MOSAIC: A GP Cluster Randomised Trial To Reduce Partner Violence Among Pregnant Women And Women With Pre-school Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,250.00
Summary
Intimate partner abuse or domestic violence is common and damaging for women in the early childbearing years. It has a negative effect on the mental and physical health of women and their children. Because of poor health, victimised women and children are frequent attenders to family doctors (GPs), but doctors face many barriers in making an effective response. One of these barriers is the critical absence of evidence for what would help women attending GPs in dealing with partner abuse. This is ....Intimate partner abuse or domestic violence is common and damaging for women in the early childbearing years. It has a negative effect on the mental and physical health of women and their children. Because of poor health, victimised women and children are frequent attenders to family doctors (GPs), but doctors face many barriers in making an effective response. One of these barriers is the critical absence of evidence for what would help women attending GPs in dealing with partner abuse. This is vital to inform both GP training and clinical practice. There is sound evidence that home visiting or support by peers improves the health of disadvantaged mothers and children. Similarly, advocacy improves the health and wellbeing of abused women. The MOSAIC community intervention trial combines these two elements: home visiting-peer support and domestic violence advocacy and this strategy will be evaluated in a randomised trial. The trial aims to reduce partner abuse and depression among women pregnant or with children under 5 attending GPs. It also aims to strengthen mother-child bonds. Trained and supported GPs from 40 participating practices will identify 700 abused or at risk women over a 40 week period. Women in the intervention arm of the trial, identified as abused or at risk by their GPs will be offered the support of trained para-professional 'mentor mothers' for up to a year, while the comparison arm will be offered standard GP care. Recent funding allows a pilot study of mentor mother recruitment and training to be undertaken in 2003. The study will strengthen GP support for this difficult issue and build a 'critical mass' of GPs interested in partner abuse management in the 5 participating divisions. The MOSAIC study will assess the value to GPs and women of an enhanced support system for victims' care and provide much needed evidence of an intervention embedded in general practice to reduce partner abuse of pregnant women and women with young children.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of A Type V Secretion In Escherichia Coli And Determining Its Role In Pathogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$73,195.00
Summary
Disease causing bacteria assemble secretion systems to assist with colonisation, persistence and destruction of host tissue. These systems have been categorised as Type I to Type VI. A comprehensive understanding of these secretion systems, is of paramount importance for a complete understanding of bacterial pathogenesis. We will investigate the role of a novel Type V secretion system conserved amongst many human pathogens.
Improving The Communication Of People With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Clinical Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$448,293.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of disability in young Australians, and is particularly prevalent in young men. The condition disturbs thinking and problem solving. Ultimately, these problems manifest in impaired verbal communication. Communication problems following traumatic brain injury can make critical relationships-such as father, husband, and employee-impossible to sustain. Those affected are socially inappropriate and uncomfortable to be around, which causes a lifetime of los ....Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of disability in young Australians, and is particularly prevalent in young men. The condition disturbs thinking and problem solving. Ultimately, these problems manifest in impaired verbal communication. Communication problems following traumatic brain injury can make critical relationships-such as father, husband, and employee-impossible to sustain. Those affected are socially inappropriate and uncomfortable to be around, which causes a lifetime of lost friendships, unemployability, and social isolation. Minimisation of these lifelong effects is of the utmost importance to the health of those affected, and is critical to reducing the economic burden of the condition. Two approaches have been shown to improve the communication of those with traumatic brain injury. Training in social skills is helpful, as is training partners to deal with difficult communication behaviours. However, to date, no research has concurrently studied these two approaches to rehabilitation. Consequently, it is unknown whether best results are achieved with either one of the two methods, or both. The present project uses a clinical trials approach in an innovative evaluation of three methods of treating those with traumatic brain injury compared with a control group. The trial involves the conceptual advances of including cost effectiveness of treatment as an outcome measure, and inclusion of advanced methods to measure the intricacies of verbal communication. The multidisciplinary team of Chief Investigators has international track records in the requisite disciplines for the study of traumatic brain injury and its rehabilitation.Read moreRead less
Role Of Hsp40 And Hsp70 In Huntingtin Misfolding, Oligomerization And Inclusion Assembly
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$590,103.00
Summary
Huntington disease results from a mutation that causes the Htt protein to become abnormally sticky and form toxic clusters in neurons. Cells have natural defences to clustering with proteins called chaperones, which are exciting therapeutic targets. This project will examine how chaperones defend against toxic Htt clustering with cutting-edge imaging technologies. The knowledge gained will aid in designing therapeutic strategies that stimulate the defence processes and suppress the clusters.
Developing Novel Molecules That Target Hormone Receptors As An Alternative Cancer Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,867.00
Summary
A promising class of cancer drugs target heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and prevent Hsp90 from maintaining its ~100 proteins involved in cell growth. However, all current Hsp90 chemotherapeutics non-selectively target proteins maintained by Hsp90, and induce a cell rescue mechanism involving Hsp70. We describe the development of a novel molecule that will selectively control cell growth and prevent cell rescue via a unique Hsp90 regulated mechanism.
Understanding Age-related Protein Aggregation. The Mechanism Of Cataract And Its Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,333.00
Summary
Cataract arises from clouding of the eye lens due to the aggregation of crystallin proteins whose high concentration and close packing facilitate lens transparency. This proposal will investigate crystallin structure and interactions to understand the reasons for cataract formation and its prevention via the design of aggregation inhibitors. The results will facilitate the development of drugs to prevent cataract and other related protein aggregation diseases, e.g. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Directed Molecular Evolution Of G Protein-coupled Receptors For Stable And Functional Expression In Escherichia Coli
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,479.00
Summary
Approximately half of all prescription drugs on the market act on G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The mechanisms underlying GPCR function are mainly unknown due to a lack of structural information. No solved structures exist for any of the estimated 800 human GPCRs, making it difficult to design new drugs. By applying advanced protein engineering techniques I aim to produce human GPCRs in bacteria to ultimately acquire structural information, which will enable novel drug development.
Disrupting Mucin-mucin Interactions To Treat Respiratory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$480,531.00
Summary
Diseases like asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis all feature the overproduction of mucus in the lungs that make it very difficult for patients to breathe and increases their susceptibility to infections. Few therapies are available for thinning this mucus, which is made thick by a network of linkages between proteins. We are studying these linkages and developing methods to break them up. This research could yield new mucus-thinning drugs to treat lung diseases.
Mechanisms Regulating Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Permeabilisation During Programmed Cell Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$306,562.00
Summary
Apoptosis is a form of cell suicide that is vital in human development and health by removing damaged or unwanted cells in a regulated manner. Disturbances in this pathway are known to be the cause of cancers and other diseases. This research will investigate how the pivotal step in cell death, termed mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation (MOMP) is regulated.