A Life Course Approach To Characterising And Predicting Inactivity And Sedentary Behaviour Of Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$302,006.00
Summary
Poor activity habits are expected to overtake smoking as the leading preventable cause of health burden in Australia. Poor activity habits increase the risk for a shorter life and many health problems such as heart disease, some cancers and diabetes. Young adulthood is an important time for individuals to develop their lifestyle habits. This study will provide the first detailed description of the inactivity habits of Australians in their early 20s and factors we can target before adulthood to e ....Poor activity habits are expected to overtake smoking as the leading preventable cause of health burden in Australia. Poor activity habits increase the risk for a shorter life and many health problems such as heart disease, some cancers and diabetes. Young adulthood is an important time for individuals to develop their lifestyle habits. This study will provide the first detailed description of the inactivity habits of Australians in their early 20s and factors we can target before adulthood to encourage healthy habits.Read moreRead less
Understanding The Acute And Cumulative Metabolic Effects Of Prolonged Sitting In Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,597.00
Summary
Sedentary behaviour (sitting time) has been linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and obesity, but recent evidence suggests that light-intensity activity (non-exercise activities of daily living) is associated with reduced risk. These studies will examine whether breaking up sitting time with frequent short periods of activity can overcome the negative effects of prolonged sitting on blood glucose and blood fats in overweight older adults.
Exposure To Diesel Exhaust And Lung Cancer Risk In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$581,519.00
Summary
Exposure to diesel exhaust increases the risk of lung cancer. One in five Australians is exposed to diesel exhaust in the workplace. This project will provide an exposure-response relation between diesel exhaust and lung cancer based on Australia-specific data. We will also estimate the number of lung cancer cases due to diesel exhaust exposure in Australia. We will do this by studying all miners in WA in the last 15 years, by linking several databases that are available in WA.
One of the current challenges in public health is to translate the progress from the Human Genome Project into reduced morbidity and mortality from disease. Once genetic defects are characterised, knowledge about the variability in severity of disease in mutation carriers, is important from a public health perspective. Hereditary Haemochromatosis (HH) is a common genetic disorder of iron overload that results in a wide spectrum of disease, varying from non-specific symptoms to severe damage to l ....One of the current challenges in public health is to translate the progress from the Human Genome Project into reduced morbidity and mortality from disease. Once genetic defects are characterised, knowledge about the variability in severity of disease in mutation carriers, is important from a public health perspective. Hereditary Haemochromatosis (HH) is a common genetic disorder of iron overload that results in a wide spectrum of disease, varying from non-specific symptoms to severe damage to liver, heart, pancreas and joints from iron deposition. It is easily treatable by regular blood donation, and population-based screening for HH has therefore been advocated. In this study we aim to address gaps in the existing data on HH regarding dietary and lifestyle factors that contribute to the variable clinical picture of HH. The study will be based on the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, a cohort of 31,500 men and women who have been followed for approximately 10 years. Information on dietary and lifestyle factors was collected at initial enrollment, along with a blood specimen. We will test all non-Southern European participants (31,176) for the common HH mutations in the HFE gene and then select a subgroup of 1150 people, including all people with the main genetic defect as well as a comparison group, for further clinical followup. Participants will have genetic counselling and informed consent will be obtained. Participants will complete a short questionnaire and give a blood sample for measurement of iron overload, liver function, and other relevant blood tests, then undergo a brief clinical examination. Results of all tests will be given at a followup visit by genetic counsellor or physician. This study will provide important data on natural history of HH risk factors that influence variability in clinical presentation and the association of HFE mutations with chronic diseases and all cause mortality.Read moreRead less
Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection. Competition between the sperm of two males within a single female has had profound implications for the evolution of male reproductive biology and behaviour. However, the reasons why females should mate with more than one male and thus generate sperm competition remains an evolutionary puzzle. Few studies have examined sperm competition from the female perspective and indeed, female perspectives are currently the subject of considerable debate. Using in ....Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection. Competition between the sperm of two males within a single female has had profound implications for the evolution of male reproductive biology and behaviour. However, the reasons why females should mate with more than one male and thus generate sperm competition remains an evolutionary puzzle. Few studies have examined sperm competition from the female perspective and indeed, female perspectives are currently the subject of considerable debate. Using insects as models I will examine the benefits of sperm competition for females and thereby the selective pressures that favour multiple mating. Moreover, I will determine whether sexual selection can act after copulation.Read moreRead less
Sperm competition and the evolution of ejaculates. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will foster a world-class centre for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. Through the development of IVF techniques in frogs, the research has the potential ....Sperm competition and the evolution of ejaculates. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will foster a world-class centre for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. Through the development of IVF techniques in frogs, the research has the potential to contribute to conservation outcomes for Australia's native frog fauna via captive breeding programs. The research groups connections with local infertility clinics has the potential to inform those studying human sperm in a time of growing concern over rising human infertility. Read moreRead less
The evolution of female mating frequency and its consequences. This project explores the evolutionary significance of female mating frequency for male and female reproductive biology. The research proposes to use innovative approaches to examine the evolution of ejaculate characteristics, will focus on the evolution of sperm form and function, and will examine the fitness benefits of promiscuity from the females' perspective. The research uses both vertebrates and invertebrates as model organi ....The evolution of female mating frequency and its consequences. This project explores the evolutionary significance of female mating frequency for male and female reproductive biology. The research proposes to use innovative approaches to examine the evolution of ejaculate characteristics, will focus on the evolution of sperm form and function, and will examine the fitness benefits of promiscuity from the females' perspective. The research uses both vertebrates and invertebrates as model organisms to test predictions and assumptions of theoretical models relevant to both internal and external modes of fertilization. The design of this project will allow cutting-edge, theoretically informed and experimentally grounded conclusions to be drawn regarding selection under sperm competition.Read moreRead less
Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection: answering fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will build on an existing world-class centre of excellence for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. The researc ....Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection: answering fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. This research will yield results that are at the cutting-edge in evolutionary biology, that will have a significant international impact, promoting the international profile of Australian science. The award will build on an existing world-class centre of excellence for research, and will train internationally competitive research scientists, adding to Australia's scientific capabilities. The research centre's connections with local fertility clinics, and their work on human sperm quality, has the potential to inform those studying human fertility.Read moreRead less
Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects on offspring fitness. This project aims to unravel the evolutionary importance of ejaculate-mediated paternal effects, through which paternal lifestyle factors, such as diet and exposure to toxicants, influence offspring growth and health independently of genes. By identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying these non-genetic sources of inheritance, their adaptive value, and their potential to fuel evolutionary change, the project expects to generate new k ....Ejaculate-mediated paternal effects on offspring fitness. This project aims to unravel the evolutionary importance of ejaculate-mediated paternal effects, through which paternal lifestyle factors, such as diet and exposure to toxicants, influence offspring growth and health independently of genes. By identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying these non-genetic sources of inheritance, their adaptive value, and their potential to fuel evolutionary change, the project expects to generate new knowledge that will be relevant across the biological, medical and agricultural sectors. Expected outcomes and benefits include building institutional and interdisciplinary collaborations and the development of tools to understand the evolutionary impacts of paternal lifestyle choices for offspring traits.Read moreRead less