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.
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.
Increased Airway Smooth Muscle Mass As An Independent Determinant Of Asthma Pathogenesis And Severity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,966.00
Summary
Asthma is a major health burden to the community. The most common form of the disease is allergic asthma and it is thought that allergic inflammation drives associated airway abnormalities including increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. This study tests a new hypothesis that airway abnormalities and allergy have separate origins but combine to produce allergic asthma, and it’s the individuals with the greatest amount of ASM who develop clinically severe asthma.
Do Exposures Before Conception Influence The Risk Of Asthma In Offspring?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$688,586.00
Summary
Asthma and poor lung function are major causes of public health issues. Emerging evidence suggests adverse exposures even before the conception of a child may cause these conditions. The proposed project is part of an international study across generations to identify these factors. This study will provide novel evidence to guide interventions and identify studies to advance this area further. These original findings will be of great importance both nationally and internationally.
DYRK1A As A Novel Target For Glioblastoma Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,294.00
Summary
Glioblastoma is a form of brain cancer that is currently incurable. We have discovered that switching-off an enzyme called DYRK1A (using ‘DYRK1A inhibitors’) kills glioblastoma cells. This therapeutic advantage is even greater when combined with drugs approved for other cancers. This project will develop new DYRK1A inhibitors and examine a novel combination treatment for glioblastoma patients. This could initiate a novel therapy that could significantly extend patients’ lives.
The health effects of electronic cigarette use are virtually unknown. They have only recently been introduced into widespread use, and as such their effects on human health will not be known for many years. We will use our expertise in exposure models and health outcome measurement to provide timely hard-data on their potential to impact health – data that are urgently required to guide policy makers in this area.
Developmental Origins Of Adult Cardiovascular Disease: Vascular Health In The Raine Cohort
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,087,427.00
Summary
The Raine study is a unique long term experiment that has collected extensive pre-birth and childhood data in ~3000 young Australians, who are now 27 years old. We plan to measure the artery health of 1200 of these volunteers and to determine what factors, both before and after birth, influence the presence of early atherosclerosis in humans. This study will guide strategies aimed at early prevention of heart attacks and stroke in humans, by defining the major risk factors.