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"Smart Food" - The fulcrum in the energy balance equation. The overall aim of the project is to establish how nutrients best promote an increase in energy expenditure and therefore weight loss. The experiments will be performed in rats using sophisticated technologies to introduce specific combinations of fats, carbohydrates or proteins directly into the stomach and then measure energy expenditure in a specialised type of energy burning rather than energy storing fat called brown adipose tissue. ...."Smart Food" - The fulcrum in the energy balance equation. The overall aim of the project is to establish how nutrients best promote an increase in energy expenditure and therefore weight loss. The experiments will be performed in rats using sophisticated technologies to introduce specific combinations of fats, carbohydrates or proteins directly into the stomach and then measure energy expenditure in a specialised type of energy burning rather than energy storing fat called brown adipose tissue. These experiments will uncover the mechanisms that relate nutrients in the stomach and activation of brown adipose tissue. They will provide a framework on which this project can build a knowledge of smart diets that will allow the effective control of body weight through modulation of energy expenditure. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100037
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,000.00
Summary
Laser microdissection facility. Laser microdissection facility: Laser microdissection (LMD) is a proven and effective approach to isolate pure cell populations from heterogeneous tissue samples in order to analyse DNA, RNA, and protein content. LMD provides an important advantage to research engaged in basic biological research as it allows for molecular profiling at the cellular level that can not be achieved from whole tissue samples. This project will provide a LMD facility aimed at understan ....Laser microdissection facility. Laser microdissection facility: Laser microdissection (LMD) is a proven and effective approach to isolate pure cell populations from heterogeneous tissue samples in order to analyse DNA, RNA, and protein content. LMD provides an important advantage to research engaged in basic biological research as it allows for molecular profiling at the cellular level that can not be achieved from whole tissue samples. This project will provide a LMD facility aimed at understanding many important biologically cellular mechanisms.Read moreRead less
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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101807
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of ob ....Fat sensing in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract: role in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and energy intake in health and obesity. This project will determine whether a reduced capacity to sense, or taste, the presence of fats in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract diminishes the effects of fat on those aspects of gut function that regulate appetite and suppress energy intake. The project will, accordingly, provide important insights into the pathophysiology of obesity.Read moreRead less
Developmental programming of adult stress responses: early life nutrition permanently alters stress and immune function. Obese children are more likely to grow up to be obese adults than normal-weight children are. Their early life diet may be at least partly to blame. Early life nutrition can also compromise ability to respond to stress or inflammation. This project will investigate how this occurs and if these effects are specific to the developmental period.
Evaluation of peanuts as a source of bioactive nutrients for enhancement of endothelial function and cognitive performance. Functional foods represent one of the fastest growing food markets in the world, particularly foods which can offset adverse health conditions. The Partner Organisation, Peanut Company of Australia (PCA), is committed to developing peanut varieties, such as the high oleic peanut, that are nutritionally superior to the traditional varieties. By investing in research PCA aims ....Evaluation of peanuts as a source of bioactive nutrients for enhancement of endothelial function and cognitive performance. Functional foods represent one of the fastest growing food markets in the world, particularly foods which can offset adverse health conditions. The Partner Organisation, Peanut Company of Australia (PCA), is committed to developing peanut varieties, such as the high oleic peanut, that are nutritionally superior to the traditional varieties. By investing in research PCA aims to substantiate the nutritional benefits of these products and position itself in functional foods. Scientific evaluation of the health benefits that can be derived from consuming foods will enhance the national food industry through the growth of domestic and international licensing and export markets, and provide new employment opportunities in both rural and manufacturing sectors.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms Responsible For Hypertension Caused By Perinatal Omega-3 Fatty Acid Deficiency
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,650.00
Summary
Does the nourishment we receive as babies, or even before birth, affect our adult health? The recent findings from Barker, Meaney, Langley-Evans and their co-workers, has established that intra-uterine and early post-natal factors, particularly nutrition, influence adult neural development and cardiovascular function. It appears that the dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids in early life may be a critical factor in the development of hypertension. We reported (Nature Medicine 2001, 7: 258-259) ....Does the nourishment we receive as babies, or even before birth, affect our adult health? The recent findings from Barker, Meaney, Langley-Evans and their co-workers, has established that intra-uterine and early post-natal factors, particularly nutrition, influence adult neural development and cardiovascular function. It appears that the dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids in early life may be a critical factor in the development of hypertension. We reported (Nature Medicine 2001, 7: 258-259) for the first time that the essential omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), supplied in the early developmental period, affects blood pressure later in life. The work showed that moderate omega-3 fatty acid deficiency in the perinatal period resulted in hypertension, despite reversal of the deficiency at a time months before the assessment of blood pressure. These findings are suggestive of a critical period, during which time the development of normal blood pressure control mechanisms appears, at least partially, dependent upon the supply of omega-3 fatty acids. These findings suggest that omega-3 deficiency early in life may affect fatty acid metabolism, transport or uptake systems, such that re-feeding of the nutrients is functionally ineffective. Alternatively, deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids early in life may arrest development of one or more of the key signalling pathways in the control of blood pressure, such as the Brain Angiotensin System. The influence of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supply, relative to the critical period, on expression of genes involved in the control of blood pressure as well as in fatty acid metabolism, will be defined. Also, the role of the brain angiotensin system in omega-3 fatty acid deficiency-induced hypertension will be determined. We expect that the results of this study will profoundly affect hypertension research, as well as nutrition, particularly that for infants.Read moreRead less
Determining The Affect And Cost Effectiveness Of Nutrition In Critically Ill Patients From Intensive Care Unit Admission To Hospital Discharge.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$138,964.00
Summary
Nutrition when you are severely unwell is very important to support recovery. Research is required to determine exactly how much nutrition is needed in severely ill patients to ensure their best recovery. This project aims to determine what effect nutrition has on clinical and functional outcomes of patients who are severely ill during their whole hospital stay. It will also aim to determine the cost effectiveness of nutrition for these patients.
Plasticity of gastrointestinal vagal afferents. The aim of this project is to identify how leptin modulates specific subtypes of vagal afferent within the gut and the plasticity of this system under different dietary conditions. This proposed project will substantially increase understanding of the interactions between leptin, known to influence food intake, and vagal afferent satiety signals. It will also increase understanding of how these interactions alter in obesity and ultimately provide t ....Plasticity of gastrointestinal vagal afferents. The aim of this project is to identify how leptin modulates specific subtypes of vagal afferent within the gut and the plasticity of this system under different dietary conditions. This proposed project will substantially increase understanding of the interactions between leptin, known to influence food intake, and vagal afferent satiety signals. It will also increase understanding of how these interactions alter in obesity and ultimately provide targets and/or concepts for the pharmacotherapy of obesity.Read moreRead less
How do nutrient-regulated changes in mitochondrial protein acetylation and sirtuin activity affect mitochondrial function and insulin action? Lysine acetylation affects the function of many proteins. This project will examine how excess nutrient availability and altered sirtuin activity affects the acetylation state and function of mitochondrial proteins. This information may identify therapeutic targets to treat diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.