Novel therapies to limit renal fibrosis in diverse models of renal disease. Kidney failure is a devastating health, social and financial outcome for the individual, their employer, family and the broader society, This project will carefully dissect mechanisms underpinning the scarring in the kidney that predisposes to kidney failure and will investigate novel therapies to prevent kidney damage.
Use of an animal model to understand mechanisms underlying reductions in body weight associated with use of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band. At least one in ten Australians is classified as morbidly obese and as such are eligible for bariatric surgery. Those undergoing the surgery will achieve an average excess weight loss of up to 60 per cent, they will have reduced or eliminated diabetes and will appreciably improve their prospects of survival. These experiments aimed at understandin ....Use of an animal model to understand mechanisms underlying reductions in body weight associated with use of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band. At least one in ten Australians is classified as morbidly obese and as such are eligible for bariatric surgery. Those undergoing the surgery will achieve an average excess weight loss of up to 60 per cent, they will have reduced or eliminated diabetes and will appreciably improve their prospects of survival. These experiments aimed at understanding the mechanisms underpinning this success have the potential to further improve surgical approaches and outcomes and provide insights that will better enable weight loss therapies for all overweight and obese Australians.Read moreRead less
New strategies for characterising and monitoring protein-surface interactions: application to a biosensor for diabetic’s blood glucose regime effectiveness. This project aims to develop an antibody based biosensor for the detection of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) which serves as a marker of the effectiveness of a diabetic’s blood glucose treatment regime. Monitoring HbA1c is important as many of the long term health effects of diabetes are a consequence of high blood glucose levels. The si ....New strategies for characterising and monitoring protein-surface interactions: application to a biosensor for diabetic’s blood glucose regime effectiveness. This project aims to develop an antibody based biosensor for the detection of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) which serves as a marker of the effectiveness of a diabetic’s blood glucose treatment regime. Monitoring HbA1c is important as many of the long term health effects of diabetes are a consequence of high blood glucose levels. The simple to use technology will be a general detection strategy for proteins and hence will be applicable for the detection of a wide range of diseases and biomarkers. The research will also benefit Australia by training the new generation of scientists for Australia's biomedical diagnostics industry.Read moreRead less
Establishing evidence for the functional properties of a whole grain in weight management. The successful development of functional foods relies on communicating proven effects. This project aims to prove that the food containing the satiety properties of a whole grain (OG) may help in weight management. We will conduct basic research investigating the link between consumption of OG-containing foods and the regulatory mechanisms of satiety, and test whether the satiety properties can be used to ....Establishing evidence for the functional properties of a whole grain in weight management. The successful development of functional foods relies on communicating proven effects. This project aims to prove that the food containing the satiety properties of a whole grain (OG) may help in weight management. We will conduct basic research investigating the link between consumption of OG-containing foods and the regulatory mechanisms of satiety, and test whether the satiety properties can be used to prevent, reduce and correct body weight gain in the early, middle and late stages of obesity. We will then apply this understanding in a human trial of mildly and long term overweight subjects, to aid the formulation of statements on the potential health benefits from consuming OG.Read moreRead less
Personalising the management of diabetes care in non-English speaking Australian adults with diabetic retinopathy. Reducing the public health burden of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy for non-English speaking Australians is a major challenge for health care providers, researchers, and health policy makers. In addition to improving self care, eye health, and quality of life, this intervention has considerable potential to deliver substantial savings to the Australian community. It will also pro ....Personalising the management of diabetes care in non-English speaking Australian adults with diabetic retinopathy. Reducing the public health burden of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy for non-English speaking Australians is a major challenge for health care providers, researchers, and health policy makers. In addition to improving self care, eye health, and quality of life, this intervention has considerable potential to deliver substantial savings to the Australian community. It will also provide a novel and valid diabetes management program and contribute to future health policies related to personnel, resources and funding allocated to diabetes, eye care, and rehabilitation. This project will raise the skill of existing diabetes educators and serve to generate closer coordination of care between tertiary eye care services and primary care settings.Read moreRead less
Development of natural herbal medicines for managing metabolic syndrome in order to prevent type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects almost 7% of Australia~{!/~}s population. Its incidence continues to grow, as indicated by high rates of metabolic syndrome, a pre-stage of type 2 diabetes. Using novel and bio-molecular techniques, we will evaluate the effects and mechanisms of three natural compounds from anti-diabetic Chinese herbs on cellular and rodent models with metabolic syndrome. This stud ....Development of natural herbal medicines for managing metabolic syndrome in order to prevent type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects almost 7% of Australia~{!/~}s population. Its incidence continues to grow, as indicated by high rates of metabolic syndrome, a pre-stage of type 2 diabetes. Using novel and bio-molecular techniques, we will evaluate the effects and mechanisms of three natural compounds from anti-diabetic Chinese herbs on cellular and rodent models with metabolic syndrome. This study will provide scientific evidence as to how and why herbal compounds improve insulin resistance and abnormalities in glucose and lipids metabolism. The outcome of this project will support the development of natural products to manage metabolic syndrome and prevent type 2 diabetes.
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Investigation of the function of Sel S a novel selenoprotein. The long term aim of this project is to find a way to prevent or delay the onset of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ChemGenex pharmaceuticals, our commercial partners have discovered and patented a selenoprotein with antioxidant properties and have shown in vitro that it protects insulin-producing beta cells from oxidative damage. This project aims to prove, in an in vivo setting, that this protein can prevent or delay the onset of d ....Investigation of the function of Sel S a novel selenoprotein. The long term aim of this project is to find a way to prevent or delay the onset of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ChemGenex pharmaceuticals, our commercial partners have discovered and patented a selenoprotein with antioxidant properties and have shown in vitro that it protects insulin-producing beta cells from oxidative damage. This project aims to prove, in an in vivo setting, that this protein can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes in mouse models of type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.Read moreRead less
Discovery and development of novel insulin sensitising compounds for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is one of the major health problems facing Australia today, and current treatments are proving inadequate to combat this disease. We previously discovered a new drug with potential for development for the treatment of diabetes. In this project, we will identify how this drug works to combat diabetes in cell and animal models, and use novel chemistry approaches to modify the drug to imp ....Discovery and development of novel insulin sensitising compounds for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is one of the major health problems facing Australia today, and current treatments are proving inadequate to combat this disease. We previously discovered a new drug with potential for development for the treatment of diabetes. In this project, we will identify how this drug works to combat diabetes in cell and animal models, and use novel chemistry approaches to modify the drug to improve its properties and reduce potential side-effects. The outcomes of this project will be understanding of a new biological process that contributes to the development of diabetes, and the discovery and characterisation of new chemical compounds that could be developed as drugs to treat diabetes.Read moreRead less
Depression and Diabetes: Prevalence, diagnosis and help-seeking: Influence on depression, glycemic control and quality of life. Depression has been reported to be twice as prevalent and more persistent in individuals with diabetes than in the general population. The current research will investigate the point-prevalence of depression in a large sample of Australian diabetic outpatients using a case-finding instrument (CES-D) and follow-up structured clinical interview where appropriate. Demogr ....Depression and Diabetes: Prevalence, diagnosis and help-seeking: Influence on depression, glycemic control and quality of life. Depression has been reported to be twice as prevalent and more persistent in individuals with diabetes than in the general population. The current research will investigate the point-prevalence of depression in a large sample of Australian diabetic outpatients using a case-finding instrument (CES-D) and follow-up structured clinical interview where appropriate. Demographic, medical, and psychological correlates of depressiono will be investigated. The effects of the screening procedure and diagnosis on help-seeking behaviour, course of the depression, self-care, and glycemic control as well as qualtiy of life will be evaluated after six months.Read moreRead less
Studies on the stereospecific interaction between aldose reductase and inhibitor. There is no therapy specific for treatment of diabetes complications accepted worldwide. The enzyme aldose reductase has shown promising results as a drug target for preventing or delaying the onset of the complications. The structures of human aldose reductase holoenzyme in complex with stereoisomers of the potent inhibitor Fidarestat will be determined at high resolution in order to elucidate the binding modes re ....Studies on the stereospecific interaction between aldose reductase and inhibitor. There is no therapy specific for treatment of diabetes complications accepted worldwide. The enzyme aldose reductase has shown promising results as a drug target for preventing or delaying the onset of the complications. The structures of human aldose reductase holoenzyme in complex with stereoisomers of the potent inhibitor Fidarestat will be determined at high resolution in order to elucidate the binding modes responsible for the differences in their inhibitory potencies. The results may lead to the design of better inhibitors of the enzyme for the treatment of diabetes sufferers, at least until better methods for maintaining metabolic control are developed.Read moreRead less