Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Spontaneous Onset Of Human Labour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,156.00
Summary
The single most important complication contributing to poor pregnancy and neonatal outcome is premature birth. If we are to provide the best possible start to life, improve perinatal health and reduce the risk of developing adult disease . A better understanding of labour is requisite to improving health care delivery during pregnancy and outcomes for both mother and baby. This reserach project will investigate the how labour-associated events are reguluated by nuclear proteins.
Characterisation Of Immune Regulators In The Human Myometrium.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,285.00
Summary
Premature birth is a major cause of perinatal death and morbidity. It further predisposes the individual to increased morbidity throughout life. Although the mechanism of birth has been heavily researched with an objective of preventing preterm babies, it is still not fully understood. A major problem has been the lack of suitable and accessible animal models. A key organ coordinating the birth event is the uterine smooth muscle, myometrium. For effective birth and delivery, the myometrium needs ....Premature birth is a major cause of perinatal death and morbidity. It further predisposes the individual to increased morbidity throughout life. Although the mechanism of birth has been heavily researched with an objective of preventing preterm babies, it is still not fully understood. A major problem has been the lack of suitable and accessible animal models. A key organ coordinating the birth event is the uterine smooth muscle, myometrium. For effective birth and delivery, the myometrium needs to be contracting synchronously in a coordinated manner to dilate the cervix while pushing the fetus into position for eventual delivery through the birth canal. This project aims to characterise the molecular events occurring at the myometrium which precedes and precipitates labour. These local changes will be linked with the systemic hormonal changes in order to approach a model for human parturition.Read moreRead less
A Double Blind Randomised Placebo Controlled Trial Of Melatonin As An Adjuvant Agent In Induction Of Labour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,566.00
Summary
Induction of labour, a common obstetric intervention fails in almost 40% of first time mothers. There is evidence to suggest that the endogenous hormone melatonin has important roles in the progress of labour. We will undertake a double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial of melatonin supplementation to improve the success of induction of labour in first time mothers. We will also assess the economic impact of melatonin supplementation at induction of labour.
The Mechanisms That Regulate The Onset Of Human Labour And Delivery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$528,170.00
Summary
Reproductive biologists still cannot explain the molecular mechanisms that govern human birth. This lack of knowledge prevents the development of better moitoring and treament of complications of labour and delivery. If we are to provide the best possible start to life and improve newborn health care delivery then we must: (1) better understand what triggers labour; (2) determine whether there are biomarkers that we can use to identify women at risk of early birth; and (3) identify new ways to d ....Reproductive biologists still cannot explain the molecular mechanisms that govern human birth. This lack of knowledge prevents the development of better moitoring and treament of complications of labour and delivery. If we are to provide the best possible start to life and improve newborn health care delivery then we must: (1) better understand what triggers labour; (2) determine whether there are biomarkers that we can use to identify women at risk of early birth; and (3) identify new ways to delay birth. This is the overall objective of this research project. In particular, this project focuses on how the multiple events needed to achieve a successful outcome to pregnancy are coordinated at the time of birth.Read moreRead less
Managing an ageing population for income adequacy and fiscal sustainability. This project aims to improve understanding of the impacts of existing key reforms intended to ease fiscal pressures associated with population ageing. The right mix of retirement income policies is vital to Australia's fiscal sustainability, however the effectiveness of existing policies is unknown. The project expects to identify impacts of key reforms on employment, re-training, income, savings and future retirement i ....Managing an ageing population for income adequacy and fiscal sustainability. This project aims to improve understanding of the impacts of existing key reforms intended to ease fiscal pressures associated with population ageing. The right mix of retirement income policies is vital to Australia's fiscal sustainability, however the effectiveness of existing policies is unknown. The project expects to identify impacts of key reforms on employment, re-training, income, savings and future retirement income and public pension receipt. The project will develop a new tax records-based dataset to facilitate future research on tax and welfare systems.Read moreRead less
The Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms In The Initaition Of Human Labour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$460,904.00
Summary
Being born too early is the major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality and accounts for the majority of neonatal deaths. The aim of this project is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in premature birth with a view to future development of clinically useful interventions to reduce the high rates of mortality and long-term disability.
The impact of income support design on the outcomes of children and youth. This project aims to assess how children from low-income families are affected by welfare policy design in Australia – specifically, by policy intended to influence welfare payment receipt and workforce participation of their parent(s). Causal impacts of policy design on children will be identified and evaluated using unique administrative and survey data, and treating recent welfare reforms in Australia as natural experi ....The impact of income support design on the outcomes of children and youth. This project aims to assess how children from low-income families are affected by welfare policy design in Australia – specifically, by policy intended to influence welfare payment receipt and workforce participation of their parent(s). Causal impacts of policy design on children will be identified and evaluated using unique administrative and survey data, and treating recent welfare reforms in Australia as natural experiments.. This will be the first comprehensive Australian analysis of intergenerational impacts of welfare policy design.Read moreRead less
Human Capital, Cognitive Skills and Labour Market Outcomes. As Australia competes in the ‘educational race,’ this project will generate new knowledge on the relationship between education, skill attainment and economic outcomes in Australia. The research will provide new empirical evidence on cognitive and non-cognitive skills formation over the life-cycle, and the relationship between these skills and labour market outcomes in Australia within the broader international context. The research wil ....Human Capital, Cognitive Skills and Labour Market Outcomes. As Australia competes in the ‘educational race,’ this project will generate new knowledge on the relationship between education, skill attainment and economic outcomes in Australia. The research will provide new empirical evidence on cognitive and non-cognitive skills formation over the life-cycle, and the relationship between these skills and labour market outcomes in Australia within the broader international context. The research will advance methodological techniques for the economic analysis of cognitive skills and their economic impacts. The research will inform public policy formulation relating to educational attainment, skill development, and strategies to encourage longer workforce engagement over the life-cycle.Read moreRead less
Understanding The Regulation Of HERG Potassium Channel In The Myometrium At The Time Of Labour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,661.00
Summary
We have shown that a potassium channel known as hERG falls precipitously at the time of term labour and that blocking this channel causes powerful uterine contractions. This grant will determine how the expression of this channel is regulated in the myometrium and whether changes in hERG channels also occur in premature labour.