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.
Creating Sustainable Healthcare: Ensuring New Diagnostics Avoid Harms, Improve Outcomes, And Direct Resources Wisely
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,497,658.00
Summary
Novel imaging, biomarkers and genomic tests for risk assessment and early detection are emerging as major forces for change in clinical practice. While providing advances and new benefits for patients, new technologies can also have harmful, unintended consequences - overdiagnosis and overtreatment. This multidisciplinary CRE will investigate how to respond to emerging technologies to optimise health outcomes while avoiding harms and directing healthcare resources wisely.
The Validation Of A Culturally-specific Measure To Identify Depression In Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People With Or Without Chronic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$658,971.00
Summary
The project aims to determine whether a short, free-to-use, questionnaire about depression that has been adapted for use with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, accurately identifies depression in this population. Specifically we aim to test whether this measure is suitable for use in primary care settings with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with or without chronic disease.
Development Of A New High Throughput Screen For Drug Binding To HERG K+ Channels
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,320.00
Summary
Inadvertent drug block of hERG, a potassium channel in the heart, can cause cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Screening for hERG toxicity has become a major hurdle for development of new drugs. We will use a mutant hERG protein that has enhanced drug binding to develop a high throughput test for hERG toxicity. Identification of dangerous drugs early in the drug discovery process will save the pharmaceutical industry millions of dollars in the costs of brining new drugs to market.
Should Australia Introduce A National Chlamydia Testing Program? Evaluation Of A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,510.00
Summary
Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmissible infection that can lead to infertility in women. About 4% of young adults have it, yet most are unaware they have it. Chlamydia is easy to diagnose and treat, but it is not known whether annual testing can reduce its spread. Over1 million tests are conducted each year in general practice, costing the government $30 million. This evaluation of a well-established trial of chlamydia testing in young adults will resolve the debate of whether annual t ....Chlamydia is a very common sexually transmissible infection that can lead to infertility in women. About 4% of young adults have it, yet most are unaware they have it. Chlamydia is easy to diagnose and treat, but it is not known whether annual testing can reduce its spread. Over1 million tests are conducted each year in general practice, costing the government $30 million. This evaluation of a well-established trial of chlamydia testing in young adults will resolve the debate of whether annual testing works and is a good use of money.Read moreRead less
Improving Maternal And Infant Outcomes: A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial Of Midwifery And Dental Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$457,724.00
Summary
Poor oral health during pregnancy can impact the health of the mother and baby. Yet, many expectant mothers are unaware of the implications of poor oral health. In Australia there is a lack of importance being placed on maternal oral health. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a new service which will promote maternal oral health through collaboration between midwives and dentists. We expect the new service will improve women's oral health, uptake of dental services and po ....Poor oral health during pregnancy can impact the health of the mother and baby. Yet, many expectant mothers are unaware of the implications of poor oral health. In Australia there is a lack of importance being placed on maternal oral health. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a new service which will promote maternal oral health through collaboration between midwives and dentists. We expect the new service will improve women's oral health, uptake of dental services and potentially improve pregnancy outcomes.Read moreRead less
Eighty percent of adults will suffer back pain at some time during their life. More than one in three will develop chronic back pain and cost Australia about $9 billion per year. We can now identify those who will develop chronic back pain early. This project will test a new method of treating these people who are risk of chronic back pain. We predict that our short and targeted intervention will stop these people from developing of chronic back pain and this will lead to massive savings to the ....Eighty percent of adults will suffer back pain at some time during their life. More than one in three will develop chronic back pain and cost Australia about $9 billion per year. We can now identify those who will develop chronic back pain early. This project will test a new method of treating these people who are risk of chronic back pain. We predict that our short and targeted intervention will stop these people from developing of chronic back pain and this will lead to massive savings to the Australian communityRead moreRead less
Glucocorticoid Resistance In Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,721.00
Summary
Glucocorticoids are among the most effective drugs used in the treatment of many haematological malignancies, including leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. However, the development of tumour cell resistance to these drugs remains a significant problem, and clinically relevant mechanisms of glucocorticoid resistance remain poorly understood. This project aims to define mechanisms of resistance to glucocorticoids and develop new drugs to reverse resistance.
Optimising Cervical Screening After The Introduction Of HPV Vaccination In Australia: Modelling Of Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,089.00
Summary
This research project will aid decision-making about how best to perform cervical screening in Australia after the introduction of vaccination against the human papillomavirus (or HPV). The project will use computer simulation techniques to explore different scenarios for vaccination and screening and to determine the optimal approach. This project involves a group of international collaborators with expertise in a number of areas including cancer epidemiology, screening for cancer, and computer ....This research project will aid decision-making about how best to perform cervical screening in Australia after the introduction of vaccination against the human papillomavirus (or HPV). The project will use computer simulation techniques to explore different scenarios for vaccination and screening and to determine the optimal approach. This project involves a group of international collaborators with expertise in a number of areas including cancer epidemiology, screening for cancer, and computer simulation methods. HPV is the virus responsible for the development of cervical cancer, and clinical trials have demonstrated that HPV vaccines administered to adoloescent girls are very effective at preventing disease that might have led to cancer in the future. However, Australia currently has a very effective Pap smear screening program, and in the first phase after the introduction of vaccination it will be important for women to continue being screened as usual. In the long term, HPV vaccination is expected to reduce the need for Pap smears. The research will involve a very detailed simulation of how HPV is transmitted in the Australian population, and how this will change after vaccination. The simulation will address questions of importance for any future public HPV vaccination program, such as whether males should be vaccinated as well as females. The simulation will also be used to determine the optimal starting age and frequency of Pap smears in the future. The outcomes of the research will be very important for policy-makers. In the long term, this research will ensure that the best recommendations are formulated for the timing and frequency of Pap smears after HPV vaccination is introduced.Read moreRead less
The HIV Prevention Revolution: Measuring Outcomes And Maximising Effectiveness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,081,723.00
Summary
There have been extra-ordinary recent biomedical advances in HIV prevention. These present an opportunity to turn the HIV epidemic around. We will undertake implementation research to optimise the impact of the new tools at the population level. NSW has a detailed HIV strategy with explicit targets for reduction of HIV transmission over the period 2012 to 2020. Our research will guide optimum program delivery to drive new HIV infections down in Australia and other high income settings.