Immuno-polymeric Drugs For Prostate Cancer Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$626,995.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men over 50 and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths in Western society. Docetaxel is the first line of chemotherapy when other intervention strategies are unsuccessful, but 30% of patients suffer from severe side-effects. To address this problem, we will utilise carriers for docetaxel that directly target prostate tumours using a novel antibody approach. This increases accumulation at the tumour site while decreasing off-target toxicity.
Exploring Scanning Ultrasound (SUS), A Novel Method To Treat And Prevent Neurodegenerative Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,708.00
Summary
We developed a novel scanning ultrasound (SUS) protocol that clears toxic protein aggregates and restores memory function in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), without the need for therapeutic agents. Here we aim to determine whether SUS has preventative potential, whether there are synergistic effects, and whether a therapeutic antibody combined with SUS leads to an enhanced therapeutic outcome. Together this will guide the development of an ultrasound therapy in AD patients.
Poly(amino acids) as immune stimulators. This project aims to develop nanoparticles built from natural hydrophobic amino acids as an immune stimulatory delivery system for peptide antigens. Currently available immune stimulants (adjuvants) are often toxic and/or are poorly chemically defined fragments of bacteria or toxins and vary from batch-to-batch. New adjuvants are in high demand; especially to facilitate the use of optimal, but weakly immunogenic, peptide antigens. It is expected that the ....Poly(amino acids) as immune stimulators. This project aims to develop nanoparticles built from natural hydrophobic amino acids as an immune stimulatory delivery system for peptide antigens. Currently available immune stimulants (adjuvants) are often toxic and/or are poorly chemically defined fragments of bacteria or toxins and vary from batch-to-batch. New adjuvants are in high demand; especially to facilitate the use of optimal, but weakly immunogenic, peptide antigens. It is expected that the proposed project will develop a novel efficient, safe and notably biodegradable self-adjuvanting delivery system that can be fully customised to match an antigen of choice. This foundational research should provide important advances for commercial immune stimulatory applications.Read moreRead less