Over 10,000 persons per year in Australia are diagnosed with a blood cancer, accounting for 11% of cancer deaths. Stem cell transplantation remains curative therapy for these diseases but is limited by cancer relapse and an immune-mediated process known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) which account for death of up to 50% of patients. This CRE will integrate centres from Australia and the USA to coordinate new treatments in transplant and cell therapy to improve blood cancer outcomes.
Immunological Therapies For Cancer And Autoimmunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,928,323.00
Summary
The programme team comprises a group of leading scientists with a history of successful investigation into the mechanisms and treatment of diseases in which the immune system plays a role in their development. These include cancers of the cervix and blood system, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Working together, the team have made discoveries that have led to testing and clinical development of new treatments for these diseases. In this programme, the te ....The programme team comprises a group of leading scientists with a history of successful investigation into the mechanisms and treatment of diseases in which the immune system plays a role in their development. These include cancers of the cervix and blood system, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Working together, the team have made discoveries that have led to testing and clinical development of new treatments for these diseases. In this programme, the team aims to discover mechanisms regulating the immune response, and to exploit this knowledge to define new ways of switching on or off, specific immune responses. We will particularly seek to develop novel vaccines for chronic infections and autoimmune diseases, and to improve the safety of bone marrow transplantation.Read moreRead less
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.
Dendritic Cells In Graft-versus-Host Disease Following Bone Marrow Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,859.00
Summary
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the only available curative therapy for many blood cancers such as leukaemia. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurs after BMT and is a major cause of transplant-related death. GVHD occurs when transplanted donor cells “attack” recipient tissues causing widespread damage. Gaining a more comprehensive understanding of this disease process is critically important for the design of new therapies and improvement of outcomes for transplant recipients.
The Role Of Alloantigen Presentation In Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$508,003.00
Summary
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the most effective treatment for a number of haematological conditions, especially leukemia. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complication of BMT and results in the death of up to 50% of transplant recipients. GVHD occurs when the newly transplanted immune system recognizes the recipient as foreign and mounts and immune reponse against the patients tissues. These studies will focus on identifying and understanding the function of the immune cells which d ....Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the most effective treatment for a number of haematological conditions, especially leukemia. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complication of BMT and results in the death of up to 50% of transplant recipients. GVHD occurs when the newly transplanted immune system recognizes the recipient as foreign and mounts and immune reponse against the patients tissues. These studies will focus on identifying and understanding the function of the immune cells which drive GVHD.Read moreRead less
Failure Of Donor Antigen Presentation Promotes IL-17 Dependant Chronic GVHD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,860.00
Summary
Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the most effective treatment for a number of haematological conditions, especially leukemia. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complication of BMT and results in the death of up to 50% of transplant recipients. GVHD occurs when the newly transplanted immune system recognizes the recipient as foreign and mounts and immune reponse against the patients tissues. These studies will focus on identifying and understanding the function of the immune cells which d ....Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the most effective treatment for a number of haematological conditions, especially leukemia. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complication of BMT and results in the death of up to 50% of transplant recipients. GVHD occurs when the newly transplanted immune system recognizes the recipient as foreign and mounts and immune reponse against the patients tissues. These studies will focus on identifying and understanding the function of the immune cells which drive GVHD.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Gut Resident Antigen Presenting Cells In Graft-versus-host Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$409,909.00
Summary
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is curative therapy for most blood cancers, since donor immune cells can eliminate cancers which cannot be eradicated by chemotherapy. However these donor cells can also attack normal cells in a process known as graft-versus-host disease. This research aims to understand how immune responses are induced after SCT to promote cancer eradication, whilst inhibiting GVHD, thus curing more patients of cancer and maintaining a normal quality of life.
Modulation Of Cytokine Responses To Improve Transplant Outcome.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$26,186.00
Summary
Bone marrow transplantation remains a mainstay of curative therapy for haematological malignancies. This curative effect is mediated by the transplanted donor immune system which rejects the recipient malignancy. However, the procedure is limited by its serious side effect, known as graft-versus-host disease. This application seeks to better understand these two processes at both an immunological and clinical level with the aim of separating the two so that more patients may be cured of leukaemi ....Bone marrow transplantation remains a mainstay of curative therapy for haematological malignancies. This curative effect is mediated by the transplanted donor immune system which rejects the recipient malignancy. However, the procedure is limited by its serious side effect, known as graft-versus-host disease. This application seeks to better understand these two processes at both an immunological and clinical level with the aim of separating the two so that more patients may be cured of leukaemia.Read moreRead less
Overcoming Immunosenescence For Effective Stem Cell Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
An established treatment for blood cancers involves a stem cell transplant to replace the blood stem cells that are damaged by radiation and chemotherapy. However, treatment success is limited with advancing age due to multiple defects in the immune system. We will use new technologies to investigate how the ageing immune system copes with stem cell transplantation and explore new methods for improving recovery and immunity after HSCT.
Combining Immune Monitoring And Immunotherapy To Tackle Cytomegalovirus Infections In Solid Organ Transplant Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$801,416.00
Summary
Clinical management of infectious complications in kidney and heart/lung transplant patients remains significant challenge. Although prophylactic/pre-emptive treatment with antiviral drugs have shown dramatic improvements in the control of these infections, long-term treatment with these drugs is associated with significant toxicity, the appearance of drug-resistant virus isolates and significant health cost. In this proposal we will develop novel strategies to identify high risk patients and tr ....Clinical management of infectious complications in kidney and heart/lung transplant patients remains significant challenge. Although prophylactic/pre-emptive treatment with antiviral drugs have shown dramatic improvements in the control of these infections, long-term treatment with these drugs is associated with significant toxicity, the appearance of drug-resistant virus isolates and significant health cost. In this proposal we will develop novel strategies to identify high risk patients and treat these patients with killer T cells.Read moreRead less