The Role Of Tissue Hypoxia In The Evolution Of Kidney Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$509,391.00
Summary
We will determine how low oxygen levels in the kidney lead to kidney disease. We can now measure the levels of oxygen in kidney tissue in rats 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in a completely non-invasive way. We will study two common kinds of kidney disease. One, acute kidney injury, can result from administration of contrast agents used in x-ray diagnostic procedures. The other, chronic kidney disease, is common in patients with diabetes or high blood pressure.
Towards Prevention Of Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$771,918.00
Summary
Open heart surgery saves thousands of lives each year in Australia, but often injures the kidney. Kidney oxygen deficiency is a major cause of kidney injury. We propose a new way to manage kidney oxygen levels during heart surgery, by measuring the level of oxygen in the urine in the bladder. We will determine whether low levels of oxygen in the urine during surgery predict later development of acute kidney injury, and whether patient management can be changed to optimize kidney oxygen levels.
A lack of oxygen in the kidney (hypoxia) is a primary cause of kidney disease, but the mechanisms are not clear. To determine the processes involved, we will take a new approach; combining a mathematical model with studies of kidney oxygen regulation in both normal and diseased kidneys. We will determine the causes of hypoxia in kidney disease, and find out if preventing hypoxia has the potential to be a treatment for kidney disease.
Modulating the molecular and cellular physiology of ageing skeletal muscle. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of how ageing affects muscle is of increasing importance to the community as the number of older persons in the population continues to escalate and the age of retirement increases. Old muscles are slower and weaker than young muscles, and are more easily injured. This proposal is focussed on developing safe therapies to prevent or reverse these age-related effects. Making old musc ....Modulating the molecular and cellular physiology of ageing skeletal muscle. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of how ageing affects muscle is of increasing importance to the community as the number of older persons in the population continues to escalate and the age of retirement increases. Old muscles are slower and weaker than young muscles, and are more easily injured. This proposal is focussed on developing safe therapies to prevent or reverse these age-related effects. Making old muscles young again, is a research strategy that will promote healthy ageing and enable older Australians to enjoy a better quality of life.Read moreRead less
Examining the links between obesity and insulin resistance. Obesity prevalence is rapidly increasing in Australia and contributes to the onset of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This project will examine how obesity contributes to disease risk and how modifying nutrient delivery and other interventions that protect from cellular stress reduces these risks.
Estrogen signalling in gonadotropes. Estrogen action is a normal prerequisite for cyclic function of reproduction in the female, but little is known about how this important hormone acts in the relevant cells of the pituitary gland (gonadotropes). In order to gain information on normal function, we will conduct studies on gonadotropes treated with estrogen in a range of paradigms. The information will be valuable in understanding normal reproduction, but will also form the basis of further studi ....Estrogen signalling in gonadotropes. Estrogen action is a normal prerequisite for cyclic function of reproduction in the female, but little is known about how this important hormone acts in the relevant cells of the pituitary gland (gonadotropes). In order to gain information on normal function, we will conduct studies on gonadotropes treated with estrogen in a range of paradigms. The information will be valuable in understanding normal reproduction, but will also form the basis of further studies to investigate the effects of drugs that affect estrogen action and environmental estrogens. Read moreRead less
I am a physiologist working to understand how disturbances during pregnancy can alter fetal development and increase the risk of developing adult onset diseases such as cardiovascular disease, renal disease and diabetes. In particular I am interested in how alterations in kidney development may play a crucial role in disease development.
Regenerating lizard tails: A model for understanding the process of lymphangiogenesis. In humans, impaired lymphatic drainage in limbs causes the debilitating swelling termed lymphoedema. Lymphoedema affects 500,000,000 people worldwide. In the developed world lymphoedema predominantly results from surgery for cancer, and occurs in approximately 25% of breast cancer patients. We will examine lymph vessel regeneration (lymphangiogenesis) in a naturally regenerating, complex structure (the lizard ....Regenerating lizard tails: A model for understanding the process of lymphangiogenesis. In humans, impaired lymphatic drainage in limbs causes the debilitating swelling termed lymphoedema. Lymphoedema affects 500,000,000 people worldwide. In the developed world lymphoedema predominantly results from surgery for cancer, and occurs in approximately 25% of breast cancer patients. We will examine lymph vessel regeneration (lymphangiogenesis) in a naturally regenerating, complex structure (the lizard tail), to describe the regrowth process and determine the abundance, location, functional properties and molecular control of the new lymphatics. Furthermore, if reptilian lymphatic growth factors can promote lymphangiogenesis in mammals, we can design novel therapeutic approaches using reptilian ligands to promote lymphangiogenesis in lymphoedematous human tissues.Read moreRead less
Unified framework of intestinal motility. The project aims to establish how a few fundamental mechanisms determine the large repertoire of intestinal motor patterns responsible for moving nutrients along the digestive tract. The project will combine experimental and theoretical data, with biomechanical and electrophysiological models to create a new understanding of this essential function of the body.
Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount ....Electrophysiological and Anatomical Characterization of the Coronary Sinus Musculature and its Relationship to the Atria. This series of experiments will characterise the normal coronary sinus musculature and its connectivity to the atria of the heart and establish their electrical relationships. The underlying characteristics of the muscular connections will also be evaluated with a view to possible future manipulations of the system. Understanding normal heart impulse propagation is paramount before we can understand and develop treatments for dealing with heart problems. This information will facilitate the development of techniques to treat and prevent heart rhythm disorders that are a common cause of morbidity in the community.Read moreRead less