Viral infections that mothers catch during pregnancy still cause much illness in babies either in the womb, or after birth. One of these infections called CMV causes more babies to be born with malformation in Australia than any other infection, and is second only to cerebral palsy as a cause of serious problems in babies. Our studies are examining CMV in mothers and babies, leading to better diagnostic tests, researching use of existing and new antiviral drugs to reduce infection in these mothe ....Viral infections that mothers catch during pregnancy still cause much illness in babies either in the womb, or after birth. One of these infections called CMV causes more babies to be born with malformation in Australia than any other infection, and is second only to cerebral palsy as a cause of serious problems in babies. Our studies are examining CMV in mothers and babies, leading to better diagnostic tests, researching use of existing and new antiviral drugs to reduce infection in these mothers and babies.Read moreRead less
NOVEL SOLUTIONS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANT PATHOGENS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$474,513.00
Summary
Antibiotic resistance and infections caused by superbugs are major public health concerns. My fellowship aims to develop new strategies to prevent and treat infections caused by resistant superbugs. I will use innovative approaches both in the laboratory and in the hospital setting, and foster research across multiple groups, to solve “real-life” clinical problems. The proposed work will improve the outcomes for the most vulnerable hospitalised patients.
Disease Registry Based Approaches To Determining Molecular Risk Factors For Glaucoma Blindness, And Applying Them In Clinical Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,355.00
Summary
The Practitioner-Fellow has drawn together very large cohorts of patients from Australia, New Zealand and now internationally who have lost vision from Glaucoma and complications of Diabetes to determine the contributing factors. He has successfully identified major clinical and genetic risk factors for these diseases, and is now applying the knowledge to patients in early stages of disease, so that earlier and more aggressive treatment high risk individuals can lead to improved outcomes.
Mechanisms, Biomarkers And New Therapies For Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$551,370.00
Summary
Approximately 5% of men and 1% of women aged over 60 years develop artery weakening. The management of artery weakening is currently focused on radiological imaging and surgery. In this fellowship work will be performed to better understand the mechanisms involved in artery weakening, assess new ways of monitoring disease progression and evaluate new medical therapies. It is envisaged that the work will identify a number of new management stratergies for this common condition.
Pathophysiology And Treatment Of Malaria And Other Tropical Infectious Diseases Prevalent In Our Region
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,284.00
Summary
Nick Anstey is internationally recognised for his discoveries in malaria and other tropical infectious diseases. He leads a major tropical infectious disease research program in Darwin and SouthEast Asia that attracts some of the brightest researchers and students from Australia and beyond to understand disease mechanisms and work on new ways to treat illness and prevent death. He uses results to change policy and practice not only in Australia but around the world.
Molecular Imaging As A Critical Tool In Discovery Of The Basis Of Tumour Heterogeneity And Developing Novel Therapies To Overcome Therapeutic Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$467,961.00
Summary
Determining treatment options for cancer currently relies on the size and extent of tumour deposits on imaging, combined with a biopsy. However, this approach fails to recognise the ability of tumours to evolve components that are, or become, resistant to treatment. My laboratory uses advanced molecular imaging, targeted biopsies, animal models and genetic analysis to detect and understand the basis of such resistance and thereby develop new, targeted treatments to improve patient outcomes.
Translating Advances In Molecular Oncology Into Improved Care For Patients With Haematological Malignancies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,327.00
Summary
The purpose of my research is to develop and integrate into routine practice better treatment paradigms for patients with blood cancers – leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma. My research seeks to (i) bring a new class of anti-cancer targeted therapy, inhibitors of Bcl-2, into routine care; (ii) discover the genetic changes that explain why slow growing lymphoid cancers change into rapidly fatal lymphomas; and (iii) integrate new molecular tests into the management of patients with acute leukaemia.
Translating Molecular Pathology Into Cancer Diagnostics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,882.00
Summary
The aim of this research is focussed on translation of basic science through to the clinic by introducing novel cancer diagnostics and technologies. Other integral aims are to identify new changes in DNA and other cancer cell markers in patients, assess the clinical utility of these as biomarkers (surrogates of cancer behaviour) and to conduct novel clinical trials with newly identified molecular targets of cancer and new therapeutics and combinations to assess their efficacy.
Development Of Systemic Therapies To Improve Response And Prevent Resistance In The Treatment Of Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,219.00
Summary
This program of research utilises the unique resources at Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) to understand the biology of prolonged response and resistance to novel drug therapies used in metastatic melanoma, a cancer that now leads the field in the discovery of new targets for therapeutic manipulation. This program also aims to create new methods to efficiently test and develop drug therapy combinations in humans to improve patient outcomes further or prevent metastatic melanoma altogether.