Risk Of Hepatitis C Reinfection Among People With Current Injecting Drug Use Following Successful HCV Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,245,228.00
Summary
In Australia, hepatitis C (HCV)-related morbidity and mortality are rising. One of the most important recent breakthroughs in clinical medicine is the approval of safe, simple, interferon-free HCV therapies with cure rates >95%. Although people who inject drugs account for the majority of new and existing cases of HCV, reinfection following treatment can occur. The goal of this Project Grant is to examine HCV treatment and reinfection following successful therapy among people who inject drugs ....In Australia, hepatitis C (HCV)-related morbidity and mortality are rising. One of the most important recent breakthroughs in clinical medicine is the approval of safe, simple, interferon-free HCV therapies with cure rates >95%. Although people who inject drugs account for the majority of new and existing cases of HCV, reinfection following treatment can occur. The goal of this Project Grant is to examine HCV treatment and reinfection following successful therapy among people who inject drugs.Read moreRead less
A Survey Of The Sexual Behaviour And Sexual Health Of Australian Prisoners
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$591,000.00
Summary
The Australian Study of Health and Relationships telephone survey recently reported on the sexual attitudes, knowledge, health and behaviour of over 19,000 Australians. One of the groups that was omitted from that survey was prisoners. Yet prisoners are a high-risk group for sexual ill health. Prisoners are mostly drawn from the most disadvantaged groups in society: they are more likely to be unemployed, they have less education and lower incomes than other Australians, and many suffer from mino ....The Australian Study of Health and Relationships telephone survey recently reported on the sexual attitudes, knowledge, health and behaviour of over 19,000 Australians. One of the groups that was omitted from that survey was prisoners. Yet prisoners are a high-risk group for sexual ill health. Prisoners are mostly drawn from the most disadvantaged groups in society: they are more likely to be unemployed, they have less education and lower incomes than other Australians, and many suffer from minor intellectual disabilities and-or mental illness. This proposed survey of inmates in Australian prisons will fill in this missing data. Prisoners are the forgotten population in many countries. Only a few surveys of prisoners' health have been performed. There are some surveys of sexual behaviour in particular prisons overseas, though most of them concentrate on HIV risks and do not explore the sexual lives of prisoners in the same way as the major national sex surveys in the US, the UK and France did for people living outside prison. Prison is itself a dangerous place for people's sexual health. In prison, much of the sex that occurs is not voluntary. Sexual assault in prisons can lead to serious physical injury as well as risk of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV-AIDS. Although some of these injuries can be sufficiently serious to require surgery, only a small proportion are reported to the authorities. Younger prisoners (aged 18-25) and those who are small, slightly built or gay, are at higher risk of being assaulted. This study will explore the factors surrounding sexual assault in prison and make recommendations for preventing it.Read moreRead less
Post-market Surveillance Of Medicine-related Adverse Events
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,248.00
Summary
Observational studies using administrative data are an important complement to spontaneous reporting systems for detecting medicine-related adverse events after they go to market, as they reflect real-world use of medicines; yet, they require rigorous methodological approaches to avoid bias. This project will review the existing methodologies for detecting adverse events in administrative data and apply them to Australian data.
Using Mathematical Models To Assess The Impact Of Interventions To Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$562,276.00
Summary
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are an increasing public health problem in Australia. Australia's recent National Transmissible Infections Strategy identified chlamydia control, STI prevention in gay men and STIs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as priority areas. We propose to develop mathematical models of STI transmission and use these to help understand and identify the most cost-effective interventions to reduce the impact of STIs on Australian populations.
Assessing the potential for and success of animal tranlocation: The Eastern Bristlebird as a case study. Translocation is set to become an important tool in the biodiversity conservation "toolbox", especially in securing species of small, cover-dependent, poorly dispersed passerine birds. Although there is a good theory for translocations, too few have been studied in detail to direct actions or predict outcomes. This project will develop a translocation methodology for the endangered Eastern Br ....Assessing the potential for and success of animal tranlocation: The Eastern Bristlebird as a case study. Translocation is set to become an important tool in the biodiversity conservation "toolbox", especially in securing species of small, cover-dependent, poorly dispersed passerine birds. Although there is a good theory for translocations, too few have been studied in detail to direct actions or predict outcomes. This project will develop a translocation methodology for the endangered Eastern Bristlebird and use detailed trapping and radio-tracking to determine the success of founder populations and the impacts of removing animals from source sites.Read moreRead less
Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental param ....Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations. This project aims to examine critical mechanisms that affect mitochondrial DNA variation within species. It aims to test the hypothesis that mitochondrial DNA haplotypes have the potential to be under nutritionally induced balancing selection as a consequence of cellular signalling and/or Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production by mitochondria. Diet can vary both seasonally and geographically and is a key environmental parameter that influences the ability of a species to colonise new habitats. The project plans to characterise the functional links between specific mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, mitochondrial functions and organismal traits. The expected outcome is a more precise grasp of the processes influencing genetic variation within and among species, which would inform current issues in ecology and genetics.Read moreRead less
Anxiety and depression are common during early- to mid-adulthood and a major cause of disability. Few studies track individuals over this age range or assess how their experience of anxiety/depression affects them at midlife when many of life’s work, family and personal achievements coalesce. The PATH to Midlife project extends an existing community survey to understand the patterns of anxiety and depression from early to mid-adulthood and identify the personal, social and economic consequences.
Costs and individual variation in immune function: studies on a long-lived predator in tropical Australia. Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) will be employed to quantify costs and individual variation in antibody response to a non-pathogenic antigen in water pythons (Liasis fuscus). Immune responsiveness is strongly correlated with disease and parasite resistance and has been documented to depend on environmental and genetic factors. All immunized snakes will be known-aged animals (rang ....Costs and individual variation in immune function: studies on a long-lived predator in tropical Australia. Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) will be employed to quantify costs and individual variation in antibody response to a non-pathogenic antigen in water pythons (Liasis fuscus). Immune responsiveness is strongly correlated with disease and parasite resistance and has been documented to depend on environmental and genetic factors. All immunized snakes will be known-aged animals (ranging from 6 months to >20 years), of different nutritional status, known blood and gastro-intestinal parasite load and documented immuno-genetic profiles. This multidisciplinary approach will bring together population ecology, molecular genetics and immunology to elucidate links between these traits and ultimately how they affect python fitness.Read moreRead less
The biology and epidemiology of the grapevine canker fungi, Botryosphaeria sp. Decline and dieback of grapevines is becoming an increasing problem for the viticulture industry in NSW. Recently, species of the fungus Botryosphaeria, were isolated from grapevines exhibiting these symptoms. In order to understand the biology and epidemiology of the causal organisms, we aim to; (i) determine species of Botryosphaeria present in NSW vineyards; (ii) determine which species are pathogenic on grapevines ....The biology and epidemiology of the grapevine canker fungi, Botryosphaeria sp. Decline and dieback of grapevines is becoming an increasing problem for the viticulture industry in NSW. Recently, species of the fungus Botryosphaeria, were isolated from grapevines exhibiting these symptoms. In order to understand the biology and epidemiology of the causal organisms, we aim to; (i) determine species of Botryosphaeria present in NSW vineyards; (ii) determine which species are pathogenic on grapevines; (iii) characterise the genetic diversity of strains and; (iv) screen fungicides for the control of these fungi. Information on the species, their biology and pathogenicity on grapevines, will enable the development of appropriate management strategies for its control and may lead to the development of molecular tools to identify species of Botryosphaeria.Read moreRead less