Molecular and immunological approaches to managing Australia's seafood allergy epidemic. Seafood is an increasingly important cause of food allergy. Novel insight into the functions of why and how proteins from seafood develop to potent allergens will lead to the development of better diagnostics and therapeutics. This will assist patients to better manage their serious food allergy.
Enhancing linkage and exchange in a national research partnership to improve primary health care performance and outcomes for Indigenous peoples. This project will enhance current efforts to make high-quality primary health care services accessible to all Indigenous Australians. The work will result in widespread application of systematic and cutting-edge methods to enable health service staff and managers to review and continually work to improve the quality of their service.
Understanding progressive vision loss in the eye disease glaucoma. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible vision loss in elderly Australians, although determining treatment failure is currently very dif?cult. This project will radically improve the measurement of glaucoma progression and treatment failure. We will also address fundamental questions regarding how glaucoma destroys vision.
Is mass commercialisation of silver-based nanotechnology undermining its biomedical antibacterial potential? Silver nanoparticles have demonstrated broad spectrum antibacterial potential and are increasingly used in biomedical applications to limit infection. They are also found in a growing range of everyday products such as shampoos and socks. This situation is analogous to the previous use of antibiotics for nonmedical purposes and the subsequent spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This ....Is mass commercialisation of silver-based nanotechnology undermining its biomedical antibacterial potential? Silver nanoparticles have demonstrated broad spectrum antibacterial potential and are increasingly used in biomedical applications to limit infection. They are also found in a growing range of everyday products such as shampoos and socks. This situation is analogous to the previous use of antibiotics for nonmedical purposes and the subsequent spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. This project will measure silver resistance selection pressure in key microbial communities. Novel monitoring devices, a multi-technique chemistry approach, and correlative synchrotron spectroscopy and molecular biology techniques will be used to decipher the environmental silver resistome and its likely significance.Read moreRead less
Better prevention and management of disabling back pain. This project will establish a program of back pain research within an inter-disciplinary research centre focused on the prevention and management of physical disability.
From risk factor analysis to translation: multiple sclerosis and vitamin D deficiency. This research on multiple sclerosis will focus on its causes and lifestyle factors that affect it and will trial vitamin D supplementation as a treatment. Studies on vitamin D deficiency in healthy populations aim to develop new public health recommendations on sun exposure and vitamin D that balance risk of skin cancer against vitamin D deficiency.
Endocrine signalling from bone cells in the regulation of glucose and energy homeostasis. Osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes are increasingly common, all of which are in urgent need of more effective therapies. This project examines powerful neuropeptide signalling pathways that integrate bone homeostasis with whole body energy and glucose balance. Initial studies have defined the efferent hypothalamic pathways of this system and this project will build upon these findings to examine the feedbac ....Endocrine signalling from bone cells in the regulation of glucose and energy homeostasis. Osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes are increasingly common, all of which are in urgent need of more effective therapies. This project examines powerful neuropeptide signalling pathways that integrate bone homeostasis with whole body energy and glucose balance. Initial studies have defined the efferent hypothalamic pathways of this system and this project will build upon these findings to examine the feedback signals produced by bone cells to regulate adipose and pancreatic function. Exploring this entirely new paradigm of skeletal biology, will reveal novel circulating factors capable of regulating adipose and glucose economies, as well as bone mass, thereby offering potential therapies for these debilitating conditions.Read moreRead less
Assessing the social and environmental determinants of seasonal influenza outbreaks. This project aims to examine the potential social and environmental predictors of seasonal influenza outbreaks across temperate and tropical climates. It will develop a spatiotemporal model to identify where, when and who is most susceptible to changes of risk in influenza epidemic-prone regions of Queensland, Australia and Gansu province and Shanghai City, China. A spatiotemporal predictive model for influenza ....Assessing the social and environmental determinants of seasonal influenza outbreaks. This project aims to examine the potential social and environmental predictors of seasonal influenza outbreaks across temperate and tropical climates. It will develop a spatiotemporal model to identify where, when and who is most susceptible to changes of risk in influenza epidemic-prone regions of Queensland, Australia and Gansu province and Shanghai City, China. A spatiotemporal predictive model for influenza will be useful for the early identification of impending epidemics, which will lead to a more rapid and efficiently targeted response than is possible with the current system, thereby reducing the magnitude and health and economic impact of epidemics.Read moreRead less
Urban spaces and active ageing: understanding person-environment interactions to inform activity-friendly community design. The proportion of older adults in urban areas is rapidly growing, leading to increases in health-care costs that are associated with chronic diseases. This can be offset by creating urban environments that support an active lifestyle across mid-to-late adulthood. How urban community designs shape the physical activity of this understudied age group is unclear. Using a suite ....Urban spaces and active ageing: understanding person-environment interactions to inform activity-friendly community design. The proportion of older adults in urban areas is rapidly growing, leading to increases in health-care costs that are associated with chronic diseases. This can be offset by creating urban environments that support an active lifestyle across mid-to-late adulthood. How urban community designs shape the physical activity of this understudied age group is unclear. Using a suite of national and international epidemiological studies, This project aims to identify the optimal mix and spatial distribution of destinations (facilities and places to visit) for active ageing, while taking into account factors that define one’s ability and willingness to visit these destinations. This will inform public policy and activity-friendly community design.Read moreRead less
Translational research in osteoarthritis: from epidemiological studies to clinical interventions. Currently the only treatment for osteoarthritis is to relieve pain. However, there are some factors that may affect the progression of this disease. This project will examine these factors including inflammation, metabolism, and physical inactivity, and find potential modifying therapies such as vitamin D supplementation for osteoarthritis.