Improving Communication About Immunisation Through Social Sciences Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,219.00
Summary
Vaccination is one of the greatest public health acheivements of the last century. Yet new threats to vaccine programs arise as diseases become less visible. Waning public confidence in immunisation and specific vaccine scares continue to threaten programs globally. This research will help to improve our understanding of why people do and don't immunise and the role communication can play. It will develop and test novel interventions to address public concerns and assist health professionals in ....Vaccination is one of the greatest public health acheivements of the last century. Yet new threats to vaccine programs arise as diseases become less visible. Waning public confidence in immunisation and specific vaccine scares continue to threaten programs globally. This research will help to improve our understanding of why people do and don't immunise and the role communication can play. It will develop and test novel interventions to address public concerns and assist health professionals in the way they communicate vaccine risk and benefit.Read moreRead less
A New Paradigm To Prevent Intracranial Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Increasing brain pressure after stroke or other forms of brain injury can cause further injury and death. Body cooling by 4-5 0C (hypothermia) for 12-24 hours saves lives after some forms of brain injury, but may have major side effects. We found that 2 hour hypothermia has a long-lasting effect preventing pressure elevation. We will determine the best temperature and duration of hypothermia in a stroke model and use imaging to confirm findings in patients, with a view to later human trials.
Exploring And Exploiting Novel Therapeutic Avenues In Mesothelioma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,048.00
Summary
Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer of the lungs. It rapidly grows and invades surrounding tissues such as the ribcage, causing severe shortness of breath and pain. Chemotherapy has limited effect and although immunotherapy appears promising, most patients do not respond. I will investigate why mesothelioma is so invasive; how to improve the response to immunotherapy and how to best combine chemotherapy and immunotherapy. I aim to develop new treatments that will benefit patients with mesothelioma.
Development Of Statistical Methodologies And Application To Clinical Cancer Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
Integrating different layers of information coming from the recent ‘-omics’ technologies can help improving the treatment and the prevention of complex diseases. In particular, the identification of molecular markers of different types can be used for better diagnostics and prognosis in cancer and immune diseases. This project will develop innovative statistical solutions to handle and make sense of the vast amount of biological data that are routinely generated in the laboratories.
Multiple sclerosis is the most common cause of neurological disability among young adults. The patients’ individual response to therapy is highly variable. The research vision completed during this Fellowship will generate novel evidence enabling individually-tailored therapy of multiple sclerosis. Through the newly established Clinical Outomes Research Unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the expertise from observational data in multiple sclerosis will be applied in other areas of neurology.
Investigating Treatments And Biomarkers Of Brain Concussion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
Concussions are a serious and common international health concern, and repeated concussions can have severe long-term consequences on the brain. This project will aim to provide insight into this poorly understood disease projects and ultimately improve the management of concussions in human patients.
Novel Targeted Onco-theranostic Nanoparticles For Personalised Therapy And Real-time Monitoring
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,034.00
Summary
I will develop novel specific cancer therapies using next generation nanoparticles. These particles will deliver highly potent drugs to cancerous tissue avoiding damage to healthy organs. My project has the potential to increase the quality of life and survival of patients suffering from the most invasive/malignant cancers, including breast and prostate cancer.
Preventing Non-communicable Disease And Promoting Health: Research To Inform Ethical Public Health Action
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
I am a social scientist with public health training. In public health it is routine to ask: How many people are affected by that disease? – or – What interventions work? We also need to begin asking: What is the right thing to do, and how can we tell? I will study the practice of prevention and health promotion, and how lay people manage their health. I will use the resulting evidence, with stakeholders, to develop new approaches to ethical problems, and ensure that interventions can be ethicall ....I am a social scientist with public health training. In public health it is routine to ask: How many people are affected by that disease? – or – What interventions work? We also need to begin asking: What is the right thing to do, and how can we tell? I will study the practice of prevention and health promotion, and how lay people manage their health. I will use the resulting evidence, with stakeholders, to develop new approaches to ethical problems, and ensure that interventions can be ethically justified.Read moreRead less
Biostatistical Innovation And Capacity Building To Advance Child Health And Life-course Epidemiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
Biostatistics is a critical component of health and medical research. The proposed program of novel biostatistical research into methods for analysing incomplete data, an extensive portfolio of collaborative research in infant development, and establishment of a national biostatistics network, will facilitate my ongoing leadership in this critical discipline as well as enhancing the international standing of biostatistics in Australia.