Understanding The Role Of The Two Major Bacterial Pathogens In The Upper And Lower Airways Of Indigenous Children With Chronic Lung Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$743,282.00
Summary
Lung infections are a major disease burden worldwide. Indigenous Australians are affected more; adults with severe lung disease can die in their 30s and 40s. These diseases start early, yet no in-depth studies of bacteria causing lung infections in children have been done. Our expert team proposes to use existing lung fluids from nearly 500 children with chronic lung disease (58% Indigenous), and state-of-the-art laboratory methods, to inform the design of vaccines to prevent lung disease.
Diseases caused by the pneumococcus represent the largest cause of vaccine preventable death in the world today, mainly pneumonia and meningitis. In 2011, 16 developing countries will introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, none in east Asia. Lack of research has been a major barrier to their use in the region. We have established an international centre of excellence in the field and we seek support to extend the capacity of this group and to transfer the technology to Vietnam.
The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study: Years 27-31
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,281,718.00
Summary
The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study has documented 914 cases since 1989, with 115 fatalities. A surge in Darwin melioidosis cases over the past 5 years has been linked to urban development and the discovery of a new bacterial strain. Whole genome sequencing of our unique 25+ year set of bacteria and their linked patient data will unravel the changing epidemiology and identify important virulence factors, forming a foundation for future diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
Impact Of DTP Schedules On The Immunogenicity Of 2 Doses Of 13v-PCV Followed By An Early Booster
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,651,687.00
Summary
This project aims to come up with a vaccination schedule to make pneumococcal vaccines more effective and affordable for Fiji and other developing countries. We will evaluate schedules involving a 2 dose primary series in early infancy with a booster at 9 months of age. We will compare the immune responses to 3 different primary series and 2 booster options. The results of this project will be used to provide advice, at global and country levels, regarding introduction of pneumococcal vaccines.
Linking Genomics Of Burkholderia Pseudomallei To Melioidosis: Diversity Of Clinical Manifestations, Changing Epidemiology And Microevolution In Chronic Carriage.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$602,769.00
Summary
The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study has documented 761 cases since 1989, with 102 fatalities. This study has led to improved therapy and public health initiatives. New technology to sequence whole bacterial genomes provides an opportunity to determine why urban melioidosis is increasing and to analyse this unique 22+ year set of bacteria and their linked patient data to find the important bacterial virulence factors, forming a foundation for future diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
Excessive sitting and population health: strengthening the science and the relevance to policy and practice. The majority of Australian adults spend most of their waking hours sitting; this increases the likelihood of developing diseases of inactivity, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. New research will investigate what factors encourage excessive sitting and what the health benefits are for people who deliberately do less sitting.
School drug education for junior high school students in Victoria - Assessing the impact of a state-wide, evidence-based intervention
. Young people are faced with numerous and powerful influences to use both legal and illicit drugs, and drug education can play an important counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation and informed decision making in this group. The research will develop, implement and evaluate one all encompassing, evidence-based, drug education pr ....School drug education for junior high school students in Victoria - Assessing the impact of a state-wide, evidence-based intervention
. Young people are faced with numerous and powerful influences to use both legal and illicit drugs, and drug education can play an important counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation and informed decision making in this group. The research will develop, implement and evaluate one all encompassing, evidence-based, drug education program for junior high school students across Victoria. The study is unique in its size and scope and will be of national benefit because its findings will influence the nature of future drug education in all secondary schools in Australia.Read moreRead less
Enhancing linkage and exchange in a national research partnership to improve primary health care performance and outcomes for Indigenous peoples. This project will enhance current efforts to make high-quality primary health care services accessible to all Indigenous Australians. The work will result in widespread application of systematic and cutting-edge methods to enable health service staff and managers to review and continually work to improve the quality of their service.