Insult, Injury And Recovery In Brain Disease: From Molecules To Therapeutic Outcome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,215,611.00
Summary
When nerve cells are damaged, destroyed or injured, through disease or trauma, common pathological processes are set in train. Even though there are many factors that might trigger disease, these inevitably lead to common processes that end in cell death or initiate protective processes. One theme involves the factors that surround these responses to nerve injury and stress, and the consequent protective and regenerative responses that ensue. Another theme, closely integrates with the first, is ....When nerve cells are damaged, destroyed or injured, through disease or trauma, common pathological processes are set in train. Even though there are many factors that might trigger disease, these inevitably lead to common processes that end in cell death or initiate protective processes. One theme involves the factors that surround these responses to nerve injury and stress, and the consequent protective and regenerative responses that ensue. Another theme, closely integrates with the first, is to exploit basic biological mechanisms with the aim of identifying and developing therapeutic targets for the management of a wider range of neurological conditions.Read moreRead less
Regulation Of Neural Cell Production In The Normal And Diseased Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,888,658.00
Summary
Members of this team are at the forefront of research into the molecular control of nerve cell production and function in the developing and adult brain. They were responsible, often through collaboration, for many of the major discoveries demonstrating that stem cells in the brain of adult animals can generate new nerve cells; this revolutionised our concept of the brain and opened-up the possibility of therapeutic repair of neural damage through stimulation of a patient?s own stem cells. Disco ....Members of this team are at the forefront of research into the molecular control of nerve cell production and function in the developing and adult brain. They were responsible, often through collaboration, for many of the major discoveries demonstrating that stem cells in the brain of adult animals can generate new nerve cells; this revolutionised our concept of the brain and opened-up the possibility of therapeutic repair of neural damage through stimulation of a patient?s own stem cells. Discovering the molecular mechanisms controlling this process is the goal of the present program. In order to achieve this aim we have formed a team on the basis of considerable past success, as well as future requirements. The team members have the complementary skills to assess all aspects of the problem, including crucial functional and clinical expertise. By combining resources we will position ourselves at the very forefront of the international competition to discover and to evaluate clinically the molecular mechanisms underlying neural repair and regeneration. This is of enormous significance in determining how we best treat stroke, injury and other neurodegenerative diseases in the next 10 years, and will lead to the development of new therapeutics of immense value. The team will use innovative approaches such as cell-sorting to obtain pure populations of stem cells and their progeny in order to identify new therapeutic targets; these will then be validated in animal models of neurological disease. Since team members have previously been involved in progressing molecular discovery to clinical trials, we are also in a good position to exploit these discoveries in partnership with the biopharmaceutical industry.Read moreRead less
Development And Refinement Of Neural Connections In The Adult Brain In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,061,596.00
Summary
Our group will use innovative approaches such as advanced imaging and cell-sorting and development of animal models to determine how new neurons are generated, how they travel to different parts of the brain and how they integrate into the existing brain circuitry. These discoveries will point to new ways in which to treat brain damage both during ageing and during pathology. Since team members have previously been involved in progressing molecular discovery to clinical trials, we are also in a ....Our group will use innovative approaches such as advanced imaging and cell-sorting and development of animal models to determine how new neurons are generated, how they travel to different parts of the brain and how they integrate into the existing brain circuitry. These discoveries will point to new ways in which to treat brain damage both during ageing and during pathology. Since team members have previously been involved in progressing molecular discovery to clinical trials, we are also in a good position to exploit these discoveries in partnership with the biopharmaceutical industry.Read moreRead less
The immune system plays an important role in protecting the host from viral and bacterial infections, and inhibits cancer onset and progression. Unfortunately the immune system can sometimes lose specificity and attack the host resulting in autoimmune diseases such as diabetes. This research team has played a vital role in characterising the specific activities of immune cells and the associated factors. By understanding these complex processes the team aims to harness the unique therapeutic pro ....The immune system plays an important role in protecting the host from viral and bacterial infections, and inhibits cancer onset and progression. Unfortunately the immune system can sometimes lose specificity and attack the host resulting in autoimmune diseases such as diabetes. This research team has played a vital role in characterising the specific activities of immune cells and the associated factors. By understanding these complex processes the team aims to harness the unique therapeutic properties of our own immune system and translate their findings into the clinic.Read moreRead less
Host Parasite Interactions: Disease, Pathogenesis And Control
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$13,738,897.00
Summary
Our program will investigate two major global parasitic diseases: malaria and leishmaniasis. We will explore how the parasites identify and invade the host. This is a critical stage of the infection and we will characterise proteins involved as they are potential targets for drugs and vaccines against the parasites. Many of these recognition and interaction components are excellent candidates for the development of vaccines to interrupt the cycle of infection. We are also unravelling metabolic p ....Our program will investigate two major global parasitic diseases: malaria and leishmaniasis. We will explore how the parasites identify and invade the host. This is a critical stage of the infection and we will characterise proteins involved as they are potential targets for drugs and vaccines against the parasites. Many of these recognition and interaction components are excellent candidates for the development of vaccines to interrupt the cycle of infection. We are also unravelling metabolic pathways unique to the parasites using a mixture of genetic and computational tools complemented with sophisticated instrumentation to chemically identify the parasite�s entire repertoire of metabolic compounds. These pathways, absent from human hosts, are also highly vulnerable and we will feed the key steps into the drug development facet of the program. Our program also looks at how the parasites cause disease and how the host responds to the disease. We will explore the reactions of the immune system to infection and consequences of the body�s (often only partially successful) attempts to fight off the disease.Read moreRead less
Immune Regulation, Effector Function And Human Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$11,474,346.00
Summary
The immune system plays an important role in protecting the host from viral and bacterial infections, and inhibits cancer onset and progression. Immune processes proceed through specialised cells in conjunction with soluble factors such as inteferons and interleukins. These soluble factors can regulate the activities of immune cells, and inhibit the growth and survival of aberrant (virus infected, cancer) cells. Unfortunately, the immune system can sometimes lose specificity and attack the host, ....The immune system plays an important role in protecting the host from viral and bacterial infections, and inhibits cancer onset and progression. Immune processes proceed through specialised cells in conjunction with soluble factors such as inteferons and interleukins. These soluble factors can regulate the activities of immune cells, and inhibit the growth and survival of aberrant (virus infected, cancer) cells. Unfortunately, the immune system can sometimes lose specificity and attack the host, resulting in autoimmune diseases such as diabetes. This research team has played a vital role in characterising the specific activities of immune cells and the associated factors. Importantly, they are deciphering the intricate communication networks of these immune components and dissecting their modes of action. By understanding these complex processes, the team aims to harness the unique therapeutic properties of our own immune system and translate their findings into the clinic. The team is developing new immune-based therapies for use, either alone or in combination with existing chemotherapies to fight debilitating human diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disease.Read moreRead less
Antibodies are made by B-cells and are essential for a functional immune system. B cells circulate in the body, and, when they encounter an invader, they mature into antibody-producing cells (ASC). A small proportion of the cells become “memory” cells with the potential to become ASC should the same infection occur in the future. This is the basis of vaccination. This program aims to understand how a B cell changes into an ASC. We aim eventually to be able to improve vaccines and understand dise ....Antibodies are made by B-cells and are essential for a functional immune system. B cells circulate in the body, and, when they encounter an invader, they mature into antibody-producing cells (ASC). A small proportion of the cells become “memory” cells with the potential to become ASC should the same infection occur in the future. This is the basis of vaccination. This program aims to understand how a B cell changes into an ASC. We aim eventually to be able to improve vaccines and understand diseases such as allergy, lupus, arthritis and leukaemia to develop novel therapies.Read moreRead less