Neural Plasticity Following Lesions Of The Central Nervous System In Multiple Sclerosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$523,487.00
Summary
The brain and nervous system can adapt to injury and disease. The compensatory changes underlying this plasticity can ameliorate disability. This project will investigate the underlying mechanisms in patients with multiple sclerosis, by examining changes in the properties of nerve fibres in the peripheral nerve. The rationale for the project is that the properties of peripheral nerve fibres can reflect, at least in part, the properties of their cell bodies within the spinal cord.
Low Cost High Precision Radiotherapy: A Synergistic Framework For Tumour Tracking During Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Advances in technology have enabled radiotherapy to become more sophisticated and more efficient at treating cancer. Yet, despite its sophistication, today radiotherapy suffers from a major problem: whilst we routinely image patients prior to treatment, no anatomical information is available during treatment. This project aims to solve this problem by making use of a number of sensors that are already available in a radiotherapy to track the tumours positions during treatment, when it counts.
Real-time In-vivo Imaging During Lung Cancer Radiotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Lung tumours move in clinically significant and unpredicable ways. Current radiotherapy is limited by the lack of real-time imaging to monitor tumour motion. The aim of this project is to develop and clinically implement Real-time In-vivo Imaging to enable motion-adaptive radiotherapy and thereby improve treatment outcomes. Real-time In-vivo Imaging is a software technology that will be applicalbe to 90% of modern radiotherapy systems globally and will enable wide access to advanced cancer care.
Development Of A Chronically Implantable, Miniaturised Device For Monitoring Ventricular Function, To Assist Tracking An
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$335,000.00
Summary
Heart failure (HF) is increasing - with ~5million sufferers (1-3rd in New York Heart Association Class III-IV i.e. severe cases) in the US alone, and ~12-15 million worldwide. Its management consumes health resources and strains sufferers, families and institutions. The proposed monitoring-management device, chronically implanted by minimally invasive surgery, will track the heart’s pumping pattern. It will allow informed decisions to optimise therapy, thereby improving Quality of Life (QOL), de ....Heart failure (HF) is increasing - with ~5million sufferers (1-3rd in New York Heart Association Class III-IV i.e. severe cases) in the US alone, and ~12-15 million worldwide. Its management consumes health resources and strains sufferers, families and institutions. The proposed monitoring-management device, chronically implanted by minimally invasive surgery, will track the heart’s pumping pattern. It will allow informed decisions to optimise therapy, thereby improving Quality of Life (QOL), decreasing hospitalisations and decreasing healthcare costs. We aim to develop a small, chronically and easily implantable device to track changes in heart function in HF patients.Read moreRead less
InforMS – An Electronic Patient-driven Health Care Model With Digital Biomarker Monitoring That Improves The Clinical Care Of People With MS.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$703,705.00
Summary
Clinicians are lacking timely and sensitive data to detect treatment failure in MS. We will create a paradigm shift in MS care by developing an electronic patient-centred health care system, ‘InforMS’, that becomes a “one-stop-shop” management system which empowers and activates people with MS to collect invaluable time-sensitive monitoring data. We will test InforMS on around 3,000 people with MS to measure uptake and ensure it supports health improvements and changes to clinical practice.
Emerging Severe Mental Illness In Young People: Clinical Staging, Neurobiology, Prediction & Intervention From Vulnerabi
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,229,421.00
Summary
Mental disorders, such as psychotic and severe mood disorders, are the largest cause of disability in Australia. However, there is still little known about illness onset, relapse and progression. We have developed a clinical staging model with transition points from symptomfree to subthreshold status, to threshold disorder to chronic disability. We will investigate neurobiological and psychosocial factors which increase the risk of progression through these stages and use this model as a basis f ....Mental disorders, such as psychotic and severe mood disorders, are the largest cause of disability in Australia. However, there is still little known about illness onset, relapse and progression. We have developed a clinical staging model with transition points from symptomfree to subthreshold status, to threshold disorder to chronic disability. We will investigate neurobiological and psychosocial factors which increase the risk of progression through these stages and use this model as a basis for examining the effectiveness of interventions, for example to prevent, delay or ameliorate onset and relapse, and promote vocational recovery. Thus major clinical and public health benefits and an understanding of factors that contribute to the onset and progression of illness will result.Read moreRead less