Advanced Imaging For Patient Profiling In Patients With Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$319,831.00
Summary
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the developed world. Many patients are require rehabilitation which can vary in terms of its success, and in many cases patients can be left with permanent and significant disability. Approaches to understand the neuroplastic changes associated with poststroke motor impairment are limited. This study aims to further our understanding of stroke recovery by undertaking a longitudinal MRI assessment of patients recovering from stroke.
Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion MR Imaging Of Tissue Pathophysiology In Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$402,604.00
Summary
It was estimated that in 2012 there were 420,000 Australians living with disability caused by stroke. This project intends to develop a practical treatment selection approach using advanced imaging to target likely treatment responders which could result in more patients living disability free from improved diagnosis and individualised tailoring of acute interventions using MR imaging. The ultimate aim of this project is the translation and implementation of practical advanced imaging stroke.
I am a clinician researcher in paediatric emergency medicine. My research focus is acute neurological problems and includes both high volume and rare but life threatening conditions in children. Award of an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship will allow me to address major evidence gaps in the acute care of children presenting to the emergency department with head injuries and brain attacks (acute neurological dysfunction), and to translate the findings into widespread practice.
Evaluation Of Pathogenic Mechanisms Involved In Nuclear And Mitochondrial DNA-encoded Mitochondrial Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,527.00
Summary
Mitochondria produce energy for the cell. Disorders of mitochondrial function can cause human disease. These diseases are referred to as the mitochondrial disorders. Mitochondrial disorders usually involve multiple tissues, particularly the muscle and brain.These disorders are usually caused by mutations in two different types of DNA; nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. There are many forms of mitochondrial disorders; some affect young children or infants and others cause adult disease. In some cases ....Mitochondria produce energy for the cell. Disorders of mitochondrial function can cause human disease. These diseases are referred to as the mitochondrial disorders. Mitochondrial disorders usually involve multiple tissues, particularly the muscle and brain.These disorders are usually caused by mutations in two different types of DNA; nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. There are many forms of mitochondrial disorders; some affect young children or infants and others cause adult disease. In some cases, genetic defects may cause the same disease and other mutations may cause a wide range of symptoms. The reason why this occurs is unknown. This study investigates several factors that may determine why some mutations lead to a certain disease and why others may cause different diseases. These factors include the variation in energy levels that are produced by the mutant cells, and the different levels of vunerability that mutated cells may have to induced cell death. The goal of this proposal is to identify the factors that lead to mutations causing different clinical symptoms with the overall aim being to design treatment for these chronic diseases.Read moreRead less
A Randomised Trial Of Core Cooling Versus Surface Cooling In Comatose Survivors Of Prehospital Cardiac Arrest
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$309,000.00
Summary
Pre-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a major public health problem that is estimated to cause around one death per thousand adults per year. The aetiology of SCA is usually ischaemic heart disease causing ventricular fibrillation (VF). The current medical response to this condition involves a Chain of Survival, including early call to 000, bystander CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced cardiac life support. Following successful cardiac resuscitation, patients are transported to ho ....Pre-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a major public health problem that is estimated to cause around one death per thousand adults per year. The aetiology of SCA is usually ischaemic heart disease causing ventricular fibrillation (VF). The current medical response to this condition involves a Chain of Survival, including early call to 000, bystander CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced cardiac life support. Following successful cardiac resuscitation, patients are transported to hospital for further care. Despite this approach and recent improvements such as decreased ambulance response times, outcome remains poor and there are very few survivors who make a good recovery. This proposal is for funding to conduct a randomised, controlled trial, which compares two different techniques of induction of hypothermia in patients who are resuscitated from pre-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. Recently available data suggests that the outcome from SCA is significantly improved if moderate hypothermia is used as a treatment of neurological injury. However, the technique of induction of hypothermia requires further research. This study compares core-cooling using large-volume ice-cold intravenous fluid with the current technique of using ice packs for surface cooling, initiated in the field by ambulance paramedics and continued in hospital for a total of 12 hours. This study has the potential to demonstrate a significant improvement in outcome in a common clinical condition, which currently carries a very high mortality rate. This will be the first trial internationally which assess core versus surface cooling initiated pre-hospital, in SCA patients. It is highly likely that with the successful results from this trial that induced hypothermia in SCA patients will become standard care. The use of induced hypothermia could lead to over 500 lives saved per year accross Australia.Read moreRead less