Regulation of principal components of the antioxidant system in table grapes. An expanded ?health-claims? system will likely be enacted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand within two years. Horticultural industries are attracted to the promotional ?point of difference? this offers. Many health-promoting compounds are antioxidants, including polyphenols that are abundant in fruit such as grape and citrus. Antioxidants are also involved in the plant's defences against abiotic and biotic stres ....Regulation of principal components of the antioxidant system in table grapes. An expanded ?health-claims? system will likely be enacted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand within two years. Horticultural industries are attracted to the promotional ?point of difference? this offers. Many health-promoting compounds are antioxidants, including polyphenols that are abundant in fruit such as grape and citrus. Antioxidants are also involved in the plant's defences against abiotic and biotic stress. Here, the WA Table Grape industry has committed funds for an APAI to study regulation of antioxidants in relation to nutritional and postharvest qualities. Effects of preconditioning with mild oxidative stresses will be assayed, postharvest, using molecular and biochemical techniques.Read moreRead less
Reduction Of Chronic Post-surgical Pain With Ketamine - ROCKet Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,823,395.00
Summary
Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a common complication of major surgery, and a significant burden on quality of life and ongoing health costs. Ketamine is a drug used by anaesthetists to treat severe acute surgical pain. Various small studies suggest that it may be unique in its ability to reduce the risk of CPSP. We propose a large trial of ketamine during & after anaesthesia for major surgery to test this. Demonstration of effectiveness would promote widespread change in clinical practice.
The Relationship Between Cancer Surgery, Lymph Nodes, T Cells And Immunotherapy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$960,585.00
Summary
Cancer treatment involves surgery for millions of patients annually, however, many patients do relapse. Surgery often involves removal of cancer-associated lymph nodes at the site. To improve surgical outcomes new immunotherapy strategies aim to activate the patients’ immune cells to eradicate tumours. However the main repository for these immune cells is in the very lymph tissue removed at surgery. This project will investigate the role of remaining lymph nodes in patient recovery/response.
Development Of Microscope-in-a-needle Devices For Improved Clinical Diagnostics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,746.00
Summary
We have developed a new high-resolution optical imaging technology. The unique aspect of our research has been to redesign the imaging probe, miniaturising it to a few hundred microns in diameter, and encase it in a hypodermic needle – a ‘microscope-in-a-needle’. We are developing specific imaging probes to aid in the assessment of lung disease; the diagnosis of liver disease; and integrated into a brain biopsy needle to enable safer brain biopsies.
Influence of high temperature on phenology, metabolism and the fate of axillary buds and inflorescences in grapevine. Subtropical regions in Australia, due to a warm climate, land and water availability, have the potential to produce a variety of agricultural produce, particularly fruit, to meet market demand. However adoption of fruit crops, many of which, including table grape, have temperate origins, requires intensive management. Despite years of agronomic R&D, production remains variable du ....Influence of high temperature on phenology, metabolism and the fate of axillary buds and inflorescences in grapevine. Subtropical regions in Australia, due to a warm climate, land and water availability, have the potential to produce a variety of agricultural produce, particularly fruit, to meet market demand. However adoption of fruit crops, many of which, including table grape, have temperate origins, requires intensive management. Despite years of agronomic R&D, production remains variable due to a lack of fundamental knowledge on how climate impacts on the development cycle, particularly flowering, required to produce fruit. This proposal will carry out basic research to provide knowledge that will enable consistent production and expansion of table grape and other temperate crop industries.Read moreRead less
New biotech methods for crop quality assurance. Quality assurance of crop products is a key for Australia to be competitive in the world marketplace. The power of molecular diagnostics has not been applied to this important but neglected part of the produce handling chain. In this project research will be undertaken that will lead to low cost on site assays to test for variety preservation, contamination, and presence of pests and diseases. It employs the tools of genomics and proteomics to p ....New biotech methods for crop quality assurance. Quality assurance of crop products is a key for Australia to be competitive in the world marketplace. The power of molecular diagnostics has not been applied to this important but neglected part of the produce handling chain. In this project research will be undertaken that will lead to low cost on site assays to test for variety preservation, contamination, and presence of pests and diseases. It employs the tools of genomics and proteomics to provide basic understanding of processes which can be developed into cost effective analyses for practical use by industry to ensure quality assurance.Read moreRead less
Invesitgation of environmental staining and storage discolouration in Faba Bean. Faba beans are an important pulse crop in Australia. They are exported to the Middle East and Europe for human consumption where buff coloured beans are desired. A third of beans become discoloured in storage. These are downgraded to stock feed with a loss of $50 per ton to the grower. Currently little is known about the causes. Environmental factors and selected genotypes will be assessed to determine the potential ....Invesitgation of environmental staining and storage discolouration in Faba Bean. Faba beans are an important pulse crop in Australia. They are exported to the Middle East and Europe for human consumption where buff coloured beans are desired. A third of beans become discoloured in storage. These are downgraded to stock feed with a loss of $50 per ton to the grower. Currently little is known about the causes. Environmental factors and selected genotypes will be assessed to determine the potential causes of discoluration. Analytical techniques will ascertain the discolouration process and the compounds produced. The aim is to provide growers with information on management strategies and breeders of strain resistant genotypes.Read moreRead less
Three dimensional (3D) optical coherence tomography in cancer. This project will establish for the first time how well 3D optical coherence tomography, a form of medical imaging, can image cancer. Based on this, a version built into a needle will be developed which will enable extension much deeper into tissues than previously possible to image cancer and to guide related surgical procedures.