Modulating Inflammatory And Fibrogenic Pathways In Kidney Disease Using A Novel Antagonist Of Protease-Activated-Receptor-2
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$581,116.00
Summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) now affects 10% of adults in industrialised countries. Current treatments are largely ineffective. Thus developing better CKD treatments will have substantial public health benefit. Three well established and clinically relevant animal models of kidney disease will be used to test the ability of a new experimental anti-inflammatory drug, developed by members of this research team at The University of Queensland, to prevent or lessen the progression of CKD.
Functional Nano-cement Scaffolds For The Treatment Of Osteoporotic Bone Defects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
Osteoporosis affects 1.2 million Australians and will cost $33.6 billion by 2022. This study aims to develop a novel nano-cement platform for custom-designed bone repair in osteoporosis, by using purpose-designed nanomaterials and advanced 3D printing technique. The research findings will lead to the development of a new bone repair strategy, expand knowledge on both biomaterials engineering and osteoporosis treatment, and improve the quality of life of Australians.
A Fibroin-based Prosthetic Bruch's Membrane For The Treatment Of Age-related Macular Degeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,080.00
Summary
Our aim is to develop a new therapy for the treatment of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in our ageing population. The novelty of our therapy resides in using a protein derived from silk fibers (fibroin), to rebuild a healthy barrier between the outermost layer of the retina and adjacent blood vessels. We expect that the findings from this study will eventually lead to better outcomes for patients with AMD.
Role Of IGF Binding Protein-3 (IGFBP-3) And IGFBP-5 As Modulators Of Nuclear Hormone Signalling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,750.00
Summary
The insulin-like growth factors are small proteins involved in the growth of most tissues. Their actions are regulated by binding to larger proteins (known as IGFBPs) in the bloodstream and outside the cell. However, some IGFBPs are also found inside cells, where they seem to carry out other functions. We believe that two of these binding proteins, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, change the way cells respond to vitamin A and vitamin D. These two vitamins are important in cell growth and in the way certain ....The insulin-like growth factors are small proteins involved in the growth of most tissues. Their actions are regulated by binding to larger proteins (known as IGFBPs) in the bloodstream and outside the cell. However, some IGFBPs are also found inside cells, where they seem to carry out other functions. We believe that two of these binding proteins, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, change the way cells respond to vitamin A and vitamin D. These two vitamins are important in cell growth and in the way certain cells perform specialised functions. In test-tube experiments, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 interact directly with the receptors that regulate the effects of these hormones. If the same thing happens inside the cell, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 could change the way these receptors respond to signals from outside the cell. We will investigate what effect these IGFBPs have in living cells and in whole animals and how this may relate to human disease. If we are able to understand how IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 affect the way cells respond to vitamin A and D, then we may be able to develop new ways to treat certain human diseases.Read moreRead less
Whole Body Vibration For Osteoporosis: Shaking Up Our Treatment Options
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$961,017.00
Summary
Our aim is to examine the ability of vibration alone and in combination with osteoporosis drugs to reduce hip fracture in postmenopausal women. In Australia, 1 in 2 women >60yrs, will sustain an osteoporotic fracture. Only drugs notably decrease fracture; however none are entirely effective and some patients don’t respond. Whole body vibration has emerged as a potentially effective therapy. A combination of vibration and drugs may enhance the effects of both and revolutionise treatment.
Why Is The Bone Marrow A “hot-spot” For Myeloma Plasma Cell Metastasis: Are There Gremlins In The System?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$651,979.00
Summary
Most cancer patients die because their cancer spreads from a primary site to other tissues in the body. Once escaping the primary site, 70% of all tumours will spread to bone. This raises the question, why is bone a preferred destination for cancer cells? We provide evidence that Gremlin1, made by non-cancer cells within bone, is a key protein that supports cancer growth. This study will examine whether inhibiting Gremlin1 is a potential therapy to inhibit cancer spreading to bone.
Control of actin assembly by cell-cell adhesion: molecular effectors and higher order function. Functional cooperation between the actin cytoskeleton and cadherin cell-cell adhesion molecules plays critical roles during development and morphogenesis. This proposal builds on my lab's recent discovery that E-cadherin interacts with and regulates the Arp2/3 actin nucleator complex, a central determinant of actin assembly in cells. We will explore key implications of this finding, concentrating on d ....Control of actin assembly by cell-cell adhesion: molecular effectors and higher order function. Functional cooperation between the actin cytoskeleton and cadherin cell-cell adhesion molecules plays critical roles during development and morphogenesis. This proposal builds on my lab's recent discovery that E-cadherin interacts with and regulates the Arp2/3 actin nucleator complex, a central determinant of actin assembly in cells. We will explore key implications of this finding, concentrating on defining the molecular mechanisms that regulate Arp2/3 and actin assembly in cadherin-based adhesion. Our work combines molecular characterization of regulatory mechanisms and proteomic searches for new regulators, with tests of the higher-order function of this novel process in cell adhesion and recognition.Read moreRead less
Balancing cadherin-actin cooperation: the key regulatory role of Ena/VASP proteins. This project analyses a fundamental mechanism of how cells work together in tissues. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of how cells work will provide important basic scientific information to enrich the scientific expertise in Australia and its part in the international community, generate insights relevant for understanding human disease and physical degeneration, and support the training of young scienti ....Balancing cadherin-actin cooperation: the key regulatory role of Ena/VASP proteins. This project analyses a fundamental mechanism of how cells work together in tissues. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of how cells work will provide important basic scientific information to enrich the scientific expertise in Australia and its part in the international community, generate insights relevant for understanding human disease and physical degeneration, and support the training of young scientists in Australia.Read moreRead less
Tissue tension homeostasis by junctional mechanosensing. This project examines how tissues use mechanical tension to preserve their integrity. This comes from the recent appreciation that cells pull on the connections between each other to generate tension. Further, molecular mechanisms exist for cells to sense changes in this tension and then to enlist the appropriate responses to restore tension. The project aims to test how local changes in tension are detected and corrected, when tissue inte ....Tissue tension homeostasis by junctional mechanosensing. This project examines how tissues use mechanical tension to preserve their integrity. This comes from the recent appreciation that cells pull on the connections between each other to generate tension. Further, molecular mechanisms exist for cells to sense changes in this tension and then to enlist the appropriate responses to restore tension. The project aims to test how local changes in tension are detected and corrected, when tissue integrity is compromised by very different causes. The project endeavours to establish a new conceptual paradigm for understanding tissue homeostasis, based on cell biology and biomechanics, with implications for developmental biology and tissue engineering.Read moreRead less
Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating neuronal fusion. Neurons are tightly connected individual cells that communicate through chemical and electrical signals, and this project aims to discover the key molecules that allow these cells to remain as individual units without fusing with each other. The nervous system, unlike other tissues, is made of discrete individual cells, connected by chemical and electrical synapses but not by cytoplasmic continuity. However, how this is achieved ....Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating neuronal fusion. Neurons are tightly connected individual cells that communicate through chemical and electrical signals, and this project aims to discover the key molecules that allow these cells to remain as individual units without fusing with each other. The nervous system, unlike other tissues, is made of discrete individual cells, connected by chemical and electrical synapses but not by cytoplasmic continuity. However, how this is achieved and how neurons maintain their individuality during development, remodelling and ageing is unknown. The project aims to address this gap using a genetic approach and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental system. The results may provide insights into how the nervous system develops and functions.Read moreRead less