A Novel Approach To Cytokine Blockade For The Treatment Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$137,700.00
Summary
Lupus is a disease of the immune system which can cause inflammation and damage to many organs and even death, often affecting young people in their prime of life. Current treatments are limited and often have undesirable side effects. Certain cells and molecules are thought to be responsible for causing lupus. This project will examine the effect of blocking one of these molecules as a means of treating lupus. It will also use gene and protein analysis of samples from lupus patients to see if r ....Lupus is a disease of the immune system which can cause inflammation and damage to many organs and even death, often affecting young people in their prime of life. Current treatments are limited and often have undesirable side effects. Certain cells and molecules are thought to be responsible for causing lupus. This project will examine the effect of blocking one of these molecules as a means of treating lupus. It will also use gene and protein analysis of samples from lupus patients to see if response to treatments can be predicted.Read moreRead less
Circulating Tumor DNA To Monitor Treatment Response And Resistance In Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,714.00
Summary
Many cancers shed small amounts of DNA into the patient’s bloodstream. Recent advances in genomic technologies now allow small levels of cancer DNA to be accurately measured in the peripheral blood. Changes in DNA levels have the potential to be used as specific markers of disease progression and/or response to cancer therapy. This project will evaluate if this DNA can be measured from a simple blood test to serially follow patients receiving treatment for mantle cell lymphoma.
Use Of Circulating Tumour DNA To Characterise The Mutational Landscape Of Marginal Zone Lymphoma, Monitor Treatment Response And Detect Emergence Of Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$128,224.00
Summary
Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) is a subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma for which the molecular drivers of disease are poorly understood. We hypothesise that circulating tumour DNA may be ideal for characterising the genetic mutations that underpin MZL, monitoring treatment response and detecting emergence of resistance. This non-invasive method of disease monitoring has the potential to transform management of cancers such as MZL, identify new treatment options and improve survival outcomes.
Circulating Tumour DNA As A Personalized Biomarker In ER Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
This PhD aims to study the use of liquid biopsies for disease monitoring in metastatic estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Liquid biopsies involve looking for circulating cancer-specific genetic material in the blood stream. Through the use of liquid biopsies, we hope to understand genetic differences and heterogeneity within metastatic breast cancer; identify potential therapeutic targets; and examine the mechanisms of treatment resistance to facilitate personalised cancer therapy.
Application Of New Chemistry Approaches For Antimalarial Drug Discovery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$74,263.00
Summary
Malaria kills approximately one million people annually. Currently there no vaccine and many of the available drugs are becoming less effective due the resistance of this highly adaptable parasite. My aim is to develop new chemical classes of drugs that inhibit different targets in the malaria parasite to the currently available drugs. In addition to this I aim to improve the present systems for assessing antimalarial drug effects using new chemical approaches and live parasite assays.
Application Of Machine Learning Techniques To Disease Surveillance To Identify Risk Groups For Blood Borne Viruses And Sexually Transmissible Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$76,365.00
Summary
Electronic medical records from general practice are used to provide clinically detailed disease surveillance data to inform public health decisions. Risk factor information is not systematically recorded making it difficult to identify risk groups using these data. This PhD will improve surveillance by applying new data science methods to de-identified electronic medical records from general practice to better identify risk groups for blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections.
Pathophysiological Decision-making In Children With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder And Tic Disorders: Action-selection And Imaging Correlates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
Why is it that a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has trouble deciding whether or not to wash their hands? We scanned the brains of teenagers with OCD while they made decisions and found that they had difficulty using cues in their environment to direct choices. This may be an early vulnerability for the development of the disorder that could guide prevention. We plan to check if that difficulty is present in younger children with OCD and their family members.
SFRP4 As A Novel Diagnostic And Therapeutic Target For Gastric Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$137,700.00
Summary
Gastric cancer is a common cancer with poor survival, but is and potentially curable when diagnosed at an early stage. However currently there are no non-invasive markers for the early detection of gastric cancer, and treatments for advanced cancer are limited. Secreted frizzled related protein 4 (SFRP4) is a protein that is thought to play a role in invasion of gastric cancer. This study will investigate the utility SFRP4 as a diagnostic test and possible therapeutic for gastric cancer.