Novel Prolonged-release Polymeric Microparticles For Relief Of Intractable Cancer-related Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$796,950.00
Summary
For the 10-30% of patients with advanced cancer who experience intractable pain despite administration of large doses of morphine-like drugs by mouth or injection, more invasive dosing routes may be needed. This project will utilise innovative polymer chemistry to develop bioerodable prolonged-release polymer microparticles to deliver pain-killers into the spinal fluid near to the cells that mediate their actions, with a view to producing prolonged periods of analgesia in these patients.
We aim to develop a new class of cholesterol-lowering drugs by blocking the interaction between a protein in the blood called PCSK9 and its receptor, which is implicated in cholesterol absorption. We will do this by designing small stable peptides (mini proteins) that mimic part of the receptor and have the potential to interfere with the normal PCSK9 binding process. These drugs should be less expensive and potentially less immunogenic than competing therapies based on antibodies.
Design And Delivery Of Peptide-based Anti-cancer Grb7 Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,126.00
Summary
The Grb7 protein is overproduced in many types of cancer cells and plays a role in cancer cell growth and spread. The current proposal builds upon the discovery of a peptide-based Grb7 inhibitor that has anti-cancer activity. This proposal is to prepare more potent inhibitor molecules that can efficiently reach the target cancer cells. Such molecules will be used for the study of Grb7 and for the development of a new Grb7-based anti-cancer drug therapy.
Development Of Peptide-based Scaffolds For Intracellular Cancer Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,479,836.00
Summary
The overall aim of this project is to develop peptide-based drugs that are able to cross cell membranes and inhibit specific targets inside cells leading to more effective, safer and cost effective drugs for cancer. One potential outcome of the project will be new drug leads to treat melanoma and leukemia that are likely to be less toxic, more potent and less likely to develop resistance than current treatments.
Unraveling Fibrosis By Pharmacological Targeting Of The G Protein-coupled Receptor, RXFP1
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$798,618.00
Summary
Peptides, with their high specificity and low toxicity profiles, are highly attractive alternatives to small molecule drugs. H2 relaxin, a peptide hormone, has a strong potential for treating fibrosis. However, the large size of H2 relaxin makes it difficult and expensive to manufacture. Once administered to patients, it is also quickly degraded. We have developed a small anti-fibrotic relaxin peptide, and propose to understand its mechanism of action and improve its therapeutic indices.
Modulation Of Feeding Through Pharmacological Targeting Of The Relaxin-3 Receptor RXFP3
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$584,955.00
Summary
Relaxin-3 is a neuropeptide that regulates a number of physiological processes, including food intake, suggesting that the relaxin-3 receptor RXFP3 may be a new target for treatment of eating disorders such as obesity. This project will develop new selective and high-affinity ligands for RXFP3, which will be critical pharmacological tools for the preclinical studies and evaluation of this system.
Delivering Advanced Electrode Materials To The Clinic
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$702,604.00
Summary
This research will develop improved electrodes for interfacing neural tissue by combining the expertise of materials scientists and electrophysiologists with medical bionics researchers. This work is expected to deliver improved bionic devices to the clinic in order to treat a variety of disorders from blindness to the control of motor tremor in Parkinson's disease.
Development Of Novel Anticoagulants Inspired By Nature For Improved Ischaemic Stroke Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$716,396.00
Summary
Ischaemic stroke, caused by clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain, is the third most common cause of mortality and the leading cause of disability globally. Unfortunately, the only approved therapeutic option is ineffective for a significant proportion of stroke sufferers. This project will develop novel anticoagulants, inspired by molecules produced by blood feeding organisms, for use in more effective and safe ischaemic stroke therapy.
Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation: Optimising Treatment Of Parkinson’s Disease Using Adaptive Stimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$726,177.00
Summary
Deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for Parkinson's disease when patients’ symptoms cannot be controlled adequately using medication. Although deep brain stimulation usually improves quality of life significantly, existing devices have shortcomings that often result in poor symptom alleviation and/or undesirable side-effects. This project is aimed at developing an innovative system that automatically adjusts stimulation according to the continually fluctuating needs of each patient.
New Methods And Guidelines For The Design, Analysis And Reporting Of Cluster-crossover And Stepped Wedge Randomised Trials In Clinical And Public Health Research
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$391,258.00
Summary
Cluster crossover and stepped wedge designs have emerged recently as study designs used in clinical and public health research settings. However, despite their use there has been very little methodological assessment of the statistical analysis methods used in current practice. The proposed research will assess the correctness of current methods and will produce a toolkit of state-of-the art, defensible trial design, analysis and reporting methods for the clinical/health researcher.