Micropapillary Adenocarcinoma: The Emergence Of A Discrete Lung Cancer Phenotype And Its Genomic And Transcriptomic Characterization.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$117,565.00
Summary
I believe I can describe a new subtype of lung cancer, which has never been classified by the World Health Organization. This has been previously mis-classified or simply ignored. My hypothesis is that this is a distinct disease by virtue of patterns of genetic abnormalities as well as features visible under the microscope. I also believe it is one of the most aggressive cancers and needs new treatments.
Translating Molecular Pathology Into Cancer Diagnostics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,285,520.00
Summary
Precision oncology, the treatment of cancer patients selected with a particular molecular characteristic (biomarker) matched to a therapy, has transformed the treatment of cancer patients. However, many biomarkers used for clinical care are not reliable and do not perform their role. I will translate new research tests from fundamental discovery, clinical trials and the development of novel diagnostics using innovative high throughput laboratory technologies to enhance patient outcomes.
An In Vitro Pipeline For Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers For Cancer Diagnosis And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,764,215.00
Summary
A droplet of blood contains information whether a person has cancer, the stage of the cancer and how their response to treatment. The proposed research will employ ultrasensitive detection technologies to analyse so-called biomarkers released from cancer cells. We will use lab-based models of cancer, generated with a 3D bioprinter, to learn what biomarkers tell us about cancer type and response to drugs. This knowledge is urgently needed for early cancer detection and better cancer treatment.
Methods For Evaluating The Therapeutic Impact Of Diagnostic Tests - Development Of Guidelines
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$132,325.00
Summary
New diagnostic tests are frequently adopted in clinical practice without any evidence that they improve patient outcomes. This project will produce the first guidelines about the role and optimal design of studies assessing the impact of a new test on therapeutic decisions for conclusions about its clinical value. This work will inform researchers and clinicians to improve evidence-based diagnostic practice and promote the more efficient use of limited health care resources.
Novel Fluorogenic Probes For The Selective Detection Of Pathogenic Bacteria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,489.00
Summary
Current methods for the detection of multi-resistant organisms either require expensive instrumentation and expert analysts or are simple, but require 24-48 hours for bacterial identification. The ideal surveillance method would be cost effective, rapid, reliable, and simple to perform. This project aims to prepare a range of fluorescent substrates for incorporation into growth media which will then be evaluated for the specific identification of individual multi-resistant organisms, e.g. MRSA.
Systems-based Study, Intervention, Diagnosis And Control Of Gastrointestinal Parasites
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,538,220.00
Summary
Gastrointestinal parasites cause billions of infections and hundreds of thousand of deaths globally each year. Even in developed countries, these parasites remain an important public health risk, through the cost of their control, the acute impacts of infection and their contribution to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue. My team employs cutting-edge methods to improve their diagnosis, surveillance, treatment and control.
Organ transplantation is the measure of last resort for patients with organ failure. While this is a life-saving procedure, the long-term survival of transplant recipients depends on maintaining the new organ without rejecting it. The proposed research will create novel test systems that allow both patients and clinicians to monitor the concentration of the drugs required to suppress organ rejection. Such a test will reduce the cost of treatment and increase the long term survival of patients.
A Nanomedicine Strategy For Detecting And Modulating Protease Activity In Vivo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$455,534.00
Summary
Protease enzymes are vitally important for normal bodily function but can play a deleterious role in many diseases such as cancer, aging diseases and eye diseases. The proposed research will provide a nanomedicine solution to the detection and therapeutic control of protease activity in vivo using nanoporous optical devices that are benign to the body. This general strategy for will be demonstrated in eyes with a view to detection and treating the eye disease uveitis.
My research team is focused on human parasites of major relevance to the Australian water industry and/or global public health. Our primary focus is the use of advanced technologies to improve understanding of these parasites and to utilize this information to underpin development of new drugs to treat them and novel diagnostic tests to improve their control.
Field-based Evaluation Of A Novel Magneto-optical Technique To Diagnose Malaria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$637,411.00
Summary
Highly sensitive and low-cost and rapid malaria diagnosis is crucial for renewed efforts to eliminate the disease. We have developed a magneto-optic technique that can diagnose the presence of malaria parasites in blood samples within minutes, with a sensitivity approaching that of high-tech molecular methods that are not applicable at point of care. Here we propose to take this method from the laboratory to clinical settings in malaria endemic countries to directly evaluate its performance.