Liquid Biopsy For Personalised Monitoring Of Melanoma Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$820,888.00
Summary
Despite the success of recent melanoma treatments, therapies are effective long term in only a proportion of patients. Here we will progress preliminary findings in collaboration with biotechnology and pathology companies to develop highly effective companion biomarkers that will aid treatment decisions throughout disease course. Our team will spearhead translation of these markers into the clinic for routine monitoring of melanoma patients.
AKR1C3 As A Potential Biomarker For Sensitivity Of T-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia To The Pre-prodrug PR-104
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,797.00
Summary
Multiagent chemotherapy is the most effective modality for the treatment of childhood ALL, the most common paediatric malignancy. Despite dramatic improvements in survival over the past 40 years, relapsed ALL remains one of the most common causes of death from disease in children. Therefore, innovative strategies are needed to benefit those children who respond poorly to established therapy. This application will test a novel therapy for a very aggressive subtype of childhood leukaemia.
Uncovering Sex Specific, Epigenetic Biomarkers Of Healthy Ageing For Targeted Exercise Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,449,800.00
Summary
The aged population accounts for a significant, and increasing, amount of Australia’s health budget. We aim to uncover novel molecular biomarkers that slow the ageing process and maintain good health for longer. We will use innovative DNA and protein analysis to study the molecular ‘clocks’ of young and old populations and to test whether exercise can slow the ageing process. This will underpin the development of evidence-based biomarkers to be used in personalised health interventions.
Nerve cells communicate with each other through nerve processes or neurites. The dysfunction of neurites results in the clinical symptoms of dementia such as cognitive decline. Currently we cannot directly monitor degeneration of neurites in the living brain and therefore it is difficult to determine whether therapeutic agents are protective. My goal is to develop a detection system in the blood that will allow us to monitor these changes during disease progression and therapeutic intervention.
Clonal Evolution In Myelodysplasia And Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Following Azacitidine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$853,005.00
Summary
The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represent a spectrum of clinically heterogeneous malignancies that remain incurable in the vast majority of patients. Whilst the DNA mutations underpinning the initiation/maintenance of these malignancies are largely known we have little insight into how these mutations alter response to therapy. Using a range of sophisticated cutting edge technologies we will study how these DNA mutations evolve over the course of treatment.
This research proposal will identify changes in liver-secreted proteins during the development of fatty liver, and in the transition from fatty liver to the more advanced form of liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Understanding the differences in protein secretion between NASH patients and patients with normal/fatty liver will provide the opportunity to identify disease biomarkers that could be determined from a blood sample. This will provide a major shift in clinical care.
Genetic Mechanisms That Moderate Effects Of Aβ Accumulation In Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,525.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and the number of people living with it will triple by 2050. There is currently no cure for AD, and the only means of slow the growing epidemic is to delay onset. We propose to understand the complex interplay between genetic, cognitive, neuroimaging and biological markers of AD in order to better understand the disease process, and in turn identify high-risk individuals for clinical trials and uncover disease-modifying strategies.
Combining PI3K, CDK4/6 Pathway Inhibitors And Immunotherapies In Triple-negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): A Novel Therapy Combination
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$626,345.00
Summary
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis of all breast cancer subtypes, classically affecting young women and characterized by a lack of effective therapies. We show that blocking both PI3K and CDK4/6 pathways together effectively reduces TNBC growth in mice and can enhance anti-tumour immune responses. We aim to understand how these drugs work together and if adding immunotherapy can improve responses. Our project could provide a new treatment approach for TNBC patients.
Epigenetic Changes In The Prostate Cancer Microenvironment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$848,954.00
Summary
Many men with prostate cancer have slow-growing tumours that are unlikely to spread outside the prostate. These men with low-risk cancer are often monitored to prevent unnecessary aggressive treatments. However, the current methods used to distinguish between slow-growing and aggressive tumours are imprecise and there is a risk of missing aggressive tumours. We aim to identify new biomarkers of prostate cancer by measuring modifications to the DNA in the tumour and surrounding cells