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.
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.
Mammalian chitinases and gene therapy: new weapons to combat fungal and insect attack in mammals. Plants combat fungal and insect attack by producing chitin degrading enzymes. Related, chitinolytic enzymes have been identified in mammals, but their functions are unclear. We found that chitinases from human macrophages inhibited fungal growth. We hypothesise that, like plants, mammalian chitinases are produced to fight chitin containing pathogens. We will transform cells with a chitotriosidase ge ....Mammalian chitinases and gene therapy: new weapons to combat fungal and insect attack in mammals. Plants combat fungal and insect attack by producing chitin degrading enzymes. Related, chitinolytic enzymes have been identified in mammals, but their functions are unclear. We found that chitinases from human macrophages inhibited fungal growth. We hypothesise that, like plants, mammalian chitinases are produced to fight chitin containing pathogens. We will transform cells with a chitotriosidase gene and encapsulate them, creating bioreactors secreting chitinases. Therapeutic effects will be tested by grafting bioreactors to mice inoculated with Aspergillus. The research is a new approach to fighting chitin containing pathogens, with potential applications from parasite infestations in livestock to fungal infections in humans.Read moreRead less
BioPolymer Fibres For Remodelling Mdx And Damaged Muscle
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,286.00
Summary
This project aims to generate new, smart polymers for use in re-building muscle that has degenerated due to disease and-or trauma damage. The merger of smart polymers with biologically based solutions and cells has great potential to improve outcomes of treatments of damaged muscle in diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy.
Understanding and reversing the habitat shifts that have endangered the broad-headed snake. Extinction rates for vertebrate species are higher in southern Australia than almost anywhere else in the world, and saving endangered taxa is critical to biodiversity conservation. To do this effectively, researchers need to understand the processes that threaten wild populations, and to develop novel solutions to those problems in close collaboration with wildlife management authorities and other stake ....Understanding and reversing the habitat shifts that have endangered the broad-headed snake. Extinction rates for vertebrate species are higher in southern Australia than almost anywhere else in the world, and saving endangered taxa is critical to biodiversity conservation. To do this effectively, researchers need to understand the processes that threaten wild populations, and to develop novel solutions to those problems in close collaboration with wildlife management authorities and other stakeholders. This project will build such an understanding and collaboration, focusing on an endangered snake species. We propose ambitious landscape-scale field experiments that will simultaneously test hypotheses on threatening processes, and restore habitat quality to reverse population declines.Read moreRead less
Development of Acid Degradable Polymeric Nanoparticles for Intracellular and Tumour Site Selective Delivery of Drugs. There is an enormous need to develop effective anticancer drug delivery systems to reduce the social and economic impact of cancer. One of the most critical problems in tumour treatment is the lack of selective toxicity of anticancer drugs against tumour tissues. Our multidisciplinary team will aim to develop a novel polymer based system for tumour site-selective delivery of anti ....Development of Acid Degradable Polymeric Nanoparticles for Intracellular and Tumour Site Selective Delivery of Drugs. There is an enormous need to develop effective anticancer drug delivery systems to reduce the social and economic impact of cancer. One of the most critical problems in tumour treatment is the lack of selective toxicity of anticancer drugs against tumour tissues. Our multidisciplinary team will aim to develop a novel polymer based system for tumour site-selective delivery of anticancer drugs. Development of such advanced drug delivery systems will significantly enhance Australia`s power in biotechnology. Development and/or formation of strategies to improve the health quality of Australians, is an important anticipated outcome of this innovative project.Read moreRead less
Regulation Of Secretion Of The Fungal Virulence Determinant, Phospholipase B
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$487,500.00
Summary
Serious systemic infections due to fungi have increased dramatically in the past few years, especially in people with poorly functioning immune systems. Treatment of these conditions is problematic because the few drugs which are available are not highly effective, and-or cause significant side-effects. Little is understood of how fungi cause disease, and this problem must be addressed if these infections are to be contained. We have discovered that the enzyme, phospholipase B (PLB), is secreted ....Serious systemic infections due to fungi have increased dramatically in the past few years, especially in people with poorly functioning immune systems. Treatment of these conditions is problematic because the few drugs which are available are not highly effective, and-or cause significant side-effects. Little is understood of how fungi cause disease, and this problem must be addressed if these infections are to be contained. We have discovered that the enzyme, phospholipase B (PLB), is secreted by the disease-causing fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and that it is important in enabling the fungus to invade the host's cells and spread around the body from the lungs to the brain, where it can cause meningoencephalitis. PLB is also produced by other disease-causing fungi. The mechanism of PLB secretion is completely unknown. In this project we aim to determine the pathways involved in PLB secretion with the intention of exploiting steps unique to pathogenic fungi, for the future design of new anti-fungal drugs.Read moreRead less
Predicting Biodiversity from Population Dynamics. This research aims to deepen our understanding of how changes to the environment, including those attributable to human activities, influence the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity. This understanding is of urgent importance, in light of the predicted changes in climate and habitat over the next century, because biodiversity is critical to the proper functioning of ecosystems that human societies depend ....Predicting Biodiversity from Population Dynamics. This research aims to deepen our understanding of how changes to the environment, including those attributable to human activities, influence the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity. This understanding is of urgent importance, in light of the predicted changes in climate and habitat over the next century, because biodiversity is critical to the proper functioning of ecosystems that human societies depend upon. The graduate student involved in this research will have the opportunity to receive in-depth training as part of a cross-disciplinary collaboration that combines mathematics, ecology, evolution, and paleontology.
Read moreRead less