Viral infections that mothers catch during pregnancy still cause much illness in babies either in the womb, or after birth. One of these infections called CMV causes more babies to be born with malformation in Australia than any other infection, and is second only to cerebral palsy as a cause of serious problems in babies. Our studies are examining CMV in mothers and babies, leading to better diagnostic tests, researching use of existing and new antiviral drugs to reduce infection in these mothe ....Viral infections that mothers catch during pregnancy still cause much illness in babies either in the womb, or after birth. One of these infections called CMV causes more babies to be born with malformation in Australia than any other infection, and is second only to cerebral palsy as a cause of serious problems in babies. Our studies are examining CMV in mothers and babies, leading to better diagnostic tests, researching use of existing and new antiviral drugs to reduce infection in these mothers and babies.Read moreRead less
Determinants Of The Outcomes From Infectious Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,269.00
Summary
This Fellowship will allow Professor Lloyd to continue clinical and laboratory research in two areas: firstly, in relation to prevention of transmission of hepatitis C infection, and scale up of antiviral treatments, particularly amongst prisoners. Secondly, in studies investigating the biological basis of chronic fatigue states following acute infection or cancer treatment, and also in development of effective treatment for chronic fatigue states.
Improved Health Outcomes For People Living With HIV
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,284.00
Summary
Despite the success of antiviral therapy for HIV infection, HIV cannot be cured and treatment is life long. In addition, there are complications in patients on long term antiviral therapy due to impaired immune recovery. This grant will identify strategies to eliminate HIV from latently infected cells that persist in patients on antiviral therapy as well as identify novel ways to improve the immune response to antiviral treatment for patients with HIV infection as well as patients co-infected wi ....Despite the success of antiviral therapy for HIV infection, HIV cannot be cured and treatment is life long. In addition, there are complications in patients on long term antiviral therapy due to impaired immune recovery. This grant will identify strategies to eliminate HIV from latently infected cells that persist in patients on antiviral therapy as well as identify novel ways to improve the immune response to antiviral treatment for patients with HIV infection as well as patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV)Read moreRead less
The Future Of HIV Care - Long Term Remission And Eliminating Co-morbidities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,189.00
Summary
Despite the great successes in antiretroviral therapy (ART) in reducing HIV-associated mortality, treatment is life long and there is no cure. The major barrier to a cure for HIV is the persistence of long lived latently infected cells on ART. Over the next five years I will discover, develop, optimise and evaluate novel interventions to eliminate latently infected cells, long lived infected cells in the liver and enhance HIV-specific immunity through immunotherapy.
Determinants Of The Outcomes From Infectious Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,630.00
Summary
Professor Lloyd will continue studies of the factors which lead to varied clinical outcomes from common infectious diseases. The outcomes include chronic or persistent illness, rather than prompt recovery. The factors being studied include aspects of the microbes causing the infection; and aspects of the individual suffering from infection, including genetic make-up, immune defences, and treatment responses. The infections studied include common "flu-like" illnesses, as well as hepatitis C.
HIV infection continues to be a global problem, an effective vaccine is critical to halting its spread. For those infected there is no cure. They require life-long, expensive therapy. The proposed research looks to provide insights that will contribute to the development of an effective vaccine and to clearing the virus from infected patients by using cutting edge laboratory techniques to study patients in populations that are pathogenically informative.