POST-OPERATIVE CROHNS DISEASE RECURRENCE: EVALUATION OF AETIOLOGIC FACTORS And AN ALGORITHM And TRIAL TO MODIFY RECURRENCE.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$123,472.00
Summary
Eighty percent of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) need an operation at some stage. The disease invariably returns, and in 70% of patients further surgery is required. This project aims to determine whether particular bacteria cause the disease to recur and will look at the value of antibiotic treatment to prevent severe disease recurring. It will also assess whether adjusting treatment based on changes seen at the operative site during follow-up influences disease recurrence .
Investigating The Role Of TCR Avidity In Influenza Virus-specific CD8 T Cell Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$83,142.00
Summary
One of the constituents of the immune system is the cytotoxic, or killer, T cells and these are important in the overall protection from viral infection. Activation of these T cells is mediated by signalling through the T cell receptor (TCR). This study will definitively determine how the strength with which the TCR binds to the activating ligand, can influence the quality of virus-specific T cell immune responses after infection. This has implications for vaccine design.
Immune Correlates Of Protection Against HCV - A Potential Role For NK Cells And NKR Expression On T Lymphocytes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$72,754.00
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a major public health problem with ~200 million people infected worldwide and no available vaccine. Injecting drug users (IDUs) are the major risk group, with 75% of infected individuals progress to chronic infection, which can then lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, about 20% of a given cohort of IDUs remains uninfected. This project is therefore focused on understanding the innate immune mechanisms behind this protection.
The Role Of Novel G-Protein Coupled Receptors In Immunity And Inflammatory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$69,684.00
Summary
Recent advances in molecular biology techniques have resulted in the identification of many novel GPCRs. Novel GPCRs expressed selectively on immune cells display a potential target for novel therapies for inflammatory diseases such as Asthma and Rheumatoid arthritis. This project aims to define the activity and significance of a novel group of GPCRs, the GPR40 family. Outcomes of this project will be further understanding of immune cell development and inflammatory disease development.
The Role Of Toll Like Receptors In Leukocyte Activation And Adherence In Glomeruli In Auto-immune Glomerulonephritis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$82,554.00
Summary
1 in 7 Australians have Kidney disease. Kidney disease tends to be progressive and over 8500 Australians require renal replacement therapy (dialysis). The cost of dialysis from 2004-2010 in Australia will be $ 4.5 billion. Auto-immune disease and Diabetes accounts for nearly 60% of kidney failure. Whilst current regimes exist to treat Kidney disease these are limited because they are deleterious side-effects. Improved understanding of the mechanism of disease will lead to improved treatments.