Allergies And Chronic Respiratory Diseases: Causes, Biological Pathways And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
Allergies and chronic respiratory diseases are major causes of illness and death in Australia. Worryingly there are still many gaps in knowledge on how best to prevent and manage these diseases. The proposed program will investigate these questions and provide evidence to guide health policy and clinical management. As this program is built on state-of the-art methods and technology, these original Australian findings will be of great importance internationally.
The Effect Of Α-actinin 3 Deficiency On Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Mass In Health And Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$84,800.00
Summary
A common genetic variant results in absence of the fast muscle fibre protein ?-actinin-3 in more than one billion humans worldwide. Loss of ?-actinin-3 influences elite athletic performance, muscle bulk and strength in the general population, and disease severity in muscle wasting conditions. The goal of this study is to understand how ?-actinin-3 regulates muscle mass so that individuals at increased risk of muscle wasting may be identified and treated accordingly.
The Effects Of ACTN3 R577X On Muscle Wasting And Repair, And Response To Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,066,054.00
Summary
Complete loss of ACTN3 is normal and occurs in 1 in 5 people world-wide. While it does not cause disease, loss of ACTN3 results in ~10% reduction in muscle mass and strength. This has tremendous impact not only on the success of elite athletes but also the quality of life in people who are already frail. Precisely how ACTN3 affects muscle mass is unclear. Understanding this will help identify the patients who are at greater risk of muscle wasting and also the therapies that will best treat them.
Investigating The Origin Of Obesity-induced Dyslipidaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$332,798.00
Summary
This project will investigate a possible mechanism to explain why it is that obese and diabetic individuals often have a typical type of abnormal fats in the blood particularly elevated triglycerides. If this theory is confirmed it may lead to new targets for improving abnormal lipids in these conditions.
Trajectories Between Childhood Internalising Behaviour Problems And Adolescent Depressive Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$55,000.00
Summary
Depressive symptoms are known to escalate sharply through the adolescent years. Adolescents who experience an episode of depression are very likely to experience further mental illness as adults. Efforts to prevent depressive illness may be advanced by research delineating the factors and processes implicated in the early emergence of depressive symptoms. To advance such an understanding this project will analyse data collected, in part, through NHMRC support to Australian Temperament Project (A ....Depressive symptoms are known to escalate sharply through the adolescent years. Adolescents who experience an episode of depression are very likely to experience further mental illness as adults. Efforts to prevent depressive illness may be advanced by research delineating the factors and processes implicated in the early emergence of depressive symptoms. To advance such an understanding this project will analyse data collected, in part, through NHMRC support to Australian Temperament Project (ATP) researchers. The ATP data will be used to examine factors associated with the development and progression of depressive symptoms from childhood to adolescence. The ATP data set includes detailed longitudinal data collected from multiple sources (parents, teachers and youth) concerning child and adolescent temperament, behavioural problems, mother-child relations, health, depressive symptoms, school achievement, school adjustment, social skills, peer relationships, parenting practices, stressful life events, and sociodemographic factors. Of an original sample of 2443 enrolled in the cohort in 1983 (aged 4-8 months) a subsample of 1,350 adolescents should complete the data collection due in 2000 (age 17-18). Through the analysis of ATP data proposed in this application, models will be developed to explain the risk and resiliency processes in childhood and early adolescence influencing the development and course of adolescent depression, for different subgroups of adolescents. To achieve this objective, analyses will: 1. identify groups who have differing trajectories from childhood internalising behaviour problems to adolescent depressive symptoms; 2. compare groups to identify factors that contribute to the progression from internalising behaviour problems to depressive symptoms, while also identifying factors which appear to impede such progression and; 3. compare groups to identify factors associated with transient versus persistent depressive symptoms in adolescence.Read moreRead less
Neurogenic Hypertension In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Mouse : Role Of The Hypothalamic-brainstem Sympathetic Axis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,917.00
Summary
In human high blood pressure, particularly in the young, an overactive nervous system is thought to be a major underlying cause. Using a unique mouse model of high blood pressure which closely resembles this aspect of the human disease, we will examine which brain cells and neuro- chemicals are involved, particularly in a small area that is involved in regulating the hormonal and nervous system response to stress. From this we hope to be able to target these chemicals with specific therapy.