Early Life Influences On Child And Adolescent Mental Health Problems
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$299,564.00
Summary
Many children experience mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, causing emotional pain for families and a huge economic cost for society. I aim to prevent these problems before they start. By identifying influences in a pregnant woman’s environment that might lead to mental health problems in her child, such as stress, fertility problems and environmental dangers, we can target these influences early and build positive mental health for children right from the very start of life.
The first kernels of cardiovascular disease begin very early in life; in the womb and early infancy. These early indications are known to track into adulthood, eventually resulting in diseases such as heart attacks. Dr Huang has found that childhood obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and a "prediabetes" profile, cluster together and additionally are associated with many factors in the womb and first few years of life. She investigates how to give babies the optimal healthy start.
The Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance Of Parental Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$362,431.00
Summary
The current global epidemic of obesity and diabetes has partly been fuelled by the propagation of these diseases from parent to child across multiple generations. Successful completion of this study will provide hard evidence that there is an inborn but non-genetic component to the risk of obesity and provide insights into the mechanisms by which that risk is created and transmitted from both the mother and the father to the child.
The Negative Transgenerational Impacts Of Paternal Obesity Are Inherited Through Aberrant Methylation And MicroRNA Conetent Of Germ Cells.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,946.00
Summary
We have shown that obese fathers have reduced sperm function that negatively impacts upon their offspring’s health. But we do not understand the underlying alterations to sperm DNA that cause offspring to inherit poor health from an obese father, and whether these offspring also exhibit the same alterations. My project aims to identify alterations made to sperm DNA and RNA caused by obesity that are inherited by the next generation, ‘programming’ them for poor metabolic and reproductive health.
The Burden Of Cancer - Prevention, Treatments, Costs, And Related Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$311,860.00
Summary
This research aims to increase knowledge on the development, optimal treatment, and costs of cancer and the associated risk factors, by applying advanced disease burden measures to comprehensive data gathered from several established and novel databases. This knowledge is important in advancing our understanding of those most vulnerable to cancer and in developing appropriate preventive strategies and health care for those at highest risk.