THE EFFECT OF STRESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT ON DISEASE PROGRESSION IN MESIAL TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,201.00
Summary
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of drug-resistant epilepsy in adults, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition for which there is currently no effective disease modifying treatment. This proposal will explore whether co-morbid stress accelerates disease progression in MTLE, and whether targeting stress pathways by medical and environmental manipulations can mitigate against this.
Mitochondrial Damage Following Fetal Hypoxia Or Birth Asphyxia: Using Creatine To Preserve Mitochondrial Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,726.00
Summary
There is a need for a therapy that can be given before a mother gives birth to protect the baby should ‘oxygen starvation’ threaten the baby’s brain and other organs such as the heart, kidney, lungs, and the ability to breathe properly. We are suggesting that an increased intake of creatine is a very effective treatment against this threat, and its proven safety and ease of use recommends it for wide application, particularly in countries where the access to medical resources is poor.
Stress-induced Genomic Instability As A Driver Of Adaptive Responses In Human Cancer Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$690,426.00
Summary
Growing experimental evidence suggests human cancer cells use evolutionary conserved programs to regulate their mutation rates in response to pharmacological agents, accelerating adaptation and the emergence of resistance. The purpose of our study is to identify the common molecular pathways and genetic mechanisms driving the regulation of mutation rates. Targeting of these pathways using a new generation of “anti-evolution” drugs is an attractive possibility for novel therapeutic approaches.
Healing The Past By Nurturing The Future: Learning How To Identify And Support Indigenous Parents Who Have Experienced Complex Childhood Trauma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,193,719.00
Summary
Complex childhood trauma causes profound and long-lasting effects on physical, social and emotional wellbeing, which can be triggered during the transition to parenthood and impede the capacity of parents to nurture their children. The transition offers a unique opportunity for healing and preventing intergenerational transmission of trauma. This project co-designs and evaluates acceptability and feasibility of screening and support for Indigenous parents experiencing complex trauma.
Norovirus Infection At The Stress Granule-PKR-p-elF2α Axis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$505,967.00
Summary
This project application will aim to investigate and understand how viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhoea are able to infect, proliferate and spread within the human body. It aims to address how viruses are able to avoid and replicate in the presence of an effective immune response. We have evidence showing that Noroviruses are able to exploit certain antiviral proteins to paradoxically aid in virus replication and survival.
The Efficacy Of N-acetyl Cysteine As An Adjunctive Treatment For First Episode Psychosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,143,069.00
Summary
First episode psychosis may foreshadow devastating, chronic illness. Psychosis follows a staged, progressive pathway. There is evidence to suggest illness progression can be diminished and perhaps even averted if appropriate treatments are given at the early stages of illness. This project will test if N-acetycysteine (NAC) administered to young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis can help prevent this early psychotic experience from developing into a chronic disorder.
Structural And Functional Characterisation Of The Oncogene P-Rex1
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,447.00
Summary
The spread of cancer to other parts of the body (metastasis) is a major cause of mortality. The characterisation of proteins that regulate metastasis is therefore a priority. P-Rex1 plays a crucial role in promoting metastasis in breast and other cancers. We will determine the structural basis of P-Rex1 activity, and investigate how its dysregulation promotes aberrant cell growth. This study will provide the knowledge to build future drug development programs targeting P-Rex1 in cancer.
Targeting Oxidant-dependent Pathways To Improve Stroke Outcomes In COPD
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,069,574.00
Summary
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major incurable global health burden and is the 4th largest cause of death worldwide. Patients with COPD are at increased risk for stroke and this is even higher in the weeks following a lung viral infection. The reason for this is unknown so the aim of this study is to determine why people with COPD are at increased risk for stroke and then develop novel treatments to prevent or reduce stroke in COPD patients.
Regulation Of Neural Progenitor Cell Self-renewal By The RNA-binding Protein ZFP36L1 During Development And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,401.00
Summary
The timely differentiation of neural stem cells is critical during development, and the unrestrained proliferation of neural stem cells in the adult can lead to deadly brain cancers such as glioma. At present our understanding of the key molecules that regulate neural stem cell behaviour during these processes remains limited. In this proposal we will investigate the molecular determinants underpinning neural stem cell biology, both within the developing brain, and within glioma.
Understanding HIV Resistance To Entry Inhibitors To Advance The Development Of Novel Antivirals
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$877,585.00
Summary
We cannot afford to be complacent in the search for improved anti HIV drugs for 2 principal reasons; First, worldwide a staggering 66% of infected individuals who need treatment are still unable to access therapy; and Second, the main reason why most treated patients are now living longer and more healthy lives is because we have never stopped developing newer therapies to provide options for patients. In this study we will develop and test newer drugs that block HIV infection of cells.