Forecasting The Impact Of Climate Change On Dengue Transmission
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$506,432.00
Summary
Dengue fever (DF) is the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease in the world. The large-scale re-emergence of DF in the Asia-Pacific region during the past few decades has renewed its status as a serious international public health problem. Global climate change is anticipated to impact upon the biology and ecology of vectors and consequently the risk of DF transmission. The principal research aim of this study is to project the impact of future climate change on DF.
Identification And Molecular Characterisation Of High-risk Premalignant Breast Lesions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,382.00
Summary
Understanding the full repertoire of genetic events that underlie the development of breast cancer may allow development of prevention strategies. This study will analyse genetic data of benign breast lesions that may be non-obligate precursors of breast cancer. Importantly, clinical management of these lesions is difficult. A reliable method of predicting the risk of progression to cancer would be a significant advance, with benefits to individual patients and also the health system.
Personalising Care In Operable Pancreas Cancer. GAP-T: A Study Of Imaging And Molecular Biomarkers To Guide Treatment Of Patients Receiving Preoperative Chemotherapy Followed By Surgery.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,345.00
Summary
We are studying ways to improve how we treat patients with pancreatic cancer. We will use a novel imaging tool, the PET scanner, to show where active cancer is and how quickly and how well a new drug combination (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel) is affecting the cancer. We will also study if measuring the expression of specific proteins (SPARC and hENT1) in the cancer affects the outcome and will allow us to determine ahead of time which patients will benefit most from the drugs.
Understanding Sensitivity And Resistance To Trastuzumab And Lapatinib In HER2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$414,056.00
Summary
Previously, women diagnosed with a breast cancer that overexpressed the HER2 protein had a very high risk of dying. Trastuzumab, a treatment targeted at this protein, has been an extremely effective treatment. Currently there are new anti-HER2 drugs available, which will likely to be used in combination with trastuzumab. We will be investigating biological markers of resistance and sensitivity to these drugs and combinations in order to try and understand who needs which drug and/ or combination ....Previously, women diagnosed with a breast cancer that overexpressed the HER2 protein had a very high risk of dying. Trastuzumab, a treatment targeted at this protein, has been an extremely effective treatment. Currently there are new anti-HER2 drugs available, which will likely to be used in combination with trastuzumab. We will be investigating biological markers of resistance and sensitivity to these drugs and combinations in order to try and understand who needs which drug and/ or combinations.Read moreRead less
Containment Potential And Risk Of Spread Of Artemisinin Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,762.00
Summary
Significant gains have been made in the past decade in reducing falciparum malaria morbidity and mortality using artemisinin-base combination therapy (ACT) and insecticidal nets. However the recent emergence of artemisinin resistance threatens these achievements. This project will develop and use a mathematical model of malaria transmission incorporating resistance to the drugs in ACTs to investigate the probability and rate of spread of resistance into new areas endemic for malaria.
Human Olfactory Neurosphere-derived Cells: A Novel Cellular Model For Parkinson's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,126.00
Summary
ParkinsonÍs disease (PD) is an incurable, brain disease that affects 75,000 Australians with great societal cost. We are working on adult stem cells called (hONS) grown from peopleÍs olfactory mucosa (in the nose) as a research tool to study PD. Our project examines differences seen in hONS from people with PD and determines how certain cellular processes impact on the function of these cells. This work will enhance our understanding of the biology of PD and identify new targets for therapies.
Using An Established Simulation Model To Determine Effective And Cost-effective Interventions To Mitigate Influenza Pandemics And Inform Public Health Policy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,353.00
Summary
A novel disease spread and economic model is used to determine the cost-effectiveness of a range of mitigation strategies aimed at a future influenza pandemic. A simulation model generates data on which individuals become ill, morbidity and mortality characteristics, an economic costing model determines optimal interventions.
AusGo-SHEMO….Let’s Go! Australian Gold Standard Health Economics Model Of Osteoporosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$378,959.00
Summary
We will develop an unbiased, gold standard, validated, transparent health economics model of osteoporosis to identify cost-effective screening and treatment strategies, and that will be made widely available to all stakeholders. Without this model, scarce health care resources may be squandered on osteoporosis screening strategies and osteoporosis-related fracture prevention medications that are not cost-effective. Worse, patient access to cost-effective medications may be delayed.
Dynamic Action Potential Clamp Studies Of Drugs That Affect The Cardiac Action Potential
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$343,976.00
Summary
The development of drugs to treat and.or prevent cardiac arrhythmias have been plagued by the side-effect of actually increasing the risk of sudden death. One of the reasons for this is that drugs that work well in one part of the heart may cause problems in another part. We are developing a system called “dynamic action potential clamp” that will make it easier for researchers to assess the effect of drugs in different regions of both normal and diseased hearts.
Applying Quantitative Immunology To The Analysis Of Complex Genetic Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$864,596.00
Summary
The immune response of each individual varies. For some, the response invoked by foreign challenge is weak, leading to a lifetime of difficulty with infection. For others, the response is stronger, yielding excellent immunity, but opening the potential for overactive responses to self-material and autoimmune disease. We have a new theory for how the health of our immune system can be measured and we aim to apply it to understand the genesis of the many different forms of human immune diseases.