Novel Targeted PEG Nanoparticles For Cancer Treatment And Monitoring
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$606,979.00
Summary
We will develop novel targeted cancer therapies based on next generation nanoparticles. These particles will deliver highly potent drugs to tumours with less adverse effects to healthy organs. The ability to image the therapeutic can be used to detect diseases at early, potentially curable stages, identify patients likely to respond to certain treatments, and predict response to therapy. Our project has the potential to increase the survival of patients suffering from the most deadly cancer.
Near Real-time Identification Of Patient Safety Incidents Reported By Health Professionals.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,174.00
Summary
Ten percent of admissions to Australian hospitals are associated with harm to patients. Reporting of patient safety incidents is now widespread. Current methods, which rely upon humans to manually review incident reports, do not permit timely detection of safety problems and can no longer keep up with the growing volume. This study will be the first internationally to automate the monitoring of incident reports. The outcomes have broad and immediate potential to improve the monitoring of inciden ....Ten percent of admissions to Australian hospitals are associated with harm to patients. Reporting of patient safety incidents is now widespread. Current methods, which rely upon humans to manually review incident reports, do not permit timely detection of safety problems and can no longer keep up with the growing volume. This study will be the first internationally to automate the monitoring of incident reports. The outcomes have broad and immediate potential to improve the monitoring of incidents on a local, national and international scale.Read moreRead less
General Practice Optimising Structured MOnitoring To Improve Clinical Outcomes In Type 2 Diabetes: GP-OSMOTIC T2D
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$864,980.00
Summary
We will study the use of a new technology, retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (r-CGM), to help achieve glucose targets for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in General Practice (GP). This is important because controlling glucose levels improves disease outcomes and because T2D is mostly managed in GP where the majority of people are out of glucose target levels and GPs and patients currently don’t have a simple effective method for monitoring blood glucose levels to guide treatment.
Fetal Lactate Measurement To Reduce Caesarean Sections During Labour: A Randomised Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,600.00
Summary
Caesarean section rates in Australia are well above the World Health Organization’s recommended level. Many babies appear unhealthy in labour, so they are born by caesarean. They are usually healthy at birth, meaning that the operation could have been avoided. In this study, half the babies who seem distressed will have a blood test for lactate and the other half will not. We will then determine whether having a lactate test makes a difference in the number women having caesarean births.
Optimisation Of The Safety And Efficacy Of Protein Kinase Inhibitors Using Endogenous And Dietary Biomarkers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,360.00
Summary
Many new cancer medicines are part of the 'kinase inhibitor' group of drugs. Although these drugs are effective in treating a range of different cancers, opportunities remain to improve the effectiveness and safety by more intelligently deciding the dose of the drug that a specific individual should receive. The research aims to assess whether the levels of chemicals normally present in the blood of individuals being treated can be used to guide the best dose an individual should receive.
Is The Incidence Of Heart Attack Still Decreasing In Australia? Developing More Reliable Methods For Monitoring Trends In Myocardial Infarction And Coronary Heart Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$762,021.00
Summary
Our study is a collaboration between the University of WA and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to investigate population trends in incidence and outcomes of heart disease and its major sub-groups including heart attack, angina and chest pain. Using linked data from WA, we will identify the sub-groups for which trends over time are a realistic estimate of the true population trends. These will be applied to national data to monitor heart disease more accurately in Australia.
A Multi-site Study Of Tamoxifen Dose Escalation Study In Breast Cancer Patients With CYP2D6 Polymorphisms (TADE Study)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,768.00
Summary
Tamoxifen is a selective anti-oestrogenic medication commonly used to treat breast cancer. Recent evidence suggests that tamoxifen may not be adequately activated in the body of some people because of their genetic make-up, and that this may reduce its effectiveness. In this study of 120 women, we will determine whether increasing tamoxifen dosage is a useful strategy in people with low activation levels. This could provide practical guidance for patients and clinicians managing breast cancer.
Non-invasive Near-infrared Optical Imaging Of Neurodegeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$312,033.00
Summary
Dementia currently affects over 240,000 Australians with an increasing health cost. A common cause of dementia occurs when proteins in the brain form deposits and brain cells degenerate and die. This project will develop a novel medical imaging method that will facilitate the detection of dying brain cells. This will enable a better understanding of the causes of cell death and the opportunity to identify the best time for meaningful therapeutic intervention.
Serial NT-proBNP Monitoring For Predicting Major Cardiovascular Events In The Dialysis Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,548.00
Summary
Dialysis patients have a 50-100 fold increased risk of dying from heart disease caused by abnormal heart muscle structure and function. Current tests are unable to accurately identify patients at the highest risk. A test that accurately detects the early stages of heart injury is urgently needed. The aim of our research is to develop a monitoring guide using regular testing of a heart hormone (NT-proBNP) to identify high-risk dialysis patients early allowing treatment before a serious medical co ....Dialysis patients have a 50-100 fold increased risk of dying from heart disease caused by abnormal heart muscle structure and function. Current tests are unable to accurately identify patients at the highest risk. A test that accurately detects the early stages of heart injury is urgently needed. The aim of our research is to develop a monitoring guide using regular testing of a heart hormone (NT-proBNP) to identify high-risk dialysis patients early allowing treatment before a serious medical complication occurs.Read moreRead less
An International Clinical Trial To Evaluate New Therapies To Improve Survival Of Children With Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,567,500.00
Summary
Children who relapse with childhood leukaemia have only a 50% chance of being alive after 5 years. We will participate in a new international trial involving most European and all Australian and New Zealand childhood oncology centres, to test the effectiveness of promising new treatments and to perform biological studies which should enable doctors in future to pick the best treatment for each of these patients.