Harnessing Neural Plasticity To Improve Functional Outcomes Following Burn Injury.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$667,984.00
Summary
Burn is painful and leads to long-term functional impairment and increased chronic disease. Pain and peripheral injury induce changes in the brain that can be functionally beneficial or maladaptive, yet we know little about brain changes following burn injury. This project will identify the mechanisms and functional impact of neural plasticity after burn injury, and test the efficacy of a neural intervention to reduce pain and improve functional recovery following burn injury.
User-centred Design Of A Technology-mediated, Theory Driven, Intervention Package To Reduce Incorrect Use Of Child Car Restraints
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$691,342.00
Summary
This project aims to develop and optimise an efficient, cost-effective intervention that provides instruction on how to correctly use child car restraints, as well as promoting behaviours required to achieve correct restraint of children in cars. This work offers potential paradigm shifting solutions to a long-standing problem that is currently putting more than 50% of children travelling in cars at a three-fold increased risk of serious injury and death
Autophagy Increases With Age And Obesity To Protect Against Cellular Damage And Age-related Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,687.00
Summary
Waste recycling is a normal process through which cells clear unwanted material to maintain good health. There are some conditions that are associated with impaired waste recycling in cells (such as dementia), which make this process relevant to lifelong health. We have developed a new test that will, for the first time, enable accurate measurement of the recycling process 'in action' in humans, and may identify people who have poor cellular health.
Preservation And Generation Of Beta Cells In Type 1 Diabetes With Novel Mimetic Peptides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,096,055.00
Summary
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. It can cause heart and kidney disease, and nerve damage. T1D is treated with insulin injections that can cause life-threatening low blood sugar levels. We have developed a new treatment that may stop beta cell loss, generate new beta cells and remove the need for insulin injections in T1D patients. A positive outcome will identify a completely new T1D treatment option.
Epigenetic Reprogramming Of Calcified Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells As A Treatment For Vascular Calcification
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,285,195.00
Summary
Pathological hardening of blood vessels, or vascular calcification, is a frequent and deadly complication of many cardiovascular disorders. It is caused by the irreversible change in mature vascular smooth muscle cells (the main cell type in the blood vessel walls) to a bone-forming cell type. We have now identified a new gene that can potentially revert calcified vascular cells back to their physiological state. This represents a promising new approach for treatment of vascular calcification.
Spinosyns As Endectocides For Blocking Transmission Of Malaria And Other Mosquito-borne Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$758,299.00
Summary
Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and kills 400,000 people annually. To prevent malaria we must stop transmission. We have discovered a natural substance that, if ingested, makes an animal's blood lethal to at least one type of mosquito. It also kills the parasite. We aim to determine if it kills other key mosquito types and how it kills the parasite. We expect this study will lead to a pill that stops transmission of malaria and other tropical diseases.
Harnessing Macrophage-derived Cytokine Signalling In Skeletal Muscle Regeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$991,926.00
Summary
We propose to develop novel therapies and tissue engineering approaches for the treatment of muscle injury and wasting disorders using specific muscle stem cells called satellite cells. Our ultimate aim is to accelerate the development of safe, effective and affordable muscle stem cell-based therapies, in an attempt to lessen the disease burden of muscle wasting disorders. The approach will make use of the novel stem cell activating compounds and immune cells that we have identified.
Targeting Neurovascular Communication As A Novel Way Of Reducing Vision Loss In Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$986,663.00
Summary
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness. Here, we evaluate whether diabetes causes changes in the way neurons signal to blood vessels, and whether blocking some of the signals from neurons reduces blood vessel abormalities. Overall, this information is critical to our understanding of the early changes that occur during diabetes and whether novel treatments used early in diabetes can prevent long term changes and vision loss.
Dissecting Brain Network Ageing Using Whole Brain Imaging
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$692,964.00
Summary
In this proposal, we will make the first attempt to map the whole brain activity change during ageing using a series of state-of-the-art techniques. We will also identify genetic and pharmacological interventions that improve brain network function during ageing. Outcomes from this research will provide an unprecedented understanding of functional ageing within the brain and identify therapeutic interventions to prevent this process.