Iron/hemin Transport Systems Of Porphyromonas Gingivalis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$392,036.00
Summary
Periodontitis is a bacterial-associated disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and can result in tooth loss. The disease is classified as a major public health problem with an enormous economic burden. A bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, has now been implicated as a major causative agent of periodontitis in adults. To survive and grow within humans pathogenic bacteria must be able to acquire essential elements, including iron. The human host has developed a variety of mechanisms to ....Periodontitis is a bacterial-associated disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and can result in tooth loss. The disease is classified as a major public health problem with an enormous economic burden. A bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, has now been implicated as a major causative agent of periodontitis in adults. To survive and grow within humans pathogenic bacteria must be able to acquire essential elements, including iron. The human host has developed a variety of mechanisms to restrict the amount of iron available as a means of limiting the growth of bacterial pathogens. In response to this iron limitation Porphyromonas gingivalis has developed novel ways of obtaining this essential element. We have identified a novel iron transport system that P. gingivalis uses to obtain iron from the human host. A component of this transport system, FetB is a surface protein antigen. The aims of this project are to: i. Determine the mechanism by which this novel iron transport system functions by genetic manipulation of the organism using molecular biology techniques. ii. Determine how important this transport system is for the pathogenicity of the bacterium. iii. Prepare the FetB protein using recombinant DNA technology. iv. Test the recombinant FetB protein and another iron transport protein (Tlr) in animal models to determine their efficacy as a vaccine for periodontitis. The expected outcomes of this research are:- i. the understanding of how P. gingivalis transports iron. ii. an understanding of the importance of iron transport systems to the pathogenicity of the bacterium. iii. a P. gingivalis vaccine with efficacy in animals based on an iron transport protein(s).Read moreRead less
Using Clinical And Economic Evidence To Infrom Local Decision Making In Cancer Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,836,745.00
Summary
Medicines used to treat cancer often come with a high price tag. Many countries, including Australia, are no longer able to provide free access to all medicines. For this reason, patients and their families, public hospitals and private health insurers are often asked to pay for these treatments. Currently, health professionals and patients are ill-equipped to make informed treatment choices, since both cost and efficacy must be considered. Our proposed research will address this important gap i ....Medicines used to treat cancer often come with a high price tag. Many countries, including Australia, are no longer able to provide free access to all medicines. For this reason, patients and their families, public hospitals and private health insurers are often asked to pay for these treatments. Currently, health professionals and patients are ill-equipped to make informed treatment choices, since both cost and efficacy must be considered. Our proposed research will address this important gap in current knowledge. We will use a unique web-based resource (Cancer Institute NSW Standard Cancer Treatment Program; CI-SCaT) to communicate the economic evidence needed to make informed decisions about cancer treatments. Our project will provide public access to information about the effectiveness and costs of cancer drugs. This is a world first. CI-SCaT is already the main vehicle of communication about cancer drug treatments in NSW and is widely used by cancer health professionals and patients to inform point-of-care decisions. Our project we will also identify the factors which influence the ability of cancer treatment centres to make best use of their drug budgets. By achieving this goal, we hope to demonstrate how to best use scarce resources for the benefit of all cancer patients.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms Of Intestinal And Systemic Iron Homeostasis In Early Infancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$485,835.00
Summary
Iron is essential trace element for normal health. Iron requirements are particularly high during early postnatal life to meet the needs of the growing infant. To accommodate these needs, intestinal iron absorption is extremely high at this time. We have previously shown that the iron absorption mechanism during suckling differs from that in adults and this project explores that mechanism in more detail. These studies have important implications for infant nutrition and dietary supplementation.
Mechanisms Of Intestinal Iron Absorption And Consequences Of Iron Supplementation During The Perinatal Period
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$526,878.00
Summary
Iron intake is particularly high during pregnancy and in the newborn to meet the requirements of the growing fetus and neonate. While it is widely recommended that women take iron supplements at this time, too much iron may adversely affect pregnancy outcome. The aim of this study is to understand the factors controlling iron intake in the perinatal and the consequences of excess iron. This will provide the physiological information required to make rational decisions about iron supplementation.
Non-invasive Measurement And Imaging Of Hepatic Iron Concentrations Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,210.00
Summary
Iron overload diseases such as genetic haemochromatosis and thalassaemia affect up to 0.5% of the world's population. These diseases result in deposition of dangerously high concentrations of iron in tissues of the body. Organs such as the liver and heart are at particular risk of being damaged. In order to manage a patient's condition optimally, a knowledge of their tissue iron concentrations is required. Currently the most direct and reliable way of achieving this is to remove a small sample o ....Iron overload diseases such as genetic haemochromatosis and thalassaemia affect up to 0.5% of the world's population. These diseases result in deposition of dangerously high concentrations of iron in tissues of the body. Organs such as the liver and heart are at particular risk of being damaged. In order to manage a patient's condition optimally, a knowledge of their tissue iron concentrations is required. Currently the most direct and reliable way of achieving this is to remove a small sample of the patient's liver for chemical analysis. Apart from the fact that the procedure is unpleasant and carries some risk, the measurement made by this method has some uncertainty because the liver iron concentration can vary significantly from place to place within the liver. The aim of this project is to test the validity of a new non-invasive method of measuring and imaging the liver iron concentrations of a patient. In addition, the potential to use the new technology for detecting and imaging liver cirrhosis in iron overloaded patients will be evaluated. If successful, the project may lead to a more accurate method of measuring tissue iron concentrations and eliminate the need for invasive procedures.Read moreRead less
Red Cell Disorders And The Regulation Of Iron Homeostasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$605,096.00
Summary
Iron is an essential nutrient, but it is also toxic when present in excess, so the amount of iron moving into and around the body must be tightly controlled. In this project we will investigate how this body iron movement is regulated, and in particular the role played by macrophages, the cells that clean up old red blood cells. An understanding of this process will be of great benefit in the analysis and treatment of important blood diseases and disorders of iron metabolism.