Optimising Exercise and Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle. During the past decade the proportion of Australia's population aged 65 years and over has increased to 13% (2.7 million). During the same period, the proportion of the population aged 85 years and over has more than doubled and is now the fastest growing subpopulation in Australia. As the number of elderly persons continues to grow, sarcopenia-related conditions will have a dramatic and inevitable impact on the lives of all Australian ....Optimising Exercise and Nutrition Throughout the Life Cycle. During the past decade the proportion of Australia's population aged 65 years and over has increased to 13% (2.7 million). During the same period, the proportion of the population aged 85 years and over has more than doubled and is now the fastest growing subpopulation in Australia. As the number of elderly persons continues to grow, sarcopenia-related conditions will have a dramatic and inevitable impact on the lives of all Australians. The novel dietary protocols developed from the results of the studies undertaken in this proposal will translate into better treatment options for reversing age-dependent muscle degeneration. This is a critical first step for improving the standard of living for a large portion of Australian society.Read moreRead less
Preventing hospital readmissions and loss of functional ability in high risk older adults: A randomised controlled trial. Older people have higher rates of hospital admission and readmission due to complications and falls. During hospitalisation, many older people experience functional decline which impacts on their future independence. Acute hospital services comprise the largest section of health expenditure in Australia, costing $26,413 million/year. Prevention or delay of disease is known to ....Preventing hospital readmissions and loss of functional ability in high risk older adults: A randomised controlled trial. Older people have higher rates of hospital admission and readmission due to complications and falls. During hospitalisation, many older people experience functional decline which impacts on their future independence. Acute hospital services comprise the largest section of health expenditure in Australia, costing $26,413 million/year. Prevention or delay of disease is known to produce more effective use of services. This study will compare the effectiveness of innovative strategies to prevent deconditioning, functional decline and hospital readmissions. Comparative analysis of these strategies will provide information with potential to reduce costs whilst improving functional status, psychosocial well-being and independence in older peopleRead moreRead less
Comprehensive discharge-planning and in-home follow-up for older adults incorporating exercise strategies to avoid de-conditioning and reduce risk of hospital re-admission. Older people have significantly higher rates of hospital admission and length of stay than the general population and higher rates of hospital re-admission due to complications and falls. During hospitalisation, older people experience significant functional decline which impacts on their future levels of independence and qua ....Comprehensive discharge-planning and in-home follow-up for older adults incorporating exercise strategies to avoid de-conditioning and reduce risk of hospital re-admission. Older people have significantly higher rates of hospital admission and length of stay than the general population and higher rates of hospital re-admission due to complications and falls. During hospitalisation, older people experience significant functional decline which impacts on their future levels of independence and quality of life. This research aims to design, deliver and evaluate an innovative model of discharge planning and in-home exercise-based follow-up for community-living frail older people at high risk of hospital re-admission as a means of promoting health. Results should delay occurrence of disease, reduce re-admissions, and improve functional status, psycho-social well-being and patient satisfaction.Read moreRead less
Do pancreatic stellate cells play a role in pancreatic exocrine secretion? 3 major national benefits: 1)Alignment with research priority goals of preventative health care and ageing well ageing productively. Elucidation of mechanisms of action of CCK and the interaction of PSCs and acinar cells in mediating pancreatic secretion will help refine our approach to the prevention and treatment of disorders related to the above processes viz. maldigestion, malabsorption, obesity and pancreatic cancer. ....Do pancreatic stellate cells play a role in pancreatic exocrine secretion? 3 major national benefits: 1)Alignment with research priority goals of preventative health care and ageing well ageing productively. Elucidation of mechanisms of action of CCK and the interaction of PSCs and acinar cells in mediating pancreatic secretion will help refine our approach to the prevention and treatment of disorders related to the above processes viz. maldigestion, malabsorption, obesity and pancreatic cancer. 2)Enhancement of Australia's reputation in gastrointestinal (GI) research through a unique collaboration between internationally recognised researchers in GI and pancreatic biology. 3)Training opportunities for Australian research students and scientists in physiology, gastroenterology and pancreatology.Read moreRead less
Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be rea ....Assessing gene function in the developing brain using zebrafish as a model system. As the average life expectancy in western countries increases there is an increasing incidence of mental health problems in the general population. Therapeutic approaches to Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease as well as to brain injury arising from stroke rely on a thorough understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms of normal growth of this tissue. These are the very processes that need to be reactivated in these diseases for recovery of function. This project seeks to understand normal development of the brain and in doing so it will expose novel targets for therapy in the aged. Read moreRead less
Surface engineering of biomaterials for optimal bone bonding characteristics. The ideal bone-implant material is hydroxyapatite. Chemically similar to bone mineral, hydroxyapatite is capable of inducing bone ongrowth. An ideal surface coating for metal hip implants, plasma spraying has been the preferred commercial hydroxyapatite coating technique. Until recently, it was always presumed that the bioactivity of hydroxyapatite resulted from its surface chemistry. However, a recent study has shown ....Surface engineering of biomaterials for optimal bone bonding characteristics. The ideal bone-implant material is hydroxyapatite. Chemically similar to bone mineral, hydroxyapatite is capable of inducing bone ongrowth. An ideal surface coating for metal hip implants, plasma spraying has been the preferred commercial hydroxyapatite coating technique. Until recently, it was always presumed that the bioactivity of hydroxyapatite resulted from its surface chemistry. However, a recent study has shown that the bioactivity of HAp coatings strongly correlates with surface roughness on the scale of bone cells. This project will explore cell-attachment behaviour for hydroxyapatite coatings prepared by plasma spraying compared with engineered surface morphology/chemistry by microlithography and vapour coating.Read moreRead less
Functionally graded fibre-polymer composites: a novel material for spinal disk prostheses. Chronic back pain affects a significant proportion of the population and is primarily caused by failure of the spinal disk. A strong social/economic imperative exists to develop engineering solutions to this problem. This project concerns the development of a novel fibre-polymer functionally graded composite material that mimics the structure of the spinal disk. The spinal disk comprises a soft core (nucle ....Functionally graded fibre-polymer composites: a novel material for spinal disk prostheses. Chronic back pain affects a significant proportion of the population and is primarily caused by failure of the spinal disk. A strong social/economic imperative exists to develop engineering solutions to this problem. This project concerns the development of a novel fibre-polymer functionally graded composite material that mimics the structure of the spinal disk. The spinal disk comprises a soft core (nucleus) and a tough fibrous periphery (annulus). The graded composite approach of this proposal represents a significant advance over spinal fusion, and over the alternative spinal disk protheses in clinical use or in the patent literature.Read moreRead less
Numerical investigation of signal mechanotransduction of bone cells - application to bone remodeling. The understanding of signal mechanotransduction of bone cells is directly related to mechanical activation of bone remodeling processes, i.e., resorption and formation of bone tissue. Understanding of bone remodeling is essential for the development of new bone implants, the prognosis of osteosporosis, and studies related to changes in microgravity (e.g. space flight) to name a few key applicati ....Numerical investigation of signal mechanotransduction of bone cells - application to bone remodeling. The understanding of signal mechanotransduction of bone cells is directly related to mechanical activation of bone remodeling processes, i.e., resorption and formation of bone tissue. Understanding of bone remodeling is essential for the development of new bone implants, the prognosis of osteosporosis, and studies related to changes in microgravity (e.g. space flight) to name a few key applications. This research proposal closely aligns with one of the major national research priorities, i.e., promoting and maintaining good health (ageing well, ageing productively). The research project is aimed to understand how mechanically induced loading may activate remodeling of bone.
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Bio-MEMS eye sensor for continuous monitoring of intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness, particularly prevalent in the 60+ population, caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Current treatment to monitor and prevent glaucoma-related blindness is by lowering IOP with eye-drops, laser therapy or surgery. This project directly benefits our aging population by ensuring independence and quality of life, whilst reducing long-term medical and social costs. By ....Bio-MEMS eye sensor for continuous monitoring of intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness, particularly prevalent in the 60+ population, caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Current treatment to monitor and prevent glaucoma-related blindness is by lowering IOP with eye-drops, laser therapy or surgery. This project directly benefits our aging population by ensuring independence and quality of life, whilst reducing long-term medical and social costs. By incorporating nanotechnology with ophthalmology we will provide an economic solution to long-term, reliable, home-monitoring of IOP. An implantable IOP sensor, will identify patients requiring more invasive treatment compared with those with less aggressive disease, leading to better health resource utilisation.Read moreRead less
Development of Advanced Wear Debris Analysis Techniques for Osteoarthritis Study. Wear and tear of joints is the common cause of osteoarthritis, costing $19.25 billion/year. With this cost on the increase, and no cure to date, comes a need to develop effective methods for its diagnosis. This study will provide new knowledge on osteoarthritis progression by allowing strategic use of national health resources. A fuzzy expert system, to be developed utilising the diagnostic/prognostic techniques of ....Development of Advanced Wear Debris Analysis Techniques for Osteoarthritis Study. Wear and tear of joints is the common cause of osteoarthritis, costing $19.25 billion/year. With this cost on the increase, and no cure to date, comes a need to develop effective methods for its diagnosis. This study will provide new knowledge on osteoarthritis progression by allowing strategic use of national health resources. A fuzzy expert system, to be developed utilising the diagnostic/prognostic techniques of this study will significantly reduce cost and time. The project will contribute to the National Strategy by helping older Australians; the major group of osteoarthritis sufferers, to retain their health, independence and productivity.Read moreRead less