Immunomodulatory Vaccines In The Treatment Of Peanut Allergy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$678,899.00
Summary
Peanut allergy is the most common cause of food-induced anaphylactic reactions in Australia and is a major burden to our healthcare system. Current clinical practice advice dietary avoidance to prevent fatal anaphylactic responses. We propose the use of an immunomodulatory vaccine to re-write the immune response to peanut antigens, from an allergic to a tolerant phenotype. This study will provide novel insights into rational approaches for manipulating immune memory to food allergens.
Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Benefit Of 2D-strain Surveillance In Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes In Cancer Patients Undergoing Cardiotoxic Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,391,979.00
Summary
Cancer survivors are susceptible to heart failure (HF) caused by heart muscle damage from chemotherapy. The current testing for this problem is based on a measure that cannot identify minor changes of cardiac function. Cardiac strain is a sensitive new marker of cardiac function which is predictive of overt dysfunction & HF. This study seeks to identify whether strain can be used to assign treatments that lead to improved cardiac function and are eventually associated with a reduction in HF.
Discovery And Development Of Better Pain Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,613,850.00
Summary
Many forms of pain remain poorly treated, leading to significant quality of life and economic losses. This Program grant will discover and characterise new peptides from cone snails and spiders that modulate specific channels in nerves that are critical to the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Using advanced chemical and structural approaches, promising leads will be optimised for potency and stability and evaluated in disease and pathway-specific models of pain to establish their clini ....Many forms of pain remain poorly treated, leading to significant quality of life and economic losses. This Program grant will discover and characterise new peptides from cone snails and spiders that modulate specific channels in nerves that are critical to the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Using advanced chemical and structural approaches, promising leads will be optimised for potency and stability and evaluated in disease and pathway-specific models of pain to establish their clinical potential.Read moreRead less
Molecular and immunological approaches to managing Australia's seafood allergy epidemic. Seafood is an increasingly important cause of food allergy. Novel insight into the functions of why and how proteins from seafood develop to potent allergens will lead to the development of better diagnostics and therapeutics. This will assist patients to better manage their serious food allergy.
Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The pr ....Placental nutrient transport shows how complex traits evolve. This project aims to use amino acid transport in the vertebrate placenta as a model to demonstrate how genes are recruited and modified to produce a major organ. Using an innovative combination of a new technology, selected reaction monitoring, and transcriptomic and molecular approaches, plus carefully selected Australian species pairs, this project will study the evolution of a complex trait (placental amino acid transport). The project will provide fundamental advances in our knowledge of the nutrient transport during pregnancy that is required to produce a healthy baby.Read moreRead less
CKD-FIX: A Randomised, Controlled Trial Of Allopurinol In The Slowing Of Kidney Disease Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,917,147.00
Summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem affecting over 1.5 million Australians and is associated with increased risk of death, heart disease and progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Current treatments to slow progression to ESKD are limited. The CKD-FIX trial aims to find out whether treatment with allopurinol, a commonly used drug for gout prevention, safely and effectively slows CKD progression. This could lead to significant health and economic benefits.
Structure and function of human zinc transporter membrane proteins. The aim of this project is to create fundamental new knowledge on how important mammalian membrane proteins operate. Membrane proteins are key drug targets and are significantly under-represented in structural databases. The project plans to combine innovative membrane protein screening technology with gene expression, structural biology, biophysics and cell biology. The project outcomes may elucidate specific molecular mechanis ....Structure and function of human zinc transporter membrane proteins. The aim of this project is to create fundamental new knowledge on how important mammalian membrane proteins operate. Membrane proteins are key drug targets and are significantly under-represented in structural databases. The project plans to combine innovative membrane protein screening technology with gene expression, structural biology, biophysics and cell biology. The project outcomes may elucidate specific molecular mechanisms underpinning the essential biological process of zinc homeostasis.Read moreRead less
Impact Of DTP Schedules On The Immunogenicity Of 2 Doses Of 13v-PCV Followed By An Early Booster
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,651,687.00
Summary
This project aims to come up with a vaccination schedule to make pneumococcal vaccines more effective and affordable for Fiji and other developing countries. We will evaluate schedules involving a 2 dose primary series in early infancy with a booster at 9 months of age. We will compare the immune responses to 3 different primary series and 2 booster options. The results of this project will be used to provide advice, at global and country levels, regarding introduction of pneumococcal vaccines.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100150
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Beyond Proteomics: structure and function of protein modifications. The world's leading cancer therapeutics have come from the protein phosphorylation field, and glycomics has led to drugs that combat the flu and that stimulate red blood cell production in cancer patients. Thus there is a bright future for discovery of new medicines based on new knowledge in this area. Protein modifications are key to the understanding of disease mechanisms and for searching for new disease markers and new the ....Beyond Proteomics: structure and function of protein modifications. The world's leading cancer therapeutics have come from the protein phosphorylation field, and glycomics has led to drugs that combat the flu and that stimulate red blood cell production in cancer patients. Thus there is a bright future for discovery of new medicines based on new knowledge in this area. Protein modifications are key to the understanding of disease mechanisms and for searching for new disease markers and new therapeutics. In the hands of local experts the instruments will enable identification of these modifications and provide improved understanding of biology, increase the national competitiveness of Australia's scientists, and provide advanced technology training to the next generation of scientists.Read moreRead less