Immunomodulatory Molecules Of Parasitic Helminths As Novel Therapeutics For Allergic Disorders.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,532.00
Summary
Australia has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world with almost 3 million Australians are affected by this disease. Previous research has shown that infection with various types of parasitic worms lessens the severity of asthma. The aim of this research is to find out why this happens and to isolate the ingredients from the parasite that suppress asthma. Once found, these molecules can be used to create new drugs for the prevention of asthma and allergies in children and adults.
Targeting The Human Immune Response To Bacterial Superantigens.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$165,424.00
Summary
This research investigates the human immune response to infection with toxin producing bacteria. Toxins activate the human immune system which can lead to serious illness or the development of disease that can progress rapidly and be associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Investigating the harmful effects of infection with toxin producing bacteria in humans and the damage caused by their toxins is essential for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
Protecting Hyposplenic Children And Adults: Identifying Optimal Immunisation Regimens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$472,044.00
Summary
Children and adults without normal spleen function are at massively increased risk of overwhelming infection with the pneumococcus bacteria, with 200 times the risk of death from sepsis compared with the normal community. Poor spleen function can be due to an absent spleen (eg after surgery following a car accident) or an underlying medical condition (eg thalassaemia or cancer therapy). Thousands of Australians are affected by this condition and need extra protection from daily antibiotics and a ....Children and adults without normal spleen function are at massively increased risk of overwhelming infection with the pneumococcus bacteria, with 200 times the risk of death from sepsis compared with the normal community. Poor spleen function can be due to an absent spleen (eg after surgery following a car accident) or an underlying medical condition (eg thalassaemia or cancer therapy). Thousands of Australians are affected by this condition and need extra protection from daily antibiotics and additional immunsiations against pneumococcus. A new vaccine against pneumococcus was introduced for Australian infants routinely in 2005 and has prevented many from developing pneumococcal meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia. We wish to see whether this new vaccine, when used with the older existing pneumococcal vaccine, will better protect older children and adults with poor spleen function from the devastating effects of pneumococcus. We will compare different ways of using these vaccines to try to identify the most protective vaccination plan for this vulnerable group of Australians.Read moreRead less
The development of vaccines and better treatments for HIV-AIDS and Hepatitis C are urgent global health priorities. This Program will undertake studies to better understand effective immunity against HIV and hepatitis C, allowing the rational design and testing of novel vaccines and treatments. The Program brings together a team of researchers with skills in basic virology and immunology with those providing expertise in translating findings in the laboratory into human clinical trials.
Individualizing Cytomegalovirus Preventative Strategies Following Solid Organ Transplantation: A Precision Medicine Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$128,224.00
Summary
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a significant contributor to poor outcomes following solid organ transplantation. Current preventative strategies are somewhat effective but treat groups of patients similarly rather than targeting the individual, so many patients are treated unnecessarily & breakthrough disease still occurs. We propose a program of research directed towards individualizing CMV prevention strategies in solid organ transplant recipients, incorporating new diagnostic tests.
The development of cures, vaccines and better treatments for HIV/AIDS is an urgent global health priority. This team of seven groups in Sydney and Melbourne will study how HIV can lie dormant in some parts of the body, evading eradication by HIV therapy, as well as how the immune system responds to the virus. This will allow for design of novel vaccines and treatments. The researchers have skills in basic virology and immunology, and translating laboratory findings into human clinical trials.
Humoral And Neutralising Antibody Responses To Self-adjuvanting Recombinant HCV Virus Like Particles
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$118,796.00
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 3% of the world's population and causes an estimated 476,000 deaths per year as a result of HCV associated end-stage liver disease. HCV is one of the most common notifiable infectious diseases in Australia with 16,000 new cases reported annually and a vaccine will reduce the number of new infections. The aim of this project is to develop HCV virus like particles (VLP's) that have the potential for future development of preventative vaccine against HCV.
The HITS Study: Modes Of Transmission, Natural History And Determinants Of Outcome From Primary Hepatitis C Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$948,250.00
Summary
Hepatitis C (HCV) affects approximately 200,000 Australians, of whom a significant minority develop long term complications, including cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. The dominant mode of transmission of this virus is via blood-to-blood contact, particularly via injecting drug use. Prisons appear to be a key focus of transmission of hepatitis C in the community as the majority of inmates are incarcerated for drug-related crimes, and injecting drug use remains prevalent whilst in priso ....Hepatitis C (HCV) affects approximately 200,000 Australians, of whom a significant minority develop long term complications, including cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. The dominant mode of transmission of this virus is via blood-to-blood contact, particularly via injecting drug use. Prisons appear to be a key focus of transmission of hepatitis C in the community as the majority of inmates are incarcerated for drug-related crimes, and injecting drug use remains prevalent whilst in prison. In addition, as almost one in two inmates are already infected at the time of incarceration, those who are uninfected appear to be at significant risk of becoming infected through other (non-injecting) routes such as tattooing, fights and other coincidental blood exposures. This application seeks support for the HITS study (Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission in Prisons study) - a prospective cohort study of inmates of NSW prisons. Following a successful pilot in which the substantial bureaucratic and logistical hurdles were resolved, the main cohort has been enroling since late 2000. The initial data have confirmed a high rate of at risk behaviour amongst inmates and three primary HCV infections acquired in prison have been documented featuring an unusual antibody negative pattern which would typically pass undetected in screening assays for HCV infection. After exposure to HCV and the development of primary infection, approximately one in five individuals successfully resolves the infection and clears the virus, presumably via an efficient immune response or a non-virulent virus, or a combination of these factors. Therefore, in addition to the public health aspects of the HITS study, the research also aims to define the immunological and virological factors which allow clearance of HCV. These studies will provide key information to guide treatment and immunisation strategies against hepatitis C.Read moreRead less