Identification Of Cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Targets For Cardiotoxic Drugs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$265,986.00
Summary
Anthracyclines are drugs which are used successfully in chemotherapy. Unfortunately, these drugs can lead to serious heart problems which sometimes result in death, and the mechanisms behind this remain elusive. Finding the specific targets of these drugs and how these drugs affect heart contraction may lead to designing drug cocktails which protect the heart from side effects.
Effects Of Ageing On Hepatic Drug Clearance And Mechanisms Of Drug Induced Liver Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$581,892.00
Summary
With increasing age, there is increase in disease, for which medications may provide benefit, and an increase in the risk of adverse drug reactions, even after considering the increase in medication use by older people. We will investigate how the liver clears drugs from the blood in old age. This will guide dosing of medications for older people. We will also study how drugs injure the liver in old age and test interventions to prevent this toxicity.
Immunotoxic Effects Of Engineered Nanomaterials Used In The Australian Workplace
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$586,816.00
Summary
Certain engineered nanomaterials are more toxic than their bulk material forms. We urgently need the ability to re-engineer these nanomaterials to reduce their toxicity and potential health risks, but lack the necessary knowledge. This project directly addresses the NHMRC Strategic Initiative on Nanotechnology and Health, by providing essential information for designing safer nanomaterials from systemically studying the immune effects of metal oxide nanoparticles used in Australian industry.
This application will investigate the potential for nanomaterials to have adverse effects on human health and to formulate approaches to screen nanomaterials for potential health risks, particularly those with a high likelihood for human exposure in Australia. Understanding how existing nanomaterials interact with biological systems will help determine the risk of adverse effects in the human population and identify those nanoparticles with little or no risk.
Oxygen Toxicity As A Factor In Retinal Degenerations: Genetic And Environmental Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$269,250.00
Summary
This project will explore the mechanisms underlying a group of blinding diseases called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). They are caused by the death or degneration of the light-receptive cells of the retina of the eye (photoreceptors). It is well established that many forms of RP are caused by genetic mutations but many cases (40-50%) occur 'sporadically', i.e. without a family history. Further there is growing evidence that the rate at which genetic forms of the disease progress is strongly influenc ....This project will explore the mechanisms underlying a group of blinding diseases called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). They are caused by the death or degneration of the light-receptive cells of the retina of the eye (photoreceptors). It is well established that many forms of RP are caused by genetic mutations but many cases (40-50%) occur 'sporadically', i.e. without a family history. Further there is growing evidence that the rate at which genetic forms of the disease progress is strongly influenced by environmental factors, particularly light and oxygen. To analyse how these environmental factors affect the stability of the retina, we will use a range of techniques (including gene array technology) to study the molecular events which link light or oxygen stress to photoreceptor death. The work will be done in mouse 'models' of the disease. It is increasingly well established that the rodent (rat and mouse) retina and human retina share a basic structure and functional detail. These models allow intensive investigation, with results which are directly applicable to human disease. Our principal emphasis will be on three aspects of these models: (1) the molecular mechanisms induced in the retina by light stress or oxygen stress; (2) the role of mitochondria (cellular organelles essential for both cell metabolism and cell stability; and (3) genes which regulate the vulnerability of photoreceptors to oxygen stress. RP has been recognised for nearly 100 years as a leading cause of blindness in young adults. It is usually diagnosed in the young adult as a failure of night vision, but the prognosis is grim (relentlessly progressive loss of vision), and there is still no effective treatment. The work proposed will contribute to our understanding of the basic mechanisms involved, and will explore some approaches to therapy for, or at least to mitigation of the blindness of RP.Read moreRead less
Many products are applied to the skin to prevent skin cancer or to treat skin diseases. This project seeks to better understand how we can make such products more affective, safer and appropriate for conditions such as psoriasis. One major component of the grant is concerned with the evaluation of nanotechnology products applied to the skin.