A Dietary Intervention In Gestational Diabetes To Reduce Child Obesity: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,715.00
Summary
Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) whose blood glucose levels (BGL) are not well controlled have a higher chance of giving birth to large babies. These babies are at high risk of becoming overweight children and adults. Preventing child obesity therefore requires appropriate intervention during pregnancy complicated with GDM. This study will determine the ability of specific dietary advice (aimed at reducing maternal BGL) to reduce the risk of large babies in a typical ante-natal setting.
The Role Of Brain Inflammation In Leptin Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$730,123.00
Summary
Melanocortin neurons control body weight and are regulated by leptin. In obesity leptin cannot regulate the melanocortin system. We will test if leptin action on melanocortin neurons is limited by increased expression of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) in obese mice. As an alternative we will test if there are changes in the blood brain barrier, or an increased density of support and immune cells around melanocortin neurons of obese mice that might restrict inputs to these neurons.
The Role Of Seipin In Adipocyte Development And Lipid Droplet Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,258.00
Summary
The prevalence of obesity and its related disorders has reached an alarming level in Australia and other developed countries. Obesity is characterized by the accumulation of fully-differentiated adipocytes loaded with lipid droplets (LDs). We aim to characterize seipin, which regulate both lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation. Results from our proposed studies may offer novel therapeutic strategies against human obesity.
Diet And Exercise Intervention For Paternal Obesity Improves Offspring Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$678,481.00
Summary
Obesity is a growing problem in Western Society and is associated with a large number of metabolic conditions. There is an increasing awareness that a fathers health at the time of conception affects fertility and also the ongoing health of the pregnancy and the ofspring. This study seeks to determine if diet and exercise intervention for overweight or obese males can improve the health of the sperm and therefore the ability to father a pregnancy and the health of the offspring.
Development Of Selective Melanocortin Receptor Agonists And Antagonists
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$684,607.00
Summary
Human melanocortin receptors play a key role in a variety of physiological processes ranging from energy regulation, skin pigmentation and regulation of food intake. This project aims to generate novel peptide based molecules that will selectively interact with different melanocortin receptors to better understand their pharmacology thereby opening the potential for future drug development for obesity, stroke or inflammatory skin disorders.
The Role Of Phosphatidic Acid In Lipid Storage And Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$496,169.00
Summary
The prevalence of obesity and its related disorders has reached an alarming level in Australia and other developed countries. Obesity is characterized by the accumulation of fully-differentiated adipocytes loaded with lipid droplets (LDs). We aim to examine the role of phosphatidic acid in lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation. Results from our proposed studies may offer novel therapeutic strategies against human obesity and type II diabetes.
Does Obesity Have The Characteristics Of Addiction?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,832.00
Summary
The number of overweight or obese people in Australia has increased dramatically in recent years, increasing disease risk. The brain responds to palatable food in ways similar to the response to drugs of addiction, and this may explain why people find it hard to resist palatable food. Our work will explore whether obesity in rats has the characteristics of addiction by examining bingeing, craving, withdrawal and brain circuits in animals chronically exposed to palatable food.
The brain plays a major role in the overconsumption of high fat/high sugar foods and this contributes to obesity but it receives little attention when it comes to developing novel treatments. My lab showed that a FDA-approved smoking cessation medication, that is a nicotinic receptor modulator, decreased the overconsumption of sugar. This project aims are to identify which nicotinic receptors and brain circuits are involved in the overconsumption of sucrose to improve treatments for obesity.
Birth Weight, Adult Weight And Podocyte Depletion.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$796,252.00
Summary
A major role of our kidneys is to filter our blood. A key cell type in our kidney filters is an octopus-shaped cell known as the podocyte. If we are not born with enough podocytes, or if the filters grow too large after birth due for example to excessive weight gain, the podocytes cannot adequately filter the blood, and this can lead to kidney disease. We will measure podocyte endowment at birth, and assess the effects of weight gain and loss after birth on podocyte features and kidney health.
Schizophrenia: Reversal Of Atypical Antipsychotic Drug-induced Obesity And Its Related Metabolic Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$619,854.00
Summary
Atypical antipsychotic drugs such as olanzapine are commonly used to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. While these drugs are effective, their side effects of obesity and metabolic disorders are a major hurdle leading to a serious lack of compliance in taking medication. This project aims to develop better antipsychotic treatment with reduced side-effects including obesity and metabolic disorders for mental illness patients.