Centre Of Clinical Research Excellence In Cardiovascular Disease And Metabolic Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,000,000.00
Summary
Cardiovascular complications are the main cause of morbidity in a number of metabolic diseases, including diabetes and renal failure. The Centre's objective is to bring together six successful clinical research groups in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in collaboration with specialists in telemedicine, to address the interface between these diseases and to train a group of clinical researchers skilled in multi-disciplinary research. The planned research includes mechanistic studies as wel ....Cardiovascular complications are the main cause of morbidity in a number of metabolic diseases, including diabetes and renal failure. The Centre's objective is to bring together six successful clinical research groups in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in collaboration with specialists in telemedicine, to address the interface between these diseases and to train a group of clinical researchers skilled in multi-disciplinary research. The planned research includes mechanistic studies as well as interventional studies that will be translated to clinical practice.Read moreRead less
I investigate the regulation of blood flow in skeletal muscle and the control of muscle metabolism. In particular, my research focuses on the action of insulin on the microvasculature and the consequences of impairments of this function in obesity, hypert
Assessment Of The Mechanisms Involved And Severity Of Arterial Disease In Insulin Resistant States
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$64,631.00
Summary
Type 2 Diabetes is a major risk factor towards atherosclerosis or blood vessel narrowing. This can lead to vascular complications such as heart attacks, strokes and amputations. This research aim to examine the relationship between some of the mechanisms and their contribution towards vascular disease in the progression from normal health, through insulin resistance to diabetes. This understanding will provide diagnostic tools and treatment targets for diabetic vascular disease.
Mechanisms Linking Insulin-mediated Muscle Capillary Recruitment And Glucose Uptake
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,990.00
Summary
A number of studies over recent years including our own have suggested that insulin acts in normal humans and animals to improve blood supply to muscle and that a contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes is an impaired ability of insulin to achieve this effect. Our key contribution to this field is the finding that insulin acts to alter blood flow in muscle to improve access for itself and nutrients such as glucose. This discovery of blood flow redistribution in muscle was made possible by newly d ....A number of studies over recent years including our own have suggested that insulin acts in normal humans and animals to improve blood supply to muscle and that a contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes is an impaired ability of insulin to achieve this effect. Our key contribution to this field is the finding that insulin acts to alter blood flow in muscle to improve access for itself and nutrients such as glucose. This discovery of blood flow redistribution in muscle was made possible by newly developed in-house methods. Using these methods we now wish to explore (a) the mechanism by which insulin mediates this effect and (b) when this effect of insulin to improve muscle blood flow is impaired in diabetes, how it might be recovered. We expect to find that insulin-mediated capillary recruitment in muscle results from a signal substance released from muscle that permeates nearby tissue reacting with the blood vessels to improve blood flow. It is also expected that new therapeutic approaches for enhancing insulin action in muscle and targeted at the blood vessels will be identified.Read moreRead less
Cyclic GMP Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors And Facilitation Of Insulin-mediated Capillary Recruitment In Muscle
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,500.00
Summary
It would now seem clear that insulin has a major stimulatory effect on blood flow within muscle to improve access for itself as well as nutrients such as glucose. When this haemodynamic effect of insulin is impaired insulin resistance in terms of glucose uptake by muscle results and there is the potential for type 2 diabetes to develop. Our key contribution has been the development of new techniques to make this observation possible and it would be fair to say that we are the world leaders in th ....It would now seem clear that insulin has a major stimulatory effect on blood flow within muscle to improve access for itself as well as nutrients such as glucose. When this haemodynamic effect of insulin is impaired insulin resistance in terms of glucose uptake by muscle results and there is the potential for type 2 diabetes to develop. Our key contribution has been the development of new techniques to make this observation possible and it would be fair to say that we are the world leaders in this field because of these techniques. Using these methods we now wish to develop new drugs for treating type 2 diabetes based on improving muscle capillary blood flow. The approach we will use is similar to that used previously by others for the treatment of erectile dysfunction with drugs targeted at a particular enzyme controlling the metabolism of a substance (cyclic GMP) which in turn regulates blood flow to the corpus cavernosum. In our case, the drugs will be targeted at another specific isoform of the same enzyme, cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase, located at control points in the skeletal muscle microvasculature. We expect to find that insulin-mediated capillary recruitment in muscle will be enhanced by such drugs. As a consequence, insulin resistance in muscle will be lessened.Read moreRead less
Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy: Pathogenesis And Natural History
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,478.00
Summary
Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC): broken heart syndrome is a poorly-understood cause of acute heart failure which usually occurs in post-menopausal women exposed to severe emotional stress. We will investigate the best way to diagnose TTC, identify its molecular causes and impact in the short and long-term on cardiac and blood vessel function. This research potentially should improve the detection and management of TTC, and may point to ways for its prevention.