METHODS - A Randomised Controlled Trial Of METhotrexate To Treat Hand Osteoarthritis With Synovitis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$770,014.00
Summary
Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is common, but has no treatment. Almost 50% of people with hand OA will have joint swelling (synovitis). The hand joint of people with synovitis are 3.5 times more likely to experience joint destruction within as little as 2 years. Drugs used to treat synovitis may reduce pain and joint destruction. We propose that treating patients with symptomatic hand OA and synovitis with the anti-synovitis drug, methotrexate, will be a major medical advance.
Information Encoding By Temporal Structure Of Afferent Spike Trains
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$231,175.00
Summary
Our ability to sense, discriminate and interpret touch stimuli underpins some of the most crucial functions of the human hand that relate to object exploration and manipulation. The fundamental mechanism of how nerve impulses generated by tactile receptors are interpreted by the nervous system is not understood. Only by discovering the underlying neural encoding mechanisms can we appreciate the functional impairments in patients and learn to identify them before they become widespread and irreve ....Our ability to sense, discriminate and interpret touch stimuli underpins some of the most crucial functions of the human hand that relate to object exploration and manipulation. The fundamental mechanism of how nerve impulses generated by tactile receptors are interpreted by the nervous system is not understood. Only by discovering the underlying neural encoding mechanisms can we appreciate the functional impairments in patients and learn to identify them before they become widespread and irreversible.Read moreRead less
Effective Sensory Rehabilitation After Stroke: Targeting Viable Brain Networks.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$767,525.00
Summary
New therapies have been developed to help the brain recover after stroke. We will compare brain networks involved in recovery of touch sensation under two new training conditions and in individuals with interruption to different parts of the network. Brain imaging will identify the functional and anatomical connections between brain regions. Our findings will guide therapists in choosing the best therapy for the right individual, based on knowledge of brain networks that have capacity to adapt.
Exposing The Mechanisms Underlying Mammalian Meiotic Onset
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$536,563.00
Summary
Germ cells must undergo a special form of cell division, meiosis, before they can form oocytes in females or sperm in males. We want to know, in detail, how meiosis is triggered in germ cells and what the first steps are in meiotic progression. This information will help us understand the causative factors in infertility (1 in 6 couples of reproductive age are infertile), control fertility (develop new contraceptives) and avoid testicular cancer (the most common tumour type in young men).
Viral-mediated Modulation Of BDNF Expression In Motor Neurons To Promote The Recovery Of Hand/digits Function In A Rat Model Of Spinal Cord Injury That Impairs Normal Grasping Action.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,427.00
Summary
This project seeks to lure injured axons towards motor neurons, a process that is essential for the recovery of motor function. BDNF gradients will be created along the injured axons path. Axons will have to elongate to reach the first source of BDNF. They will need to elongate even more to get to the next source of BDNF, hence bringing them each time closer to their lost targets. This gene therapy scenario has the potential to bring gene therapy a step closer for human spinal cord injury.
Improving The Phenotypic Severity Of Intellectual Disability And Seizures Caused By Expanded Polyalanine Tract Mutations In The ARX Homeobox Transcription Factor.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$683,622.00
Summary
Intellectual disability is frequent in the population, with as many as 1 in every 50 people in the world directly affected. ARX is a gene mutated in X chromosome-linked intellectual disability and seizures. Our study will comprehensively address the basis for improvements to disease outcomes following treatment with steriod horomones in mice modelling these mutations. We will also address the mechanism contributing to disturbed protein function due to these expanded polyalanine tract mutations.
Characterization Of HOXA-expressing Human Haematopoietic Cells Generated From Embryonic Stem Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$622,464.00
Summary
Blood stem cell transplants are used for treating a range of human blood disorders such as leukaemias. However, for many patients, suitable donors cannot be found. We are searching for ways in which embryonic stem cells can be turned into blood stem cells in the laboratory to provide a new source of these cells that could then be used to treat patients.
The Role Of The Homeobox Transcription Factor Hhex In Haematopoiesis And Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,112.00
Summary
We have shown that the Haematopoietically expressed homeobox (Hhex) protein plays important roles in development of immune cells. In addition, Hhex is required for development and maintenance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). This project will further investigate the requirement of Hhex in human AML, potentially identifying a new therapeutic target in this poor-prognosis cancer subtype. In addition, we will identify critical cofactors and targets of Hhex, revealing new therapeutic strategies.
Understanding The Causes Of Childhood Congenital Anomalies Of The Kidney And Urinary Tract
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$609,748.00
Summary
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) is a common cause of renal failure in children. The majority of patients with CAKUT do not know the underlying cause of their renal anomalies. In this proposal we will characterise the developmental events that are perturbed in three mouse models of CAKUT and identify the causal gene responsible in each mouse model. We will translate this information to the clinic by screening patients with CAKUT for mutations in these newly identified ....Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) is a common cause of renal failure in children. The majority of patients with CAKUT do not know the underlying cause of their renal anomalies. In this proposal we will characterise the developmental events that are perturbed in three mouse models of CAKUT and identify the causal gene responsible in each mouse model. We will translate this information to the clinic by screening patients with CAKUT for mutations in these newly identified genes.Read moreRead less
Investigating Tumour Initiation And Growth In A Panel Of Mice Defective In Epigenetic Reprogramming.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,600.00
Summary
Until recently it was believed that cancer is always caused by mutations in genes. Now it has been proposed that chemical modifications to the DNA and the proteins that package the DNA may also initiate cancer. These "epigenetic" modifications control whether our genes are switched on or off. Epigenetic modifications are disrupted in cancer, but it is not known whether they can start tumour growth. I will study this using mouse models. This work may lead to preventative screening and new treatme ....Until recently it was believed that cancer is always caused by mutations in genes. Now it has been proposed that chemical modifications to the DNA and the proteins that package the DNA may also initiate cancer. These "epigenetic" modifications control whether our genes are switched on or off. Epigenetic modifications are disrupted in cancer, but it is not known whether they can start tumour growth. I will study this using mouse models. This work may lead to preventative screening and new treatments in humans.Read moreRead less