Immune Modulatory Effects Of Vaginal Microbiota Metabolites And HIV Susceptibility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$795,110.00
Summary
This study will advance knowledge on how acid molecules produced by beneficial and harmful bacteria are able to promote or impede HIV infection of the female genital mucosa through their effects on the barrier and immune function of cells that line the vagina and cervix. The results of this study are anticipated to augment the efficacy of topical HIV prevention strategies and lead to the development of safe vaginal hygiene products that help protect against other sexually transmitted infections.
HIV/AIDS remains a major global threat with ?37 million individuals living with HIV in 2014. Antiretroviral drugs have transformed HIV from a death sentence into a chronic disease. Public health organisations recommend dramatic scale up of drugs for HIV treatment and prevention. However, a major threat is that drug options will be exhausted in the long-term due to drug resistance and toxicity. The major aim of this study is to advance the development of an entirely new drug class for HIV.
Elucidating The Mechanism Of Action Of Dendrimer Nanoparticles Against HIV
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$559,354.00
Summary
Dendrimers are nanoparticles with highly branched structures and they are being developed as topical microbicides to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. This study will determine how dendrimers block HIV entry into host cells so that we can design more effective inhibitors and microbicides.
Genomic Approaches To Understand And Control The Emergence Of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus Faecium (VREfm) In Australia.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$756,163.00
Summary
VRE is a serious hospital superbug that has been increasing in many major hospitals around Australia, while at the same time MRSA (Golden Staph) infections have been decreasing. This project will find out why VRE is increasing by examining what happens to patients at a major Australian hospital from their time of admission to the onset of infection with VRE. At the end of the project we will have the first real understanding of how VRE is transmitted so we can develop effective infection control ....VRE is a serious hospital superbug that has been increasing in many major hospitals around Australia, while at the same time MRSA (Golden Staph) infections have been decreasing. This project will find out why VRE is increasing by examining what happens to patients at a major Australian hospital from their time of admission to the onset of infection with VRE. At the end of the project we will have the first real understanding of how VRE is transmitted so we can develop effective infection control measures.Read moreRead less
Norovirus Infection At The Stress Granule-PKR-p-elF2α Axis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$505,967.00
Summary
This project application will aim to investigate and understand how viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhoea are able to infect, proliferate and spread within the human body. It aims to address how viruses are able to avoid and replicate in the presence of an effective immune response. We have evidence showing that Noroviruses are able to exploit certain antiviral proteins to paradoxically aid in virus replication and survival.
Molecular Basis For The Emergence Of Community Acquired Staphylococcus Aureus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,518.00
Summary
Golden Staph is a major problem in our hospitals but serious Golden Staph infections are increasingly common in the community, among otherwise healthy people who have had no contact with hospitals. This project will find out how Golden Staph is evolving to become more likely to cause disease in the community. This knowledge can then be used to design new strategies for early detection, prevention and treatment.
This program will investigate the strategies used by pathogenic bacteria to cause human diseases. The research will focus on how bacteria initiate infections, how they invade, cause cell and tissue damage and respond to their human host. It will also examine how the host’s innate immune system interacts with these bacteria. The results will provide new insights into host-pathogen interactions and reveal new targets for the development of novel antibacterial drugs and vaccines.
The balance between cellular survival and death must be tightly regulated. Cells respond to viral infection by self-destructing, thus limiting viral spread to other cells. Viruses have evolved ways to subvert this defensive cell suicide. This project will define and characterise viral factors that maintain host cell survival during infection. These may be targets for the development of new anti-viral therapies and vaccines.
The Clinical Value Of Serology And Molecular Tests For Diagnosing Invasive Aspergillosis In At-risk Hematology Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,095,500.00
Summary
Aspergillus is a fungus found in soil, on farms and on construction sites. In those whose immune system is impaired it causes severe infection. The people who are particularly at high-risk of Aspergillus infection (called Invasive Aspergillosis) are those with acute leukaemia on chemotherapy or post bone marrow transplantation. Currently 15% of those at high-risk get Invasive Aspergillosis and 58-93% of those infected die. The main reason for this high death rate is that our current diagnostic t ....Aspergillus is a fungus found in soil, on farms and on construction sites. In those whose immune system is impaired it causes severe infection. The people who are particularly at high-risk of Aspergillus infection (called Invasive Aspergillosis) are those with acute leukaemia on chemotherapy or post bone marrow transplantation. Currently 15% of those at high-risk get Invasive Aspergillosis and 58-93% of those infected die. The main reason for this high death rate is that our current diagnostic tests are not good at detecting infection or often only detect the infection at advanced stages when treatment is ineffective. Because of the limitations of current diagnostic tests the current practice is to give empiric antifungal therapy (EAFT) early to treat Invasive Aspergillosis. However studies have demonstrated that this therapy has only resulted in a minor reduction in the mortality rates and it causes significant drug toxicity. It is a suboptimal treatment modality. New tests have been developed to diagnose Invasive Aspergillosis. These tests are for the detection of an Aspergillus protein in blood and for the detection of Aspergillus DNA in the blood. Available data suggests that these new tests are sensitive in the detection of Invasive Aspergillosis. Also other studies suggest that these new tests make an early diagnosis and seem to be able to monitor responses to treatment. However no study has been performed to date which demonstrates that the use of these tests can impact on important patient outcomes. This trial is designed to determine whether the use of the new tests to guide therapy will help improve treatment of Invasive Aspergillosis, reduce drug toxicity and reduce the death rate in the high-risk patients as compared with the current standard method of diagnosis and treatment with EAFT. If the trial is successful then this represents a significant advancement in the treatment and survival of leukaemic and bone marrow transplantation patients.Read moreRead less