Pathogenesis Of Persistent Human Virus Infections Of Global Significance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,571,328.00
Summary
The study will investigate why humans cannot eradicate particular viruses (HIV-AIDS, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus), the long term effects of these viruses and ways to improve control. Current treatments can only partly suppress the levels of these viruses, because they persist in certain parts of the body called reservoirs, only to resurge later causing disease. Thus, the overall aim of the research program is to discover the mechanisms by which these viruses are able to successfully ....The study will investigate why humans cannot eradicate particular viruses (HIV-AIDS, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus), the long term effects of these viruses and ways to improve control. Current treatments can only partly suppress the levels of these viruses, because they persist in certain parts of the body called reservoirs, only to resurge later causing disease. Thus, the overall aim of the research program is to discover the mechanisms by which these viruses are able to successfully persist within reservoirs in the human body. The research program brings together a group of 6 leading scientists and clinicians located at 3 sites in 2 Australian cities. The team is comprised of experts in the study of HIV-AIDS, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus who will combine their knowledge and expertise to speed up the process of research on these viruses that are of major health importance. Studies will also utilise a number of cutting edge technologies that now make it possible to much more rapidly and precisely determine how viruses cause disease. Advances in our understanding of how viruses persist may form the basis for treatments aimed at controlling persistent infections and the serious diseases caused by these viruses.Read moreRead less
Defining Epigenetic Predictors Of Long-term Outcomes Of Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,408.00
Summary
On average, those born premature do worse health-wise than those born at term. However, some do worse than others. Our aim is to identify these people at birth to better help doctors and parents to closely monitor their health. For this, we will be “reading the diary of pregnancy” in the molecules added to chromosomes in blood during pregnancy in young adults with will characterised states of health. We will analyse DNA from blood that we will extract from stored heel prick spots.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100076
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,068.00
Summary
Australian Participation in the Belle II Experiment. Australian participation in the Belle II experiment: This project will provide membership for Australian scientists of one of the key contemporary particle physics experiments, the Belle II experiment in Japan, and contribute to the purchase and installation of equipment for the Japanese facility. The Belle II experiment aims to search for a deeper theory of nature which will add significantly to our ability to answer questions such as why the ....Australian Participation in the Belle II Experiment. Australian participation in the Belle II experiment: This project will provide membership for Australian scientists of one of the key contemporary particle physics experiments, the Belle II experiment in Japan, and contribute to the purchase and installation of equipment for the Japanese facility. The Belle II experiment aims to search for a deeper theory of nature which will add significantly to our ability to answer questions such as why there is a preponderance of matter over antimatter in the Universe, and what is the nature of the dark matter which pervades it. This project will allow Australian scientists to pursue these questions in the coming years, with the additional benefit of increasing Australia's research profile in fundamental physics and its engagement with basic science in the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
In search of the origin of mass at the Large Hadron Collider. This project will utilise new theoretical ideas and worldwide experimental efforts at the Large Hadron Collider with the aim to resolve one of the most profound mysteries of modern physics, the origin of mass in the universe. The results will have an important longstanding impact by promoting innovation culture and public education of science.
Targeting Bone Marrow Mediated Angiogenesis And Metastasis In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,006.00
Summary
Despite advances in treatment and diagnostics breast cancer (BC) remains one of the leading causes of death in women. Metastases and tumour blood vessel recruitment are linked. Work by Dr Mellick and others has shown that host bone marrow contributes endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to tumour vasculature. The chemokines and their receptors, which differentiate EPCs from tumour vessels, will be knocked down in the tumour cells and EPC progenitors with the aim of preventing tumour spread.
Antagonist Of Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone As Therapeutic Agents For The Prevention Of Premature Birth In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,650.00
Summary
In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow ....In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow the extension of pregnancy term The development of protocols that will in turn reduce neonatal mortality. Additionally we believe that these new agents will be useful in preventing the onset of labour after fetal surgery. Currently there are no effective treatments capable of substantially changing delivery dates. Available therapeutics delay the onset of labour, at best, 24 hours. However, recent exciting results from our laboratories show that rising concentrations of the placental peptide Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone (CRH) are associated with the onset of labour. Further, we have also delayed the onset of labour in pregnant sheep by infusing a relatively insoluble CRH antagonist into the sheep fetus. Labour commenced ONLY AFTER the drug was withdrawn from the mother. This project builds upon an interdisciplinary team: medicinal chemists, molecular modellers, pharmacologists and endocrinologists, to further develop an exciting Australian discovery. Successful completeion of this research will, for the first time, allow the control of pregnancy duration MAXIMISING the benefits to mother and child, reducing mortality and later life morbidities typically associated with premature birth.Read moreRead less
High Precision Silicon Pixel Detectors for High Energy Physics , Synchrotron and Medical Imaging Applications. Australia participates actively in the frontier field of high-energy particle physics to understand the fundamental building blocks of matter, their origins and interactions. This field excites the best minds in the scientific world and provides excellent training. To maintain our position in this field we must continue the development of the powerful instrumentation required for high- ....High Precision Silicon Pixel Detectors for High Energy Physics , Synchrotron and Medical Imaging Applications. Australia participates actively in the frontier field of high-energy particle physics to understand the fundamental building blocks of matter, their origins and interactions. This field excites the best minds in the scientific world and provides excellent training. To maintain our position in this field we must continue the development of the powerful instrumentation required for high-energy experiments. This project will satisfy that role. The application of particle detector expertise to state-of-the-art X-ray imaging detectors for the Australian Synchrotron and medical imaging is a perfect example of fundamental science tools applied to other fields. Australian Synchrotron experiments stand to gain much.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453432
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$257,250.00
Summary
Support for the Australian Experimental High Energy Physics Program. High energy particle physics studies the most fundamental constituents of matter. This microscopic frontier requires the highest energy and highest intensity particle accelerators. Through the Big Bang Model, high energy physics also sheds light on the development of the very early Universe. It is thus crucial for the understanding of nature at the very largest of scales as well as the very smallest.The ATLAS and Belle experime ....Support for the Australian Experimental High Energy Physics Program. High energy particle physics studies the most fundamental constituents of matter. This microscopic frontier requires the highest energy and highest intensity particle accelerators. Through the Big Bang Model, high energy physics also sheds light on the development of the very early Universe. It is thus crucial for the understanding of nature at the very largest of scales as well as the very smallest.The ATLAS and Belle experiments probe two of the most significant questions in fundamental physics: what is the origin of mass, and why do we live in a universe composed of matter rather than antimatter? This proposal seeks support to maintain access to the international high energy physics program in Europe and Japan.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0230224
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,255.00
Summary
Support for the Australian Experimental High Energy Physics Program. High energy particle physics studies the most fundamental constituents of matter. This microscopic frontier requires the highest energy and highest intensity particle accelerators. Through the Big Bang Model, high energy physics also sheds light on the development of the very early Universe. It is thus crucial for the understanding of nature at the very largest of scales as well as the very smallest. The ATLAS and Belle experim ....Support for the Australian Experimental High Energy Physics Program. High energy particle physics studies the most fundamental constituents of matter. This microscopic frontier requires the highest energy and highest intensity particle accelerators. Through the Big Bang Model, high energy physics also sheds light on the development of the very early Universe. It is thus crucial for the understanding of nature at the very largest of scales as well as the very smallest. The ATLAS and Belle experiments probe two of the most significant questions in fundamental physics: what is the origin of mass, and why do we live in a universe composed of matter rather than antimatter? This proposal seeks support to maintain access to the international high energy physics program in Europe and Japan.Read moreRead less