About 30% of the cohort are southern European migrants to Australia who were deliberately over-sampled to extend the range of dietary and lifestyle exposures. Migrants from southern Europe have an adverse risk factor profile in relation to obesity, body fat distribution, physical activity patterns, diabetes, smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, yet their death rates from heart disease are 30-40% lower than the Australian average. A major objective of this study is to investigate the possibility that particular aspects of the diet and cuisine of migrants from southern Europe (olive oil as the major dietary fat, and high intakes of a variety of vegetables and fruit) protect against heart disease and stroke by providing high levels of a wide range of natural antioxidants. It represents the most comprehensive prospective study of diet and cardiovascular disease mortality ever conducted in Australia. A particularly powerful feature is the combination of detailed self-reported dietary intake, the very wide range of exposures to dietary factors implicated in CVD (as risk factors or protective agents), and the objective markers of dietary intake (biochemical markers of dietary intake patterns in blood collected at recruitment, body weight, body fat and body fat distribution). The data should provide a strong rationale for specific dietary recommendations as part of population-based strategies to reduce the incidence of premature mortality from heart disease and stroke in the Australian population.Read moreRead less