Macrophages In Developmental Programming Of Reproductive Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,386.00
Summary
Programming of reproductive health in women begins long before sexual maturity. Development during childhood, puberty and adulthood produces a fully functional reproductive system capable of conceiving, gestating and nurturing a child. This project will investigate the role of immune cells known as macrophages in the reproductive system, and investigate how their disruption might influence developmental programming and have lifetime consequences for the reproductive health of the individual.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is vital for egg development, female fertility and health, and is widely used in assisted reproduction technology. But high levels of FSH are associated with premature infertility and menopause, and may lead to diseases like ovarian cancer. Understanding the biological pathways activated by elevated FSH may lead to new treatments for infertility and ovarian diseases (eg. cancer), as well as advancing new strategies for contraception.
The failure of an embryo to implant is a major cause of infertility. While IVF is an important intervention, still three quarters of embryos do not implant. We have identified new factors that we believe are critically important in embryo attachment to the womb. We will now prove whether these factors are critical and therefore provide the evidence required to begin to develop novel treatment options for infertility.
Female Reproductive Health Preservation By Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) And Sirtuin2 (SIRT2)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,983.00
Summary
Cancer treatment can be severely toxic to women’s eggs. Increasing numbers of women who survive cancer therefore become infertile and prematurely deprived of hormonal support whilst still in their reproductive years. This project will use state-of-the-art techniques to interrogate newly uncovered pathways that can protect eggs from treatment-induced injury thereby greatly improving the quality of life for female cancer survivors.
Mechanisms Of DNA Damage-induced Oocyte Apoptosis And Infertility: Examination Of The Role Of BH3-only Proteins.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$495,755.00
Summary
Our ability to prevent or postpone menopause following cancer treatment, is of great importance for female fertility, health and quality of life. We will demonstrate that the death gene of the Bcl-2 family of life and death genes, Puma, is responsible for killing female germ cells after damaging treatment. When Puma is absent, sufficient high quality germ cells are able to survive damaging treatment, allowing normal fertility in mice. The quality of these rescued germ cells will be analysed in d ....Our ability to prevent or postpone menopause following cancer treatment, is of great importance for female fertility, health and quality of life. We will demonstrate that the death gene of the Bcl-2 family of life and death genes, Puma, is responsible for killing female germ cells after damaging treatment. When Puma is absent, sufficient high quality germ cells are able to survive damaging treatment, allowing normal fertility in mice. The quality of these rescued germ cells will be analysed in detail.Read moreRead less
Using New Retinal Imaging Technologies To Improve Treatment And Classification Of Diabetic Retinopathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$227,644.00
Summary
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Australia. This project aims to use new ways of imaging changes in the back of the eye to try to improve the treatment and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.
This project will test the proposal that rising follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in ageing females directly accelerate reproductive failure and bone loss , major public health issues due to delayed childbearing and our rising ageing population. We have developed a unique mouse model with elevated FSH levels that cause premature female infertility. We will now use this model to determine the direct effects of high FSH upon ovarian and uterine function, as well as bone loss with age.
Structural Studies Of Thyroid Peroxidase, An Autoantigen In Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,423.00
Summary
This proposal is aimed at determining the three dimensional structure of Thyroid Peroxidase, a protein found in the human thyroid gland that is important in the production of the hormone thyroxine. Thyroxine is involved in controlling the rate of metabolic processes in the body and influencing physical development.