Activin A And Follistatin Are Potential Key Regulators Of Organ Transplant Dysfunction And Graft Survival.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$535,579.00
Summary
The grant examines novel key regulators in organ transplantation. It examines molecules that are released during transplant surgery and on the return of blood flow to the organ which can cause inflammation and scarring. The release is increased by heparin, an anticoagulant used in organ preparation. Alternative anticoagulants and blockers of the regulators released will be tested to prevent the damage to the transplant, potentially improving both the short and long term graft survival and functi ....The grant examines novel key regulators in organ transplantation. It examines molecules that are released during transplant surgery and on the return of blood flow to the organ which can cause inflammation and scarring. The release is increased by heparin, an anticoagulant used in organ preparation. Alternative anticoagulants and blockers of the regulators released will be tested to prevent the damage to the transplant, potentially improving both the short and long term graft survival and function.Read moreRead less
Local Sleep In The Awake Brain: An Underlying Cause Of Neurobehavioural Deficits In Sleep Apnea?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$582,330.00
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder which significantly impacts daytime functioning leading to excessive sleepiness, and problems with attention and thinking. Currently, the causes for cognitive impairment in OSA (including attentional lapses and performance deficits) are poorly understood. In the awake state, groups of neurons can briefly go “offline” as they do in sleep. These periods of “local sleep” may explain impaired task performance in OSA.
Novel Biocompatible Nickel-free Shape Memory Alloy Scaffolds For Biomedical Applications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,789.00
Summary
The current project is aimed at the development of a new class of novel biocompatible nickel-free shape memory alloy (SMA) scaffolds for metallic implant applications. The new scaffolds possess the ability to exert a mechanical force on the surrounding bones, and stimulate new bone tissue ingrowth, due to their shape memory effect, superelasticity and bone-mimicking porous structure. The outcomes from this project will provide innovative implant materials.
Bioengineering Synthetic Elastin Conduits For Arterial Revascularisation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,776.00
Summary
An arterial substitute with both physical and biological properties that mimic those of the human vasculature has long been the holy grail of vascular tissue engineering. We propose synthetic elastin can form the basis of a durable, clinically effective small diameter vascular graft and fill a significant unmet need for a biocompatible vascular substitute.
IL-6 As The Key Inflammatory Mediator Controlling GVHD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$592,049.00
Summary
Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a curative treatment for blood cancers. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major limitation which occurs when the newly transplanted immune system mounts a rejection response against the recipient and is responsible for the death of up to 40% of transplant recipients. These studies will optimize a new approach to prevent GVHD focusing on a protein called interleukin-6. Ultimately, it is anticipated such approaches will improve the o ....Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a curative treatment for blood cancers. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major limitation which occurs when the newly transplanted immune system mounts a rejection response against the recipient and is responsible for the death of up to 40% of transplant recipients. These studies will optimize a new approach to prevent GVHD focusing on a protein called interleukin-6. Ultimately, it is anticipated such approaches will improve the overall survival of patients with blood cancers.Read moreRead less
Schizophrenia is a serious and debilitating psychotic illness often characterized by delusions: fixed, false beliefs that preoccupy the patient and affect behaviour, and which are resistant to current drug treatments. This project investigates dysfunctions in belief mechanisms that allow delusions to form and be maintained. This will help clinicians design more effective programs of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis by allowing more focussed interventions to reduce delusions.
A Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of A Human Chimeric Anti-Activated DC Antibody To Prevent AGVHD In High Risk Allo HSCT.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$670,736.00
Summary
Bone Marrow transplants provide life saving therapy for leukaemias, lymphomas and other life threatening blood disorders. One of the major life threatening complications is acute graft versus host disease (AGVHD) in which the doner immune system damages the patient's skin, liver and gut, amongst other tissues. Dendritic cells initiate and direct immune responses. We have shown that dendritic cells are central to the initiation of AGVHD and have shown that a marker called CMRF-44 is expressed on ....Bone Marrow transplants provide life saving therapy for leukaemias, lymphomas and other life threatening blood disorders. One of the major life threatening complications is acute graft versus host disease (AGVHD) in which the doner immune system damages the patient's skin, liver and gut, amongst other tissues. Dendritic cells initiate and direct immune responses. We have shown that dendritic cells are central to the initiation of AGVHD and have shown that a marker called CMRF-44 is expressed on activated dendritic cells before AGVHD emerges. We have developed potential new therapeutic antibodies that target activated dendritic cells and shown that they are effective in preclinical studies. This project will further validate these antibodies, then test their safety and their ability to prevent AGVHD in patients. The trial will also test whether they have the expected additional beneficial effect of preserving protective anti-viral and anti leukaemic immune responses.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Mechanisms That Increase Nerve-evoked Vasoconstriction Following Spinal Cord Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,547.00
Summary
People with spinal cord injury not only lose control of their arms and legs but also lose control of their bladder and bowel. They also have poor control of blood pressure and an overfull bladder or bowel can lead to dangerously high blood pressure. In this project, we are investigating how this abnormal high blood pressure is generated. The aim is to develop treatments which target the mechanisms which increase the blood pressure responses elicited by the bladder and bowel.
Preclinical Relaxin Therapy To Reverse Cardiac Fibrosis And Gain Functional Benefits
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$724,754.00
Summary
Cardiac fibrosis is a key factor promoting heart disease and onset of complications including arrhythmias and heart failure. There is urgent and unmet need of drugs that can reverse fibrosis. By documenting anti-fibrotic action of a peptide hormone relaxin, CIA and his team will test therapeutic effect of relaxin in heart disease models focusing on fibrosis-reversal and functional gain, particularly arrhythmias. This work would promote development of relaxin as a new cardiovascular drug.
Cytokine Responses Within The GI Tract Dictate T Cell Fate And Transplant Outcome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,479,579.00
Summary
Over 10,000 persons per year in Australia are diagnosed with a blood cancer, accounting for 10% of cancer deaths. Stem cell transplantation remains curative therapy for these diseases but is limited by a process known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), responsible for mortality in up to 50% of patients. This project will focus on immune responses within the colon as the critical event initiating lethal GVHD, defining new treatments that will be translated to improve transplant outcomes.