Deadly Commute - Targeting The Trafficking Mechanisms That Licence Inflammatory Cell Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$774,544.00
Summary
MLKL is a protein naturally found inside cells. MLKL is activated by inflammation. Once activated, MLKL relocates to the outer periphery of cells and kills them. Gut cells are especially vulnerable to death-by-MLKL and this problem causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Using cutting edge microscopy, we have discovered how MLKL moves to the periphery of cells prior to killing them. We will test if blocking this movement of MLKL to the cell periphery stops gut death and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Sex Hormones And Heart Disease In Older Women Study (The SHOW Study)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,672.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in women aged 65 and over. Counter-intuitively, androgens may be as, or even more important, than estrogens in determining CVD risk and all-cause mortality in women, but this is yet to be verified. We will document blood levels of androgens in women aged 70+ and determine whether androgens are associated with CVD and death in this large cohort of elderly well women.
The Older Australian Twins Study (OATS) Of Healthy Brain Ageing And Age-related Neurocognitive Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,960.00
Summary
Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and dementia. It is still not completely understood what relative contributions genes and environment play in these. This project is an extension of the Older Australian Twins Study to examine genetic and environmental factors associated with late life brain changes and dementia, and will establish an internationally significant cohort for novel discovery.
Can One Health Strategies Be More Effectively Implemented Through Prior Identification Of Public Values?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,331.00
Summary
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a significant risk to our region. One Health approaches to EIDs emphasize connections between human,animal and ecological health, enhancing capacity for disease prediction and intervention. This project will examine existing EID legislation,identify social and ethical barriers to effective EID risk governance and create a comprehensive statement of values to ensure the acceptability of One Health approaches to EID control to the Australian community.
Novel Assessment And Intervention For Dementia: An Inter-disciplinary Translational Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,021.00
Summary
This program of research focuses on i) a highly novel internationally competitive program of work focusing on the neural network correlates of sleep in dementia, sleep as a risk factor and the efficacy of sleep-wake interventions in reducing cognitive decline; ii) Innovative technologies for widespread screening of preclinical dementia and early intervention and iii) clinical trials focused on the testing of a of novel, highly translatable dementia risk reduction interventions.
I am an academic endocrinologist and clinician. I lead a large research program that investigates the links between hormones and diseases of ageing in women. Thus my research program addresses the contribution of changes in adrenal and ovarian steroids in
The Management To Optimise Diabetes And MEtabolic Syndrome Risk Reduction Via Nurse-led Intervention (MODERN) Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,445,861.00
Summary
There is increasing recognition of society’s responsibility to provide effective and sustainable health care to the entire population and not just selected parts. This practical study will test the impact of a nurse-led, multidisciplinary prevention program to reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events in middle-aged individuals at a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) living in regional Australia.
Endocrine And Molecular Regulation Of Placental CRH Expression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$466,980.00
Summary
Approximately 70% of infant death is associated with premature birth. Preterm birth occurs in 6-10% of pregnancies, and there has been no reduction in the rates of premature birth in the last 30 years. This is largely because we remain ignorant of how normal and abnormal birth is controlled. Understanding the physiology of human pregnancy is a critical step in the development of ways to detect and prevent preterm birth. Our group has demonstrated a link between production of a hormone (corticotr ....Approximately 70% of infant death is associated with premature birth. Preterm birth occurs in 6-10% of pregnancies, and there has been no reduction in the rates of premature birth in the last 30 years. This is largely because we remain ignorant of how normal and abnormal birth is controlled. Understanding the physiology of human pregnancy is a critical step in the development of ways to detect and prevent preterm birth. Our group has demonstrated a link between production of a hormone (corticotrophin releasing hormone, CRH) in the placenta and the length of time the baby is carried in the mother. In women who will deliver prematurely a rise in CRH occurs earlier in the pregnancy and more rapidly, while in women who deliver late the rise occurs more slowly. This work has given rise to the concept of a biological clock that determines the length of time the fetus will be carried by the mother before birth, and in which production of CRH in the placenta plays a central role. We have been studying how the CRH gene is controlled in placental cells. We have discovered some regions in the DNA of the CRH gene which have important roles in controlling how much CRH is made by the placenta. The experiments described in this research project will determine the molecular mechanisms that control the production of CRH in the human placenta. This will be done in two ways: (1) by examining the DNA sequences involved in controlling expression of the CRH gene and (2) by identifying the proteins that actually perform the regulating functions that result in either increased or decreased amounts of CRH being produced by the placenta. This important information will help us better understand how normal and abnormal birth is controlled, and from that knowledge new ways to detect and prevent premature birth can be invented.Read moreRead less
Extreme Value Theory Approaches to Insurance in a Catastrophic Environment. Recent decades are marked by numerous significant natural (climate change) or man-made (financial crises) catastrophes, which have significantly altered the landscape of the insurance industry. These have potentially significant negative impacts on the availability and affordability of insurance, and hence on the capability and capacity of households and businesses to take risks and be competitive. This project endeavour ....Extreme Value Theory Approaches to Insurance in a Catastrophic Environment. Recent decades are marked by numerous significant natural (climate change) or man-made (financial crises) catastrophes, which have significantly altered the landscape of the insurance industry. These have potentially significant negative impacts on the availability and affordability of insurance, and hence on the capability and capacity of households and businesses to take risks and be competitive. This project endeavours to establish progressive approaches (using extreme value theory) to the challenges faced by insurance in such a catastrophic environment. They will enhance the financial stability and competitivity of the Australian economy, and further establish its global leadership in dealing with climate changes and catastrophes.Read moreRead less