Antimalarial Drugs In Pregnancy: Preclinical And Clinical Studies Of Conventional And Novel Agents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,115.00
Summary
Women in malaria-endemic areas such as coastal PNG are at high risk of malaria in pregnancy. To prevent the substantially increased malaria-associated morbidity and mortality in mother and child, and because even asymptomatic infections can be deleterious, there has been a move to giving antimalarial drugs regularly during pregnancy regardless of the mother's clinical or parasitological status. In poor tropical countries, such treatment usually comprises safe and inexpensive agents such as chlor ....Women in malaria-endemic areas such as coastal PNG are at high risk of malaria in pregnancy. To prevent the substantially increased malaria-associated morbidity and mortality in mother and child, and because even asymptomatic infections can be deleterious, there has been a move to giving antimalarial drugs regularly during pregnancy regardless of the mother's clinical or parasitological status. In poor tropical countries, such treatment usually comprises safe and inexpensive agents such as chloroquine and Fansidar. There are two main issues with this approach. First, the efficacy of such conventional agents is waning and this increases the risk of break-through malaria. Second, there are few data on how the drugs are handled in pregnancy on which to base recommendations for treatment. We plan to collect information on the disposition and effectiveness of chloroquine and Fansidar in women with malaria in pregnancy in PNG that should allow a critical appraisal of the usefulness of current regimens in PNG and in other tropical countries where parasite resistance to these agents is emerging. Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) in the form of a novel artemisinin drug and a longer-acting partner has been suggested as the most promising alternative therapy for malaria in pregnancy if conventional drugs fail. We plan to assess the safety of a leading ACT formulation, namely dihydroartemisinin and the chloroquine-like drug piperaquine (DHA-PQ), in animals before extending our studies to women with malaria in PNG. These latter studies will allow an evaluation of the safety and efficacy of DHA-PQ as novel therapy for malaria in pregnancy in PNG and other tropical countries.Read moreRead less
When Prometheus Needs A Hand – How Human Amnion Epithelial Cells Resolve Fibrosis And Regenerate The Liver
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,653.00
Summary
Cirrhosis can progress to end stage disease for which transplantation provides the only hope for survival. Liver donors in Australia are scarce; the need for donor organs is increasing. Using stem cells to repair and regenerate damaged liver may provide an alternative to organ transplantation. We are studying placental stem cells that can decrease inflammation and increase progenitor cells to repair and regenerate liver. Our goal is to use these stem cells as treatment for human liver disease
Mechanisms Underlying Growth, Lineage Commitment And Differentiation Of Liver Progenitor Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$535,333.00
Summary
Liver disease is a serious health problem. Viral hepatitis, obesity and alcohol can result in end-stage liver disease. Organ transplant is the only treatment available. A widening gap between organ donations and recipients mandates alternative treatments are developed. Cell transplantation and artificial liver devices are alternatives which can use liver progenitor cells. We will investigate how factors grow and convert them into liver cells for treating liver disease patients.
Unravelling The Mechanism Of MHC Class-I Associated Drug Hypersensitivities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$566,308.00
Summary
Some drugs cause adverse reactions that are life threatening. We think these reactions are mediated by killer T cells as they are genetically controlled by immune response genes that normally guide immunity to microbes. We will study immune reactions to the drug abacavir, used to treat HIV (AIDS); allopurinol used to prevent gout and carbamazepine, used to treat epilepsy. The study may also help devise better treatments for patients who experience severe forms of these reactions.
A Phase III Trial Comparing Adjuvant Versus Salvage Radiotherapy For High Risk Patients Post Radical Prostatectomy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$819,138.00
Summary
About half of all patients Treated with an operation to remove their prostate cancer have a high chance of the cancer coming back. Giving immediate radiotherapy to all patients will improve cure rates but does not benefit all men and can cause significant side effects. This study explores whether it is safe to wait and only give radiotherapy when there is a rising PSA after surgery indicating active cancer. A total of 470 men from Australasia will enter this study comparing the two approaches.
Development Of Microscope-in-a-needle Devices For Improved Clinical Diagnostics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,746.00
Summary
We have developed a new high-resolution optical imaging technology. The unique aspect of our research has been to redesign the imaging probe, miniaturising it to a few hundred microns in diameter, and encase it in a hypodermic needle – a ‘microscope-in-a-needle’. We are developing specific imaging probes to aid in the assessment of lung disease; the diagnosis of liver disease; and integrated into a brain biopsy needle to enable safer brain biopsies.
The Effect Of Human ApoE Isoforms And ApoE Receptors On The Clearance Of Oligomeric A 42 By Hepatocytes In Vitro
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,801.00
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive memory disorder. Increased production of a short peptide called amyloid- (A ) aggregates to form the sticky masses in the brains of AD patients. The amount of A in the brain is a balance between production and clearance. Surprisingly, we recently demonstrated that the liver clears the majority of A . These results connect AD and cardiovascular disease (CVD), enabling current CVD therapeutics to target A clearance by the liver.