Novel Functional Testing For Early Diabetic Retinopathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,578.00
Summary
About 7.5% of Australians have diabetes and 62% of them will have signs of damage to their eyes within 6 years of diagnosis. Diabetes is 2 to 3 times more common amongst Aboriginal Australians. A group of researchers at the Australian National University are collaborating to bring a new test for the severity of diabetic eye disease to the market within 3 years. The objective is to provide doctors with a rapid, cost-effective tool to help them recognize sight-threatening damage and to assist in t ....About 7.5% of Australians have diabetes and 62% of them will have signs of damage to their eyes within 6 years of diagnosis. Diabetes is 2 to 3 times more common amongst Aboriginal Australians. A group of researchers at the Australian National University are collaborating to bring a new test for the severity of diabetic eye disease to the market within 3 years. The objective is to provide doctors with a rapid, cost-effective tool to help them recognize sight-threatening damage and to assist in treatment.Read moreRead less
The Use Of MicroRNA As Novel Therapeutic Targets For Reducing Retinal Inflammation And Degeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$349,076.00
Summary
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in Australia. We aim to investigate a new class of potential therapeutics, microRNA which are involved in the regulation of many biological processes, including inflammation. A greater understanding of these miRNA will enable discovery of novel therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases like AMD, and will have further reaching applications in other inflammatory disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The vision we rely on every day to read and recognise faces depends upon the health of the central portion of our retina, the macula. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in Australia and the western world. Researchers at the Australian National University are collaborating to bring a new test for AMD severity to the market within 3 years. The objective is to provide doctors with a rapid, cost-effective tool to help them manage treatment.
White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) Preparedness For Biosecurity Awareness And Adoption Of Best Practice By The NSW And QLD Wild Catch Commercial Fishers - Understanding What Extension Pathways Work Best
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$84,000.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. Develop appropriate extension material to reduce the risk of spread of WSSV from the control zone to the non control zones in QLD and NSW. 2. To quantify best extension practice for biosecurity for the commercial wild catch fishers. 3. To, where possible, utilise existing extension material developed by Biosecurity Queensland for the commercial wild catch fishery.
Field Observations And Assessment Of The Response To An Outbreak Of White Spot Disease (WSD) In Black Tiger Prawns (Penaeus Monodon) Farmed On The Logan River In November 2016
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$52,663.15
Summary
Objectives: 1. Undertake assessment on the causative factors for the outbreak of WSD in the prawn farms in the Logan River region 2. Provide technical advice to APFA, QSIA, ACPF, Sunfish, ARFF and FRDC on the technical information arising from the eradication program for WSD 3. Undertake research and sampling for later assessment on how to improve the management of WSD and its erradication
The Prevention Of Occupationally-related Infections In Western Rock Lobster Fishermen
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$158,901.00
Summary
The incidence and severity of infection associated with WRL does not appear to have changed vastly since 1949, despite penicillin therapy and a heightened awareness of the infection by those in the industry. Infection may result in loss of working days. Severe cases may progess to more serious conditions such as septic arthritis and endocarditis, potentially life-threatening conditions. The inappropriate and unnecessary use of antibiotics is of great concern currently as antibiotic resistant ba ....The incidence and severity of infection associated with WRL does not appear to have changed vastly since 1949, despite penicillin therapy and a heightened awareness of the infection by those in the industry. Infection may result in loss of working days. Severe cases may progess to more serious conditions such as septic arthritis and endocarditis, potentially life-threatening conditions. The inappropriate and unnecessary use of antibiotics is of great concern currently as antibiotic resistant bacteria emerge world-wide. The emphasis is now on preventing infection rather than treating it with antibiotics when it does occur. More advanced techniques for the recovery and detection of E. rhusiopathiae have been developed, including the use of selective media and a molecular method. Further study of these infections, utilising more appropriate techniques, is warranted to determine the exact role that E. rhusiopathiae has in this infection. Also, the role of other organisms causing apparent infection in fishermen of all types needs to be evaluated. This will allow preventive strategies to be developed which will, in turn, result in less infection and reduced exposure to antibiotics. Objectives: 1. To determine the role that E.rhusiopathiae plays in "crayfish poisoning". 2. To determine the distribution of E.rhusiopathiae in the work environment 3. To develop interventions and strategies to reduce the incidence of "crayfish poisoning" Read moreRead less
Oyster Depuration: A Re-assessment Of Depuration Conditions And The Role Of Bacterial And Viral Indicators In Determining Depuration Effectiveness
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$284,053.03
Summary
The NSW oyster industry has suffered severe economic losses during the past 20 years as the result of major outbreaks of gastroenteritis and other oyster-borne diseases. Further outbreaks will cripple the industry from immediate losses and resulting litigation.
There is an urgent need to re-examine the conditions for depuration of NSW oysters harvested in very different geographic and environmental conditions with particular reference to water temperature, salinity and turbidity during ....The NSW oyster industry has suffered severe economic losses during the past 20 years as the result of major outbreaks of gastroenteritis and other oyster-borne diseases. Further outbreaks will cripple the industry from immediate losses and resulting litigation.
There is an urgent need to re-examine the conditions for depuration of NSW oysters harvested in very different geographic and environmental conditions with particular reference to water temperature, salinity and turbidity during depuration. It is important to determine what limitations exist in the current technology and how they might affect purification efficiency and commercial acceptance by oyster farmers. In light of such information, there will be a need to modify the Code of Practice for Oyster Depuration. Equally important is the need to educate and train oyster farmers in proper quality assurance of oyster quality and safety, which will include optimal application of purification technology.
Current safety of oysters is assessed by the presence of E. coli as indicators of bacterial pathogens, yet the majority of oyster-borne disease is of viral origin, principally NV and more recently, HAV. Unfortunately, direct testing for human viruses in oysters is time consuming and very expensive, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. From the perspective of implementing a quality assurance program that will effectively protect public health, it is essential to have more accurate and more reliable indicator tests for the presence of human viruses in oysters. Consequently, there is a clear need to examine the relationship between the presence of bacterial indicators (E. coli), coliphages and human infectious viruses in oysters before, during and after purification. Such a study will not only clarify the behaviour of viruses during purification but could lead to a rapid coliphage assay as a more accurate indicator of human virus presence in oysters. Objectives: 1. To optimize the process of oyster depuration with respect to conditions of: initial load of contamination; water temperature, salinity, turbidity and oxygen content; oyster: water ratio; time of depuration; geographical location of oysters; and oyster eating quality. 2. Based on the findings from objective 1, and in consultation with the NSW Department of Health, NSW Fisheries and representatives of the oyster industry, develop and write modifications to the Code of Practice for the Depuration of Oysters in NSW. 3. In conjunction with the NSW Shellfish Quality Assurance Program, conduct a series of workshops aimed at education of farmers in management of the quality and safety of oysters. 4. Investigate the possibility of using bacteriophages as an additional indicator of oyster safety and the performance of oyster depuration, with specific reference to the elimination of human viruses such as Norwalk and Hepatitis A viruses. Correlate bacteriophage occurrence and behaviour in oysters during purification with traditional E. coli standards and human virus behaviour as measured by an inactivated strain of polio virus. Read moreRead less
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) - Understanding Biotic And Abiotic Environmental And Husbandry Effects To Reduce Economic Losses
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$130,000.00
Summary
There is a disturbing pattern of diseases in commercial molluscs nationally. They have required a succession of government/industry responses, with no clear solutions:QX disease, Sydney rock oysters, NSW and QLD; NSW; Pacific oyster mortality syndrome, NSW; Abalone viral ganglioneuritis, VIC; Oyster oedema disease, pearl oysters, WA; Winter mortality, Sydney rock oyster, NSW.
Economic impacts have been substantial or devastating. Wild fisheries and aquaculture have been impacted. In N ....There is a disturbing pattern of diseases in commercial molluscs nationally. They have required a succession of government/industry responses, with no clear solutions:QX disease, Sydney rock oysters, NSW and QLD; NSW; Pacific oyster mortality syndrome, NSW; Abalone viral ganglioneuritis, VIC; Oyster oedema disease, pearl oysters, WA; Winter mortality, Sydney rock oyster, NSW.
Economic impacts have been substantial or devastating. Wild fisheries and aquaculture have been impacted. In NSW, the primary impact of QX disease led to replacement of Sydney rock oysters by triploid Pacific oysters to reestablish the industry in some estuaries, but this is now threatened by POMS.
In every case the new disease has spread. It has not been possible to devise an intervention strategy that would halt disease spread or ensure the recovery of the industry. Investigating the behaviour of POMS during its predicted recrudescence this summer provides an opportunity to identify factors which may be used to reduce the impact of the infection.
This project seeks to investigate the effect of host, environmental and husbandry factors on POMS prevalence and mortality rate in Pacific oysters during summer 2011-autumn 2012 with the objective of discovering aspects of epidemiology which can be manipulated by oyster growers.
FRDC strategic R&D theme 1 - biosecurity and aquatic animal health, and Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram priority - Nature of disease and host-pathogen interaction - immunology of aquatic invertebrates. Objectives: 1. To correlate biotic and abiotic environmental factors with POMS occurrence in selected oyster populations Read moreRead less