Translating Research Into HIV-related Health Outcomes In The Developing World
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$714,745.00
Summary
Professor Crowe's research addresses important health issues for HIV infected people living in resource limited countries. Her team validates low cost point of care tests to monitor HIV infection, including a test she co-developed to determine when to start anti-HIV treatment, and investigates how these low cost tests can improve clinical care of people with HIV and TB. In addition she will determine how changes in the immune system increase the risk of heart attacks in young HIV patients.
This project involves a unique interdisciplinary approach combining bioinformatics, biostatistics and mathematical biology to better understand the dynamics of infection and immunity. Using data from in vitro studies, animal models, and human infections, I aim to understand immune control and pathogen growth and evolution in HIV and malaria infection.
This fellowship is to support Professor Stephen Kent in generating new advances in vaccines to prevent HIV (the cause of AIDS) and Influenza (“The Flu”). HIV causes over 1.5 million deaths per year and no vaccine is currently available. Influenza causes around half a million deaths per year. Although the current Influenza vaccine is partially effective, improvements are needed for it to be able to protect against the many different strains of Influenza that can cause infection.
My research is directed to the prevention of type 1 diabetes, based on understanding immune-inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to dysfunction of insulin-secreting beta cells and tissue resistance to the action of insulin. I study these mechanisms in rodent models and in humans with the aim of manipulating them for therapeutic benefit. I am particularly interested in understanding environment-gene interactions mediated by epigenetic modifications.
Understanding The Basis Of Autoimmunity In Rheumatoid Arthritis And Type 1 Diabetes To Underpin The Implementation Of Antigen-specific Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$847,490.00
Summary
In autoimmune diseases chronic organ-specific or systemic inflammation has devastating and destructing consequences. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D), HLA contribute the major genetic susceptibility. HLA proteins present the antigens which underlie disease development. This proposal underpins my vision for development of antigen-specific therapy in RA and T1D, examining interaction between HLA molecules and antigen and disease, and risk markers for T1D development.
Investigating Pathways To Alleviate The Burden Of Diabetes And Kidney Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$622,655.00
Summary
Diabetes affects more than 1.2 million Australians and up to 40% of these will develop complications including kidney disease. Excess blood sugar as the result of diabetes can accelerate a biochemical process called advanced glycation, which permanently alters proteins affecting their structure and function. My research will focus on identifying new therapies to target advanced glycation as well as dysfunction of cell power stations, mitochondria which is caused by advanced glycation.
Advancing Nanomedicine Through Particle Technology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$876,005.00
Summary
This proposal will support the development of advanced particle systems to improve the delivery of medicines in neurological diseases, HIV, diabetes and cancer. It will provide important insights for particle-based therapeutic delivery that are expected to underpin progress on nanotechnology in the areas of biology and medicine. These developments in nanotechnology-enabled medicines towards commercialisation will ultimately improve the health and quality of life of Australians.
Targeting Host Pathogen Interactions And Signalling Networks To Promote Death Of Infected Cells And Facilitate Pathogen Clearance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
Preclinical models of infectious diseases including hepatitis B, HIV, tuberculosis and human herpes virus infections will be used to understand how pathogens interact with host cells. With this understanding we aim to identify which host cell signalling pathways play a critical role in limiting or faciliating pathogen persistence. After identifying the important cellular pathways we aim to target these host cell signalling components with clinical stage drugs to promote pathogen clearance.
Towards HIV And Hepatitis C Elimination: Real-world Trials And Innovations In Disease Surveillance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$640,210.00
Summary
Over the next five years I will undertake a program of research centred on developing and implementing strategies to help eliminate hepatitis C and HIV as major public health problems. In particular, I will use innovative monitoring systems and field trials to explore ways to diagnose and treat HIV and hepatitis C in vulnerable populations in a more timely way and study the influence this has on reducing the onward transmission of these infections to others.