Understanding And Predicting Freezing Of Gait In Parkinson's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,580.00
Summary
Freezing of Gait (FOG) affects half of all patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with episodes causing the feet to feel glued to the ground leading to a significant falls risk. The mechanisms underlying FOG are not well understood and current treatments are usually ineffective. Combining brain wave recording, eye-tracking and functional brain scanning we will identify the changes that precipitate an episode of FOG allowing the development of a non-invasive device to prevent falls.
BRAIN-MEND: Biological Resource Analysis To Identify New Mechanisms And Phenotypes In Neurodegenerative Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$861,866.00
Summary
Current classification of neurodegenerative diseases (ND) based on clinical phenotypes does not take into account underlying disease heterogeneity, or overlapping disease mechanisms, thus hindering therapy development. Segregation and re-classification of ND phenotypes is urgently needed. BRAIN-MEND will reclassify existing phenotypic classifications using using pathway and network analyses within and across complex NDs.
Identifying Neuroimaging Based Biomarkers For Predicting Clinical Progression Along The Lewy Body Disease Spectrum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$128,224.00
Summary
Lewy body dementias (LBD) comprise similar but heterogenous group of poorly understood disabling neurodegenerative conditions. This project aims to apply advanced neuroimaging techniques and novel psychological testing to patients at risk of Lewy body disorders as well individuals with established disease to identify novel biomarkers that may explain symptoms of these disorders as well as help predict development of LBD at its early stages when it may be amenable to neuroprotective treatments.
NeuroSleep: The Centre For Translational Sleep And Circadian Neurobiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,659,061.00
Summary
NeuroSleep, the Centre for Translational Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, will foster innovative clinical research and translation to develop national capacity in understanding how sleep disorders and dysfunction of the body clock impact on health. The Centre will focus its activities on the two-way relationship between disrupted sleep and body clock systems and brain disorders. Our goal is to improve brain performance, workplace safety and health outcomes in patients with sleep and circadian d ....NeuroSleep, the Centre for Translational Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, will foster innovative clinical research and translation to develop national capacity in understanding how sleep disorders and dysfunction of the body clock impact on health. The Centre will focus its activities on the two-way relationship between disrupted sleep and body clock systems and brain disorders. Our goal is to improve brain performance, workplace safety and health outcomes in patients with sleep and circadian dysfunction and in the general community.Read moreRead less
Nodal Function In Peripheral Neuroinflammatory Disorders: Target Antigens, Functional Significance And Treatment Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$605,172.00
Summary
Inflammatory neuropathies are autoimmune disorders which produce severe disability and represent a costly burden to the healthcare system, but the causes remain unknown. Recent evidence from our team suggests that antibodies against parts of the peripheral nerve at the node of Ranvier are involved. The project aims to identify these specific targets and monitor treatment responsiveness, stabilise nerve function and prevent persistent disability.
Optimising Large-scale Public Health Interventions To Control Neglected Tropical Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are a group of health conditions that affect the poorest of the poor, particularly in remote and rural areas. They affect the most vulnerable communities and cause substantial, chronic health harms impairing personal and social development. Several debilitating NTD are common in remote indigenous communities and Pacific islands. I propose a series of studies to investigate new strategies to control NTD in large populations where these diseases are endemic.
Optimising Heart Disease Prevention And Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,647,175.00
Summary
As we become older and risk factors such as obesity become more common, our biggest contributor to death and disability, cardiovascular disease (including heart disease), will continue to exert an enormous burden on our health care system and society. We will extend our ground-breaking research on multidisciplinary teams to create new and innovative health care programs to optimise the prevention and management of new heart disease and chronic forms of heart disease.
Periodontal Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease Among Aboriginal Adults; An RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,035,550.00
Summary
Chronic Kidney Disease is a growing public health concern in Australia, especially among Aboriginal populations. It is associated with progression to end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis, cardiovascular disease burden and high mortality. This study will use a randomised controlled trial design to determine if comprehensive periodontal therapy reduces progression of kidney disease among Aboriginal adults with chronic kidney disease residing in Central Australia.
The Role Of Capsid Protein Nucleolar Localisation In Chikungunya Virus: Implications For Vaccine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,520.00
Summary
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally widespread mosquito-borne alphavirus capable of causing considerable human morbidity and mortality. With no CHIKV vaccine or antiviral available this proposal aims to develop a live attenuated CHIKV vaccine, rationally designed by investigating the host cell nucleolar trafficking of CHIKV capsid protein. This vaccine has the potential to provide cross-protection against additional arthritogenic alphaviruses endemic to Australia such as Ross River virus.
Randomised Controlled Trial To Determine Efficacy And Safety Of Prescribed Water Intake To Prevent The Progression Of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (PREVENT-ADPKD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$746,751.00
Summary
Increasing the daily intake of water is well known to reduce the risk of developing kidney stones but there is growing evidence that it may also benefit other kidney diseases, particularly autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This study will determine if adequate hydration can slow the progression of ADPKD, and could provide a relatively simple and cheap treatment for preventing the onset of kidney failure due to this disease.