Centre Of Research Excellence On Sitting Time And Chronic Disease Prevention – Mechanisms, Measurement And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,657,874.00
Summary
Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home ....Australian research has identified serious health consequences arising from the 7 to 10 hours of daily sitting that most people do, especially in relation to ‘diseases of inactivity’ – type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and breast and colon cancer – that are an unwelcome burden on individuals, families and health systems. This new research examines the practical feasibility and the preventive-health benefits of changing children’s and adults’ sitting time in schools, workplaces and the home environment.Read moreRead less
Centre Of Research Excellence In Eradicating Food Allergy: Prevention, Cure And Reducing Adverse Events
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,496,041.00
Summary
Australia has the highest reported rate of food allergy in the world. We aim to eradicate food allergy through improved prevention and cure, supported by evidence generated by our collaborative network of research. In addition, we aim to help prevent children with food allergy having anaphylaxis through improved public health policy and clinical pathways. As a second wave of the allergy epidemic, we are well positioned to turn back the tide of this newly emergent health threat to the public.
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100561
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,936.00
Summary
Solving the disability data puzzle to ensure progress towards equity. In South Korea, the average age of death for people with disability is 16 years younger than people without disability. In Australia, we do not have the data infrastructure to generate life expectancy statistics for people with disability. This fellowship aims to solve this disability data challenge, identified as a critical problem by the Australian Government. It will develop a validated methodology for producing disability ....Solving the disability data puzzle to ensure progress towards equity. In South Korea, the average age of death for people with disability is 16 years younger than people without disability. In Australia, we do not have the data infrastructure to generate life expectancy statistics for people with disability. This fellowship aims to solve this disability data challenge, identified as a critical problem by the Australian Government. It will develop a validated methodology for producing disability statistics from linked data; generate a whole population disability data resource to build capacity in disability research; and for the first time, produce life expectancy statistics for people with disability - the ultimate policy tool to monitor progress towards equity and improve the lives of disabled Australians. Read moreRead less
Thai Health-Risk Transition: A National Cohort Study - Phase II
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,662,829.00
Summary
We are conducting a pioneering collaborative longitudinal study of population health in Thailand, following over time more than 80,000 adults living throughout the country. We repeatedly measure a wide array of health risks and outcomes. We capture information on the health-risk transition underway in Thailand as the population experiences the new burden of disease associated with economic development and modernisation. We team up with policy makers for national responses to lower the burden.
Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detaile ....Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. Reducing health disparities for older LGBTI Australians. This project aims to optimise health and aged care services throughout Australia, by bringing together researchers and key organisations in the health, aged, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) sectors to build a much-needed evidence base. Older LGBTI Australians have vastly poorer health outcomes than the broader population. This project will provide detailed quantitative and qualitative data on the challenges and needs of older LGBTI Australians and service providers, and develop essential resources so policymakers and service providers can reduce older LGBTI Australians’ health disparities.Read moreRead less
Sitting Less And Moving More: Population Health Research To Understand And Influence Sedentary Behaviour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,367,518.00
Summary
The majority of Australian adults spend most of their waking hours sitting: at home, at work, and in their cars; most do not participate in exercise or sport. This leads to weight gain and to diseases of inactivity (particularly diabetes, heart disease, cancer and depression). New research will measure sitting time and the physical activity in people's daily lives, what factors encourage inactivity, and how to increase activity levels, especially among the ageing 'baby boomer' population.
Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Investigations Into The Genetic Basis Of Resistance To Infection Of Abalone By The Abalone Herpes-like Virus
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$107,439.00
Summary
Of particular interest to both the aquaculture and wild capture industries is whether there are sub-populations of abalone that demonstrate some innate resistance to infection/disease or that are capable of developing resistance. Identification of these sub-populations could prove useful to both the farming and the wild-capture sector. In a controlled culture population it may be possible to breed for a more AVG-resistant population that would be able to respond better s ....Of particular interest to both the aquaculture and wild capture industries is whether there are sub-populations of abalone that demonstrate some innate resistance to infection/disease or that are capable of developing resistance. Identification of these sub-populations could prove useful to both the farming and the wild-capture sector. In a controlled culture population it may be possible to breed for a more AVG-resistant population that would be able to respond better should a disease outbreak occur. Potential AVG resistance between different wild populations could also be inferred since the parents of the farmed bred lines have come from different wild sources and we will be able to use knowledge of their ancestry to determine if there is any evidence for population differences. In addition, should any zones of the natural population be at low densities such that re-stocking either from cultured seed or by movement of natural stock from other zones be required, it will be critical to know if there is innate resistance prior to translocation of any stocks. If sub-populations in the wild are found to be more resistant and others more susceptible, this may influence management of these zones and restrict movement of stock within and between zones. If genetic resistance is identified in greenlips, the next step would be to confirm this in blacklips and hybrids, and then search for genetic markers associated with resistance/susceptibility to be able to identify individuals and sub-populations that are more resistant or susceptible. Moreover, this study will be the first examination of virus resistance in a gastropod and might provide us with information on future events. Identification of mechanisms of resistance to infection/disease was identified as a priority in the draft national abalone health work plan. Identification of resistant family line(s) would allow further research on mechanisms of resistance (future proposal). Objectives: 1. Determine whether there is genetic variation in susceptibility to abalone viral ganglioneuritis in abalone family lines. (If genetic resistance is identified in specific family line(s), a subsequent proposal will be submitted.) Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100864
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,334.00
Summary
Discovering The Effect of alpha-actinin-3 Deficiency on Muscle Adaptations to Exercise Training in Humans. The protein alpha-actinin-3 is expressed in fast muscle fibres. A common gene variant results in complete deficiency in alpha-actinin-3 that has been shown to influence athletic performance. A mouse model has been previously generated to demonstrate that alpha-actinin-3 deficiency results in a significant shift in fast muscle fibres, towards the slow, more efficient muscle fibres. This proj ....Discovering The Effect of alpha-actinin-3 Deficiency on Muscle Adaptations to Exercise Training in Humans. The protein alpha-actinin-3 is expressed in fast muscle fibres. A common gene variant results in complete deficiency in alpha-actinin-3 that has been shown to influence athletic performance. A mouse model has been previously generated to demonstrate that alpha-actinin-3 deficiency results in a significant shift in fast muscle fibres, towards the slow, more efficient muscle fibres. This project will demonstrate the effects of alpha-actinin-3 deficiency on the characteristics of human muscle pre and post exercise training. Outcomes will include major applications for personalising health recommendations and in designing preventative programs for ageing.Read moreRead less
Ageing Well And Productively: Pathways To Healthy Workforce Participation And Caregiving.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$143,660.00
Summary
Good health is vital to increase workforce participation,which enables us to pay for rising health care costs. This study will examine how socio-economic, behavioural, environmental and health-related factors impact on healthy workforce participation among older Australians. It will identify ways to prevent people having to retire early because of ill-health and will inform policy makers and health program developers about how best to maintain or increase a healthy workforce participation.
SCRC: Alleviation Of Summer Gut Syndrome (SGS) In Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
The prevalence of SGS and other gut-related diseases is a primary cause of economic losses related to the farming of Atlantic Salmon with AGD being more significant. Maricultured Atlantic salmon in Tasmanian south-eastern waters have been frequently noted to exhibit an increased mortality during summer due to SGS. The problem is of concern to the Tasmanian aquaculture industry due to reduction in production efficiency. The aetiology of the SGS is unidentified but the fact that antibiotics can r ....The prevalence of SGS and other gut-related diseases is a primary cause of economic losses related to the farming of Atlantic Salmon with AGD being more significant. Maricultured Atlantic salmon in Tasmanian south-eastern waters have been frequently noted to exhibit an increased mortality during summer due to SGS. The problem is of concern to the Tasmanian aquaculture industry due to reduction in production efficiency. The aetiology of the SGS is unidentified but the fact that antibiotics can resolve the problem temporarily suggests that SGS is induced by a bacterial agent or agents. Identification of the aetiology of the disease is therefore a priority to resolve the problem. This however, requires a detailed investigation of the dynamics of microbial communities in the gut and their response to environmental factors such as temperature and diet over time as well as investigating their interaction with the gut epithelium. This has to be done not only in salmon afflicted with SGS but also in healthy salmon to determine how the protective effect of normal microflora in salmon is compromised during warm seasons allowing overgrowth of certain species of bacteria. Previous research suggests SGS may be caused by the proliferation of apparently non-pathogenic species of Vibrios or Aliivibrios. This needs to be verified and we plan to investigate this as well as investigating pathogenic potential of all bacteria that establish a close contact with the gut epithelium of salmon over time. And finally the importance of probiotic strains with potential to competitively exclude pathogenic strains in salmon’s gut and their population dynamics requires investigation as these bacteria may have an important role in prevention of the SGS.Read moreRead less