Understanding And Effectively Treating Cognitive And Functioning Impairments In Youth With Psychosis And Other Mental Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$431,000.00
Summary
Impaired thinking skills, such as memory, concentration and problem solving, emerge early in psychotic and other mental disorders, which has a negative impact on functioning in work and other daily activities. Current treatments are not very effective at addressing this. The research proposed in this fellowship will improve knowledge about these impairments and develop and test a range of interventions that treat thinking skill difficulties and improve daily functioning in youth mental illness.
Understanding The Role Of Sex Hormones In Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
Evidence suggests that the female hormone, estrogen, protects against schizophrenia, although the exact mechanism of action underlying this effect is unclear. We believe that by measuring estrogen-induced changes in the levels of genes in the brain, we will identify the way that estrogens protect against the symptoms of schizophrenia and improve antipsychotic treatment response.
Identifying And Characterizing Genes That Regulate Breast Tumorigenesis And Metastasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
I am a breast cancer biologist. My research focuses on identifying the changes in normal cells that allow cancer to form, and identifying the changes in cancer cells that allows them to spread. To accomplish this, I have developed new methods using mouse models of breast cancer. My goal is to use these methods to further our understanding of the causes of breast cancer development and progression.
Regenerative Neuroscience Strategies For Brain Ageing And Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,079.00
Summary
Dementia is the pre-eminent medical challenge of our times as it affects 34 million individuals and will quadruple by 2050. This research therefore aims to develop new preventative and therapeutic strategies for dementia. Seven different studies are proposed, ranging from new stem-cell treatments for testing in rodents, to human clinical trials looking at the preventative effects of physical and mental exercise. These are linked by a central idea of boosting the brain’s neuroplasticity.
The extraordinary virulence of malaria parasites is in part due to their ability to export hundreds of proteins into their host cell to obtain nutrients and avoid the immune system. Recently the investigator has discovered the machinery that provides the gateway for these proteins to enter the host cell. She now aims to characterise this machinery and dissect its functional significance in vivo, so that strategies that block this crucial process can be developed to kill the parasite.
Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Physiology, Pathology And Diagnosis.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
A sensation of movement from the inner ear is used to stabilise vision during head movements. Without it, every time you walk, run, or drive on a bumpy road, the world would appear to bounce. It can be debilitating when this sense doesn't work due to various diseases. This research examines what causes these disorders and how the brain responds to help recovery. A diagnostic technique, that we will develop for wide clinical use, will be used to assess and identify treatments.
Functional Genomics-new Technologies For Gene Discovery And Personalised Medicine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,122.00
Summary
Disorders of the brain, which affect people of all ages, are one of the largest health, economic and social burdens in the developed world. These conditions are chronic, debilitating and have limited symptomatic treatments available. In general, very little is known about the causes of many brain disorders. This project aims to identify the genes and mechanisms that underlie these diseases to enable the development of diagnostic and treatment programs to help reduce the incidence and severity of ....Disorders of the brain, which affect people of all ages, are one of the largest health, economic and social burdens in the developed world. These conditions are chronic, debilitating and have limited symptomatic treatments available. In general, very little is known about the causes of many brain disorders. This project aims to identify the genes and mechanisms that underlie these diseases to enable the development of diagnostic and treatment programs to help reduce the incidence and severity of disease.Read moreRead less
A New Paradigm To Prevent Intracranial Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Increasing brain pressure after stroke or other forms of brain injury can cause further injury and death. Body cooling by 4-5 0C (hypothermia) for 12-24 hours saves lives after some forms of brain injury, but may have major side effects. We found that 2 hour hypothermia has a long-lasting effect preventing pressure elevation. We will determine the best temperature and duration of hypothermia in a stroke model and use imaging to confirm findings in patients, with a view to later human trials.