A high throughput Grid based environment for real time bio-medical imaging. Together with Leica, we will build a virtual microscope facility that will provide substantial functionality not currently available in Australia. This facility will have major national and international impact on bio-medical imaging. The software solutions and infrastructure, developed as part of this program will have considerable commercial and strategic value in their own right. One guaranteed avenue for exploitation ....A high throughput Grid based environment for real time bio-medical imaging. Together with Leica, we will build a virtual microscope facility that will provide substantial functionality not currently available in Australia. This facility will have major national and international impact on bio-medical imaging. The software solutions and infrastructure, developed as part of this program will have considerable commercial and strategic value in their own right. One guaranteed avenue for exploitation of the software will clearly be through our industry partner, Leica. Importantly, our proposal consolidates a critical mass of expertise connecting biomedical with computer science, thereby addressing a well-recognised constraint that to date has limited their national and international impact.Read moreRead less
Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Plasma Cells As Novel Therapeutic Agents And Diagnostic Tools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$199,275.00
Summary
We have a new tool to identify a very rare immune cell type. This cell makes antibodies, powerful and exquisitely specific proteins that fight infection. In health, antibody-producing cells are beneficial, but in disease (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and myeloma), these cells cause disease or death. Antibody-producing cells are long-lived. We have no means to specifically deplete them. We are developing reagents to identify and deplete antibody-producing cells to use as novel therapeutic agents.
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.
Innovative visualization of next-generation biomedical images. This project addresses the difficult problems associated with managing the vast amounts of data that are currently available with advanced imaging devices and displaying these data so that the maximum amount of information can be extracted. Developing visualization capabilities for such data is not a trivial undertaking but the outcome of this research will produce enabling visualization technologies that will significantly impact th ....Innovative visualization of next-generation biomedical images. This project addresses the difficult problems associated with managing the vast amounts of data that are currently available with advanced imaging devices and displaying these data so that the maximum amount of information can be extracted. Developing visualization capabilities for such data is not a trivial undertaking but the outcome of this research will produce enabling visualization technologies that will significantly impact the life science, biomedical research and the way clinicians view and use these data for patient management. These technologies will have broad applications across biology and molecular science and will enhance Australia's leading position in the development of frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
Biocompatible Gadolinium-free Contrast Agents For Molecular Targeted MR Imaging
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,205.00
Summary
Building on the biomedical engineering of USPIOs, this project expects to generate new probing tools for non-invasive molecular imaging and affect subsequent clinical imaging through earlier and more accurate diagnosis of diseases. The project will allow the delivery of new knowledge in the emerging field of nanomedicine with high clinical translation potentials.
Rapid, Point Of Care Diagnostic Tests To Differentiate HA Subtypes In Patients Samples
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$168,293.00
Summary
A number of rapid, point-of-care tests are available for the detection of human and avian influenza types, but they vary greatly in sensitivity. In particular, these tests are based on current strains of H5 (avian) influenza, and may be unable to detect variant or pandemic strains, and negative results can give the false impression that patients do not have H5 influenza. We will develop rapid, point-of-care tests based on highly conserved parts of the virus, so that all H5 strains (current and f ....A number of rapid, point-of-care tests are available for the detection of human and avian influenza types, but they vary greatly in sensitivity. In particular, these tests are based on current strains of H5 (avian) influenza, and may be unable to detect variant or pandemic strains, and negative results can give the false impression that patients do not have H5 influenza. We will develop rapid, point-of-care tests based on highly conserved parts of the virus, so that all H5 strains (current and future) can be detected with equal sensitivity, along with the H1 and H3 strains that are currently found in man to provide a definitive diagnosis. These tests will be valuable in the identification and differentiation of pandemic influenza cases, allowing better use of public health resources, especially against a background of continuing standard (H1 and H3) influenza infections.Read moreRead less
Predicting Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Using 3D Craniofacial Photography
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,715.00
Summary
Sleep Apnoea is a common medical condition associated with snoring and collapse of the throat during sleep. Diagnosis of sleep apnoea involves an overnight sleep study in a specialised laboratory, which is expensive and time consuming. It is possible that sleep apnea could be diagnosed from a 3-dimensional photograph of the face. This study will define the relationships between sleep apnea and 3D face photographs in 956 young adults and 1,200 of their parents, and 3,000 sleep clinic patients.
In Vitro Diagnostic For First Trimester Risk Assignment Of Gestational Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,983.00
Summary
Pregnancy associated diabetes is a significant complication of pregnancy that has adverse health effects for both mother and baby. We have developed a multivariate algorithm to identify women during their first trimester of pregnancy who will subsequently develop gestational diabetes. The test requires further clinical validation to develop a commercial product and to implement it into clinical practice.
Exploring The Occurrence And Potential Associated Risk Factors For Pilchard Orthomyxovirus (POMV) In Tasmanian Farmed Atlantic Salmon
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$209,295.62
Summary
Following basic epidemiology principles, no infectious disease occurs ‘randomly’ and its occurrence follow logical and predictable patterns. The presence of an infectious agent is unlikely sufficient to explain these patterns and most aquatic diseases result from the complex interaction between the agent, the host and its environment. Therefore, the targeted outcome for a POMV control plan is threefold: 1. Decrease transmission between infected and susceptible fish groups – this requires ide ....Following basic epidemiology principles, no infectious disease occurs ‘randomly’ and its occurrence follow logical and predictable patterns. The presence of an infectious agent is unlikely sufficient to explain these patterns and most aquatic diseases result from the complex interaction between the agent, the host and its environment. Therefore, the targeted outcome for a POMV control plan is threefold: 1. Decrease transmission between infected and susceptible fish groups – this requires identifying risk factors associated with the introduction, spread, and maintenance of the pathogen within the industry; 2. Decrease the number of susceptible fish – this mainly requires identifying risk factors associated with the susceptibility of the host (e.g. husbandry-related stress) and the development of a safe and effective prophylaxis; 3. Decrease the amount of virus in the environment - this requires detecting infected fish cage(s) early to implement timely control strategies. Diagnostic capacity to confirmed POMV outbreak has been developed and is currently used in routine by the industry. A vaccine against POMV is currently under development at the Tasmanian Aquatic Animal Health and Vaccines Centre of Excellence and will be available in the future. However, little is known about risk factors specific to POMV and about its full economic impact. We define as a ‘risk factor’ any attribute of the agent, the host or its environment that increases the risk and intensity of a disease outbreak. Most of the environmental risk factors (including farming practices) facilitate the introduction, transmission, or maintenance of the pathogen; while the host risk factors affect the susceptibility of the host and its capacity to become diseased. Like the closely related ISAv, the magnitude and occurrence of POMV outbreaks appeared to be highly variable. This supports the existence of additional factors other than the POMV infection that contribute to the intensity of an outbreak. It is anticipated that by identifying and intervening on some of the manageable risk factors, the frequency and the severity of POMV outbreaks can be reduced. Objectives: 1. Describe the occurrence of POMV outbreaks in the Tasmanian salmon industry 2. Quantify the direct financial impact of POMV mortality to the Tasmanian salmon industry 3. Identify potential management, environmental and stock risk factors directly or indirectly increasing the risk and intensity of a POMV outbreaks Read moreRead less
Oxidation Of Mismatch: A New Concept For Mutation Detection Which Avoides A Separation Method In Mutation Scanning
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$143,000.00
Summary
Detection of faults (mutations) in genes is expensive but essential for proper genetic health care. Because of the cost of such tests many people are not diagnosed either through diagnostic labs or research of the cost of such tests many people are not diagnosed either through diagnostic labs or research projects. Such research projects are inhibited due to the complexity of the current methods. Current methods are complex and expensive, especially looking for a possible fault, due to what is ca ....Detection of faults (mutations) in genes is expensive but essential for proper genetic health care. Because of the cost of such tests many people are not diagnosed either through diagnostic labs or research of the cost of such tests many people are not diagnosed either through diagnostic labs or research projects. Such research projects are inhibited due to the complexity of the current methods. Current methods are complex and expensive, especially looking for a possible fault, due to what is called a preparation step on complex and expensive equipment. We will develop and commercialise a simpler test because separation is avoided.Read moreRead less