Functional Electrical Stimulation Assisted Cycling (eStimCycle):A Novel Intervention To Improve Outcomes In The Critically Ill
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$868,811.00
Summary
The legacy of critical illness leaves millions of survivors worldwide with long lasting deficits in physical and brain function as well as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Early rehabilitation may prevent or minimise these effects. This study evaluates the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation of muscles with assisted in-bed cycling (eStimCycle) on muscle bulk, strength, physical and brain function at hospital discharge, 6 and 12 months.
Mechanisms And Therapies In Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,360,700.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims 1 person every 10 min in Australia and causes 1 in 3 deaths worldwide. The molecular and cellular processes underlying atherosclerosis, vascular injury and thrombosis are highly complex and not well understood. A multifaceted approach is needed to effectively address these key challenges. This Program brings together world experts in these areas to interrogate gaps in our basic understanding of CVD, and to develop novel therapies for CVD patients by exploiting ....Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims 1 person every 10 min in Australia and causes 1 in 3 deaths worldwide. The molecular and cellular processes underlying atherosclerosis, vascular injury and thrombosis are highly complex and not well understood. A multifaceted approach is needed to effectively address these key challenges. This Program brings together world experts in these areas to interrogate gaps in our basic understanding of CVD, and to develop novel therapies for CVD patients by exploiting new knowledge through integrated research.Read moreRead less
Exercise As Medicine For Heart Failure: A Novel Intervention To Improve Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$665,585.00
Summary
Heart failure (HF) is a common, debilitating and expensive disease; prognosis remains poorer than for the most cancers. 30,000 Australians are diagnosed every year and 300,000 live with the HF, at an annual cost of ~$1Billion. Exercise training is effective therapy in HF, because it reverses many of the problems that contribute to the reduced lifespan and impaired quality of life of patients with HF. We will test an exciting new type of exercise that promising greater benefit, at lower risk.
Understanding The Metabolic Consequences Of Impaired AMPKa2 And NNOS� In Skeletal Muscle: Implications For The Metabolic Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$575,527.00
Summary
The inability of muscle to utilise sugar from the blood is a major problem that contributes to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Since the number of people with these diseases will at least double by 2030, we need to find out what causes this problem. We will examine whether two muscle proteins that are impaired in obesity and Type 2 diabetes are also responsible for impaired sugar utilisation. We think that increasing these muscle proteins will fix the _sugar problem�, and remedy these diseases.
BioPolymer Fibres For Remodelling Mdx And Damaged Muscle
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,286.00
Summary
This project aims to generate new, smart polymers for use in re-building muscle that has degenerated due to disease and-or trauma damage. The merger of smart polymers with biologically based solutions and cells has great potential to improve outcomes of treatments of damaged muscle in diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy.
The Effects Of Tonic Muscle Pain On The Sympathetic And Somatic Motor Systems In Human Subjects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,948.00
Summary
The main objective of this proposal is to reveal the effects of nociceptive reflexes in humans, and thus identify their functional and clinical implications. By performing invasive recordings from the nerves that control blood vessels and muscles in healthy volunteers subjected to long-lasting (~1 hour) experimental pain, this work will increase our understanding of the adaptive changes that pain induces and improve treatments to prevent pain from becoming chronic.
Reprogramming Macrophage Function In The Elderly To Rescue Impaired Inflammatory Responses To Muscle Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,983.00
Summary
Muscle injury in the elderly often takes longer to heal than in younger people, however the cells responsible for this delayed healing are not well understood. Key inflammatory cells required for muscle repair in young hosts are macrophages. However, during aging we have shown that macrophage function is altered, but the mechanism is unknown. This project aims to determine the mechanisms behind age-related changes to macrophages and whether they can be targeted to improve elderly muscle repair.
Exploring The Therapeutic Potential Of TRAIL In Diabetes And The Metabolic Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,374.00
Summary
TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a protein with potentially useful actions in human health and disease. TRAIL is able to prevent atherosclerosis, the cause of heart attacks and strokes. In addition, we have recently shown that its actions on fat and the pancreas may prevent the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. These studies will explore the therapeutic potential of TRAIL for the prevention of diabetes and heart disease in a range of animal models.