In Vitro Diagnostic For First Trimester Risk Assignment Of Gestational Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,983.00
Summary
Pregnancy associated diabetes is a significant complication of pregnancy that has adverse health effects for both mother and baby. We have developed a multivariate algorithm to identify women during their first trimester of pregnancy who will subsequently develop gestational diabetes. The test requires further clinical validation to develop a commercial product and to implement it into clinical practice.
Single Shot X-ray Tomography For Real-Time Functional X-ray Imaging
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,641.00
Summary
Computed Tomography (CT) scanners produce three-dimensional images of vital organs that cannot be obtained by conventional two-dimensional (single projection) x-ray radiographs. However, the radiation exposure is hundreds of times higher than conventional radiography. We will develop the world’s first CT scanner that uses no more radiation than a single conventional x-ray image that will provide four-dimensional reconstructions of a patient’s moving internal organs.
Organ transplantation is the measure of last resort for patients with organ failure. While this is a life-saving procedure, the long-term survival of transplant recipients depends on maintaining the new organ without rejecting it. The proposed research will create novel test systems that allow both patients and clinicians to monitor the concentration of the drugs required to suppress organ rejection. Such a test will reduce the cost of treatment and increase the long term survival of patients.
Development Of A Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase/ Haemoglobin Point-of-care Test For Malaria Elimination
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,608.00
Summary
Malaria elimination requires the use of specific anti-malarial drugs that treat the dormant malaria parasites in the liver. The use of these drugs in people with a deficiency of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme can lead to the catastrophic destruction of red blood cells and severe anaemia. There is a need for new G6PD diagnostic tests that can be delivered in remote, resource poor settings. This project will develop a G6PD point-of-care test to fast-track malaria elimination.
Development And Validation Of A Latent Tuberculosis Diagnostic
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$534,865.00
Summary
Globally, tuberculosis is a leading cause of death with 9.6 million new diagnoses in 2014. The diagnosis of latent TB infection is important, but is difficult to make because current assays are suboptimal. We have developed a very simple assay which detects responses to TB antigens by co-expression of two surface markers expressed by CD4+ T cells. We propose to develop this into a highly standardised kit for the diagnosis of TB with our commercial partner Cytognos.
Skin Patch Technology For Fast And Simple Monitoring Of Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$826,064.00
Summary
Micropatch kits will be developed to capture and detect disease-related biomarkers from the skin for diagnostic monitoring, without the need for needles, trained practitioners or expensive laboratory infrastructure
Validation Of A Multiplexed Blood Based Screening Assay For The Diagnosis Of Colorectal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,712.00
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in Australia with poor patient outcome due to late detection of the disease. We have developed a simple blood based test that can diagnose individuals with CRC at an early stage when the chance of cure is greater than 80%.
A portable device that can measure glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the home will be developed. HbA1c is an important biomarker of the average blood glucose levels over the preceding three months and hence guides a diabetic regarding their blood glucose treatment regime. A 1% decrease in HbA1c levels is associated with a dramatic decrease in chronic health complications from diabetes. The HbA1c meter that will be developed will be able to operate with existing glucose meter technologies.
Development Of An Intra-Operative Tool For Tumour Margin Assessment During Surgery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$599,472.00
Summary
The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a surgical probe that uses novel terahertz technology to guide surgical excision. As an example, approximately 3,000 breast cancer patients per year require a second surgical procedure because of tumour identified close to the edge of tissue removed during surgery. There is a clinical need for an accurate, real-time and non-destructive technique to assess tumour margins during surgery. This tool could also be used for any surgery that requir ....The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a surgical probe that uses novel terahertz technology to guide surgical excision. As an example, approximately 3,000 breast cancer patients per year require a second surgical procedure because of tumour identified close to the edge of tissue removed during surgery. There is a clinical need for an accurate, real-time and non-destructive technique to assess tumour margins during surgery. This tool could also be used for any surgery that requires preservation of normal tissue.Read moreRead less
A Non-invasive Fluid Status Monitoring Device For Heart Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,715.00
Summary
Both acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are characterised by fluid overload. A device to detect this fluid overload in patients at an early stage has the potential to reduce the need for hospitalisation and initiate more timely and aggressive intervention. A prototype device has already been developed and our aim is to further improve on this device and advance to a commercial product.