Bitter Taste As A Mediator Of Food Intake And Postprandial Glycaemia In Health And Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$735,430.00
Summary
The gut “tastes” contents passing through it in a similar manner to the tongue. Recent evidence suggests that bitter substances in the gut can reduce appetite and slow the emptying of meals from the stomach, by stimulating gastrointestinal hormone release. We propose studies to understand how this system functions in health and type 2 diabetes, and whether it can be targeted to provide new diabetes treatments
How Does Inflammation Of The Gut Change Its Sensory Innervation?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$613,767.00
Summary
A large number of patients that are referred to gastroenterologists for pain and discomfort from the bowel are offered no effective treatment. This has a large impact on quality of life and often involves invasive tests to rule out inflammatory or cancerous causes. These patients are classified as suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients who have diagnosable inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) where colonoscopy is positive may suffer similar symptoms but also have no treatment for th ....A large number of patients that are referred to gastroenterologists for pain and discomfort from the bowel are offered no effective treatment. This has a large impact on quality of life and often involves invasive tests to rule out inflammatory or cancerous causes. These patients are classified as suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patients who have diagnosable inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) where colonoscopy is positive may suffer similar symptoms but also have no treatment for this type of symptom. It is becoming apparent that a large subgroup of IBS patients have undergone prior infection or inflammation, and that there are in fact changes in the types of cells in biopsies from their gut. Thus there are common features to IBS and inflammation. These may provide a means for us to find new treatments for IBS and IBD symptoms. Mice develop similar microscopic changes in the colon after experimental inflammation to those seen in humans, so we can discover more from this model. We have recently established that there are several types of sensory nerve fibres from the mouse colon and rectum that convey information about contractions, distension and chemical mediators released from tissue to the central nervous system. These are almost certainly responsible for generating symptoms in patients. We aim in this project to discover how these sensory nerves change in their responsiveness to mechanical and chemical stimuli in experimental inflammation. Importantly we shall investigate the mediators that are present in the tissue which may activate sensory nerves and-or the receptors on sensory nerves that may be increased. These experiments we hope will provide a target at which to aim novel drug treatments for symptoms of IBS and IBD.Read moreRead less
The Impact Of The Neonatal Gut Microbiome On Specific And Nonspecific Vaccine Responses.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$661,496.00
Summary
Humans are colonised by a large and diverse group of microorganisms, collectively known as the microbiome. The gut microbiome, in particular, hosts an enormous abundance and diversity of bacteria, which perform a range of essential beneficial functions. Our study will investigate whether disruption of the gut microbiome in newborns, for example through antibiotic usage or maternal diet, leads to an impairment of subsequent immune responses to childhood immunisations.
The development of vaccines and better treatments for HIV-AIDS and Hepatitis C are urgent global health priorities. This Program will undertake studies to better understand effective immunity against HIV and hepatitis C, allowing the rational design and testing of novel vaccines and treatments. The Program brings together a team of researchers with skills in basic virology and immunology with those providing expertise in translating findings in the laboratory into human clinical trials.
I am a molecular virologist researching the host response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with the aim of understanding how the liver clears HCV infection. An understanding of this process will hopefully lead to novel antiviral strategies to combat not only HCV but a broad range of other viral infections.
Hepatitis C affects a quarter of a million Australians, causing insidious but progressive liver disease which culminates in liver failure or cancer. There is no vaccine and prevention programs have limited effectiveness, but new antiviral therapies now offer high rates of cure. This Program will evaluate strategies to improve the health of those affected and prevent new infections by better understanding of the virus and the body’s immune response, including scarring and liver cancer formation.
Toll Like Receptor signalling as a mediator of sex differences in pain, opioid and alcohol action. Brain immunology will be examined in this project to see if the signalling of a receptor called Toll Like Receptor 4 can explain sex differences in pain, and the action of pain killers and alcohol. These findings will have significant implications on the understanding of male and female brains, and will assist in the design of new drugs to treat brain and spinal cord diseases.
Surface Engineered Biomaterials to Control Inflammation. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Experimental evidence demonstrates that engineered surface nanotopography in combination with surface chemistry downregulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines from primary macrophages. The significance of these findings is that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedica ....Surface Engineered Biomaterials to Control Inflammation. The overarching aim of this project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how surface nanotopography affects inflammatory responses. Experimental evidence demonstrates that engineered surface nanotopography in combination with surface chemistry downregulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines from primary macrophages. The significance of these findings is that it may be possible to engineer the nanotopography of a biomedical device surface in a manner which leads to a desired and predictable level of inflammation and subsequent foreign body reaction (FBR) medical implants and tissue engineering constructs.Read moreRead less
Using lasers to prime the immune system. This project aims to detail the precise effects that lasers have on eye cells, cell populations and the body as a whole. Laser treatments for sight problems are increasing but the effects of these laser applications on the unique immune systems of the eye and brain are unknown. Previous work of the researchers has shown that a novel nanosecond laser when targeted to the eye can alter cells in the lasered eye and in the unlasered eye and the brain. This kn ....Using lasers to prime the immune system. This project aims to detail the precise effects that lasers have on eye cells, cell populations and the body as a whole. Laser treatments for sight problems are increasing but the effects of these laser applications on the unique immune systems of the eye and brain are unknown. Previous work of the researchers has shown that a novel nanosecond laser when targeted to the eye can alter cells in the lasered eye and in the unlasered eye and the brain. This knowledge may be crucial for enhancing our understanding of the immune privileged state of the eye. In addition, it seeks to guide the development of future low energy lasers as important successful treatments.Read moreRead less
Tapasin And Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Antigen Presentation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$226,650.00
Summary
An effective T cell response (cellular immune response) to infections is vital to a functional immune system. Normally, proteins are cleaved into small molecules called peptides and these peptides are in turn presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex molecules to T cells. However, we have only partial understanding of what determines the choice of peptides that are finally presented to T cells. Recent research suggests that a molecule called tapasin may also influence the choice of peptides. ....An effective T cell response (cellular immune response) to infections is vital to a functional immune system. Normally, proteins are cleaved into small molecules called peptides and these peptides are in turn presented by Major Histocompatibility Complex molecules to T cells. However, we have only partial understanding of what determines the choice of peptides that are finally presented to T cells. Recent research suggests that a molecule called tapasin may also influence the choice of peptides. This research proposal aims to examine the role of tapasin in this regard. A thorough understanding of the basic principles of peptide presentation to T cells is crucial to the design of effective vaccines. Furthermore it will also broaden our understanding of immunological responses to cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections.Read moreRead less