Harnessing Systems Biology To Tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) have a devastating, long-term impact on billions of humans globally. No vaccines are available, and mass treatment strategies are leading to drug resistance. Thus, there is a major need to develop radically new and advanced interventions. By creating substantially enhanced and automated bioinformatics tools, I will unlock the fundamental molecular biology of key NTDs to underpin the design of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics as translational outcomes.
Automated Screening Measures Associated With Risk And Treatment (SMART) Of Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,244.00
Summary
Women with greater mammographic density (white area on a mammogram) are at greater risk of breast cancer. Prof Hopper (supervisor) has led international research in this area using a method called CUMULUS. Drs Makalic and Schmidt (co-supervisors) have created an automated measure, called CIRRUS. My aims are to: find out which factors influence CIRRUS, confirm that CIRRUS predicts breast cancer risk, and develop automated measures of a breast cancer risk based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Complex Statistical Analyses Of Genome-wide Association Studies Related To Breast And Prostate Cancers Using High Performance Supercomputing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$656,073.00
Summary
Breast and prostate cancers are the most common cancers in Australian women and men. Simple analyses of genome-wide association (GWAS) studies explain only a fraction of why these cancers run in families. The University of Melbourne now has a supercomputer that can conduct much more complex analyses. We will apply these to the world’s GWAS data for breast and prostate cancers. We hope to learn more about the causes of these cancers, and expand an expert Australian workforce in supercomputing.
Technology is changing the lives of Australians. We need to understand the impact on health to gain the benefits with minimal harm. This fellowship will support a program of internationally leading research drawing together ergonomics, physiotherapy and physical activity expertise. Example projects include the impact of electronic games on children’s activity, walking workstations to increase physical activity of office workers and a family-based program for overweight adolescents.
RCT Of The Impact Of Electronic Game Use By Children On Physical Activity And Energy Expenditure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,135.00
Summary
Increasing childhood obesity and reduced physical activity are major health issues in Australia. Three quarters of Australian children play electronic games and this is widely thought to reduce their physical activity. Whilst the effect of TV viewing is well understood, the impact of electronic games is not. This study will test whether access to electronic games results in decreased physical activity in children. We need to understand the impact this popular activity is having on child health.
I am a physiotherapist with special expertise in ergonomics. My research aims to improve health outcomes through an understanding the physical impact of new technology use.
Biomechanical And Physiological Responses Of Children And Young Adults To Different Computer Workstations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$207,352.00
Summary
Computer use is increasing with 95% of Australian primary school children now using computers. Two out of three children and three out of four adult workers report pain associated with computer use. This has lead to concerns that increased computer use may be responsible for an increase in musculoskeletal disorders in young people. Little is known about the physical consequences of children's use of computers. The information we have on adult use is now out of date because of changes to computer ....Computer use is increasing with 95% of Australian primary school children now using computers. Two out of three children and three out of four adult workers report pain associated with computer use. This has lead to concerns that increased computer use may be responsible for an increase in musculoskeletal disorders in young people. Little is known about the physical consequences of children's use of computers. The information we have on adult use is now out of date because of changes to computer technology and how computers are used. It is therefore not possible to provide evidence-based recommendations for safe use of computers by young people. Critical gaps in our knowledge include the appropriate desk design and computer display position. The proposed studies will use recent advances in biomechanical and physiological measurement and modelling of musculoskeletal stress to evaluate a range of desk designs and computer display positions for young adults, preadolescentchilden and early school age children. The outcomes will include the first detailed description of the physical stresses of computer use by children and preliminary guidelines for workstation design.Read moreRead less
Theoretical Studies On The Dynamics Of Ion Permeation Across Membrane Channels
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,000.00
Summary
All electrical activities in the brain are regulated by opening and closing of ion channels. Thus, understanding their mechanisms at a molecular level is a fundamental problem in biology. There are many different types of ion channels, each type fulfilling a different role. We now know the exact atomic structures of several types of the proteins forming ion channels. Using this newly unveiled information, we propose to build exact physical models of many different types of ion channels. Then, ma ....All electrical activities in the brain are regulated by opening and closing of ion channels. Thus, understanding their mechanisms at a molecular level is a fundamental problem in biology. There are many different types of ion channels, each type fulfilling a different role. We now know the exact atomic structures of several types of the proteins forming ion channels. Using this newly unveiled information, we propose to build exact physical models of many different types of ion channels. Then, making use of powerful supercomputers, we propose to follow the motion of ions as they move through the channel, study how a channel can select only the correct type of ions to traverse it and determine how many ions a single channel is capable of processing per second. The predictions made by our theory and computer simulations will be checked experimentally. Once we fully understand how these channels work, we will be able to understand the causes of, and possibly find the cures for, many neurological, muscular and renal disorders.Read moreRead less