Cervical Screening Participation And Outcomes For Indigenous Australian Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,546.00
Summary
Cervical cancer is much more common among Indigenous than other Australian women, however little is known about their cervical screening participation or outcomes. This study will use Pap Test Registers and other data sources to compare screening participation and outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, and investigate whether cervical cancer incidence has decreased for Indigenous women in recent years, as it has done for non-Indigenous women in Australia.
Novel Brain Biomarkers Of Neurobehavioural Dysfunction In Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,145.00
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea is recognised as a common condition that has a clearly measurable impact on public health. However, it is often difficult for doctors to decide which patients have problems with driving or day to day brain functioning. This study will measure driving and memory during an extended period of waking in patients with sleep apnea. Special markers of brain function will be correlated with performance results during this extended wakefulness challenge.
Defining The Molecular And Functional Features Of Protective HIV-specific T Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$591,966.00
Summary
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) directly attacks our immune system, impairing our natural defense against infection and disease. HIV has claimed over 39 million lives worldwide since its discovery, and no vaccine is currently available. Despite this, there are some individuals with a particular genetic advantage able to control HIV infection who never get sick. Understanding how these individuals control HIV so efficiently may lead to novel treatments or potential vaccines against HIV.
Intraductal Carcinoma Of The Prostate: Indicator Of Aggressive Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$884,377.00
Summary
This proposal addresses the need to improve personalised treatment decisions for men with high risk familial prostate cancer as they have a very aggressive disease progression with a very poor clinical outcome. We will perform biological and pre-clinical studies to improve the clinical diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options for men with germline mutations in BRCA2 or BRCA1 genes who develop prostate cancer.
Statistical Issues In The Analysis Of Host-viral Genetic Associations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$252,849.00
Summary
Viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis B or C may escape detection, and hence control, by the human host immune system through strategic mutations. This project aims to develop statistical methodologies which will facilitate determination of the locations of these strategic mutations and assess the relative impact of different human-host genetic characteristics. Application of the results should benefit the design of tailored vaccines and studies of drug resistance.
Volitional And Non-volitional Control Of Human Balance: Normal Physiology And Changes With Ageing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,066.00
Summary
How does the brain control balance when we stand? Our research shows that two very distinct processes operate to produce distinct postural, perceptual and cardiovascular outcomes. These experiments investigate the neurophysiology that coordinates these systems and what happens with age. The results will fundamentally change views on balance control. Balance problems are common in neurological disorders and old age. Knowing how balance works will improve diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
Cell Trafficking In A Stem Cell Model For Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,082.00
Summary
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) is a genetic disease passed down in affected families. It is a slowly progressing lower limb paralysis that gradually restricts daily activities until the sufferer is confined to bed. There are no cures. This project investigates patientsÍ stem cells to study how HSP genes cause disease. We will use these stem cells to discover new potential drug therapies.
Stimulation Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Specific Cytolytic Effector Function Using Allogeneic Cell Immunotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$377,648.00
Summary
A preventative HIV vaccine is not currently available. Stimulation of the bodies own immune cells (T-cells) may be associated with better protection against the virus, and we have recently discovered that T-cells already present in humans are frequently stimulated by foreign (allogeneic) cells. Therefore we aim to determine if “vaccination” with allogeneic cells could stimulate a HIV specific immune response in humans. These results could have important implications for HIV vaccine design.
Group A Streptococcal Human Challenge Study: Accelerating Vaccine Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,018,741.00
Summary
Infection with group A streptococcus (GAS) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in the Aboriginal population of Australia. Concerted efforts for vaccine development have been hampered by the absence of a suitable animal model. To address this critical knowledge gap we propose to develop a controlled human infection model of GAS infection. This model will provide a direct pathway for the future appraisal of novel GAS vaccines.
Enhancing Host Defence Mechanisms In Severe Bacterial Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$830,447.00
Summary
New options to treat bacterial infections are needed because of the rapid increase in antibiotic resistance. One very attractive strategy is to boost the body’s own defence mechanisms against bacteria. This project defines novel molecular mechanisms that can be manipulated to better control a bacterial infection. Novel drugs targeting these molecular pathways are already being developed, albeit for cancer. This project will help assess if these drugs may be useful to treat infections.