Nanoengineered Bioelectronic Systems For All-Optical Control Of Neuron Growth And Stimulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$757,452.00
Summary
Nerve cells are the primary signal carriers of the human body. When they cease to function normally, our bodies ability to function and sense the physical world is influenced catastrophically. We will develop a new bioelectronic system made by printing clever inks that can artificially stimulate nerve cells without the typical requirements for invasive metal electrodes or external power. These new scientific advances will revolutionize nerve cell repair and treatment of neurological disorders.
The Cellular Basis Of Synaptic Integration And Modulation In Human Pyramidal Neurons
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$917,355.00
Summary
Little is known about how human neurons integrate information, and how this process is altered during neuromodulation and disease. This project will address this fundamental gap in knowledge and will for the first time directly examine the neuromodulation of human neurons, and how this important process is altered in brain cancer. Our team of researchers and surgeons in Melbourne and Berlin will be able to provide valuable, and otherwise unattainable, information about the human brain.
Preventing The Transition From Acute To Chronic Pain. The Role Of Neural And Non-neural Factors.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,998,900.00
Summary
Pain following injury usually dissipates as the injury heals, however in some individuals it persists and lasts for years. Chronic pain is extremely difficult to treat, particularly that which originates from a damaged nerve. One of the roadblocks in developing effective treatments is our limited understanding of the pathophysiology. The overall aim of this proposal is to address this gap and determine the processes that occur in the brain that results in acute pain transitioning to chronic.
Developing Exon Replacement Gene Therapy To Cure Rett Syndrome: An Innovative Model For Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,105.00
Summary
There is no cure for neurodevelopmental disorders such as Rett syndrome which is caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. Gene therapy is ineffective due to the 'Goldilocks' effect where too little, as well as too much expression of MECP2 causes disease. Here a gene editing therapy will be tested in patient cells and mouse model that will maintain the normal cellular expression of MECP2 by cutting out the mutated regions of the gene (exons) and replacing them with repaired copies.
Silencing Pulmonary Nociceptors To Treat Severe Respiratory Viral Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$534,173.00
Summary
The lungs receive a rich supply of nerve fibres, many of which play an important role in helping defend against pathogens, including viruses. When viral infections become severe, too much inflammation occurs in the lungs and this creates a serious and difficult to treat clinical problem. Hundreds of thousands of people each year die from the complications of severe lung infections. We are investigating a potential new therapy that targets the lung nerves and relieves excessive inflammation.
Innate Threat Detection Circuits In The Superior Colliculus Co-ordinate Respiratory And Cardiovascular Responses To Visual Stimuli
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$517,958.00
Summary
Our surroundings affect our bodies: light pollution, traffic, and aircraft noise all significantly affect cardiovascular health. This project will investigate interactions between brain systems that subconsciously scan our surroundings for interesting or threatening features, and those that co-ordinate the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. We will generate new knowledge that describes how the brain detects danger and translates this into signals that contribute to cardiovascular risk.
Determining The Molecular Basis Of Therapy Resistance Conferred By Genetic Lesions In The Tumour Protein TP53 In Haematological Malignancies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$885,183.00
Summary
Blood cancers that have genetic lesions in a tumour suppressor protein called TP53 respond poorly to therapy. Curing these patients is extremely challenging and new therapeutic strategies are desperately needed. Here, we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance caused by loss of TP53 function and rationally design new therapies that may be curative. To do this, our team of leading scientists and clinicians will study patient samples and pre-clinical models of blood cancer.
Vascular Changes Are A Key Contributor To And Novel Drug Target For Interferon-alpha Induced Neurological Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,245,401.00
Summary
Type I interferons (IFN-Is) contribute to wide range of neurological diseases including ageing and neurodegeneration. At its extreme IFN-I-mediated neurodegeneration is known as 'interferonopathy'. The mechanisms of how IFN-Is drive disease are unclear, making causal treatment difficult. We have recently uncovered ground-breaking evidence that abnormal blood vessels are a key contributor to the disease. Here, we will investigate novel treatment targets for patients with interferonopathies.
Discovering How A Novel Anti-malarial Drug Series Rapidly Kills Parasites
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$672,971.00
Summary
We have developed a new set of highly potent anti-malarial drugs but we do not know how they work. Identifying how these compounds work is important for improving their effectiveness and safety. We will discover how these drugs kill parasites by using a number of cutting edge methods that could also be useful for discovering how other drugs work. Data generated will progress these compounds along the drug development pipeline which urgently needs a constant supply of new antimalarials.
Understanding How The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Parkin Dictates Neuronal Survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$947,560.00
Summary
Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder, and the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. The disease arises due to the loss of specific neurons in the brain that control motor function. We aim to understand what triggers these neurons to die and to resolve how inflammation promotes disease. This information will underpin the development of the first, and much needed, drugs that slow or stop Parkinson's disease progression.