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Exploring The Causal Pathways To Cutaneous Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$159,171.00
Summary
Melanomas are cancers arising from the pigment cells of the skin, and are among the most commonly occurring cancers in this country. Each year, more than 8000 Australians are diagnosed with invasive melanoma, resulting in some 900 deaths annually. Survival from melanoma is high if the disease is detected early (5 yr survival for thin melanomas-94%), however survival rates for thicker tumours are significantly worse, and for metastatic disease, very poor (<10%). Sunlight is the principal facto ....Melanomas are cancers arising from the pigment cells of the skin, and are among the most commonly occurring cancers in this country. Each year, more than 8000 Australians are diagnosed with invasive melanoma, resulting in some 900 deaths annually. Survival from melanoma is high if the disease is detected early (5 yr survival for thin melanomas-94%), however survival rates for thicker tumours are significantly worse, and for metastatic disease, very poor (<10%). Sunlight is the principal factor which causes this disease, although there is increasing evidence that the role of sunlight in causing melanoma is not the same for all people who develop this disease. A new hypothesis proposes that the malignant course of melanomas may reflect their causal origins, with melanomas induced by chronic sunlight exposure perhaps being more aggressive than other melanomas. We will undertake a large study of patients with melanoma to investigate both the causal pathways to melanoma and their influence on markers of tumour aggressiveness. We will capture detailed information about the microscopic appearance of the melanomas from pathologists at the time of diagnosis, and marry this to the information reported by the patients about their past history of sun exposure. When complete, this study will provide new information about the causes of melanoma. Such knowledge is crucial to controlling and preventing this cancer.Read moreRead less
Using Applied Epidemiology To Respond To Foodborne Diseases And Contaminated Environments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$476,728.00
Summary
During this Fellowship I will examine how to prevent foodborne diseases and how public health agencies respond to contaminated environments. To do this, I will harness the revolution in public health from genetic analysis of pathogens and the use of linked datasets to examine environmental health concerns.
Improving Skin Cancer Prevention: Motivating Preventive Behaviours Using Knowledge Of Personalised Genomic Risk Of Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,041,720.00
Summary
The aim of our study is to evaluate whether we can improve the Australian public’s skin cancer prevention behaviours, particularly reducing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, by giving personalised information about melanoma genetic risk. We will also explore the psycho-social, ethical, and economic implications of receiving this information. The results of our study are likely to influence the future of skin cancer prevention in Australia.
Identification Of A Gene That Increases Risk Of MS Via A Pathway Involving UV Exposure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$111,000.00
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system that affects over 10 000 Australians. It is a progressive debilitating disease that affects predominantly young adults and current therapies are expensive, only moderately effective and are associated with significant side effects. The biological processes leading to this disease are not well understood and there is a need to identify new ways of treating the disease or preventing it. One of the known factors associa ....Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system that affects over 10 000 Australians. It is a progressive debilitating disease that affects predominantly young adults and current therapies are expensive, only moderately effective and are associated with significant side effects. The biological processes leading to this disease are not well understood and there is a need to identify new ways of treating the disease or preventing it. One of the known factors associated with MS is the striking association of increased MS incidence with cooler climates and reduced sun exposure. A study conduced by the Menzies Centre has recently provided evidence that increased childhood sun exposure is significantly associated with reduced risk of MS. This project aims to study those genes involved in the body's response to sun exposure as we propose that if sun exposure influences risk of MS then those genes may interact with sun exposure to modify risk of MS.Read moreRead less
Investigating Early Life Exposure To Plastic Products In Australia And Subsequent Neurodevelopmental Effects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$791,376.00
Summary
Child neurodevelopment disorders like autism are becoming more common. Recent work indicates almost all pregnant mothers in Australia harbour plastic chemicals – bisphenols and phthalates and foetus is also exposed. Human evidence is emerging that higher exposure to plastics during pregnancy may be associated with these disorders. Randomised controlled trials are not possible so high quality birth cohort studies, as proposed here, are required to investigate this issue comprehensively.