The Analgesic Evaluation Of Novel Natural Products From The Australian Plant Barringtonia Acutangula
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$174,500.00
Summary
This project aims to evaluate the analgesic activity of several novel natural products that have been isolated from the Australian plant Barringtonia acutangula. An Australian Aboriginal tribe have been known to use B. acutangula aqueous bark extracts for its analgesic properties. Griffith University researchers have confirmed this biological activity in the crude aqueous bark extract. A large scale extraction and isolation process will obtain the novel compounds in sufficient quantities that wi ....This project aims to evaluate the analgesic activity of several novel natural products that have been isolated from the Australian plant Barringtonia acutangula. An Australian Aboriginal tribe have been known to use B. acutangula aqueous bark extracts for its analgesic properties. Griffith University researchers have confirmed this biological activity in the crude aqueous bark extract. A large scale extraction and isolation process will obtain the novel compounds in sufficient quantities that will allow for their pharmacological evaluation as potential analgesic drugs.Read moreRead less
Spinal complaints present the greatest social and economic burden of musculoskeletal conditions in Australia. This reflects current realities: the cause remains unknown; 80% of the population is affected; and isolated professions perform a staggering array of interventions. The CCRE aims to target these realities and improve Australia's capacity to prevent and manage spinal disorders by supporting innovative interdisciplinary research and training. This community- and university-based centre wil ....Spinal complaints present the greatest social and economic burden of musculoskeletal conditions in Australia. This reflects current realities: the cause remains unknown; 80% of the population is affected; and isolated professions perform a staggering array of interventions. The CCRE aims to target these realities and improve Australia's capacity to prevent and manage spinal disorders by supporting innovative interdisciplinary research and training. This community- and university-based centre will align highly successful clinical and basic researchers in collaboration with a national network of spine scientists to foster interdisciplinary clinical researcher training, develop new diagnostics and therapeutics, and translate findings to the community. Through clinical research the centre aims to: (i) Advance understanding of physiology and pathophysiology of spinal pain (ii) Translate findings from basic research to clinical practice (iii) Establish coordinated multidisciplinary research to reduce the burden of spinal pain (iv) Predict and prevent the transition from acute to chronic states (v) Train a new generation of transdisciplinary clinical scientists (vi) Rapidly assess new treatment possibilities in pre-clinical studies (vii) Develop innovative technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics (viii) Encourage Australian commercialisation opportunities for new discoveries (ix) Encourage community-user participation in direction of research programs (x) Disseminate new findings and information of evidence-based practice to patients, clinicians, insurers, government and the scientific and wider communityRead moreRead less
Discovery And Development Of Better Pain Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,613,850.00
Summary
Many forms of pain remain poorly treated, leading to significant quality of life and economic losses. This Program grant will discover and characterise new peptides from cone snails and spiders that modulate specific channels in nerves that are critical to the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Using advanced chemical and structural approaches, promising leads will be optimised for potency and stability and evaluated in disease and pathway-specific models of pain to establish their clini ....Many forms of pain remain poorly treated, leading to significant quality of life and economic losses. This Program grant will discover and characterise new peptides from cone snails and spiders that modulate specific channels in nerves that are critical to the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Using advanced chemical and structural approaches, promising leads will be optimised for potency and stability and evaluated in disease and pathway-specific models of pain to establish their clinical potential.Read moreRead less
Physiotherapist Led Stress Inoculation Intervention Integrated With Exercise For Acute Whiplash Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,960.00
Summary
Physical and mental health outcomes following whiplash injury due to a road traffic crash are poor. Early stress system responses are associated with poor recovery. This study will investigate the effectiveness of a physiotherapist led stress inoculation intervention integrated with currently recommended exercise rehabilitation to improve health outcomes after whiplash injury.
A Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomised Trial (SMART) Of Nursing Interventions To Reduce Pain Associated With Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$713,418.00
Summary
Modern chemotherapy treatments can result in damage to the peripheral nerves, resulting in a condition called peripheral neuropathy. This condition is characterised by a range of sensory and functional changes that can cause pain and reduced ability to perform daily activities. This project will test various non-pharmacological pain management measures to determine if they are effective in improving the quality of life of patients who experience this problem.
Trauma-focused CBT & Exercise For Chronic Whiplash: Addressing All Aspects Of A Chronic Condition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$673,562.00
Summary
Chronic pain following whiplash injury is common and incurs substantial personal and economic costs. There are few effective treatments available. Recent research has shown that many people with chronic whiplash also have symptoms of posttraumatic stress. This study will investigate whether combining an intervention aimed at decreasing posttraumatic stress with exercise will decrease pain and disability in people with chronic whiplash
GABA(B) Receptor Modulation Of Gastrointestinal Function In Health And Disease By Alpha-Conotoxins
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$689,050.00
Summary
Chronic visceral pain is a common and debilitating condition arising from numerous diseases that affect our internal organs. There is a desperate need for more information about the mechanisms responsible for signalling chronic visceral pain to provide therapies and potentially find a cure for it. Our research focuses on ?-conotoxins (small peptides from marine cone snail venom) as novel potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic visceral pain.
The role of the immune system in pain is emerging from recent discoveries, and may hold the key to novel pain treatments. Most people experience brief gut infections from food or contagion without long-term consequences. Many others suffer symptoms for years afterwards - probably the best example of immune-based pain. Our project investigates how immune cells communicate with sensory nerves, and how these communications change from both angles after gut infection or inflammation.
Transient Receptor Potential Channels (TRPs) As Transducers And Targets In Primary Visceral Afferents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$669,130.00
Summary
Transient receptor potential, or TRP channels, are involved in generating many of the sensations we perceive, such as heat, cold, touch and pain. Some TRP channels are specialized to signal pain from visceral organs, which we must investigate if we are to find treatments for visceral pain, which are currently lacking.