Characterisation Of Autoreactive T Cells In Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria Would Improve Its Diagnosis And Treatment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$97,182.00
Summary
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is a disease in which itchy hives recur due to no apparent trigger. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system reacts against certain cells in the skin, called mast cells and basophils. It is unclear how this occurs. Once activated, mast cells and basophils release a chemical called histamine, which is responsible for the rash. I aim to identify the immune reactions that occur in CIU, develop reliable tests for diagnosis and improve treatment of CIU ....Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is a disease in which itchy hives recur due to no apparent trigger. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system reacts against certain cells in the skin, called mast cells and basophils. It is unclear how this occurs. Once activated, mast cells and basophils release a chemical called histamine, which is responsible for the rash. I aim to identify the immune reactions that occur in CIU, develop reliable tests for diagnosis and improve treatment of CIU.Read moreRead less
Regulation of lung immune-epithelial networks sensing environmental change. This study aims to uncover how lung epithelial cells engage with immune cells and determine their cellular and molecular wiring to ensure homeostatic maintenance and essential repair processes of lung tissues. Maintenance of lung epithelial-immune networks is essential to maintain normal lung tissue structure and function, and to induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges or inhaled potentially toxic ....Regulation of lung immune-epithelial networks sensing environmental change. This study aims to uncover how lung epithelial cells engage with immune cells and determine their cellular and molecular wiring to ensure homeostatic maintenance and essential repair processes of lung tissues. Maintenance of lung epithelial-immune networks is essential to maintain normal lung tissue structure and function, and to induce immune responses to protect against microbial challenges or inhaled potentially toxic substances. Understanding this molecular program of epithelial-immune cell-mediated sensing/repair will be essential to understand how tissue-repair processes can be driven in the lung, an organ critical for respiration and thus life.Read moreRead less
The National Centre For Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,500,000.00
Summary
The National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases is a world-leading centre studying the deadly cancers mesothelioma and lung cancer. Our ongoing Centre of Research Excellence program includes research from the development and genetics of asbestos-related cancers, through to new treatments, novel ways of imaging cancer, and the supportive care of people with these cancers. This program will improve the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.
Public Health Interventions For The Control Of Group A Streptococcal Disease And Scabies In Endemic Populations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
The bacterium Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The skin infestation scabies is an important portal of entry for GAS because it predisposes to skin sores. I propose to develop two research programs aimed at controlling these diseases: one is development of GAS vaccines and the other is investigating population-based interventions for control of scabies and related GAS skin infection.
Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis - Clinical And Translational Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,891.00
Summary
One in five patients with severe ulcerative colitis, a condition resulting in damage to the large bowel, may require surgery to remove the bowel. This project aims to find out how best to avoid surgery using a drug called infliximab which targets the immune system to reduce bowel damage. This study also aims to find changes in the immune system that cause ulcerative colitis and identify which patients are more likely to avoid surgery with infliximab thereby minimising side effects and costs.
Towards Precision Medicine For Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,652.00
Summary
Better outcomes are needed for lung cancer, a disease that accounts for more cancer-related deaths than any other cancer in Australia or worldwide. My goals are to 1) develop and evaluate in clinical trials targeted therapies and immunotherapies and 2) identify clinically relevant blood and tissue based biomarkers for lung cancer patients. This combination of clinical and translational research will change practice and improve outcomes by delivering precision medicine for lung cancer patients.
Hookworm Therapy In Coeliac Disease (CeD), Phase 1b
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$865,002.00
Summary
Parasitic worms have an amazing ability to manipulate the immune system, and our research group recently discovered how they may hold the key for treating inflammatory diseases such as Coeliac Disease. The aim of my research is to further develop this novel therapy in a clinical trial and study the mechanism of how worms control the immune response, including identifying the molecules that the worm produces that could be produced as a pill-based medication for treating coeliac disease.
Prevention Of Asthma In Young Children Via Immunostimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$679,683.00
Summary
Persistent asthma is a major problem for Australia yet none of the current therapies do more that control the condition. The long-term solution is to prevent asthma from progressing to the persistent form. The major risk factors are: family history, early allergy and recurrent severe lower respiratory infections (sLRI) in the early life. We will conduct a randomized clinical trial to prevent sLRI using a novel bacterial-derived immunostimulant in infants at high risk of developing asthma.
Effect Of Anti-IgE Antibody On Immune System Responses And Short-term Outcome In Acute Asthma In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$571,752.00
Summary
We plan to undertake a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of anti-IgE antibody given at the time of an acute attack of asthma in children aged 6-12 years. The idea for this arose from our own novel data – IgE levels increase with the most common infection causing acute asthma. Given evidence the virus uses IgE to cause inflammation, giving anti-IgE during the attack should reduce the severity of the attack and produce a new, effective treatment for acute asthma.