Improving Outcomes For Individuals And Families Affected By Genetic Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,845.00
Summary
I aim to reduce illness and death caused by inherited diseases, particularly in unborn children, newborns and infants. I will do this by finding causes of inherited diseases we don’t yet know, investigating treatments for inherited diseases and developing better methods of diagnosing inherited diseases. I will also investigate methods of finding carriers of recessive diseases before they have affected children, so that they can avoid having children affected with severe diseases.
The Biology Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis Biofilm Formation On Silicone Implantable Medical Devices And The Role Of Implant Surface Antibiotic Technology In The Prevention Of Bacterial Biofilm In And Animal Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$113,322.00
Summary
Hospital acquired infections continue to rise with over 60% occuring in patients with medical implants. Infections are due to skin bacteria forming a microscopic slime, or biofilm, around the implant. Biofilm infection is only diagnosed after implant removal, responds poorly to antibiotics, and can cause implant failure, such as joint loosening & bone infection in joint replacements and breast deformity with silicone implants. This project uses an animal model to evaluate different surface treat ....Hospital acquired infections continue to rise with over 60% occuring in patients with medical implants. Infections are due to skin bacteria forming a microscopic slime, or biofilm, around the implant. Biofilm infection is only diagnosed after implant removal, responds poorly to antibiotics, and can cause implant failure, such as joint loosening & bone infection in joint replacements and breast deformity with silicone implants. This project uses an animal model to evaluate different surface treatments to prevent bacterial biofilm formation.Read moreRead less
The Effectiveness Of A Community Based Program For Reducing The Incidence Of Falls Among The Elderly:A Randomized Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$206,604.00
Summary
Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization due to injury in elderly people, and are associated with substantial medical and rehabilitation costs, as well as social isolation and premature institutionalization for a significant number of people who fall. This study aims to reduce the economic and social burden of falls. A randomized controlled trial will evaluate the impact of a community based falls prevention program (C-BF) with an at-risk elderly population. The intervention is designed to ....Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization due to injury in elderly people, and are associated with substantial medical and rehabilitation costs, as well as social isolation and premature institutionalization for a significant number of people who fall. This study aims to reduce the economic and social burden of falls. A randomized controlled trial will evaluate the impact of a community based falls prevention program (C-BF) with an at-risk elderly population. The intervention is designed to improve elderly people's capacity to follow through with effective falls prevention strategies and to manage risks in their everyday lives, and hence to reduce the rate at which they experience falls. The outcome of this project will be a user friendly manual that will document the program in enough detail so that it can be easily implemented by health care professionals.Read moreRead less
Dissecting the shared genetic architecture of psychiatric and psychological traits with application to prediction of genetic risk. Identification of the early phase of psychiatric disorders is considered critical for early intervention which is the essence of prevention. At present, the main obstacle to targeted early intervention strategies in psychiatric disorders is the non-specific nature of early stage symptoms. Many psychiatric disorders present with symptoms of depressed mood and anxiety ....Dissecting the shared genetic architecture of psychiatric and psychological traits with application to prediction of genetic risk. Identification of the early phase of psychiatric disorders is considered critical for early intervention which is the essence of prevention. At present, the main obstacle to targeted early intervention strategies in psychiatric disorders is the non-specific nature of early stage symptoms. Many psychiatric disorders present with symptoms of depressed mood and anxiety in the early stages, yet best intervention treatments are dependent on the final (unknown) diagnosed disorder. Prediction of genetic risk is likely to make an important contribution for identification of individuals at risk of specific psychiatric disorders so that the best early intervention treatment can be administered. Read moreRead less
The HIV Prevention Revolution: Measuring Outcomes And Maximising Effectiveness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,081,723.00
Summary
There have been extra-ordinary recent biomedical advances in HIV prevention. These present an opportunity to turn the HIV epidemic around. We will undertake implementation research to optimise the impact of the new tools at the population level. NSW has a detailed HIV strategy with explicit targets for reduction of HIV transmission over the period 2012 to 2020. Our research will guide optimum program delivery to drive new HIV infections down in Australia and other high income settings.
Healthy Lifestyle Profiles: An Integrated Approach To Improving Population Health In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
The proposed study will examine the clustering of health-related behaviours (e.g. smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity) among Australians. Through this integrated and sequenced program of research I will develop methodologies for quantifying profiles of health behaviours; examine distributions and temporal trends of behavioural profiles by socio-demographic characteristics, geographic locations, and environmental attributes; and examine the long-term health outcomes of lifestyle profiles.
Improving Outcome after Stroke through Earlier Rehabilitation: The Very Early Rehabilitation Research Program. Stroke presents a major, growing global public health challenge accounting for 25% of all chronic disability. Treatments that reduce the burden of stroke are urgently needed, and early rehabilitation may significantly reduce chronic disability. A large, high quality, National Health and Medical Research Council funded clinical trial is at the heart of the A Very Early Rehabilitation Tri ....Improving Outcome after Stroke through Earlier Rehabilitation: The Very Early Rehabilitation Research Program. Stroke presents a major, growing global public health challenge accounting for 25% of all chronic disability. Treatments that reduce the burden of stroke are urgently needed, and early rehabilitation may significantly reduce chronic disability. A large, high quality, National Health and Medical Research Council funded clinical trial is at the heart of the A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) program. The trial tests whether a simple, rehabilitation intervention (early and intensive out of bed activity) results in fewer deaths and less disability for stroke sufferers and is cost effective. If effective the intervention could be adopted across different health services both here and overseas, reducing the global burden of stroke.Read moreRead less