The Epidemiology And Burden Of Liver Disease In Australia With An Emphasis On Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$151,143.00
Summary
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the commonest cause of abnormal liver function in Australia due to its close association with the obesity epidemic. It is likely to become the leading cause of liver failure and liver cancer over the next few decades. Despite this, the prevalence in Australian populations is unknown. The aim of this project is to assess how common this disorder is, the burden it places on the healthcare system and the effectiveness of treatment for liver cancer caused by ....Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the commonest cause of abnormal liver function in Australia due to its close association with the obesity epidemic. It is likely to become the leading cause of liver failure and liver cancer over the next few decades. Despite this, the prevalence in Australian populations is unknown. The aim of this project is to assess how common this disorder is, the burden it places on the healthcare system and the effectiveness of treatment for liver cancer caused by advanced non alcoholic fatty liver disease.Read moreRead less
Discovering New Biomarkers In Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,714.00
Summary
Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer death with increasing rates and a high mortality. The project will develop new methods to predict liver cancer risk and outcomes using circulating samples rather than invasive biopsies. Our data shows that tissue and cells shed specific blebs into the circulation and these can contain unique information about the tissue of origin. We propose a series of experiments to show that these circulating samples are able to predict risk and outcomes with liver
How Should Moderate Iron Overload In Haemochromatosis Be Managed?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$113,237.00
Summary
My PhD studies hereditary haemochromatosis which causes iron accumulation in the body which can be treated by removing blood. Whilst those with very high iron levels require treatment, it is not clear if those with only moderately raised iron also need treatment. If this study shows there is no difference in outcomes between the groups treatment to normalise body iron versus those who do not normalise body iron, this will change current practice.
The Role Of MTOR In The Ageing Liver: Implications For Paracetamol Hepatotoxicity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,495.00
Summary
Nutritional interventions and a drug that mimics them, Rapamycin, are the only methods that have been shown to delay ageing and age-related diseases. A key protein in the liver called mTOR is the most likely target for the beneficial effects of these interventions. This study aims to characterize the effects of nutritional interventions and rapamycin on mTOR and markers of ageing in the liver. It also examines the effects of these interventions on the risk and mechanisms of developing paracetamo ....Nutritional interventions and a drug that mimics them, Rapamycin, are the only methods that have been shown to delay ageing and age-related diseases. A key protein in the liver called mTOR is the most likely target for the beneficial effects of these interventions. This study aims to characterize the effects of nutritional interventions and rapamycin on mTOR and markers of ageing in the liver. It also examines the effects of these interventions on the risk and mechanisms of developing paracetamol toxicity.Read moreRead less
Sharpening The Epidemiological Sword Against Ocular Trauma To Help Improve Management And Predict The Visual Outcomes, Contributing To The Development Of Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$59,168.00
Summary
Eye injury is the leading cause of monocular blindness internationally. Vision loss has devastating consequences, both financial and social. My research aims to develop a comprehensive international register for eye injury. Working with key international partners we will conduct a large-scale retrospective review to validate our data collection tool. Our aim is to revise outdated methods of scoring eye injury to better predict outcomes and improve management and treatment of eye injury.
What Is The Function Of The Tibialis Posterior Muscle And Tendon During Walking And How Does It Affect Disorders Of The Foot
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,235.00
Summary
The tibialis posterior (TP) muscle is important for foot function and is often implicated in foot and ankle problems. We will investigate the function of TP during gait with specific reference to foot posture. In particular we will examine the mechanical function of the muscle and tendon in different foot postures and commonly used treatment modalities such as (footwear and foot orthoses).
Cardiac Dysfunction In Advanced Liver Disease And After Liver Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$128,224.00
Summary
Heart disease is the leading cause of early death after liver transplantation (LT). The scarcity of donor organs means that LT is a limited and valuable resource. We propose screening for heart disease before LT by CT scanning of heart arteries and heart function on stress testing to improve detection of coronary heart disease (CHD). Follow-up CT scans will also assess if LT causes progression of CHD. These studies will aid in development of personalised treatment strategies to improve outcomes.
Studies On The Pathogenesis And Early Diagnosis Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,082.00
Summary
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and worldwide is the third and fifth leading cause of cancer death in men and women respectively. Early diagnosis is vital to patient survival. Our research investigates new methods in the early diagnosis of HCC, including new protein markers of the cancer and non-invasive measurements of liver scarring. We also study the genetics of HCC and investigate new genes that could be targets for future therapies.
Pathophysiology And Treatment Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Effects Of Bariatric Surgery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$88,766.00
Summary
The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising in parallel with the unfolding obesity crisis, and it will become the most common cause of liver failure in the near future. Bariatric surgery has established benefits in weight loss and type II diabetes remission. Its role in NAFLD is still uncertain. We will explore the role of bariatric surgery in the treatment of NAFLD, as well as investigate cellular and biomolecular changes that occur with weight loss.
Optimising Human Vascularisation And Liver Tissue Engineering Models To Develop Functional Bio-artificial Human Liver Tissue
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,761.00
Summary
This project aims to grow human blood vessels and liver cells derived from human stem cells within a supporting scaffold to generate a “liver in a dish”. Transplantation involves connecting blood vessels in this structure to those of the recipient. This should restore function in mice with human-like liver disease, thereby demonstrating potential of this technology to be developed as an alternative to liver transplantation.