Improving Translation Of Evidence Into Practice For Musculoskeletal Conditions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$948,684.00
Summary
Musculoskeletal conditions place a huge burden on the world’s population. Yet current trials in this field may not reflect priorities based upon this burden and few trials address well-recognised evidence-practice gaps. My fellowship will aim to transform the current ad hoc approach to Australian musculoskeletal clinical trials. It will identify the most critical unanswered questions, formulate a national research agenda, and identify best methods for optimising uptake of findings into practice.
Diabetes And Obesity: From Benchtop To Public Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$705,501.00
Summary
Obesity. Novel factors, not related to food intake or physical activity, will be explored as possible causes of obesity. The obesity paradox, in which overweight is associated with reduced mortality, will be examined. Diabetes treatment. Methods will be developed to predict which is the right drug for each individual patient. A study will test the use of nurse-led clinics. A novel insulin delivery mechanism will be developed. Novel causes and consequences of diabetes will be explored.
Meta-research: Using Research To Increase The Value Of Health And Medical Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,370.00
Summary
Improving the return on investment in health and medical research will produce more and faster discoveries that enhance the lives of all Australians. Many problems in the research process are well known and have been pervasive for decades. I will use the research process to improve the research process. I will improve Australia's health and medical research workforce and the quality of the research they produce, creating benefits in multiple fields that last long into the future.
Prof. Simes will lead and develop research at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre in collaboration with major national and international cooperative groups. Research themes include integrating molecular science with trial design and embedding research routinely in health care. Projects include surgery for rectal cancer; novel targeted therapy in gastric cancer; aspirin to prevent colon cancer; placental transfusion for preterm babies; risk in heart disease; economic assessment of clinical trials.
Enabling Technologies For Design And Delivery Of Novel Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases And Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$925,346.00
Summary
This grant will support research necessary to develop the next generation of vaccines. These will combat diseases caused by bacteria and viruses and can also be used to fight cancer. The broad range of application is made possible through the incorporation of simple molecular features that activate the immune system. The intellectual property that has been developed is protected by a patent portfolio some patents of which are already licenced to the pharmaceutical industry.
System-based Approaches To Inform The Design Of Immunotherapies And Immunodiagnostics Against Chronic Pathogens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$849,540.00
Summary
Chronic infectious diseases such as malaria are responsible for an enormous public health burden worldwide. New approaches to develop effective interventions against such pathogens are urgently required. Over the next 5 years, I will use innovative genome-based and systems-levels approaches to discover novel pathogen antigens and host immune pathways that underlie protective immunity, immunomodulatory pathways that can be then targeted for intervention, and biomarkers of immunity or disease.
Structural Biology And Therapeutic Targeting Of Proteins Involved In Infection And Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$753,300.00
Summary
Structural biology plays an essential role in uncovering how proteins function at the molecular level, and further facilitates strategies to develop therapeutics targeting the diseases these proteins are involved in. In the proposed work, I will focus on bacterial virulence factors, to develop new antibiotics and vaccination strategies, and proteins involved in innate immunity pathways, to develop therapeutics against a number of associated disorders including chronic inflammatory diseases.
Using Health Literacy (HL) Approaches To Develop And Apply Interventions To Improve Health Services And Generate Equitable Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,209.00
Summary
Health literacy is the ability to find, understand and use health information and healthcare services effectively. The Fellowship will advance the understanding of health literacy. It will determine how poor health literacy might cause health inequalities and with this information, develop and test interventions to improve the response of the healthcare system. The research will make it easier for disadvantaged and vulnerable people to get care, be understood and have their needs recognised and ....Health literacy is the ability to find, understand and use health information and healthcare services effectively. The Fellowship will advance the understanding of health literacy. It will determine how poor health literacy might cause health inequalities and with this information, develop and test interventions to improve the response of the healthcare system. The research will make it easier for disadvantaged and vulnerable people to get care, be understood and have their needs recognised and met.Read moreRead less
Targeting Glycointeractions To Generate New Opportunities To Treat And Prevent Bacterial Infections.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$774,540.00
Summary
Bacteria and bacterial toxins can interact with complex sugar structures on human cells called glycans. My research team has identified new and important glycan interactions used by bacteria that cause diseases ranging from pneumonia, meningitis and food borne infections to urinary tract and sexually transmitted diseases. Now that these interactions have been discovered, they can be exploited to create drugs and vaccines that may treat and prevent disease by blocking the glycan interactions.
Research Fellowship: Understanding G Protein-coupled Receptors (GPCRs)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$444,177.00
Summary
This project focuses on drug action at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest class of drug targets. It builds on key discoveries by the applicant that novel sites on GPCRs can be targeted by small molecules in a selective manner, thus minimizing side effects and maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Because this approach can work across most GPCR families, the relevance to the pharmaceutical industry and GPCR-related diseases, such as schizophrenia and diabetes, is very high.