Genotypes And Phenotypes Of Human Primary Non-congenital Antibody Deficiency
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$544,692.00
Summary
Antibodies represent a key component of the immune system, and a particularly important in defence against bacterial and viral infections. In some individuals, antibody production fails, rendering them more susceptible to infection. In most cases, the mechanism of antibody failure is unknown. This project seeks to determine the genetic and cellular mechanisms of antibody failure. This could improve diagnosis for immune deficiency, and improve our overall understanding of the immune system.
Humanisation And Pre-clinical Validation Of A Therapeutic Anti-cancer Antibody
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$699,136.00
Summary
This grant will develop a novel antibody against a protease expressed on cancer cells. Preclinical studies, and antibody humanisation, will be performed. This project will also provide vital information on optimal therapeutic approaches with the antibody that can be ultimately taken into human trials.
It is feasible to sequence patient genomes but we need to know more about how genetic variants cause complex disease. We have sequenced genomes from patients with immune deficiency and will test the idea that genetic variation causes consistent changes in particular white blood cells, thus providing a bridge between genomic information and clinical diagnosis. Outcomes will include more accurate diagnosis, better understanding of immunity, and a strategy for using whole genome information.
Australian Fisheries And Aquaculture Statistics 2021
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$60,000.00
Summary
Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore im ....Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery. At the international level, the Department of Agriculture through the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international negotiations on issues such as trans-boundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities. Objectives: 1. To maintain and improve the data base of production, gross value of production and trade statistics for the Australian fishing industry, including aquaculture. 2. To provide these data in an accessible form. Read moreRead less
Investigating B Cell Development, Maintenance And High-affinity Antibody Production By ENU Mutagenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
B cells are essential for the protection against infections. This application aims to identify new genes that are crucial for the development or function of B cells and will investigate how mutations in newly discovered genes contribute to defects in the development and function of B cells and the pathogenesis of B cell leukaemia.
We have discovered a single tumour factor which causes cancer cachexia, a wasting condition that is one of the worst complications of malignancy, for which there is no current effective treatment. We have developed antibodies which effectively block this condition in preclinical models and have produced human/humanised version of this. This application is to characterise these human antibodies to allow us proceed to clinical trials.
Alpha-particles linked to recombinant antibodies targeting tumour cells have potential to effectively treat tumours while minimising normal tissue side effects. We will explore a novel alpha-particle therapy approach to solid tumours, by delivering 225Ac directly into tumour cells, or into cells that support the tumour (microenvironment). This approach will hopefully result in development of a new approach to treatment of cancers that are resistant to conventional therapies.
Reciprocal Working Group Visit To France For Oyster Farming And Hatchery Technology Transfer
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$37,000.00
Summary
The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and ....The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and share experiences of new and emerging farming technologies between the French and Australian industries to improve and enhance the growing and production of oysters in our respective countries. An additional benefit of the visit is to examine the potential for new oyster farming system designs and manufacturing opportunities for Australian manufacturers of oyster growing infrastructure. Read moreRead less
Reduction Of Oyster Waste: Establishing Best Practices For Controlling Wild Spat Under Commercial Production
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being ....‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being discarded or having growth rates considerably slowed (Watson et al. 2009; Adams et al. 2011). It is estimated that 30–50% of SRO grown in Qld and northern NSW are wasted as a result of fouling with a potential value of $13–30 million/annum (Tim Prowse, QOGA, personal comm.; FRDC, 2022); this is either because the products become unsellable or due to losses associated with current overcatch control treatments. The inability to effectively manage overcatch has contributed considerably to the decline of Qld’s oyster industry over the last century, and similarly remains a significant financial impost to NSW oyster growing operations (de Nys et al. 2002; Cox et al. 2012).
At present, oyster growers typically attempt to mitigate the impacts of overcatch using methods like air drying and heat immersion; but both are labour intensive, have no clear guidelines or benchmarked specifications to support new growers in their implementation, and can result in significant mortalities or even total crop losses if undertaken incorrectly (Fitridge et al. 2012; 2014; Mayrand et al. 2015). While two relatively new technologies exist that hold promise for successfully managing overcatch, namely the ‘cold shock’ hypersaline system and FlipFarm system (Cox et al. 2012; Jackson, 2021), these have not yet been widely trialled or adopted in Australian oyster growing regions. There is thus a pressing need to better understand the optimal parameters for effectively eliminating overcatch while retaining host oyster health in commercial production settings.
The proposed project will respond to this longstanding need by evaluating and comparing the efficacy, practicality and cost-effectiveness of these various existing and emerging overcatch control methodologies under the same commercial environment, location and stock. Trials of these four treatments (air drying, heat immersion, cold shock system, FlipFarm system) will be carried out at established oyster leases in Qld’s Moreton Bay region, which is particularly prone to the impacts of fouling and therefore offers the ideal location to determine the efficacies of different methods in controlling overcatch in on-farm settings. The location also has no pre-existing incidences of QX disease that is currently decimating many other SRO growing regions in NSW and Southern QLD. The findings from this work will provide essential outputs, including validated methods and Best Management Practices (BMPs), which will be widely disseminated to the national oyster industry through various relevant forums.
With the Qld government in particular seeking to rejuvenate its oyster industry (McDougall, 2020), and the entire Australian oyster industry looking to expand and boost production (Oysters Australia, 2020), the timing of this project is optimal. The results will not only assist new growers entering the industry, but they will also provide essential learning to established growers throughout Australia who experience significant oyster losses and labour costs associated with overcatch management. The project also aligns with the Oysters Australia Strategic Plan 2020–2025 to (i) increase the sustainable, efficient production of oysters and their management on farm; (ii) manage industry risks; and (iii) increase industry knowledge, skills and networks. It will further help to meet the objectives of the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020–2025, particularly Outcome 1 (i.e., ‘growth for enduring prosperity’), by providing the oyster industry with genuine opportunities to reduce crop losses, increase profitability, expand production and enhance their reputation in a stewardship context. From a broader societal perspective, the project outcomes will be crucial in building a properly functioning circular economy in the oyster industry, by preventing the creation of waste in the first place. Objectives: 1. To improve knowledge and establish critical information for controlling overcatch on SRO using existing air drying and heat immersion methods in commercial production settings. 2. To provide oysters growers with validated new technologies (cold shock system, FlipFarm system, temperature / RH sensors) that offer more effective and efficient control of overcatch on SRO in commercial production settings. 3. To reduce oyster losses/deaths, as well as labour requirements, associated with controlling overcatch on SRO, when compared to current practices. 4. To develop Best Management Practices for overcatch control that can be used for demonstration and training to the wider oyster-growing community and public. Read moreRead less
Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia And Thrombosis: Better Understanding Of Pathogenesis And Improving Diagnosis And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$653,137.00
Summary
Heparin, a widely used drug, can cause an adverse effect which results in a fall of the platelet count and the development of serious thrombosis. This drug complication is mediated by an immune mechanism. This proposal aims to provide a better understanding of the disease mechanism. It also aims to develop a new test that will improve the diagnosis, and to produce a novel drug that will effectively suppress the immune reaction and improve the treatment.