Understanding The Side Effects Of HAART In HIV Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
Combination therapy has dramatically improved the life expectancy of people living with HIV. However, the long term side effects of these medications can be significant. Not everyone treated with the same drugs suffers similar side effects. This project seeks to unravel factors that lead a given individual to experience particular side effects. Understanding why medication side effects occur will be critical in finding safer ways to treat HIV.
Inhibition Of Nef-activated Src-family Kinases By CHK
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$514,307.00
Summary
HIV hijacks infected blood cells to produce its own proteins. Nef is one of these proteins and Nef alone is sufficient to cause an AIDS-like disease. Recently, we discovered that a protein called CHK can inhibit Nef. Our research will determine how CHK inhibits Nef and test the feasibility of drugs based on CHK. Such drugs would slow AIDS progression, assisting conventional therapies and patients' immune systems to combat the infection, leading to longer, healthier, more productive lives.
The HIV-1 Tat Protein Is An Reverse Transcription Co-factor.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$404,592.00
Summary
HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. In order for HIV-1 to grow, the viral genetic material must be converted into a form that is compatible with a human host. Specifically, the HIV-1 genetic material is made of RNA while the human genome is composed of DNA. An HIV-1 enzyme called reverse transcriptase (RT) is used for this purpose. We have discovered that another HIV-1 protein called Tat is also required for the efficient conversion of HIV-1 RNA into HIV-1 DNA. If HIV-1 lacks Tat, then this tra ....HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. In order for HIV-1 to grow, the viral genetic material must be converted into a form that is compatible with a human host. Specifically, the HIV-1 genetic material is made of RNA while the human genome is composed of DNA. An HIV-1 enzyme called reverse transcriptase (RT) is used for this purpose. We have discovered that another HIV-1 protein called Tat is also required for the efficient conversion of HIV-1 RNA into HIV-1 DNA. If HIV-1 lacks Tat, then this transformation process is inefficient and HIV-1 is not able to grow. Recently our group made a breakthrough discovery on how Tat works. Tat can directly bind to RT and stimulate the conversion process. This research is aimed at a detailed analysis of Tat and RT interaction. This information is required in order to understand how this interaction can be blocked in order to stop HIV-1 growth. In the long-term, results produced by this research will be required to discover novel drugs to combat HIV-AIDS.Read moreRead less
Modelling The Interaction Between Sexually Transmitted Infections And HIV Transmission To Inform Public Health Policy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$543,624.00
Summary
Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) increase the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Using mathematical models the population level effects of this increased risk will be investigated. This work will inform the design of effective and efficient STI treatment programs that aim to reduce the number of HIV infections in Australian gay men, prevent HIV epidemics in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, and slow the growth of HIV in Papua New Guinea.
Optimising Treatment As Prevention Strategies For Hepatitis C And HIV
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$471,809.00
Summary
New evidence shows how hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV transmission can be reduced dramatically through timely treatment initiation - treatment as prevention (TasP). TasP has re-focused attention on early HCV and HIV detection and treatment. Through observational studies, randomised control trials and the development of innovative surveillance systems, this fellowship will inform ways to maximise the potential of HCV and HIV prevention responses in Australia and internationally in this new TasP era.
Treatment And Prevention Of HIV And Sexually Transmitted Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$772,490.00
Summary
My research will use statistical and mathematical models to answer questions in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. I will assess long-term outcomes in HIV positive patients, including developing risk prediction models to improve patients monitoring. I will look at strategies to improve antiretroviral treatment in developing countries in Asia. And I will identify optimal preventions strategies to reduce rates of sexually transmitted infections.
Characterising Latent HIV Reservoirs: Examining The Effects Of Treatment Initiation, Cellular Type And Patient Genetics.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$909,403.00
Summary
Conducted by a globally-renown team of HIV scientists and physicians, this clinically-relevant study makes a significant contribution to the emerging field of HIV eradication and cure. Accessing diverse and unique sample sets from HIV patients and applying innovative, ultra-sensitive genetic measurement techniques, the study definitively identifies the bodily reservoirs harbouring persistent HIV so they can be targeted by new therapies, a crucial step for efforts aimed at HIV eradication.
Treatment Of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$265,757.00
Summary
The objective of this research project is to determine if the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) can be improved. Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common causes of vaginal discharge in women. It can also have serious consequences, such as premature labour and can also increase the risk of HIV transmission. These complication cost communities many millions of dollars; for example in the US it is estimated that premature labour caused by BV alone costs about 1 billion dollars a year. The ....The objective of this research project is to determine if the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) can be improved. Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common causes of vaginal discharge in women. It can also have serious consequences, such as premature labour and can also increase the risk of HIV transmission. These complication cost communities many millions of dollars; for example in the US it is estimated that premature labour caused by BV alone costs about 1 billion dollars a year. The currently recommended treatment for BV works well initially (first month about 80% respond) but by 12 months most (60%) have relapsed. This randomised clinical study is investigating new ways to treat BV. The currently recommended arm of treatment (antibiotic metronidazole) is being compared to two other treatments. The second arm of the study involves the use of two antibiotics at once (metronidazole and clindamycin) and the third arm involves the use of a bacterial (lactobacilli) and oestrogen. Lactobacilli are bacteria that may help maintain the normal bacterial (and there by prevent relapse of BV) and oestrogen may have a similar effect. If either of these treatments improved the longer term treatment of BV, very significant benefits would flow to affected women and the community as a whole.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Chemokines In Establishing HIV Latency
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,049.00
Summary
Although antiviral therapy is effective in controlling HIV, therapy must be continued life-long because the virus cannot be cleared from long lived infected CD4+ T cells that are silently or latently infected. In this proposal we will explore the mechanism of how HIV can enter these resting CD4+ T-cells and establish long lived latent infection. Understanding this process may potentially lead to new strategies to cure HIV infection.
The Role Of HIV Infection Of Astrocytes In The Development Of HIV Associated Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$144,250.00
Summary
Dementia is an extremely common problem in the late stages of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. HIV-associated dementia is the most common cause of dementia in people under 40 years of age. Despite the development of very good drugs to attack the virus, HIV-associaed dementia continues to be a major clinical problem. We are looking at the reasons why some people infected with HIV become demented and others do not. We are also looking at how best to prevent the development of dementia ....Dementia is an extremely common problem in the late stages of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. HIV-associated dementia is the most common cause of dementia in people under 40 years of age. Despite the development of very good drugs to attack the virus, HIV-associaed dementia continues to be a major clinical problem. We are looking at the reasons why some people infected with HIV become demented and others do not. We are also looking at how best to prevent the development of dementia. We believe that astrocytes (an important brain cell that supports neurons) play a very important role in the development of HIV-associated dementia. With an improved understanding of the steps leading to dementia we can better plan treatments to prevent the development of this devastating complication of HIV-AIDS.Read moreRead less