The Healthy Brain Project: A Prospective Cohort Study To Examine How Later-life University Education May Affect The Trajectory Of Ageing-related Cognitive Decline
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,085,742.00
Summary
Previous research has indicated that higher levels of education in early adulthood are associated with lower risk for dementia in older adults. This world-first project will examine if older adults who undertake university education have reduced rates of age-related cognitive decline than older adults who do not undertake further education. This would support the notion that boosting cognitive reserve in later life is protective against age- and disease-related neurodegenerative change.
Characterizing Novel Therapeutic Interventions In A New Model Of Focal Retinopathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$536,794.00
Summary
Focal retinopathies such as age-related macular degeneration pose an immense burden on our society, both socially and economically. We have recently developed an animal model that allows us to investigate for the first time, drugs and therapies that might be used to treat AMD both after its onset, and more significantly, in at-risk populations before onset of the disease.
Reliability Of An Online Geriatric Assessment Procedure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$343,822.00
Summary
This study will examine the reliability, safety and cost of a novel new method of providing geriatrician assessment to older people in hospital. Nurses consult with the patient and enter their findings on a web-based software system that enables the geriatrician to review, report and make recommendations over the internet.
Understanding The Etiology Of Psychiatric Disorders Through Whole Genome Analyses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
Psychiatric disorders exert a huge social and economic burden on society. In recent years, large genetic studies have led to important new insights into these disorders. Major new human genomics resources will soon become available. My research will take advantage of these datasets to investigate the genetic basis of key epidemiological features of psychiatric disorders, including risk due to parental age and sex-biased prevalence, and to identify novel risk genes for schizophrenia and autism.
New data-driven mathematical models of collective cell motion. Cancer and chronic wounds are a national, and indeed, international health problem set to worsen as our population ages. Predictive and interpretive tools are required to improve our understanding of collective cell migration in relation to cancer and chronic wounds. This project will produce new validated mathematical tools for predicting collective cell migration in a general framework that can deal with application-specific detail ....New data-driven mathematical models of collective cell motion. Cancer and chronic wounds are a national, and indeed, international health problem set to worsen as our population ages. Predictive and interpretive tools are required to improve our understanding of collective cell migration in relation to cancer and chronic wounds. This project will produce new validated mathematical tools for predicting collective cell migration in a general framework that can deal with application-specific details, such as the role of cell shape and cell size. Although cell shape and size are known to affect collective cell migration, standard mathematical models ignore these details. This project will produce new predictive mathematical modelling tools that are validated by new experimental data. Read moreRead less
Modelling cell invasion incorporating the epithelial to mesenchymal transition: Exploring therapies to control wound healing and cancer progression. Cancer and wounds are closely related, commonly lethal, diseases. Both require cell growth and invasion. This project will apply experimental measurements to create new mathematical models of cancer and wounds; models that will inform new targets and strategies for the treatment of these deadly diseases.
Image-guided skin microbiopsy technology development. There is a need for targeted biopsies in dermatology. This novel technology enables minimally invasive biopsies to be taken from suspicious skin lesions by integrating micromedical and imaging devices.
Human skin equivalent constructs: enhanced culturing and application of laboratory-grown skin through mathematical modelling and in silico experimentation. Laboratory-grown human skin equivalent constructs, given social and legislative imperatives, will be critical for advances in novel treatment protocol definitions for wound repair, dermatogical screening of pharmacueticals and fundamental studies of skin diseases.
In silico studies undertaken in this project will make a significant contrib ....Human skin equivalent constructs: enhanced culturing and application of laboratory-grown skin through mathematical modelling and in silico experimentation. Laboratory-grown human skin equivalent constructs, given social and legislative imperatives, will be critical for advances in novel treatment protocol definitions for wound repair, dermatogical screening of pharmacueticals and fundamental studies of skin diseases.
In silico studies undertaken in this project will make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of the application of human skin constructs, by delivering new and deeper insights into the interplay between dependent processes that regulate the behaviour of skin, in vivo or ex vivo. The models and the researchers associated with this project will drive innovative studies in medical science over the next decade.Read moreRead less
A new hierarchy of mathematical models to quantify the role of ghrelin during cell invasion. Ghrelin is a recently-discovered growth factor that regulates appetite and promotes tumour growth by enhancing cell invasion. The mechanisms by which ghrelin enhances cell invasion are, at present, unknown. This innovative project will develop a new hierarchy of multiscale mathematical models that will be used to quantify how ghrelin modulates cell behaviour (motility, proliferation and death) and provid ....A new hierarchy of mathematical models to quantify the role of ghrelin during cell invasion. Ghrelin is a recently-discovered growth factor that regulates appetite and promotes tumour growth by enhancing cell invasion. The mechanisms by which ghrelin enhances cell invasion are, at present, unknown. This innovative project will develop a new hierarchy of multiscale mathematical models that will be used to quantify how ghrelin modulates cell behaviour (motility, proliferation and death) and provide insight into the precise details of how ghrelin promotes cell invasion. This project will demonstrate the potential for ghrelin-based strategies to control cell invasion. By linking appetite regulation and tumour growth, the outcomes from this project will inform Australian health policy in this important area.Read moreRead less
Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancer ....Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancers which exact a growing toll in Australia and elsewhere. The work seeks to identify and understand the causal pathways to cancer, and then use this information to devise evidence-based strategies for cancer control.Read moreRead less