Improved Respiratory Support And Outcomes For Very Preterm Babies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,185,907.00
Summary
Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disa ....Premature babies are born with lungs that are not developed enough to sustain their breathing needs after birth. As a result, they need intensive care which is the most costly and challenging problem in newborn medicine as these infants can suffer life-long diseases because of their early birth. This programs study will help to understand the causes of lung disease in premature babies and develop better ways of caring for them to improve their chances of survival without ongoing illness and disabilityRead moreRead less
Developmental Aspects Of Respiratory Inflammation, Allergy And Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,169,609.00
Summary
Asthma develops as a complex series of interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures occurring in early life. While many children grow out of asthma others do not and develop the chronic form of the disease that persists into adult life. Our research involves understanding why some susceptible children develop asthma and why this becomes chronic in some. We will undertake studies in children to find out how and why this occurs. A major part of our studies involve longit ....Asthma develops as a complex series of interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures occurring in early life. While many children grow out of asthma others do not and develop the chronic form of the disease that persists into adult life. Our research involves understanding why some susceptible children develop asthma and why this becomes chronic in some. We will undertake studies in children to find out how and why this occurs. A major part of our studies involve longitudinal studies in cohorts of children recruited before birth. Having the ability to study children as they grow and develop conditions such as allergies and asthma allows us to understand why these conditions occur and allow us to predict which children are likely to develop them. Our research Program also has a solid focus on Translational Research, in which we will use the findings from our basic science studies to develop and test new methods of preventing and of treating asthma. These studies will include new methods for preventing the development of allergies, preventing the damage done to the lungs by severe viral respiratory infections in early life and better methods of treating established allergic asthma by improving immunotherapy techniques. By its very nature, primary prevention of disease in young children is controversial and raises some interesting questions. As part of this Program we intend to initiate consultation and debate in public, academic, regulatory and industry circles. An important role for our Program is shifting the current emphasis away from treatment of established disease towards preventing disease occurring. This is the best way to decrease the health, social and economic burden of chronic diseases such as asthma.Read moreRead less
Neurodegeneration In The Ageing Brain: How The Pathways Leading To Aggregated Protein Cause Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$12,322,838.00
Summary
The team consists of eight highly experienced research scientists who are dedicated to solving the question of how the brain degenerates in the elderly when associated with the accumulation of certain proteins: e.g. A_ amyloid (Alzheimer�s disease) and PrP (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). Understanding the molecular pathways leading to the degeneration (loss of neuronal synapses) will permit the development of rational diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Over the past five years the program ha ....The team consists of eight highly experienced research scientists who are dedicated to solving the question of how the brain degenerates in the elderly when associated with the accumulation of certain proteins: e.g. A_ amyloid (Alzheimer�s disease) and PrP (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). Understanding the molecular pathways leading to the degeneration (loss of neuronal synapses) will permit the development of rational diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Over the past five years the program has identified several diagnostic and therapeutic avenues which are now being developed by the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology industries. Much more research is still required for maximizing the chances of success using these approaches.Read moreRead less
THE INTERFACE BETWEEN INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,905,420.00
Summary
Allergic disorders including asthma are amongst the most prevalent diseases in Australia afflicting up to 25% of the population and costing the Australian Government in excess of $600 million annually. This program aims to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling airway inflammation, focusing on the cross-talk between scavenger cells at airway surfaces and circulating cells of the immune system. These studies will combine sophisticated mouse models of airway inflammation in t ....Allergic disorders including asthma are amongst the most prevalent diseases in Australia afflicting up to 25% of the population and costing the Australian Government in excess of $600 million annually. This program aims to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling airway inflammation, focusing on the cross-talk between scavenger cells at airway surfaces and circulating cells of the immune system. These studies will combine sophisticated mouse models of airway inflammation in the laboratory with clinical investigation and analysis of human tissue. Understanding these processes will translate into better treatments for patients suffering from life-threatening allergy and asthma.Read moreRead less
Molecular Mechanisms Of Cardiac Function And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,053,131.00
Summary
Adult-onset heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in our society, with almost 2 million Australians affected. Furthermore, structural heart malformations are the most common type of abnormality at birth and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from non-infectious causes. Many of these problems are due to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. Thus, we propose to understand, in fine detail, cardiomyocyte as wel ....Adult-onset heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in our society, with almost 2 million Australians affected. Furthermore, structural heart malformations are the most common type of abnormality at birth and the leading cause of deaths in infants dying from non-infectious causes. Many of these problems are due to defects in the development, repair and-or function of heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. Thus, we propose to understand, in fine detail, cardiomyocyte as well as integrated heart development, biology, physiology and function as a prerequisite for the development of major advances in the prevention and treatment of these disorders.Read moreRead less
Nerodegeneration In The Aging Brain: How The Pathways Leading To Aggregating Protein Cause Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$15,050,508.00
Summary
The Neurodegeneration Program is discovering the basic pathways that cause Alzheimer’s disease and related diseases of the aging brain; from these discoveries the team are finding new methods for early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions which will allow them to determine whether it is possible to delay the onset or improve the way in which the brain copes with these diseases
The Biology And Therapeutic Manipulation Of Lymphatic Vessels In Human Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,688,743.00
Summary
This proposal is for an established team of researchers and clinicians to explore the molecular control of the lymphatic system. This network of lymphatic vessels, located in organs throughout the body, is critical for regulation of tissue fluid and immune function. This program will explore the molecules which control the function of lymphatic vessels and their interactions with other cells in the body. It will greatly enhance our understanding of the lymphatic vessels and identify molecular ta ....This proposal is for an established team of researchers and clinicians to explore the molecular control of the lymphatic system. This network of lymphatic vessels, located in organs throughout the body, is critical for regulation of tissue fluid and immune function. This program will explore the molecules which control the function of lymphatic vessels and their interactions with other cells in the body. It will greatly enhance our understanding of the lymphatic vessels and identify molecular targets for medicines designed to treat cancer, cardiovascular disease and lymphoedema.Read moreRead less
Heart Failure And Its Antecedents: Pathophysiology, Prevention And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,061,084.00
Summary
Heart failure is mainly a result of coronary artery disease. It is a major cause of disability and mortality in Australia and is projected to increase markedly over the next two decades. This program brings together clinical and basic science expertise to address aspects of the prevention and control of coronary disease and heart failure. The outcomes that will arise will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the progression from stable heart disease to failure.