Immunity And Pathogenesis In Tropical And Infectious Diseases: Implications For Vaccines And
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$15,794,553.00
Summary
Malaria, streptococcal diseases, helminthiases and scabies are diseases of indigenous people on a massive scale, which lack vaccines. We aim to understand the pathogenesis of these diseases and develop vaccines and other treatments to combat them. Team includes senior experts on infectious diseases with long collaborative histories and younger members with impressive credentials. The work proposed also concerns inventive new ways of making such vaccines by novel chemical methods and aspects of d ....Malaria, streptococcal diseases, helminthiases and scabies are diseases of indigenous people on a massive scale, which lack vaccines. We aim to understand the pathogenesis of these diseases and develop vaccines and other treatments to combat them. Team includes senior experts on infectious diseases with long collaborative histories and younger members with impressive credentials. The work proposed also concerns inventive new ways of making such vaccines by novel chemical methods and aspects of delivery.Read moreRead less
Tropical Infectious Diseases - Pathogenisis And Vaccine Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,311,989.00
Summary
The diseases on which three themes of the work proposed centre, malaria, streptococcal diseases and scabies are infectious diseases largely affecting indigenous people in various parts of the world on a massive scale, for which there are no vaccines. The aim of the work is to develop vaccines or other biological prevention measures against each of these diseases and the problems that need to be solved are similar. The team includes senior experts on thebiology of infectious diseases with long hi ....The diseases on which three themes of the work proposed centre, malaria, streptococcal diseases and scabies are infectious diseases largely affecting indigenous people in various parts of the world on a massive scale, for which there are no vaccines. The aim of the work is to develop vaccines or other biological prevention measures against each of these diseases and the problems that need to be solved are similar. The team includes senior experts on thebiology of infectious diseases with long histories of collaboration as well as younger members with impressive credentials that are new to the collaboration. The fourth theme of the work proposed is concerned with inventive new ways of making such vaccines by novelchemical methods. It has already been the subject of published collaborative work onstreptococcal disease and is equally applicable to the other themes.Read moreRead less
Depressive And Bipolar Disorders: Evaluating Determinants Of Onset, Recovery And Treatment Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,861,447.00
Summary
The depressive disorders, including bipolar disorder, are highly prevalent in the Australian community. These illnesses may be chronic or relapsing, may impair the capacity to work and can be resistant to treatment. The research team addresses this public health and clinical problem by undertaking a number of studies pursuing factors influencing predisposition and onset to disorder, clarifying the effectiveness of new treatments, and investigating factors predictive of treatment response and res ....The depressive disorders, including bipolar disorder, are highly prevalent in the Australian community. These illnesses may be chronic or relapsing, may impair the capacity to work and can be resistant to treatment. The research team addresses this public health and clinical problem by undertaking a number of studies pursuing factors influencing predisposition and onset to disorder, clarifying the effectiveness of new treatments, and investigating factors predictive of treatment response and resistance.Read moreRead less
Early Developmental Pathways Linking Health, Disability, Education, Welfare And Justice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,440,204.00
Summary
This research will use information from birth, death and medical records for all births in WA from 1980 linked to records of disability, education, justice and welfare, to map, for the first time in Australia, the pathways to good and poor outcomes over a child’s lifetime. This will bring a new focus on to how early development affects health and participation in society and will identify new ways to improve the lives of all children, regardless of their social circumstances.
Innovative Stem Cell-based Strategies To Establish Immune Tolerance And Tissue Repair
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,554,618.00
Summary
Diseases such as autoimmune gastritis, multiple sclerosis and diabetes arise because a rogue immune system has turned inwards to attack our organs. The organ destruction follows from recognition by the immune system of specific molecules in these organs. These autoimmune diseases are incurable and controlled mainly by long-term administration of substances that suppress the immune system, often with serious side-effects. A rational approach is to render the rogue immune system harmless by removi ....Diseases such as autoimmune gastritis, multiple sclerosis and diabetes arise because a rogue immune system has turned inwards to attack our organs. The organ destruction follows from recognition by the immune system of specific molecules in these organs. These autoimmune diseases are incurable and controlled mainly by long-term administration of substances that suppress the immune system, often with serious side-effects. A rational approach is to render the rogue immune system harmless by removing the cells that recognize these particular molecules. This can be achieved by a Trojan horse approach in which the molecules are delivered to the immune system such that that the immune cells that recognize them are removed. To deliver these molecules to the immune system we will genetically engineer bone marrow stem cells, or embryonic stem cells that generate these stem cells, because they are precursors of mature immune cells. Rejection of organ transplants arise in a similar way and also require long-term immunosuppression. A similar approach can therefore be taken to promote acceptance of foreign organ grafts. In the aged, we will combine these approaches with rejuvenation of the immune system by blockade of sex steroid production and-or by creation of a new immune organ.Read moreRead less