Raised Intracranial Pressure After Trauma: Characterisation And Development Of Pharmacological Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$589,788.00
Summary
Raised intracranial pressure (ICP) commonly occurs after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is thought to be responsible for up to 50% of all mortality, as well as significantly contributing to the persistent neurological deficits in survivors. Few studies have examined the dynamics of raised ICP after TBI, or its effects on brain oxygenation. This study will fully characterize changes in ICP and brain oxygen after TBI and develop novel treatments to control such changes.
Understanding The Role That Cellular Hypoxia Plays In Normal Heart Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$522,773.00
Summary
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defects, being present in 6 out of every 1000 live births, and 10% of stillbirths. In addition to the danger of death during childhood, such heart defects also increase the risk of heart disease during adulthood. Our research project involves looking for the genetic causes of CHD. We are looking at two genes , called HIF1a and CITED2, for which we already have evidence that they are very important in allowing the heart to form norm ....Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defects, being present in 6 out of every 1000 live births, and 10% of stillbirths. In addition to the danger of death during childhood, such heart defects also increase the risk of heart disease during adulthood. Our research project involves looking for the genetic causes of CHD. We are looking at two genes , called HIF1a and CITED2, for which we already have evidence that they are very important in allowing the heart to form normally within the embryo. Because the heart is the first organ to form in the embryo (during the first trimester), we cannot use humans to study this process. Instead we have two lines of mice which specifically lack either the HIF1a or CITED2 genes throughout the embryo. Both of these mouse lines have severe heart defects similar to some types of CHD seen in humans. However, removal of either of these genes also causes severe defects in other tissues, complicating our study. To overcome this problem, we will use a slightly different technique to remove either gene specifically in the entire developing heart of the embryo, while leaving the normal gene in the rest of the embryo. Thus we will be able for the first time to study the effects of these genes on the heart alone. We suspect that the defects in the hearts of such embryos will be of a particular sub-type of CHD. If this is true, in the future we hope to be able show that mutation of either of these genes will cause a specific type of human CHD. This will enable genetic screening of families with a history of CHD, assist in genetic counselling, and promote the development of therapies.Read moreRead less
A lack of oxygen in the kidney (hypoxia) is a primary cause of kidney disease, but the mechanisms are not clear. To determine the processes involved, we will take a new approach; combining a mathematical model with studies of kidney oxygen regulation in both normal and diseased kidneys. We will determine the causes of hypoxia in kidney disease, and find out if preventing hypoxia has the potential to be a treatment for kidney disease.