The Effects Of The Western Diet On Cognition In Rats
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$689,326.00
Summary
An unhealthy diet can affect how we think. This project will identify mechanisms by which a western diet impairs cognition, and test ways of intervening to reduce the impact of diet on the brain. We will examine changes in inflammation, and markers of nerve growth in a critical brain region, the hippocampus, in response to different periods of diet. We will also test if the diet and our interventions affect the gut biota.
Autoimmune Channelopathies In Paediatrics Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$47,877.00
Summary
Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurological disorders. Some children with epilepsy have a known cause for their epilepsy; however in most cases the cause is unknown. One of the proposed causes is auto antibodies targeted against specific brain channels, resulting in seizures. This study will determine whether some patients with epilepsy have antibodies in the blood that lead to epilepsy. By defining an immune mediated epilepsy, we can treat and stop the epilepsy.
Understanding How The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Parkin Dictates Neuronal Survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$947,560.00
Summary
Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder, and the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. The disease arises due to the loss of specific neurons in the brain that control motor function. We aim to understand what triggers these neurons to die and to resolve how inflammation promotes disease. This information will underpin the development of the first, and much needed, drugs that slow or stop Parkinson's disease progression.
Finely Tuned Glutamate Receptor Inhibitors As Novel Therapeutics For Neurodegenerative Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,168,829.00
Summary
Neurodegenerative disorders are among the leading causes of death and disease burden. New drugs are needed to treat both symptoms and disease progression. This project aims to understand the properties of different drug-like compounds to inhibit proteins on the surface of brain cells (glutamate receptors) to impact disease progression and symptoms in a preclinical disease models. The project will yield a better understanding of how best to target glutamate receptors for therapeutic effect.
Neurobiology Of Schizophrenia And Translation Into New Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
We need to discover novel pharmacological therapies that operate on pathways beyond DAD2R, that will be more effective and have fewer side effects. To identify such agents, we need a better understanding of the biological basis of schizophrenia.
Targeting Complement C5a Receptor 2 As A Disease-modifying Treatment For Motor Neuron Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$636,329.00
Summary
Motor neuron disease (MND) is a devasting terminal condition that has no effective treatment. We have identified a novel drug which inhibits an immune protein that can potentially treat MND. In this project we will test this drug in rodent models of MND, and validate its effectiveness in relevant MND immune cells. Ultimately, this project will identify a new potential drug for MND.
Therapeutic Targeting Of Complement C5a Receptors In HuntingtonÍs Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,312.00
Summary
HuntingtonÍs disease is a genetic neurodegenerative condition leading to progressive cognitive and motor deficits and eventual death. This research aims to explore the role of immune and inflammatory pathways in the progression of disease in patients suffering HuntingtonÍs disease, as well as in an animal model of this condition. By exploring these immune and inflammatory pathways, we aim to identify novel therapeutic targets to treat HuntingtonÍs disease.
Slowing Progression Of Alzheimer’s Disease By Modulating The Kynurenine Pathway
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,460.00
Summary
Chronic inflammation in the brain in known to be a factor in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. We are exploring if blocking a particular enzyme in a biochemical pathway involved in inflammation, can improve symptoms, or slow progression, of the disease in animal models of AD. If results are as expected, our proposal has the potential to generate a new a therapy for AD.
Anti-inflammatory Copper Complexes For Treatment Of Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,622.00
Summary
Brain inflammation and disrupted metabolism of the biologically important metal, copper, play key roles in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. Our team has developed new copper-based therapeutics, but limited knowledge of how they work impedes clinical trials. My recent findings indicate that these drugs potently prevent inflammation. My proposal seeks to understand how copper-complexes reduce damaging inflammatory responses in novel human cell models of AD.
A Breakdown Of Cortical Homeostasis In Depression: A Focus On The Anterior Cingulate
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$625,629.00
Summary
Major depressive disorders affect 20% of the Australian population. Some symptoms of major depressive disorders arise because of a dysfunction of the human brain, particularly the cortex. Our studies show there are biochemical changes in the anterior cingulate cortex in people with mood disorders. We will now extend our studies to show there is a breakdown in the balance between neurotransmitter and neuroinflammation pathways in the anterior cingulate cortex in major depressive disorders.