Early Versus Delayed Therapeutic Venesection For The Prevention Of Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,012.00
Summary
This study will investigate treatment by blood removal for the inherited iron overload condition hereditary haemochromatosis: Is treatment more effective in reducing risk of disease if performed early as a preventive measure rather than later after diagnosis with symptoms? Details of the lifetime history of blood donation from the Australian Red Cross Blood Service will be combined with existing information from questionnaires and clinical examination of 1,439 study participants in Melbourne.
Genes And Environment In The Risk Of Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Population-based Case-Control Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$949,588.00
Summary
This study will pool data from three well-conducted population-based cohorts of older persons to gain a large sample size in order to investigate the interplay of genes and environmental factors on the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study will give insights into AMD pathogenesis, and enable potential targeting of people with AMD susceptibility genes for preventive approaches. These could ultimately reduce the burden of this blinding condition.
Comprehensive Assessment Of Genetic And Environmental Risk Factors For Melanoma: A Population-based Family Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,679.00
Summary
Excessive sunlight can cause melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. However, there are other factors including a person's genetic make-up that are thought to put some people at higher risk. Many 'healthy' people have small changes in their genes that might make them more likely to develop melanoma. We need to know more about these genetic factors. Our study will investigate how particular small genetic changes influence a person's likelihood of developing melanoma.
Common Susceptibility Genes Underlying The Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies (IGE) - A Genome-wide Scanning Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$212,063.00
Summary
Epilepsy is the most common serious brain condition. Seizures affect about 10% of people at some time in their life and their consequences are an important public health problem. The most common group of inherited epilepsies account for about 30% of childhood epilepsy and 20% of adult epilepsy. This study will be the first in Australia and one of only a few worldwide to take a population-based approach to investigating the link between epilepsy and genetic inheritance.
David Whiteman is a medical epidemiologist with a special interest in the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer. His work has focussed on melanoma and skin cancer, and more recently, on cancers of the upper gastro-intestinal tract.
Genetic And Environmental Epidemiology Of Early-onset Melanoma In The Australian Melanoma Family Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$412,210.00
Summary
This project will investigate the genetic and environmental causes of melanoma, especially melanoma developing under the age of 40 in Australian families. This project will help to identify which people are at greatest risk of developing melanoma, by identifying the genes involved in melanoma development and the contribution of environmental and lifestyle factors to the disease. We will also determine how much hereditary factors contribute to melanoma risk.
Genes And Environment In Late AMD: Pooling A State And Population Resource
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$701,642.00
Summary
This study will pool cases from the West Australian Macular Degeneration database with the Blue Mountains Eye Study (NSW), to investigate the interplay of genes and environmental factors on risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in particular the late, vision threatening stage. It will provide insights into the underlying causes of AMD, and could allow us to target people with AMD susceptibility genes for preventive approaches, which could reduce the burden of this disease.