Targeting Drug-Resistance In Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$649,048.00
Summary
Leukaemia is the most common type of cancer in children but resistance to therapy continues to be a significant problem. This project will investigate the biology of drug-resistance and relapse using a mouse model that replicates the human disease. We hope to identify novel therapeutic targets that can be used in combination with existing therapies to improve outcomes in this disease, particularly for patients that develop drug-resistance such as those at the time of relapse.
An International Clinical Trial To Evaluate New Therapies To Improve Survival Of Children With Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,567,500.00
Summary
Children who relapse with childhood leukaemia have only a 50% chance of being alive after 5 years. We will participate in a new international trial involving most European and all Australian and New Zealand childhood oncology centres, to test the effectiveness of promising new treatments and to perform biological studies which should enable doctors in future to pick the best treatment for each of these patients.
Ketamine Therapy Among Patients With Treatment-resistant Depression: A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,069,382.00
Summary
In the last decade, there have been reports of powerful antidepressant effects after a single injection of anaesthetic ketamine, with dramatic (though shortlasting) effects within 24 hours. This will be the first controlled study to test whether a course of repeated ketamine treatments, given over 4 weeks, is effective and safe in treating depression.
Targeting PI3K-regulated Small Non-coding RNAs To Restore Cardiac Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$610,204.00
Summary
Heart failure affects approximately 2.4% of the adult population and over 11% of people over 80 years old. The majority of existing therapies slow, rather than reverse heart failure progression. The primary goal of this study is to determine whether regulating novel regulatory genes can enhance cardiac function in a setting of heart failure. Ultimately, technologies that target these genes may lead to innovative pharmacotherapies in the clinical management of heart failure.
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.
Targeting Microtubules To Overcome Chemoresistance In Pancreatic Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,336.00
Summary
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a dismal prognosis because it is extremely resistant to chemotherapy agents. We plan to examine the expression of proteins called microtubules in pancreatic cancer and assess their role in drug resistance. It is anticipated that the findings of these studies will lead to the development of effective approaches to sensitise the cancer cells to chemotherapy agents.
Activation Of BMP4 Signalling To Inhibit Breast Cancer Metastasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$748,742.00
Summary
The spread of cancer cells to other organs is a common cause of breast cancer-related death in women. Current therapies for advanced breast cancer are often palliative since the secondary tumours become resistant to the chemotherapy. Here, we are using preclinical models of advanced breast cancer to develop a treatment that should be effective in patients with secondary tumours and should reduce the risk of dying of this disease.
Prevention Of Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis In A High Prevalence Setting: ‘Connecting The DOTS’ In Vietnam
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,382,020.00
Summary
The close contacts of people with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have a high risk of developing the disease. The V-QUIN MDR-TB Trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an oral antibiotic (levofloxacin) in preventing drug resistant TB among infected household contacts of TB patients. Household contacts from 10 Provinces in Vietnam will be randomly allocated to receive six-months of either levofloxacin or a placebo, and then followed for two years to see if they develop tuberculosis.
Pathways To Prevention: The Effectiveness Of Universal And Selective Prevention In Altering Developmental Pathways To Alcohol And Cannabis Related Harms In Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,967.00
Summary
This project will assess the potential long-term benefits for young Australians of two school-based drug prevention programs (Climate Schools and Preventure) compared to drug education as usual. This world-first study will inform national and international policy by evaluating whether prevention programs delivered in Year 8 are effective in reducing alcohol and cannabis related harms, including risk of aggression and violence, over the high risk period during young adulthood (ages 18-20).
Melanotransferrin: A “Missing Link” And A Novel Pharmacological Target For Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$613,848.00
Summary
Despite >30 years of research, the precise function of the protein, melanotransferrin (MTf), is unknown. However, we have breakthrough evidence that MTf stimulates WNT signalling as a major driver in cancer progression. We will investigate this hypothesis, which will underpin new cancer therapies. Indeed, we designed a new class of drugs that target the WNT pathway via up-regulating the WNT inhibitor, NDRG1. This drug (DpC) inhibits MTf expression to block tumour cell growth and metastasis.