My research is primarily aimed at understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of lung development; in particular, how lung development is affected by the fetal and neonatal environment such that adult lung function and respiratory health are impaired. In addition to the lung my research examines the effects of the prenatal environment on development of the brain and cardiovascular system.
Improved Respiratory Support And Outcomes For Very Preterm Babies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,185,907.00
Summary
Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disa ....Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disabilityRead moreRead less
Intrauterine Ureaplasma Infection During Pregnancy: Fetal Effects And Characteristics Of Ureaplasma Pathogenicity.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,097.00
Summary
Ureaplasmas are microorganisms that are commonly found in the urinary tracts of men and women, without any apparent adverse effects; but their presence in amniotic fluid during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The effects that ureaplasmas in the amniotic fluid have on the developing baby before birth are likely to result in illness after birth, but the range of potential effects is unknown. We also know very little about how ureaplasmas themselves ....Ureaplasmas are microorganisms that are commonly found in the urinary tracts of men and women, without any apparent adverse effects; but their presence in amniotic fluid during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The effects that ureaplasmas in the amniotic fluid have on the developing baby before birth are likely to result in illness after birth, but the range of potential effects is unknown. We also know very little about how ureaplasmas themselves manage to infect the fetus and other tissues within the pregnant uterus. Our studies are designed to identify the effects that ureaplasmas in amniotic fluid have on the developing fetus and how common treatments during pregnancy impact on those effects. We will also study ureaplasmas to see what it is about them that allows them to affect the fetus and other uterine tissues. We expect that our studies will lead to better diagnosis and treatment of amniotic ureaplasma infection during pregnancy, and will allow us to better care for babies born after exposure to ureaplasmas before birth.Read moreRead less
Preventing Preterm Lung Disease - A Cell Therapy Approach.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,610.00
Summary
Due to improvements in medical care, the survival of very premature babies has greatly improved over the past 20 years. However, many of these children are surviving with disability due to severe chronic lung disease of prematurity. Currently, there are no effective treatments for this lung disease. This project explores the use of placental stem cells as a lung repair and regeneration therapy - a therapy that can be given to the baby in the days immediately following its birth.
Pathways Of Neurosteroid-mediated Protection Following Compromised Pregnancy And Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,785.00
Summary
The hormonal environment of pregnancy is essential for normal development of the fetal brain. Levels of key hormones fall following premature birth and are further suppressed if the fetus is small or subjected to stress. This leads developmental problems in infants from the pregnancies. This project will examine effectiveness of replacement and supplementation treatments with critical neurosteroid hormones in reversing the adverse neurological effects of these complications of pregnancy.