Developing Diagnostics And Therapeutics For Preeclampsia: Targeting A Novel Placental Specific SFlt-1 Variant
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$722,283.00
Summary
Preeclampsia is a dreaded disease of pregnancy, globally responsible for thousands of deaths of mothers and babies. It is caused by a protein called sFlt-1 leaking out of the placenta and attacking the mothers organs. Recently, a new sflt-1 subtype was discovered that is specific to the placenta. It may be the key disease causing toxin in preeclampsia. We will target this placental specific sFlt-1 to generate diagnostics to predict preeclampsia, and explore novel ways to block the toxic effects ....Preeclampsia is a dreaded disease of pregnancy, globally responsible for thousands of deaths of mothers and babies. It is caused by a protein called sFlt-1 leaking out of the placenta and attacking the mothers organs. Recently, a new sflt-1 subtype was discovered that is specific to the placenta. It may be the key disease causing toxin in preeclampsia. We will target this placental specific sFlt-1 to generate diagnostics to predict preeclampsia, and explore novel ways to block the toxic effects of sFlt-1 as a strategy to develop drugs.Read moreRead less
Nanomedicine Targeted Delivery Of Therapeutics To The Placenta To Treat Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$513,148.00
Summary
Preeclampsia, one of the most serious complications of pregnancy, affects around 3-8% of all pregnancies. Sadly, there is no treatment. We have developed a new technique to deliver treatments only to the placenta, sparing the mother and baby from side effects. We will test whether this technique can treat the source of preeclampsia, the placenta, in human and mouse models in our laboratory. This work has potential to offer possibilities of new treatments to other pregnancy complications.
Systematic Screening Approach To Identify New Therapeutics For Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,529.00
Summary
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication where factors are released from the placenta into the mum's bloodstream, causing widespread blood vessel and organ damage. Sadly, there is no treatment. Our laboratory has a set up a system to test whether drugs might be useful as a treatment for preeclampsia. We test whether the drugs decrease the release of these factors and protect blood vessels. In this grant, we propose testing three exciting drug treatments for preeclampsia.
Translating New Therapeutics And Diagnostics For Major Pregnancy Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,156.00
Summary
My research is focussed on tackling major complications of pregnancy that are a threat to the lives of both mother’s and babies. We are developing new drug treatments for ectopic pregnancy (a dangerous condition where the pregnancy implants in the Fallopian tube), and preeclampsia (a condition where toxins leak out of the placenta into mum's blood, and can seriously injure many of mum's major organs). We are also generating a blood test that may help women avoid the tragedy of a stillbirth.
New Generation Antiplatelet Therapies To Prevent Preeclampsia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$483,148.00
Summary
Preeclampsia, a major complication of pregnancy, affects around 3-8% of pregnancies. Sadly, there is no way to prevent or delay disease. We have uncovered antiplatelet agents, used to prevent heart disease and stroke, may provide health benefits to women at risk of developing preeclampsia. We will test whether these agents can prevent the pathophysiology of preeclampsia in specialized human & mouse models developed in our laboratory. This work may provide a prevention strategy for preeclampsia.
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.
Developing Molecularly Targeted Therapeutics And Diagnostics For Pregnancy Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,489.00
Summary
Pregnancy complications still causes the death of mothers, and their babies. During this fellowship, we will be developing new treatments and clinical tests for three important complications of pregnancy. We will run clinical trials of a new medication based treatment to cure ectopic pregnancies. We will also develop a blood test that can identify those babies still in the womb but suffering dangerously low oxygen levels. Lastly, we will develop drugs to treat preeclampsia, a serious condition o ....Pregnancy complications still causes the death of mothers, and their babies. During this fellowship, we will be developing new treatments and clinical tests for three important complications of pregnancy. We will run clinical trials of a new medication based treatment to cure ectopic pregnancies. We will also develop a blood test that can identify those babies still in the womb but suffering dangerously low oxygen levels. Lastly, we will develop drugs to treat preeclampsia, a serious condition of pregnancy.Read moreRead less
Harnessing Anticalin Technology As A Multi-targeted Treament Approach For Vision Loss
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$627,273.00
Summary
Diabetes is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness worldwide and is caused by two factors called VEGF and Ang2, which damage blood vessels. Current treatments only block VEGF and many patients do not respond and suffer irreversible damage to sight. We have used ground-breaking anticalin technology to make a new drug (PRS-AUS1) that blocks both VEGF and Ang2. Studies will be performed in animal models and move to patients where we expect improved outcomes compared to current treatments.
Antagonist Of Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone As Therapeutic Agents For The Prevention Of Premature Birth In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,650.00
Summary
In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow ....In developed countries the most common cause of the death of a newborn baby is premature delivery. Pre-term delivery remains the greatest cause of neonatal mortality in the western world and a major consumer of health dollars (approx. $5-7B per year in the US alone). However, a delay in the onset of labour from 20 to 25 weeks has been shown to result in a 55% greater probability of infant survival (550 fewer deaths per 1000). This project will allow: The development of new drugs that will allow the extension of pregnancy term The development of protocols that will in turn reduce neonatal mortality. Additionally we believe that these new agents will be useful in preventing the onset of labour after fetal surgery. Currently there are no effective treatments capable of substantially changing delivery dates. Available therapeutics delay the onset of labour, at best, 24 hours. However, recent exciting results from our laboratories show that rising concentrations of the placental peptide Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone (CRH) are associated with the onset of labour. Further, we have also delayed the onset of labour in pregnant sheep by infusing a relatively insoluble CRH antagonist into the sheep fetus. Labour commenced ONLY AFTER the drug was withdrawn from the mother. This project builds upon an interdisciplinary team: medicinal chemists, molecular modellers, pharmacologists and endocrinologists, to further develop an exciting Australian discovery. Successful completeion of this research will, for the first time, allow the control of pregnancy duration MAXIMISING the benefits to mother and child, reducing mortality and later life morbidities typically associated with premature birth.Read moreRead less
Preventing Early Internalising Problems In The Preschool Setting: Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,870.00
Summary
Internalising mental health problems reflect inner emotional distress and encompass all symptoms of anxiety and depression. Affecting 1 in 7 Australian school-age children, many internalising problems persist into adulthood, impacting on personal wellbeing, family relations and workforce capabilities. This randomised prevention trial in the preschool-setting, screens for children at-risk and tests if a parenting program can reduce internalising problems across the population by school-entry.