Therapeutic Targeting Of Cell Cycle Checkpoint Aberrations In Pancreatic Cancer: Personalised Medicine In Action
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$634,354.00
Summary
Less than 5% of people with pancreatic cancer (PC) survive 5 years, and the odds of patients beating this disease have remained unchanged for 50 years. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop novel treatment approaches for this highly aggressive cancer. Our study aims to define novel therapeutic strategies for PC utilising specific anti-proliferative therapies and a personalised “companion biomarker” directed strategy.
Epilepsy: Molecular Basis And Mechanisms In The Era Of Functional Genomics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$12,062,533.00
Summary
The team comprises of neurologists with a special interest in epilepsy (both adult and child) molecular geneticists, physiologists and brain imaging specialists. The team leads the world in the discovery of the genetic causes of epilepsy and epilepsy associated with intellectual disability. The team will continue to identify the genes underlying epilepsy, and study how genetic variations result in the development of seizures and will continue to develop advanced imaging techniques for these stud ....The team comprises of neurologists with a special interest in epilepsy (both adult and child) molecular geneticists, physiologists and brain imaging specialists. The team leads the world in the discovery of the genetic causes of epilepsy and epilepsy associated with intellectual disability. The team will continue to identify the genes underlying epilepsy, and study how genetic variations result in the development of seizures and will continue to develop advanced imaging techniques for these studies. This will include extensive laboratory studies, including the development of mice with the exact mutations that we find in the human condition. Stateof-the-art imaging techniques with magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography are used in human subjects to further understand the effects of the mutations on the structure and function of the brain. This will allow deep understanding of how seizures develop and may lead to new diagnostic methods and treatments. The laboratory and clinical aspects of the research are tightly integrated in this internationally leading collaborative program.Read moreRead less
Targeting NDM-producing ‘superbugs’: Optimising Novel Combinations With ‘old’ Polymyxins Using Pharmacological, Molecular Imaging And Systems Biology Approaches
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$582,732.00
Summary
Rapid global spread of so-called NDM-producing bacterial ‘superbugs’ is presenting a major medical challenge. Without new antibiotics under development, polymyxin is becoming the only effective antibiotic. Unfortunately we recently revealed that treatment with polymyxin alone can rapidly lead to resistance in NDM-producing ‘superbugs’. This project will employ new tools to optimise rational polymyxin combinations, thereby providing urgently needed information to clinicians for treating these ver ....Rapid global spread of so-called NDM-producing bacterial ‘superbugs’ is presenting a major medical challenge. Without new antibiotics under development, polymyxin is becoming the only effective antibiotic. Unfortunately we recently revealed that treatment with polymyxin alone can rapidly lead to resistance in NDM-producing ‘superbugs’. This project will employ new tools to optimise rational polymyxin combinations, thereby providing urgently needed information to clinicians for treating these very problematic infections.Read moreRead less
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.
Single Shot X-ray Tomography For Real-Time Functional X-ray Imaging
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,641.00
Summary
Computed Tomography (CT) scanners produce three-dimensional images of vital organs that cannot be obtained by conventional two-dimensional (single projection) x-ray radiographs. However, the radiation exposure is hundreds of times higher than conventional radiography. We will develop the world’s first CT scanner that uses no more radiation than a single conventional x-ray image that will provide four-dimensional reconstructions of a patient’s moving internal organs.
Optimising Radiation Therapy Delivery For Cancer Patients Using Daily Image Guidance To Maximize Cure And Reduce Normal Tissue Side Effects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$510,968.00
Summary
When using radiotherapy to kill tumours, the radiation beams need to be targeted at the tumour, plus a margin of error around it to ensure that it receives sufficient dose despite uncertainties in its exact location relative to reference points used for beam alignment. Advanced statistical modelling techniques applied to data collected from patients will be used to determine the optimal margin width for individual patients to maximise cancer cure while minimising normal tissue side effects.
Atomic scale imaging with high coherence electrons and ions. This project aims to combine a cold atom electron-ion source with a commercial microscope column for atomic-scale imaging in biosciences and materials science. Nanoscale imaging with electron and ion microscopy are tools for investigating the world at the atomic scale, underpinning development in modern technologies from semiconductor devices to medical treatments. This project will use ideas from laser cooling of atoms and atom optics ....Atomic scale imaging with high coherence electrons and ions. This project aims to combine a cold atom electron-ion source with a commercial microscope column for atomic-scale imaging in biosciences and materials science. Nanoscale imaging with electron and ion microscopy are tools for investigating the world at the atomic scale, underpinning development in modern technologies from semiconductor devices to medical treatments. This project will use ideas from laser cooling of atoms and atom optics to achieve new imaging modalities for time-lapse imaging of fundamental processes at the nano-scale. It will allow increasingly small scale resolution of fundamental processes at the nano-scale.Read moreRead less
Novel advances in sub-nanometer imaging. After two decades of research the first wave of applications in nanotechnology and nanobiology is breaking. Immediately key to further progress in both areas is the ability to characterise the structure of such systems and also their evolution on very short time scales. This research project places Australia at the forefront in this endeavour.
Discovering the molecular controls of epigenetic inheritance . This project aims to investigate the way in which acquired traits can be inherited. The environment that an individual is exposed to can change the characteristics of not only that individual, but also their children and grandchildren. We do not yet understand the mechanisms by which this “epigenetic inheritance” occurs. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project combines the power of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans ....Discovering the molecular controls of epigenetic inheritance . This project aims to investigate the way in which acquired traits can be inherited. The environment that an individual is exposed to can change the characteristics of not only that individual, but also their children and grandchildren. We do not yet understand the mechanisms by which this “epigenetic inheritance” occurs. Using interdisciplinary approaches, this project combines the power of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans with cutting-edge single molecule microscopy techniques to determine the molecular mechanisms by which the environment can impact future generations. This should ultimately provide society with the means to harness the power of epigenetics.Read moreRead less