Unravelling The Mechanisms By Which Insulin Hypersecretion Is Detrimental To ß-cell Function And Survival In Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,758.00
Summary
Type 2 diabetes is associated with reduced levels of the hormone insulin that results in an increase in blood sugar. Evidence suggests that when the cells that make insulin are overworked they fail to produce the right amount of this hormone to keep blood sugar levels normal. In this proposal we will determine how overworking the insulin producing cells damages them and assess whether reducing the need to overwork is beneficial and thus lead to reduced blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes.
Manipulation Of Energy Metabolism To Control Lipid Accumulation And Insulin Action.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$804,106.00
Summary
I am a metabolic biochemist investigating how overconsumption of calories, particularly fat, results in dysfunctional energy metabolism and increased the risk of type 2 diabetes. I examine changes in the daily rhythms of energy intake, energy utilisation and energy storage in different tissues of dietary and genetically modified animals to pinpoint novel ways of reducing fat accumulation and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Oxidative Processes In Vascular Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$851,980.00
Summary
The process that turns cut fruit brown when it is exposed to air is thought to cause disease of our blood vessels and heart as we age. Despite what we first thought, 'blocking' this oxidation process with antioxidant supplements does not lower heart disease. This is because oxidation not only causes harm but also is useful and essential for normal body function. Our research program aims to show which oxidative processes are needed for blood vessel health or cause vessel disease.
My major goal for the past 20 years has been to understand how hormones such as gastrin stimulate the development of gastrointestinal cancer. One approach has been to define the intracellular signalling pathways by which gastrins enhance cell growth. Our discovery that iron is essential for the biological activity of gastrins may allow the development of novel therapies for colon cancer and iron overload.
Brain Metal Neurochemistry: Mechanism-driven Drug Discovery For Neurodegeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$851,980.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex disease where certain proteins congeal in the brain and metals accumulate. This project investigates the function of the proteins in microscopically transporting the metals. It will also look for tests that predict the onset of AD by measuring iron and iron related proteins by using special brain imaging (MRI), and measurements in spinal fluid. Finally, it will test drug candidates that target the metals, in animal models of AD, and in early clinical trials.
Obesity is associated with type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. These inter-related diseases reduce life expectancy and their treatments come at an enormous financial cost. The overriding aim of this work is to understand the molecular and cellular regulation of lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue, and how this impacts endocrine function to affect the pathogenesis of types 2 diabetes and prostate cancer.
The proper trafficking and storage of lipids (e.g. cholesterol and fatty acids) are crucial to human health. For instance, aberrant cellular trafficking and distribution of cholesterol is associated with heart and neurodegenerative diseases. Overwhelmed fat storage capacity can cause type II diabetes. This proposal aims to dissect the molecular mechanisms governing lipid storage and trafficking, and to provide novel therapeutic strategies against obesity, heart and neurological diseases.
Liver Injury And Iron Homeostasis In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,370.00
Summary
Iron disorders and liver disease are a significant burden on society, affecting many in the prime of their life. Disordered iron metabolism also plays a significant role in many disorders and diseases including cancers, neurodegenerative and iron overload disorders, and anaemia associated with chronic disease. My objective is to understand the molecules and mechanisms involved, and to develop strategies and reagents to diagnose, prevent and treat liver and iron-related disease.
Lipidomics Of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,765.00
Summary
Obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are major health problems in Australia and result in many tens of thousands of deaths each year. Changes in our metabolism lead to an imbalance in lipids (fats) circulating in our blood (dyslipidemia) which contributes to the disease process. This project will characterise these changes in circulating lipids to develop new tests to identify those at greatest risk of disease so that early treatment can be provided.
Obesity-associated diseases are a major health problem and treatments are ineffective. My team’s focus is to determine how a brain molecule called neuropeptide Y (NPY) controls appetite and body fat mass and how this is changed in obesity or in the other extreme, anorexia, which is common in late stage cancer. We will use genetically modified mouse models and investigate the role of NPY under different stress conditions and in cancer. This will tell us if targeting this NPY system with drugs may ....Obesity-associated diseases are a major health problem and treatments are ineffective. My team’s focus is to determine how a brain molecule called neuropeptide Y (NPY) controls appetite and body fat mass and how this is changed in obesity or in the other extreme, anorexia, which is common in late stage cancer. We will use genetically modified mouse models and investigate the role of NPY under different stress conditions and in cancer. This will tell us if targeting this NPY system with drugs may provide a treatment for these diseases.Read moreRead less