This proposal aims to examine how the oral bacterial pathogen, P.gingivalis, interacts with the host to worsen the severity of disease in rheumatoid arthritis. We propose a new mechanism whereby the pathogen directly activates a major destructive host pathway to promote tissue and bone destruction, which are two of the clinical hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis. We also propose that this host-pathogen interaction occurs in periodontal disease.
A Novel Non-invasive Diagnostic Imaging Technique Of Metastatic Cancer Using Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 2.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$187,750.00
Summary
This project aims to develop a non-invasive tumour diagnostic imaging agent based on a non-toxic protein (PAI2) that we know specifically identifies a critical marker of malignancy. PAI2 will be labelled with commonly used imaging radioisotopes. This novel imaging technique has important potential clinical uses including, determination of the most appropriate treatment for individual patients, assessing the success of such treatments, and a novel non-invasive prognostic indicator of malignancy.
Urokinase Is A Key Mediator Of Airway Inflammation And Tissue Remodelling In Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,425.00
Summary
The scarring of airway tissue in asthma increases the difficulty of breathing. There is no effective treatment for airway scarring in severe asthma. This study looks at how proteins involved in dissolving blood clots influence wound healing and scarring in the airways. A better understanding of airway tissue scarring will lead to possible treatments for more serious forms of asthma which remain a major health and economic burden to our community.
Targeted Alpha Therapy: Development Of A New Treatment For Metastatic Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,400.00
Summary
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed, malignant cancer in women and prostate cancer is the most common non-life style related cancer in men. In spite of the most aggressive therapy, a significant percentage of men and women die of secondary disease (metastases) which usually spreads in the early stages. Currently, therapy is limited to chemotherapy and hormone therapy, both of which show clinical improvement but long term survival is uncertain. Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is a new cance ....Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed, malignant cancer in women and prostate cancer is the most common non-life style related cancer in men. In spite of the most aggressive therapy, a significant percentage of men and women die of secondary disease (metastases) which usually spreads in the early stages. Currently, therapy is limited to chemotherapy and hormone therapy, both of which show clinical improvement but long term survival is uncertain. Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is a new cancer treatment that we are developing in mouse models of human breast and prostate cancer. With TAT we are exploiting the fact that aggressive breast and prostate cancer cells, but not normal cells, express a particular tissue-barrier degrading protein system (uPA) which is specifically recognised by a natural inhibitor protein (PAI2). This protein inhibitor is labeled with a highly effective cell killing agent, a radioisotope that emits high energy alpha particles with a short range of only a few cell diameters . The alpha-labeled PAI2 selectively kills cancer cells at their most malignant stage by targeting the uPA system on these cells. Another benefit of TAT is that little radiation damage occurs to nearby or distant normal cells. Thus side-effects would be minimised. The outcome of our research to date has been to show the potential of our unique TAT approach as a possible new therapy for breast and prostate cancer. This therapy may well prove beneficial for other cancers. Further safety evaluations studies in mice will be followed by a dose tolerance clinical trial in humans. We expect to be able to show that our TAT will regress breast and prostate cancer tumours without complications in mice. The human trials will show the tolerance limits to TAT. If successful, TAT could provide the basis for a major change in prognosis and quality of life of breast and prostate cancer patients.Read moreRead less