Immunomodulatory Molecules Of Parasitic Helminths As Novel Therapeutics For Allergic Disorders.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,532.00
Summary
Australia has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world with almost 3 million Australians are affected by this disease. Previous research has shown that infection with various types of parasitic worms lessens the severity of asthma. The aim of this research is to find out why this happens and to isolate the ingredients from the parasite that suppress asthma. Once found, these molecules can be used to create new drugs for the prevention of asthma and allergies in children and adults.
Rhinovirus impairs physiological and immunological lung development and causes exacerbation of allergic airways disease. Rhinovirus (RV) infections account for around 90 per cent of asthma exacerbations, yet the mechanisms behind this are unknown. This project will use mouse models to study the effects of early life RV infection and allergic sensitisation on respiratory and immunological development, with the expectation that early life RV infection disrupts anitgen presenting cell function.
Developing And Evaluating A Multimodal Antibiotic Allergy Strategy To Improve Antimicrobial Stewardship In High-risk Antibiotic Usage Populations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$303,014.00
Summary
Antibiotic allergies lead to the use of inferior antibiotics and generation of “superbugs”. Antibiotic allergy testing removes up to 90% of allergies, although remains unavailable to many and unreliable in some severe antibiotic reactions. We aim to validate antibiotic allergy bedside tools and programs, and develop laboratory tests that can diagnose and prevent severe antibiotic allergies, to improve appropriate antibiotic prescribing and patient outcomes.
Identification of novel markers of inflammation. This project will benefit Australia as it will increase basic understanding of inflammatory processes, result in a new generation of diagnostics for inflammatory diseases that could lead to earlier diagnosis and to monitor treatment, resulting in large economic and health benefit. It may lead to development of novel new therapies using monoclonal antibodies to regulate processes in immune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. The work will gene ....Identification of novel markers of inflammation. This project will benefit Australia as it will increase basic understanding of inflammatory processes, result in a new generation of diagnostics for inflammatory diseases that could lead to earlier diagnosis and to monitor treatment, resulting in large economic and health benefit. It may lead to development of novel new therapies using monoclonal antibodies to regulate processes in immune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. The work will generate significant economic spin-offs to the Australian biotechnology industry and will further relationships and training between research and development.Read moreRead less
Development of an effective vaccine for chlamydial infection: optimisation of a non-toxic cholera toxin-based adjuvant to generate a protective mucosal response. Chlamydial genital infections are the most common sexually transmitted infection in Australia and the world and impose a major health burden on the community. Chlamydial infections are also associated with cardiovascular disease, Australia's biggest killer and asthma, another condition that has increased significantly in prevalence in t ....Development of an effective vaccine for chlamydial infection: optimisation of a non-toxic cholera toxin-based adjuvant to generate a protective mucosal response. Chlamydial genital infections are the most common sexually transmitted infection in Australia and the world and impose a major health burden on the community. Chlamydial infections are also associated with cardiovascular disease, Australia's biggest killer and asthma, another condition that has increased significantly in prevalence in the past 10 years. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a new adjuvant as a first step towards the development of a vaccine to target these important infections.Read moreRead less
Novel lipid-based adjuvants for induction of mucosal immunity. The project will determine if needle-free oral and transcutaneous immunisation using LipoVax, a novel lipid-based antigen delivery system developed by the industry partner, can protect mice against the mucosal pathogens Chlamydia and Helicobacter. We expect to show that this immunisation method can induce protective mucosal immunity against two of the most common infectious organisms affecting mankind. If successful this will allow u ....Novel lipid-based adjuvants for induction of mucosal immunity. The project will determine if needle-free oral and transcutaneous immunisation using LipoVax, a novel lipid-based antigen delivery system developed by the industry partner, can protect mice against the mucosal pathogens Chlamydia and Helicobacter. We expect to show that this immunisation method can induce protective mucosal immunity against two of the most common infectious organisms affecting mankind. If successful this will allow us to develop LipoVax as a new platform technology that can be applied to the development of human vaccines, veterinary vaccines, vaccines for companion animals and vaccines to target infections in feral animals and native wildlife population populations.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100165
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,900.00
Summary
Engineering T cells to promote peripheral immunity. Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) are key for immune protection against infections and cancer. This has led to much interest in understanding how these immune cells develop, although elucidation of molecules that regulate TRM are still scarce. This project aims to (i) identify genetic drivers of TRM in peripheral organs and (ii) modulate TRM generation utilising state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques. Expected outcomes include gener ....Engineering T cells to promote peripheral immunity. Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) are key for immune protection against infections and cancer. This has led to much interest in understanding how these immune cells develop, although elucidation of molecules that regulate TRM are still scarce. This project aims to (i) identify genetic drivers of TRM in peripheral organs and (ii) modulate TRM generation utilising state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques. Expected outcomes include generating new knowledge that will contribute to the development of novel therapeutics against infectious disease and cancer, together with the benefit of promoting national and international collaboration with the ultimate goal of improving health.Read moreRead less
Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. Howeve ....Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. However, DNA vaccines often provide poor protection against infections. This project will explore a unique technology developed in Australia and that will greatly improve the effectiveness of DNA vaccines against a broad range of diseases. Read moreRead less
Brain metabolic changes in experimental malaria: a paradigm for the molecular mechanisms of intravascular inflammation. Malaria is endemic in countries directly to the north of Australia, as close as Papua New Guinea and East Timor. This project's findings about malaria also will have relevance to other infectious diseases of national importance. The outcomes will contribute to Australia's research reputation. We will build international links that will increase the national knowledge base and r ....Brain metabolic changes in experimental malaria: a paradigm for the molecular mechanisms of intravascular inflammation. Malaria is endemic in countries directly to the north of Australia, as close as Papua New Guinea and East Timor. This project's findings about malaria also will have relevance to other infectious diseases of national importance. The outcomes will contribute to Australia's research reputation. We will build international links that will increase the national knowledge base and research skill base. Young scientists will be trained in state-of-the-art research techniques in a cross-disciplinary environment that is the way of future biological research. The project may identify potential drug targets for malaria or other infectious diseases. The Intellectual Property will be protected and commercialised.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of Immune Responses To Sarcoptes Scabiei Cysteine Proteases, Group 1 Allergen Homologues, In Scabies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,750.00
Summary
Scabies, a parasitic skin infestation by the 'itch' mite Sarcoptes scabiei, causes significant health problems for children and adults in many remote Aboriginal communities in Australia. Scabies is often the underlying cause of streptococcal skin infections which can cause serious complications such as kidney and heart disease. Although diagnosed scabies cases can be successfully treated, individuals have often already transmitted the disease to others prior to receiving therapy. A particularly ....Scabies, a parasitic skin infestation by the 'itch' mite Sarcoptes scabiei, causes significant health problems for children and adults in many remote Aboriginal communities in Australia. Scabies is often the underlying cause of streptococcal skin infections which can cause serious complications such as kidney and heart disease. Although diagnosed scabies cases can be successfully treated, individuals have often already transmitted the disease to others prior to receiving therapy. A particularly dreadful form of scabies, known as crusted scabies, can develop in a minority of people, in which mites multiply in their millions and the affected person develops severe crusting of the skin. This has resulted in death within 5 years for up to 50% of people with this form of scabies. Scabies mites are scientifically very similar to house dust mites, and they produce cross reactive proteins. Molecular studies in our laboratory have enabled the identification and cloning of a number of scabies molecules with considerable similarity to known house dust mite proteins that cause allergic disease. In this study we propose to focus on a group of scabies proteins with significant identity to the extensively studied Group 1 house dust mite allergens, reported to cause an immune response in 90% of mite allergic people. We propose to use these scabies mite molecules to characterise the immune response in ordinary scabies and compare it to the more severe and debilitating crusted form of the disease. Characterisation of the immune response in scabies will ultimately aid in the development of new treatment for crusted scabies based on immunotherapy. Studies will also investigate for any cross reactivity with the house dust mite group 1 molecules and enable the design of specific immunodiagnositics to distinguish house dust mite allergy from scabies infestation and thus facilitate early diagnosis of scabies carriers and better control of the infestation in endemic communities.Read moreRead less