Iron is essential in the diet but it is also toxic when present in excess, so both iron deficiency and iron overload can have significant clinical consequences. I will investigate the basic mechanisms by which the body acquires iron and how iron can lead to toxicity. The goal of these studies is to provide more effective iron supplements and to improve diagnosis and treatment of iron-related diseases. Iron metabolism in pregnancy, infants and respiratory diseases will be a particular focus.
My major goal for the past 20 years has been to understand how hormones such as gastrin stimulate the development of gastrointestinal cancer. One approach has been to define the intracellular signalling pathways by which gastrins enhance cell growth. Our discovery that iron is essential for the biological activity of gastrins may allow the development of novel therapies for colon cancer and iron overload.
Over 80 million people have chronic constipation. It affects over 1/5 older people and is a major problem in aged-care. We have found that a painless method of electrical stimulation across the abdomen can overcome chronic constipation in children and adults. We will test the method to see what types of constipation it can help, including constipation caused by pain-medication and irritable bowel syndrome. This treatment is given at home and could improve life for many people around the world.
Mechanisms Of Hepatic Fibrogenesis In Chronic Liver Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,209.00
Summary
Despite advances made in understanding the mechanisms of liver injury, chronic liver disease continues to be one of the most rapidly growing causes of death in subjects aged <65 years. This is the result of uncontrolled wound healing and regeneration leading ultimately to cirrhosis and liver cancer. This research will identify and characterise pathways that control the wound healing response to liver injury, involving the processes of inflammation, scarring and restitution of normal liver mas ....Despite advances made in understanding the mechanisms of liver injury, chronic liver disease continues to be one of the most rapidly growing causes of death in subjects aged <65 years. This is the result of uncontrolled wound healing and regeneration leading ultimately to cirrhosis and liver cancer. This research will identify and characterise pathways that control the wound healing response to liver injury, involving the processes of inflammation, scarring and restitution of normal liver mass.Read moreRead less
This proposal is aimed at improving the health of people with “Disorders of Iron Metabolism”. It focuses on the iron-related diseases hereditary haemochromatosis and colorectal cancer, as well as liver disease, chronic kidney disease and malnutrition. Outcomes from these studies are expected to identify how iron metabolism is impaired, the clinical consequences and new strategies for the prevention and treatment of iron-related diseases.
Too little or too much of the essential element iron is the cause of some of the most common disorders affecting humans. These include iron overload, anaemia, and anaemia of chronic disease. This project examines the genes and the roles they play in regulating iron levels in the body, and the consequences to the individuals when they are mutated. Ultimately I intend to develop therapeutics and diagnostics which will help early diagnosis and effective treatment of these disorders.
Bacterial pathogens are a major cause of illness and death, producing diseases ranging from acute infections to cancer. However, not all infected individuals will succumb to these pathologies. What factors dictate which individuals develop these diseases is an important complex question. The core focus of my research is the identification and characterisation of novel host factors that are involved in resistance or susceptibility to bacterial-associated diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Liver Injury And Iron Homeostasis In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,370.00
Summary
Iron disorders and liver disease are a significant burden on society, affecting many in the prime of their life. Disordered iron metabolism also plays a significant role in many disorders and diseases including cancers, neurodegenerative and iron overload disorders, and anaemia associated with chronic disease. My objective is to understand the molecules and mechanisms involved, and to develop strategies and reagents to diagnose, prevent and treat liver and iron-related disease.