Novel Silver Nanoparticle Coatings For The Prevention Of Infection Of Biomedical Implants And Devices
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,305.00
Summary
This project targets infections associated with implants and biomedical devices such as catheters, pacemaker leads, knee and hip implants, by the development and evaluation of coatings delivering antibacterial silver ions. The novel coating method is more uniform and reproducible and can be applied to a wide range of biomedical implants and devices. The novel coatings will be tested for antimicrobial effectiveness and safety using cell and tissue culture methods and animal clinical studies.
Development And Application Of A Pressure-sensing Electropalatograph For The Assessment And Treatment Of Speech Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,750.00
Summary
A multidisciplinary team of researchers aim to develop a unique, advanced, computer-based speech device that speech pathologists can use to assess and treat a variety of speech disorders. The device will record the location, timing and pressure of tongue contacts against the roof of the mouth (palate) during speech using innovative sensors embedded in an artificial plate placed over the roof of the mouth. State-of-the-art 3D graphics will be used to display tongue-to-palate contacts to both spee ....A multidisciplinary team of researchers aim to develop a unique, advanced, computer-based speech device that speech pathologists can use to assess and treat a variety of speech disorders. The device will record the location, timing and pressure of tongue contacts against the roof of the mouth (palate) during speech using innovative sensors embedded in an artificial plate placed over the roof of the mouth. State-of-the-art 3D graphics will be used to display tongue-to-palate contacts to both speech pathologist and patient.Read moreRead less
The Development Of A Cross-strain And Cross-subtype Pre Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Using Savine Technology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$159,500.00
Summary
The flu vaccines in use today work by inducing antibodies to surface proteins. Flu causes disease every year but occasionally a new strain arises that is distincly differnet from previous strains and can cause wides spread disease and deaths worldwide. Our new approach is to increase the level of T cells that can recognise and kill flu infected cells from all flu strains.
Ocular Implant For The Treatment Of Bacterial Endophthalmitis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$483,446.00
Summary
We seek to develop an ocular implant for the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis. The implant will be a small device that can be administered directly to the affected ocular cavity to release an antibiotic in a controlled manner to clear any infection. The implant will erode and leave no residue. It will be produced from a novel drug-polymer conjugate technology that allows polymer devices that comprise >50% drug to be made.
Acoustic Blood Pressure Measurement On Implanted Biomedical Surfaces
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$184,687.00
Summary
Measurement of local blood pressure in is of great clinical importance. An application of particular interest is the pressure measurement in and around endoluminal stents grafts, which are used for the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs). These grafts are implanted by keyhole surgery and are used to reduce the pressure on the aneurysm walls so that the artery can revert to its more anatomically correct shape on a timescale of one to two years. If the seal between the graft and the art ....Measurement of local blood pressure in is of great clinical importance. An application of particular interest is the pressure measurement in and around endoluminal stents grafts, which are used for the treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs). These grafts are implanted by keyhole surgery and are used to reduce the pressure on the aneurysm walls so that the artery can revert to its more anatomically correct shape on a timescale of one to two years. If the seal between the graft and the artery wall is not blood tight, then the aneurysm can become repressurised and may keep on expanding. Over time, an untreated, expanding AAA is likely to rupture with severe consequences for the patient. Thus a convenient, non-invasive means of measuring the pressure within the aneurysm and within the graft is highly desirable. In this proposal, we seek to produce a device that can be incorporated into the walls of the endoluminal graft, which can measure absolute pressure inside and outside the graft and where the pressure measurements can be obtained via standard acoustic or medical ultrasound equipment. To do this, we would use specially designed 'bubbles' which can be incorporated onto either side of the graft walls, where the resonant frequency of the bubbles provides a direct measurement of the pressure around the bubbles. Trials at the CSIRO have found that pressures can be measured to a resolution of better than 10 mmHg by using this technique on air bubbles in water. In this proposal, we wish to develop flexible, but semi-permanent bubbles that can be incorporated onto a biomedical implant surface. If such bubbles can be made, the researchers will use CSIRO-developed software and acoustic equipment such that local blood pressure can be measured in real time.Read moreRead less
Prototype Medical Device For The Automatic Detection And Suppression Of Epileptic Seizures And Ex Vivo Studies In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,239.00
Summary
This project aims to extend on work that The Bionic Ear Institute has been conducting into the termination of seizures using electrical stimulation of the brain. A device will be constructed that is capable of monitoring the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes. If abnormal activity is detected, a therapeutic waveform will be delivered in order to terminate the epileptic event. Such a device would offer new therapeutic options to many sufferers of epilepsy worldwide.
Development Of A Humanised Antibody For Treatment Of Cancer And Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,142.00
Summary
The protein PDGF-CC has a critical role in blood vessel development, and is implicated in the development of cancer, and the debilitating consequences of acute stroke. Researchers in the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have developed novel anti-PDGF-CC antibodies. The research program proposed will generate data and clinical reagents that will enable a lead candidate anti-PDGF-CC antibody to be commercialised, and ultimately evaluated clinically in cancer and stroke patients.
Production Of A Novel Humanised Anti Dendritic Cell Therapeutic Antibody For Graft Versus Host Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$202,500.00
Summary
A transplant of bone marrow or other source of blood stem cells from a donor is often used to treat leukaemia patients whose disease has failed to respond to chemotherapy. The Mater Medical Research Institute has developed a world first dendritic cell depleting therapeutic antibody which may open a new strategy for the control of acute graft versus host disease, which is a very common and often fatal complication of bone marrow transplantation. The new antibody treatment is also likely to be use ....A transplant of bone marrow or other source of blood stem cells from a donor is often used to treat leukaemia patients whose disease has failed to respond to chemotherapy. The Mater Medical Research Institute has developed a world first dendritic cell depleting therapeutic antibody which may open a new strategy for the control of acute graft versus host disease, which is a very common and often fatal complication of bone marrow transplantation. The new antibody treatment is also likely to be useful for the prevention of rejection in solid organ transplantation. If successful, it will selectively control graft versus host disease, without compromising the essential anti-viral immunity and desired anti-leukemia activity of the graft.Read moreRead less
Chronic infections and cancers are major causes of global disease burden. Harnessing the immune system to combat these diseases has proven difficult and cumbersome to date. We invented a new technology to boost the ability of the immune system to fight chronic infections such as AIDS and Hepatitis C. This involves using someone�s own blood treated with sets of short proteins. We term this therapy Overlapping Peptide Pulsed Autologous CelLs (OPAL). This shows great promise in robust animal models ....Chronic infections and cancers are major causes of global disease burden. Harnessing the immune system to combat these diseases has proven difficult and cumbersome to date. We invented a new technology to boost the ability of the immune system to fight chronic infections such as AIDS and Hepatitis C. This involves using someone�s own blood treated with sets of short proteins. We term this therapy Overlapping Peptide Pulsed Autologous CelLs (OPAL). This shows great promise in robust animal models. We now propose to refine this technique in animals in preparation for human clinical trials.Read moreRead less