Defining The Genes That Dictate The Cellular Response To Tumour Protein TP53 Activation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$784,896.00
Summary
The tumour suppressor TP53 prevents the growth of abnormal cells by activating processes such as cell death and irreversible growth arrest. A cell will undergo only one of these possible responses, but it is not known why some cells die and others only stop growing. We will use innovative methods to define the genes that dictate the cellular response to TP53 activation. This research has implications for cancer, as many therapeutics aim to permanently kill cancer cells by activating TP53.
Integrating Biology And Medicine To Develop 3D-structure Guided Drug Design For Treatment Of Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$978,832.00
Summary
Calcium channel inhibitors are commonly prescribed for the treatment of heart disorders such as angina, hypertension, arrhythmias and hypertrophic heart disease. This class of drugs is one of the leading causes of drug-related fatalities. The impediment to designing better drugs is a lack of understanding of the 3 dimensional (3D) structure of the calcium channel. We will enable for the first time a 3D structure blueprint for the design of safe and highly selective calcium channel therapeutics.
Investigating A New Regulator Of Cardiac Rhythm In Development And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,022,704.00
Summary
Cardiac arrhythmias affect a high proportion of the population (2-5%) and can cause sudden death. Whilst the aetiology of arrhythmia can vary, there are clear genetic causes. Unfortunately, our knowledge of the genetic contributors is incomplete, hampering efforts to interpret genetic sequencing information. This project will undertake functional analyses of a novel arrhythmia gene and establish where, when and how it is required for correct cardiac rhythm.
A Cellular Identity Crisis: Deciphering How Mammary Epithelial Cells Form And Maintain Their Identity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$843,826.00
Summary
The ability to regenerate human organs from adult cells efficiently and without error is a major goal of biomedical research in Australia, with significant economic benefits. As one of the most regenerative organs in a woman's body, the breast is an excellent model to study mechanisms that underpin tissue growth and regrowth. Moreover, as these pathways are often hijacked by cancer, this research has important implications for the development of new targeted therapies to treat breast cancer.
Oncogenic Determinants Of The Immune Response In Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$588,144.00
Summary
There is an urgent need to develop new therapies for patients with AML. We have shown that the body's own immune system can target certain types of AML. We will determine how these types of AML change to escape control from the immune system and how this can be reversed to re-engage the anti-AML immune response. Using patient samples, we will determine how the anti-AML immune response changes during the course of standard therapy in order to best combine it with immune-targeted therapies.
From Functional Genomics To Precision Medicine: Identifying The Cause And Finding Optimal Therapy For Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$855,992.00
Summary
There is an alarming increase in mouth cancer in young patients who have never smoked. This is a debilitating and potentially fatal cancer without many treatment options. If the patient survives, the quality of life is usually very poor. Our team of medical, genetic, and mathematics experts are dedicated to finding the cause, and developing new treatments, for young non-smoking patients affected by this devastating cancer.
Uncovering The Neural Mechanisms Of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder Using Brain Modelling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$581,628.00
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an incurable mental illness and current therapies only mitigate its symptoms for a portion of individuals. Thus, there is a need to identify the neural causes of OCD to develop personalised therapies. We will combine mathematical modelling, computer simulations, and clinical and neuroimaging data to develop the first model of OCD. Outcomes from this study will enable targeted OCD research and the discovery of brain mechanisms supporting treatment response.
Substandard Bed Nets And Malaria: Causes, Impact And Solutions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$827,057.00
Summary
Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) are a cornerstone of malaria control. LLIN undergo strict testing overseen by WHO and are subject to inspections prior to delivery to recipient countries. Despite this, we found that LLINs delivered to Papua New Guinea (PNG) between 2013 and 2019 were ineffective against malaria mosquitoes. Concurrently we observed a massive rise in malaria in PNG. This study is aimed at understanding the causes and impact of substandard LLINs on the global malaria burden.
Biomechanics Meets Phenomics: Towards Understanding And Predicting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Disease Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,324,897.00
Summary
The criterion used to decide whether to operate on an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), based on the maximum diameter, does not take into consideration the rupture risk for a given patient. By combining imaging, computational biomechanics and metabolic phenotyping, we will assess the structural integrity of an AAA and local structural changes of systemic response. These will allow improved differentiation of rupture risk, leading to better outcomes for patients and savings for the health system.
Using Novel Point-of-care Diagnostic Tests And Mathematical Modelling To Achieve Hepatitis B Elimination: The Rapid B Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,948.00
Summary
Liver cancer is increasing rapidly in Australia and globally and depite hepatitis B virus infection being the leading cause, treatment rates are low. We have developed innovative point-of-care blood tests that use a single droplet of blood to measure liver damage, that will help overcome barriers to treatment uptake worldwide. The Rapid B Study will use mathematical modelling to investigate the most cost-effective way to combine these novel tests with treatment to reduce liver cancer deaths.