Engineered Cell And Exosome Therapy For Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,490.00
Summary
Diseases affecting the blood vessels in the lungs cause early death and the currently available treatments are not curative. We will take advantage of the latest developments in the understanding of the molecular basis of these diseases to design and test a new treatment approach using cells and cell-derived products as a therapy.
Epithelial Regeneration As A Novel Therapeutic Target In Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$633,228.00
Summary
While allergies are very common, affecting ~40% of the population in Western countries, only a proportion of allergic people develop asthma, highlighting the importance of cell specific mechanisms that contribute to the disease. We will address how the structure and function of cells that line the airways, called epithelial cells contribute to asthma. We believe that in asthma, certain types of epithelial cells do not go through normal stages of development and differentiation and remain immatur ....While allergies are very common, affecting ~40% of the population in Western countries, only a proportion of allergic people develop asthma, highlighting the importance of cell specific mechanisms that contribute to the disease. We will address how the structure and function of cells that line the airways, called epithelial cells contribute to asthma. We believe that in asthma, certain types of epithelial cells do not go through normal stages of development and differentiation and remain immature.Read moreRead less
Conquering The Final Frontier In Lung Transplantation - Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy For Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,887,790.00
Summary
Lung transplantation remains the only treatment option for an increasing number of Australians with end-stage lung disease, however long-term outcomes are severely compromised by the almost universal development of chronic rejection. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) hold great promise in treating rejection, and in a world-first we have recently demonstrated that this approach is safe. In another world-first, this randomized, controlled study will determine whether MSC therapy is effective.
Pulmonary hypertension is a disease affecting the blood vessels in the lungs that causes severe shortness of breath and early death. Genetic mutations are known to cause this disease but the precise link between these mutations and the changes in the lungs are poorly understood. If we could understand this process better, we could design better treatments. This project will look at how the cells in the lungs communicate with each other and how this process is disturbed in pulmonary hypertension.
Role And Potential For Therapeutic Targeting Of Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress And Altered Metabolism In Mitochondria In The Pathogenesis Of COPD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,338.00
Summary
Emphysema is a major cause of illness and death and there are no good treatments. It is caused by smoking that induces lung inflammation and disease but how this occurs is not well understood. Cellular respiration can become defective causing oxidative stress, altered metabolism and inflammation. We think that this drives emphysema. We will assess alterations in respiration, oxidative stress and metabolism in emphysema and see if we can reverse these changes with new potential treatments.
Anti-viral Immunity In Asthma: A Detailed Assessment Of TLR7 Function And The Regulation Of Interferon ?/? Synthesis.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$517,156.00
Summary
Many people with asthma are unusually vulnerable to viral infections. This study will carefully examine different components of immune function in people with asthma, including the receptors that respond to viral nucleic acids and the reasons why people with asthma do not produce normal quantities of anti-viral interferons. This research may lead to novel methods for prevention and treatment of virus infections in people with asthma.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease of unknown cause which is unresponsive to current therapy. This study builds on recent work by this group highlighting the importance of a cell signalling molecule called STAT3 in the development of this disease. In particular, two cell types that utilise STAT3 signalling, epithelial cells and B cells, will be examined to see if blocking their STAT3 responses could be a novel therapeutic approach.
Interleukin-17A Promotes Cigarette Smoke-induced Lung Inflammation And Damage
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,590.00
Summary
Emphysema is a major global health problem and has been predicted to become the third largest cause of death in the world by 2020. Cigarette smoking is the major cause of emphysema and accounts for more than 95% of cases in industrialized countries. Cigarette smoke triggers cells in the lung to release substances which cause inflammation and "eat away" lung tissue. The aim of this project is to identify therapies to prevent and treat emphysema.