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
Molecular Targets Of Amino Acid/neurotransmitter Conjugates Of Fatty Acids
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$846,390.00
Summary
This project investigates endogenous chemicals that affect cells important for detecting and responding to pain. We aim to discover how these compounds affect proteins important for nerve cell function, particularly proteins that have a prominent role in detecting and transmitting painful events. The compounds we examine are not themselves likely to be drugs, but future therapies may involve manipulating the levels of these chemicals in the body, or using drugs that mimic the activity of these c ....This project investigates endogenous chemicals that affect cells important for detecting and responding to pain. We aim to discover how these compounds affect proteins important for nerve cell function, particularly proteins that have a prominent role in detecting and transmitting painful events. The compounds we examine are not themselves likely to be drugs, but future therapies may involve manipulating the levels of these chemicals in the body, or using drugs that mimic the activity of these compounds.Read moreRead less
Spinal Cord Injury Pain: Understanding Mechanisms To Develop Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,675.00
Summary
Spinal cord injury has devastating effects on health and quality of life. Many of the major consequences of injury, such as chronic pain and loss of voluntary voiding, are "invisible" – i.e., they are not as visible as limitations of mobility. Our study aims to define the neurobiological changes that cause development of persistent pain after spinal cord injury and use pharmacological tools to attenuate the development of pain.
Bile Acid And Neurosteroid Signaling To The Nervous System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,950.00
Summary
Defects in the secretion of bile into the intestine cause digestive diseases, and abnormal circulating levels of bile acids induce profound itch and abnormal pain sensation. This project examines whether a cell-surface receptor (TGR5) produced by intestinal and sensory neurons mediates actions of bile acids on intestinal functions, itch and pain. The project will define mechanisms of digestive and sensory disorders and identify new therapies for constipation, diarrhoea, itch and pain.
Reduction Of Chronic Post-surgical Pain With Ketamine - ROCKet Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,823,395.00
Summary
Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a common complication of major surgery, and a significant burden on quality of life and ongoing health costs. Ketamine is a drug used by anaesthetists to treat severe acute surgical pain. Various small studies suggest that it may be unique in its ability to reduce the risk of CPSP. We propose a large trial of ketamine during & after anaesthesia for major surgery to test this. Demonstration of effectiveness would promote widespread change in clinical practice.
Use Of Analgesics To Reduce Agitation And Agression In Older Persons With Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,556.00
Summary
Understanding the causes of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) provides a potentially remedial target for interventions. The current study will undertake the first ever trial of analgesics to reduce the frequency of agitation/aggression and other BPSD. By completion we will have new insights into the relationship between pain and various sub-types of BPSD and robust evidence on the best class of analgesics to treat BPSD
A Randomised Clinical Trial To Test A Pain Education Program For Patients With Cancer And Their Family Carers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
This study seeks to improve cancer patients' and family carers' knowledge and attitudes toward pain management. A pain education program will be offered to patients with recurrent or progressive cancer and their primary family carers. The study addresses a palliative care concern that impacts upon a large number of Australians each year. The study has the potential to provide a brief, standardised protocol that could be taught and integrated into usual practice and to reduce health care costs fo ....This study seeks to improve cancer patients' and family carers' knowledge and attitudes toward pain management. A pain education program will be offered to patients with recurrent or progressive cancer and their primary family carers. The study addresses a palliative care concern that impacts upon a large number of Australians each year. The study has the potential to provide a brief, standardised protocol that could be taught and integrated into usual practice and to reduce health care costs for advanced cancer patients.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989197
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$225,000.00
Summary
Reaction Kinetics Analysis Facility. This proposal will establish a world-class resource to support major research efforts in a wide range of applications associated with the study of reaction mechanisms and intermediates in systems ranging from small molecules to complex polymers. This facility, which is unique in Australia and strongly builds on the broad expertise of the involved researchers at the participating institutions, will address an important need in the areas of physical-organic and ....Reaction Kinetics Analysis Facility. This proposal will establish a world-class resource to support major research efforts in a wide range of applications associated with the study of reaction mechanisms and intermediates in systems ranging from small molecules to complex polymers. This facility, which is unique in Australia and strongly builds on the broad expertise of the involved researchers at the participating institutions, will address an important need in the areas of physical-organic and physical chemistry by strengthening our capacity for cutting-edge research in reactive intermediate chemistry. The Facility will help to establish frontier technologies in the chemical sciences for building and transforming Australian industries in line with national research priorities.Read moreRead less
Enhanced metal recovery from a modified Caron leach of mixed nickel-cobalt intermediate concentrate. Nickel metal production from lateritic deposits involves dissolution in acid followed by purification and selective alkaline precipitation of the nickel and cobalt as hydroxide phase. Hydroxides from several plants are transported to a central refinery where the hydroxide is redissolved in ammoniacal solutions and nickel and cobalt are separated and reduced to metal.
This project will examine t ....Enhanced metal recovery from a modified Caron leach of mixed nickel-cobalt intermediate concentrate. Nickel metal production from lateritic deposits involves dissolution in acid followed by purification and selective alkaline precipitation of the nickel and cobalt as hydroxide phase. Hydroxides from several plants are transported to a central refinery where the hydroxide is redissolved in ammoniacal solutions and nickel and cobalt are separated and reduced to metal.
This project will examine the effect of preparation conditions and aging of the hydroxide precipitate on the refining process.
MORERead moreRead less
To study the genetic alterations that give rise to cancer. In particular, exploring how too little death of cells can lead to a tumour. If too few cells in a tissue die, a tumour may develop there. The team is exploring how the cell death process is normally controlled. They plan to characterise the molecules inside cells that determine whether a cell lives or dies and hope that better understanding of those molecules will help to explain how tumours arise. It could also lead to new drugs that c ....To study the genetic alterations that give rise to cancer. In particular, exploring how too little death of cells can lead to a tumour. If too few cells in a tissue die, a tumour may develop there. The team is exploring how the cell death process is normally controlled. They plan to characterise the molecules inside cells that determine whether a cell lives or dies and hope that better understanding of those molecules will help to explain how tumours arise. It could also lead to new drugs that can kill tumour cells more effectively by directly triggering the normal death switch of the cell.Read moreRead less