RESTORE - Individualised Movement Rehabilitation And Movement Sensor Biofeedback For Chronic, Disabling Low Back Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,214,385.00
Summary
Low back pain is the leading cause of disability in Australia, with an enormous cost burden for society. Available treatments have resulted in only moderate improvements that typically do not last. We propose to investigate the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of two new treatments that have shown promising early results: i) an individualised movement and cognitive rehabilitation approach (‘Cognitive Functional Therapy’) and ii) biofeedback from wireless movement sensors worn on the spine
Dopamine-2 Receptor Antibody In Movement And Psychiatric Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,783.00
Summary
Autoimmune movement and psychiatric disorders are a common cause of neurological disability young adults and adolescents. We have identified a subgroup of patients whose disease is associated with an autoimmune reaction. Our study will identify the earliest immune responses against the brain in children with autoimmune movement and psychiatric disorders. Identifying these early immune responses will allow early and directed treatments to prevent disability and death in the future.
Lipophilic Iron Chelators As Potential Therapeutic Agents In Parkinson's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$616,537.00
Summary
The impaired coordination and tremors experienced by the 64,000 Australians with Parkinson’s disease make managing life at work and home difficult. With 240,000 Australians projected to be living with Parkinson’s disease by 2033, the discovery of agents that slow or stop disease progression is urgent. Iron in the brain has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease. In this project, the performance of new low toxicity agents in altering brain iron distribution will be studied as potential drugs for ....The impaired coordination and tremors experienced by the 64,000 Australians with Parkinson’s disease make managing life at work and home difficult. With 240,000 Australians projected to be living with Parkinson’s disease by 2033, the discovery of agents that slow or stop disease progression is urgent. Iron in the brain has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease. In this project, the performance of new low toxicity agents in altering brain iron distribution will be studied as potential drugs for Parkinson’s disease.Read moreRead less
Calpeptin, And Related Candidates, For The Treatment Of Machado Joseph Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$888,040.00
Summary
Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes impaired movement and progressive paralysis, leading to patient death. MJD is inherited within families, including a high number of Indigenous families of northeast Arnhem Land. We have identified a possible treatment for MJD that has positive effects on a small animal model of the disease (zebrafish carrying the human MJD gene). We plan to test this treatment further with the aim of developing a treatment for MJD patients.
Sensory Cortex Processing Changes Underlying Brain And Behaviour Deficits Caused By Traumatic Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$576,795.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) from physical head trauma causes behavior and cognitive deficits. The burden for victims, families and the community is enormous: total life-time expenses in moderate-to-severe TBI are estimated to be $8.6 billion in Australia. We aim to elucidate whether changes in how the brain processes sensory information could underlie TBI-induced deficits in complex behaviour and whether these changes will be ameliorated by the three currently-most-promising treatments for TBI.
Release The Sterile Males: A New Direction For Mosquito Population Control Technologies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,110,112.00
Summary
With over 40% of humans at risk from mosquito-borne disease, new environmentally friendly mosquito control tools are required. We’ve developed a novel sterile male population suppression technology – using neither radiation nor genetic modification – to produce sterile adult male mosquitoes from both male and female larvae. We will show that exposing mosquito larvae to specific RNA molecules can produce fit sterile males adult mosquitoes that can crash mosquito populations in large cage trials
Our goal is to discover new mechanisms involved in our cells’ delicate balancing act with respect to cholesterol levels. Understanding how production of cholesterol is controlled in our cells is key to developing new drugs aimed at preventing its excessive accumulation. This will have long-term benefits for health considering that a cellular imbalance in cholesterol is involved in two of the most common conditions threatening the health of Australians, namely heart disease and Alzheimer’s diseas ....Our goal is to discover new mechanisms involved in our cells’ delicate balancing act with respect to cholesterol levels. Understanding how production of cholesterol is controlled in our cells is key to developing new drugs aimed at preventing its excessive accumulation. This will have long-term benefits for health considering that a cellular imbalance in cholesterol is involved in two of the most common conditions threatening the health of Australians, namely heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.Read moreRead less
A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Effectiveness Of 4RIF And 9INH For Treatment Of Latent TB Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$496,875.00
Summary
Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is one intervention that is known to prevent the occurrence of active TB. Current treatment is based on a six to nine month course of isoniazid. The treatment has side effects in some people and many people do not complete the treatment. The present study is to test an alternative treatment regimen (4 months of rifampicin) which has fewer side-effects and is more likely to be completed.
How Neural Impairment Affects Respiratory Motor Function In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease And Healthy Ageing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$762,797.00
Summary
With chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ageing, respiratory muscles are weak and the mechanics of the chest and lungs are altered. Our proposal will examine the contribution of impaired neural control to muscle weakness with the aim to identify new targets for therapy to reduce respiratory morbidity in ageing and patients with COPD.
Population Genomics Of Plasmodium Vivax In Papua New Guinea
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,238.00
Summary
Plasmodium vivax malaria is a serious global public health problem that has not received the attention it deserves, despite having serious clinical implications and presenting a major problem for regional malaria control programmes. In a study of people living in a malarious area of PNG, we aim to investigate the diversity of natural parasite populations, to better understand the possible effects of malaria control interventions on transmission and human immunity.