Protective Role Of The Depressor Arm Of The Renin-angiotensin System During Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$633,384.00
Summary
The motivation for unveiling the normal hormonal and molecular mechanisms involved in the extraordinary vasodilatation associated with pregnancy is that understanding these fundamental processes may provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, as well as potential therapeutic strategies for not only the treatment of these pregnancy specific conditions but also cardiovascular and renal diseases in non-pregnant women and men.
The Role Of Vitamin D In Placental Development And Pregnancy Success
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$723,235.00
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency affects about 1 billion people worldwide, including up to 80% of Australians depending on age, skin colour and sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency has now been associated with a large number of common diseases of aging and with pregnancy complications. This proposal will use human pregnancy serum and placenta, as well as mouse gene knockout models, to determine the hitherto unknown roles of vitamin D in development of the placenta and health of mother and baby.
The placenta is essential for fetal-maternal exchange and healthy pregnancy however the factors that are required for the placenta to form are poorly understood. We will investigate how the placenta develops in mice and which are the most important factors that are required for a health placenta to form.
Understanding The Role Of Endogenous And Pharmacologic Glycosaminoglycans In Preventing Pre-eclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$516,642.00
Summary
Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication that affects the well being of the mother and baby. There is no cure for PE except for delivery of the baby. This may result in delivery much earlier than expected causing a very premature baby. This study investigates substances in the placenta that may be responsible for causing PE. If we can understand how these substances cause the problem of PE, we may be able to find better ways of treating or preventing it.
Decidual-trophoblast Interactions Critical For Optimal Pregnancy Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$612,927.00
Summary
This proposal seeks to identify the critical maternal and embryonic placental factors that regulate the formation of a healthy placenta and thus a healthy pregnancy and baby. Currently there is no way of identifying whether the placenta is forming adequately. The proposed studies are a necessary first step in identifying therapeutic targets for diseases associated with a poorly formed placenta, such as preeclampsia.
The Pathogenic Role Of A Placenta-specific Protease In Early-onset Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,950.00
Summary
Preeclampsia (PE) is a life-threatening disorder of pregnancy. If left untreated, PE will lead to maternal as well as fetal death. Unfortunately, the only current effective “cure” for PE is to deliver the baby prematurely. The causes of PE are intrinsically related to the placenta, the organ that connects the fetus to the mother. This project will investigate a unique enzyme that is produced only by the placenta, its contribution to PE and its potential as a target for PE treatment.
Intergenerational Transmission Of Gender-specific Metabolic Disease For Offspring Born Small: Maternal, Paternal And Embryonic Roles
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$689,050.00
Summary
This proposal addresses the underlying metabolic health consequences of poor embryo and growth of the baby across generations. We will define mechanisms by which a poor functioning placenta during a rat mother’s pregnancy programs her offspring born small to transmit gender-specific diseases to the next generation. We will identify mechanistic pathways involved, specifically the relative contributions of maternal and paternal germ lines and adverse maternal adaptations to pregnancy for females b ....This proposal addresses the underlying metabolic health consequences of poor embryo and growth of the baby across generations. We will define mechanisms by which a poor functioning placenta during a rat mother’s pregnancy programs her offspring born small to transmit gender-specific diseases to the next generation. We will identify mechanistic pathways involved, specifically the relative contributions of maternal and paternal germ lines and adverse maternal adaptations to pregnancy for females born small.Read moreRead less
Measuring Hypoxia Induced MRNA In Maternal Blood To Monitor Wellbeing Of Growth-restricted Fetuses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,358.00
Summary
Severely growth restricted fetuses are at peril of stillbirth from low oxygenation. While ultrasound monitoring improves outcomes, babies are still lost. Better ways to monitor the health the unborn baby are needed. We have recently discovered fetuses’ starved of oxygen leak RNA into mother's blood. Thus, measuring RNA molecules in blood could be used to assess fetal health. We will examine whether measuring mRNA in maternal blood could be used to monitor wellbeing of growth-restricted fetuses.
Working Towards A New Therapy For The Prevention Of Restricted Fetal Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$711,356.00
Summary
If a baby does not grow properly during pregnancy there can be serious health problems when it is born. We also know that small babies have life long risks of poorer health. We have no effective therapies for improving a baby's growth. This application aims to discover a treatment that can help babies grow. This would be an important advance in improving the health of our future Australians.
From Pathogenesis To Therapeutics: Targeting Two Signalling Pathways As A Therapeutic Strategy To Treat Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$499,048.00
Summary
Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy that claims the lives of thousands of mothers and babies each year. There is no efficacious medical treatment besides delivery of the baby and placenta. Our lack of therapeutics is largely a result of our poor understanding of the disease. In this application we plan to thoroughly characterise two pathways we believe responsible for preeclampsia, effectively identifying many points at which new therapies could be targeted.