Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (Syk) As A Therapeutic Target In Antibody-dependent Transplant Rejection.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$625,919.00
Summary
While kidney transplantation is a life saving treatment for those with end-stage kidney failure, a significant number of patients face long waits on dialysis because they have antibodies that would cause rejection of most potential donor kidneys. This project seeks to address this problem using a new strategy to treat antibody-mediated rejection and thereby enable such patients to receive a transplant without the fear of severe rejection.
A Randomised, Placebo-controlled Trial Of Oxpentifylline Versus Placebo In The Treatment Of Erythropoietin-resistant Anaemia In Chronic Kidney Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,189.00
Summary
Anaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is linked to poor health outcomes, increased death rates and high health care costs. Drugs that stimulate red blood cell production are routinely used to treat CKD patients with anaemia, however some patients do not respond to these drugs. The HERO trial is a clinical trial designed to test the safety, effectiveness and cost benefits of a drug Oxypentifylline, in treating CKD patients with anaemia that is unresponsive to red blood cell stimulating treatmen ....Anaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is linked to poor health outcomes, increased death rates and high health care costs. Drugs that stimulate red blood cell production are routinely used to treat CKD patients with anaemia, however some patients do not respond to these drugs. The HERO trial is a clinical trial designed to test the safety, effectiveness and cost benefits of a drug Oxypentifylline, in treating CKD patients with anaemia that is unresponsive to red blood cell stimulating treatments.Read moreRead less
Plasma Exchange And Glucocorticoids In Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasm Antibody Associated Systemic Vasculitis: A Randomised Controlled Trial (PEXIVAS Australia)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,110.00
Summary
ANCA-associated vasculitis is a life-threatening disease. The PEXIVAS trial will investigate whether plasma exchange, in addition to immunosuppressive therapy and glucocorticoids, will reduce death and the development of severe kidney failure due to this disease. Additionally, the project will also look at whether using a reduced dose of glucocorticoids is just as effective as larger doses in lessening the infectious complications of treatment.
Monocytes On Patrol – Key Mediators Of Renal Injury In Glomerulonephritis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$772,888.00
Summary
The glomerulus is the filtering component of the kidney. In many diseases, it can be the target of an inappropriate inflammatory response. As part of this response, white blood cells accumulate in the glomerulus where they cause damage. In this project, we make use of special microscopes to examine the glomerulus during an inflammatory response, with the aim of understanding the actions of white blood cells present in glomeruli and how they cause inflammation and damage the glomerulus.
Progression Of Kidney Damage In Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$782,249.00
Summary
There is an overwhelming burden of chronic disease in Indigenous Australians. In order to attempt to improve kidney disease in this high-risk population, it is vital that we understand what factors contribute to rapid progression of kidney damage. This study will provide the evidence to design an intervention to slow progression of kidney disease in Indigenous Australians. It will also enable development of appropriate clinical guidelines for improved management of kidney disease.
Forensic Approach For Reservoir Identification For Serious S. Aureus Infections In Top End Dialysis Clients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,832.00
Summary
Indigenous Australians suffer from kidney disease at a much higher rate than non-Indigenous Australians and are far more likely to require dialysis treatment. Infections with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) further reduce the quality of life for these patients, causing serious disease and even death. We aim to identify exactly where these Golden Staph infections are coming from so that we can design targeted procedures to reduce the chance of infections occurring.
We have developed a method for turning adult stem cells into mini-kidneys that contain all the different cell types you would expect of a developing kidney. We believe such mini-organs will prove valuable for drug screening, disease modelling and generating cells for treating patients. In this grant, we will optimise our method to improve the maturity of the mini-kidneys and test their utility for drug screening as well as trialling cellular therapies using mini-kidney derived cells.
Fenofibrate And Microvascular Events In Type 1 Diabetes (FAME 1) Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,883,529.00
Summary
Diabetes is one of the commonest cause of blindness in adults. Vision loss, which is irreversible, is a most feared complication of diabetes. A blood fat lowering drug called fenofibrate, available in Australia, has been shown to reduce eye damage in people with Type 2 diabetes by 35-40%, and to prevent eye damage in Type 1 diabetic animal models. This study will evaluate the potential benefits of fenofibrate in 450 adults with Type 1 diabetes who have early diabetic eye damage.
Differentiation Of Pro-fibrotic From Anti-inflammatory Effects Of TGF-? In Kidney Fibrosis By Targeting ?-catenin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$593,019.00
Summary
More than 2500 Australians commence kidney replacement therapy each year and many more die of kidney failure as a result of kidney fibrosis. TGF-?, a growth factor causing kidney fibrosis, is also anti-inflammatory. Our project aims to prove that targeting a downstream messenger (?-catenin) of TGF-? will prevent kidney fibrosis while leaving TGF-?’s anti-inflammatory actions untouched. A successful outcome will lead to a novel cure for preventing kidney fibrosis and fibrosis of other organs.