High-throughput genetic assays are commonly used to study the molecular basis of disease and such technology requires sophisticated data analysis methods that account for significant biological and experimental complexity. Specialized methods will be developed in free public software that will greatly benefit future genetic profiling studies.
Detection Of Cardiac Allograft Rejection By Peripheral Blood Gene Expression: A Novel Concept Of Personalized Approach To Transplantation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,705.00
Summary
Heart biopsy is required to detect rejection after heart transplantation. The cost of each biopsy is around $7,000 and at least 10 heart biopsies needed in the first post-transplant year alone. The biopsy is difficult for the patients and significant cost for the Australian healthcare system. Thus, it would be beneficial to identify rejection using a simple blood test. Such tool would help to reduce or eliminate the need for expensive heart biopsy and would reduce the cost by about 10 times.
Characterisation Of Two Novel Markers Of Osteosarcoma Metastasis As Potential Therapeutic Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,500.00
Summary
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone tumour in children and adolescents. In spite of aggressive chemotherapy, OS tumours that metastasise to the lungs result in dismal long-term survivals of only 10-20%. For these patients, new treatment options are desperately needed. In this proposal we show compelling data identifying two new markers of OS metastasis. This research aims to validate the suitability of these novel markers as therapeutic targets to prevent OS metastasis.
Extending Life After Lung Transplantation – Defining The Structural And Immunological Drivers Of Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$739,190.00
Summary
Lung Transplantation (LTx) saves life. However, chronic rejection limits survival after LTx compared to other solid organ transplants. Chronic rejection develops when the LTx recipient produces antibodies against the donor lung. With a team of global leaders in the field we will dissect the antibody response to LTx. By better understanding the immune drivers of antibody-mediated rejection, we aim to reduce the incidence of chronic rejection thereby improving survival after LTx.
A Comprehensive Genomic Analysis Of Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma: Understanding The Genetic Aetiology Of OAC Towards Biomarkers Of Progression, Prognosis And Targeted Treatment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$987,906.00
Summary
Oesophageal cancer (OAC) continues to have poor survival despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Selecting patients for the most appropriate therapies and improving survival remain unmet research needs. We propose to undertake a detailed genetic study of OAC, including “next generation” sequencing, in order to catalogue the genetic changes in the disease. This information forms an essential basis for identifying genetic signatures of OAC progression, prognosis and treatment response.
Investigation Into Host Susceptibility And Immune Responses In Young Children With Acute Wheezing Due To Human Rhinovirus Group C Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,711.00
Summary
We recently made the surprising discovery that a new viral group, human rhinovirus group C (HRV-C), causes the majority of acute asthma in children. We also found that it causes half of the acute wheezing attacks in younger children, and is the only respiratory virus associated with allergy. So, HRV-C may be the key to the relationship between allergy and asthma. The planned project will focus on whether young children who wheeze with HRV-C have related defects in their immune system.
Cyclin E1 As A Therapeutic Target In Women With High-grade Serous Cancer And Primary Treatment Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$644,170.00
Summary
Ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cancer in women and the most lethal gynaecologic malignancy. We found tumours with extra copies of the CyclinE1 gene (CCNE1) are less likely to respond to standard treatment, and show reliance on its activity. Therefore, targeting CCNE1 may be a novel treatment strategy for these cancers. We will perform preclinical studies with therapeutic inhibitors towards the CCNE1 pathway and further explore the underlying biology of tumours with CCNE1 amplification.
Computational And Statistical Methods For The Analysis Of RNA-Seq Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,545.00
Summary
New sequencing technologies provide medical researchers with ultra high-resolution tools for measuring gene activity in healthy and diseased cells. These instruments generate unprecedented volumes of data that requires careful analysis to maximize the biological insight learned from each experiment. Our research will develop new tools for analyzing, interpreting and making medical discoveries from this rapidly emerging technology, for the benefit of Australian biomedical researchers.
Mechanisms And Pathways Leading To Saccadic Suppression In Primate Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$858,086.00
Summary
Only the central few degrees of the visual field are viewed in high resolution. Consequently, the eyes must be pointed at targets of interest using saccadic eye movements. Each saccade generates potentially disturbing image motion but this is never perceived: saccadic suppression. This project aims to characterise the neural basis of saccadic suppression using modern techniques. As a result, a prime question in Neuroscience for over 100 years can now be answered.
Biomarkers For The Diagnosis Of Childhood TB: Validation In A High TB Prevalence Setting
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$948,086.00
Summary
The WHO highlights the urgent need for new diagnostic tests to combat the global TB pandemic. Diagnosis of TB is particularly difficult in children. In our previous NHMRC-funded Melbourne-based study we found promising diagnostic markers in blood which can differentiate patients with and without TB. This project has the potential to revolutionise the diagnosis of TB by providing data that will enable the development of a new generation of diagnostic tests.