Cyclotherapy: A New Approach To Stop The Side Effects Of Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,847.00
Summary
Cyto-toxic chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer but is associated with significant side effects for the patient. These are due to the chemotherapy killing normal dividing cells in the gut, bone marrow and hair follicles. We will determine the potential of cyclotherapy in preventing these side effects. In cyclotherapy a pre-treatment temporarily stops normal cells from dividing and therefore protects them from the damage of subsequent chemotherapy.
Understanding The Side Effects Of HAART In HIV Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
Combination therapy has dramatically improved the life expectancy of people living with HIV. However, the long term side effects of these medications can be significant. Not everyone treated with the same drugs suffers similar side effects. This project seeks to unravel factors that lead a given individual to experience particular side effects. Understanding why medication side effects occur will be critical in finding safer ways to treat HIV.
Novel Therapeutic Strategies To Reduce The Burden Of Chronic Heart Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,928,323.00
Summary
The broad aims of the Program are to develop novel strategies in the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure. This will involve investigating new targets for pharmacological therapies, evaluating whether common co-morbid disease states such as diabetes alter the efficacy of these therapies and investigating the role of stem-cell therapy in this setting. The Program will also evaluate the contribution of non-heart failure drugs to the burden of heart failure, determine the impact of rur ....The broad aims of the Program are to develop novel strategies in the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure. This will involve investigating new targets for pharmacological therapies, evaluating whether common co-morbid disease states such as diabetes alter the efficacy of these therapies and investigating the role of stem-cell therapy in this setting. The Program will also evaluate the contribution of non-heart failure drugs to the burden of heart failure, determine the impact of rurality on prescribing for this condition and explore systems of optimising delivery of best practice to the community. This research formalises the existing collaborative efforts of a team of investigators that span all aspects of research into the therapeutics of CHF from basic laboratory research to evaluation of patients in clinical trials and public health translational aspects of this condition. The Chief Investigators and Principal Investigators have an existing successful research collaboration which will be greatly expanded via Program.Read moreRead less
A Controlled Study Of Bilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,257.00
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for depression, used in Australia and throughout the world to treat severe depression that has not responded to other treatments. Despite clear evidence of its effectiveness as a treatment, the use of ECT is limited by concerns over memory side effects. This study evaluates a new approach to ECT that has the potential to preserve its effectiveness, while greatly reducing effects on memory.
Understanding The Mechanisms Of Functionally Selective Antipsychotic Drugs: Implications For New Generation Antipsychotic Drugs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,745.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is a chronic and devastating disease that ranks among the top 10 disabilities in developed countries. It places a significant burden on the Australian health system, costing about $1.5 billion each year. This project aims to reveal the mechanisms of new functionally selective antipsychotic drugs, which achieve an excellent therapeutic efficacy with low side-effects. Understanding these mechanisms will provide novel directions for the design of new generation antipsychotic drugs.
New Drugs To Counteract The Side Effects And Premature Ageing Caused By Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,658.00
Summary
During cancer treatment, commonly used chemotherapy drugs cause profound side effects that include pain, nausea, heart problems, hair loss and can affect almost every system in the body. Even after chemotherapy treatment has stopped, cancer survivors face an increased risk of diseases which resemble the effects of old age. We are testing newly discovered anti-ageing molecules for their ability to reduce these side effects, and drastically improve the quality of life for cancer patients.
Analysis Of Low Radiation Dose Outside Of The Treatment Field Received By Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$332,384.00
Summary
Every medical intervention is associated with risk. The present proposal aims to quantify the dose from radiation that is delivered outside the actual target region in radiotherapy of breast cancer patients. This information can help the development of better irradiation techniques as well as inform patients and their carers about possible long term side effects. Finally, the research can be used to finetune radiobiological models by comparing clinical outcomes and accurately calculated doses.
Optimising Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation Therapy For Cancer Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,000.00
Summary
Over 50% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy (RT). Tumour control using RT is limited by adverse normal tissue reactions. Unlike conventional RT machines, the Australian synchrotron has the capability to deliver strong radiation in very thin slices, termed microbeam RT (MRT). Tumour control has been obtained in animal models with a remarkable sparing of normal tissue using MRT. We will optimize MRT as a crucial step towards a potentially revolutionary cancer treatment.
Understanding The Mechanisms For Ameliorating/preventing Antipsychotic-induced Obesity In Early Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$576,496.00
Summary
There has been a sharp worldwide increase during the last decade in antipsychotic prescriptions (mostly “off-label”) to paediatric patients. One important issue is that antipsychotic drugs were developed for adult patients and normally have serious side-effects. This project will not only reveal the mechanisms of antipsychotic-induced obesity side-effects in youth, but will also explore intervention strategies for preventing antipsychotic-induced weight gain/obesity in paediatric patients.
Roles Of Muscarinic M3 Receptors In Antipsychotic-induced Metabolic Side-effects: Prevention And Treatment Of Antipsychotic-induced Insulin Dysregulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,825.00
Summary
Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat various mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia and major depression. However, these drugs cause serious metabolic side-effects leading to premature death and huge costs to the Australian health care system. This project aims to reveal the role of muscarinic M3 receptors in antipsychotic-induced insulin dysregulation that precedes diabetes. Understanding these mechanisms will provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment ....Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat various mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia and major depression. However, these drugs cause serious metabolic side-effects leading to premature death and huge costs to the Australian health care system. This project aims to reveal the role of muscarinic M3 receptors in antipsychotic-induced insulin dysregulation that precedes diabetes. Understanding these mechanisms will provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of these critical adverse effects.Read moreRead less