New data-driven mathematical models of collective cell motion. Cancer and chronic wounds are a national, and indeed, international health problem set to worsen as our population ages. Predictive and interpretive tools are required to improve our understanding of collective cell migration in relation to cancer and chronic wounds. This project will produce new validated mathematical tools for predicting collective cell migration in a general framework that can deal with application-specific detail ....New data-driven mathematical models of collective cell motion. Cancer and chronic wounds are a national, and indeed, international health problem set to worsen as our population ages. Predictive and interpretive tools are required to improve our understanding of collective cell migration in relation to cancer and chronic wounds. This project will produce new validated mathematical tools for predicting collective cell migration in a general framework that can deal with application-specific details, such as the role of cell shape and cell size. Although cell shape and size are known to affect collective cell migration, standard mathematical models ignore these details. This project will produce new predictive mathematical modelling tools that are validated by new experimental data. Read moreRead less
Modelling cell invasion incorporating the epithelial to mesenchymal transition: Exploring therapies to control wound healing and cancer progression. Cancer and wounds are closely related, commonly lethal, diseases. Both require cell growth and invasion. This project will apply experimental measurements to create new mathematical models of cancer and wounds; models that will inform new targets and strategies for the treatment of these deadly diseases.
Therapeutic Implications Of A Molecular Link Between Survivin And Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$547,970.00
Summary
A unifying feature of all types of cancer cells is that they are immortal. Our investigations will build upon our recent results that showed the gene survivin is involved in cancer cell immortalisation. We will characterise a molecular link between survivin and the enzyme telomerase, which is central to cancer cell immortality. Furthermore, we will demonstrate the therapeutic potential of turning off both survivin and telomerase as a novel approach to halting the growth of cancer cells.
Identifying Endophenotypes For Schizophrenia And Autism: A Support Vector Machine Learning Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
Schizophrenia and autism are mental health problems that often occur together. Despite this, little is known about the overlap between them and how to treat people who experience both. In this study, I will compare young adults with schizophrenia and autism using three measures of brain function. I plan to employ complex statistical analyses to better understand the similarities and differences between the disorders in order to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Neurobiological ‘risk’ And ‘resilience’ Biomarkers Of Severe Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$926,980.00
Summary
Mental disorders of childhood (schizotypal disorder, autism spectrum disorders) and adolescence (psychoses, schizophrenia) represent a major burden of disease. We will use sophisticated neuroimaging to examine trajectories of brain growth from childhood to adulthood and identify factors (stress, drugs, inflammation, genes) relevant to risk and resilience to developing these disorders. This will lead to novel early interventions to reduce or ameliorate these conditions.
Outcome Prediction, Stratification And Novel Treatments In Individuals At Ultra High Risk Of Psychosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$774,540.00
Summary
The Ultra High Risk (UHR) criteria have been developed to identify people at high risk of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia so that treatments can be provided early to reduce risk and disability. However the some UHR people are at risk of other difficulties and disorders and others are not at risk of all. We need to improve our ability to distinguish between these groups so that treatment can be tailored according to risk, and develop new treatments that target underlying problems.
The Outcomes Of Adolescents And Young Adults Who Experience Hallucinations: A Birth Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,842.00
Summary
A national survey reported that 1 in every 12 Australian adolescents experiences hallucinations. Although hallucinations are relatively common experiences, it remains unclear if hallucinations in adolescence are associated with mental illness, and impairment in social and occupational functioning in later adulthood. This study aims to examine the outcomes at 30 years of age in subjects from an Australian birth cohort study who experienced hallucinations during adolescence and young adulthood.
Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancer ....Studies in cancer control. As life expectancy in Australia (and throughout the world) continues to rise, so will the burden of cancer escalate. Treating cancer after diagnosis is costly, and in many instances, unsuccessful. Preventive strategies promise to reduce the future cancer burden, yet our knowledge in this arena is limited by the lack of credible research as to what works and what does not. This application addresses this gap directly by conducting research into the control of two cancers which exact a growing toll in Australia and elsewhere. The work seeks to identify and understand the causal pathways to cancer, and then use this information to devise evidence-based strategies for cancer control.Read moreRead less