A New Paradigm For Class I Cytokine Receptor Activation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$954,946.00
Summary
Class I cytokine receptors include around 30 receptors with diverse functions such as controlling metabolism and inflammation. Cytokine receptors are molecular switches on cells that receive signals from other cells and transmit this signal into the cell’s nucleus to control the regulation of genes. This project will determine the molecular mechanisms involved in class I cytokine receptors and use this knowledge to develop novel ways to modulate these receptors for clinical applications.
Macrophage Polarisation And Control Of Pulmonary Inflammation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,494.00
Summary
As key immune cells, macrophages are polarised to phenotypes that turn inflammation on or off. In cystic fibrosis, defective macrophage polarisation enhances inflammation and prevents lung repair. We are defining the molecules and cellular pathways that control this process and identifying targets for existing drugs that can be used to reprogram macrophages and restore lung repair to improve patient outcomes.
Tissue Ferritin Acts As A Proinflammatory Mediator Of Hepatic Fibrosis In Chronic Liver Disease Via Multiple Receptors In Hepatic Stellate Cells Responsible For Both Binding And Signalling.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$777,887.00
Summary
Our research has identified a role for tissue-derived ferritin as a proinflammatory cytokine in hepatic stellate cell biology, the cells responsible for liver scarring (fibrosis) in Haemochromatosis. This proposal will identify the receptor responsible for eliciting ferritin's proinflammatory action and assess its role in fibrosis. This study will have implications in chronic liver diseases of varying aetiologies where elevated serum ferrritin is associated with inflammation.
Cancers of the skin are the most common tumours in humans, and their diagnosis and treatment impose the largest costs on Australia’s cancer budget. While much has been learned about the roles of sunlight and skin type as risk factors for skin cancer, relatively little is known about the genes conferring risk. This study will compare the genetic profiles of over 6000 patients with skin cancer to 3000 people without skin cancer to pinpoint the genes responsible for skin cancer.
Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Of Therapeutic Stem Cells For Liver Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$848,710.00
Summary
This project focuses on the challenging area of effective and optimal dosing cell-based therapy for liver diseases. We will investigate the fate and therapeutic effects of natural, modified and artificial therapeutic cells in the body and in liver regions using a physiologically-based kinetic model. Our key goal is advance cell therapy by providing a better understanding and dosing guidelines.
Functional Dyspepsia: Characterisation Of The Immunopathology And Testing A Novel Therapeutic Strategy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$739,604.00
Summary
Dyspepsia, unexplained stomach discomfort and pain, is a common and costly problem; few effective treatments exist and the causes are unknown. We have found that the numbers of a type of immune cell, the eosinophil, are increased in the top of the small bowel in patients with dyspepsia. This study will explore the mechanisms that lead to increased eosinophils and then test the effectiveness of a treatment to suppress this overactive immune response which could rapidly change clinical practice.
Cultivated Corneal Endothelial Cell Implants For Restoring Vision
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$886,032.00
Summary
Thousands of Australians each year receive a corneal tissue transplant from the eyes of a deceased organ donor. In the majority of cases these transplants are performed to restore structure and function to the most posterior layer of the cornea – the corneal endothelium. The reliance upon donor tissue, however, presents significant logistical and safety issues. Our goal is therefore to develop improved strategies for treating diseases of the corneal endothelium using cultivated tissue implants.
Cellular Cross-talk Between Liver Progenitor Cells And Hepatic Stellate Cells Is Required For Hepatic Fibrogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$618,517.00
Summary
Deloitte Access Economics data proposes the total economic burden of liver disease in Australia in 2012 was >$50 billion. This study will identify how the liver heals itself by inducing liver cell populations which interact to regenerate damaged liver tissue in chronic liver disease. This knowledge may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of liver scarring and liver cancer, and to assist in normal liver regeneration following chronic liver disease.
Deciphering Signalling Pathways Regulating Iron Homeostasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$407,402.00
Summary
Iron overload and anaemia are two of the most significant health problems affecting humans. Understanding how the body regulates iron levels is key to our understanding of these disorders and to the future development of new therapies. This research is aimed at understanding how a hormone produced in the liver called hepcidin that maintains iron balance is regulated. This research may lead to novel therapies aimed at correcting the iron balance in conditions of iron overload or anaemia.
Innate Immune Signalling In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$562,857.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health threat that causes 1.5 million deaths every year. This study will characterise a new molecular control mechanism that optimises the immune response to the bacteria that cause TB and determine how it contributes to controlling the infection. Such knowledge is essential to help improve patient management and develop better treatments for this devastating disease.