Antigen Presentation, Recognition And The Immune Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$15,780,848.00
Summary
This program focuses on understanding the development of immune response to viruses and other infectious agents using a broad array of techniques to dissect the function of various immune cell types and to explore the relationship between structure and function of important cell surface molecules. These studies will improve our ability to design new generation vaccines for combating infectious diseases, controlling cancer, or limiting autoimmune diseases like diabetes.
Optimising Heart Disease Prevention And Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,647,175.00
Summary
As we become older and risk factors such as obesity become more common, our biggest contributor to death and disability, cardiovascular disease (including heart disease), will continue to exert an enormous burden on our health care system and society. We will extend our ground-breaking research on multidisciplinary teams to create new and innovative health care programs to optimise the prevention and management of new heart disease and chronic forms of heart disease.
Antigen Presentation, Recognition And The Immune Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$14,927,045.00
Summary
This program focuses on understanding the development of immunity during infection or inflammatory diseases using a broad array of techniques to dissect the function of various immune cell types and to explore the relationship between structure and function of important cell surface molecules. These studies will improve our ability to design new generation vaccines for combating infectious diseases, controlling cancer, or limiting autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.
Translating Genetic Determinants Of Glaucoma Into Better Diagnosis And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,466,000.00
Summary
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. By 2020, it will affect 80 million people, and in Australia over the next decade, the overall cost of glaucoma will reach $4.3 billion per annum. This Program will use genetic advances to personalise treatment. Blindness will be prevented in individuals at highest risk, new ways to treat patients will be developed, and better outcomes for patients will result from less treatment and monitoring of low risk cases.
Novel Approaches To The Prevention And Treatment Of Chronic Heart Disease And Its Co-morbid Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,793,580.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its associated additional disorders constitute major public health problems, especially given the rapidly ageing population which is increasingly affected by obesity and diabetes. This Program will explore novel therapies for the treatment of CVD and associated diseases, particularly focussing on chronic kidney disease, translating preliminary laboratory-based findings into clinical trials and then clinical and epidemiological findings into practice and policy.
For 60 years, we have had only 3 effective cancer treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, often used in combination.The last 5 years have produced a powerful fourth treatment: the patient's own immune system.The long standing collaborations and synergies of our multi-disciplinary teams have already underpinned many recent advances in immune-based therapies: we are now poised to develop several further immunotherapies and on track to test them in patients during the term of this grant.
Apoptosis And Stem Cells In Cancer Development And Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$22,852,198.00
Summary
To improve cancer therapy, we are studying two cancer hallmarks: enhanced cell survival and stem cell-like behaviour. As we discovered, cell death is often blocked in cancer cells. Hence, we are attempting to develop drugs that flip the natural ‘cell death switch’. Stem cells are rare cells that generate entire tissues, as we showed for the breast. Certain cancers may be driven by ‘rogue’ stem cells. If so, eradication of these rare cells within the bulk tumour may require novel therapies.
Intervening In The Natural History Of Type 1 Diabetes: An Integrated Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,466,000.00
Summary
This Program brings together four of Australia’s top type 1 diabetes clinical and lab-based research teams. The program has three intersecting themes. The first theme, pathogenesis, focuses on early life and understanding why type 1 diabetes develops. The second theme, prevention, seeks to identifying new drugs to stop the disease from occurring. The third theme, treatment, aims to improve therapies to replace the cells that are destroyed during the disease process.