Mechanism Of Flightless I Function In Burn Injury And Scar Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,216.00
Summary
Extensive scarring is a major clinical problem often resulting from burn injuries. We have previously shown that the cytoskeletal protein, Flightless I (FliI), is an important regulator of wound repair. We now plan to investigate whether FliI is also be the mechanistic link between cytoskeletal remodelling and induction of TGF-betas post-wounding leading to scar formation.
Wounds, burns and scalds are frequent injuries which can lead to deformity, disfigurement and loss of movement. We have shown that the cytoskeletal protein, Flightless I (FliI), is an important regulator of wound repair. We plan to further investigate FliI in wound and burn injuries using new cell-specific transgenic animal models and to develop a new FliI-antibody based therapy to treat wound and burn injuries.
Effect Of Cross-linking Cytokines To Natural And Synthetic Matrices On Post-implantation Fibrosis In Animal Models
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$77,154.00
Summary
My research will focus on the development and in vivo testing of cytokine cross-linked surgical implant materials in selected mouse and rat models. We hypothesise that Follistatin bound to heparin sulphate cross-linked natural and synthetic matrix implants will suppress the formation of Extra cellular matrix around the implant during wound healing in a mouse surgical model.
Utility Of Direct Endocardial Visualisation To Characterise Scar Morphology And Ablation Lesion Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,285.00
Summary
Endocardial visualisation is a new technique in which a catheter is used to look at the internal surface of the heart without the need for surgery. We will use the visualisation catheter to find a better way of placing small burns within the heart to stop atrial fibrillation (one of the most common heart diseases). We will also use the visualisation catheter to find a better way of locating the scarred areas of the heart responsible for ventricular tachycardia (another common heart disease).
Wounds are not just the simple cuts and abrasions that can be covered with a band-aid and healed within days with no major consequence. They are a largely unrecognised spiralling epidemic that is affecting millions of people world-wide. This project aims to develop new approaches to heal wounds with research that is innovative, cross-disciplinary and has the ability to transform current approaches for wound management.
The Role Of Flightless In The Formation Of Scar Formation And Potential As A Target For A Novel Therapy To Reduce Scarring
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$60,664.00
Summary
Scarring causes significant morbidity and suffering. It can lead to pain, disfigurement and impaired physical function, which require costly ongoing care. Flightless (Flii) is a novel protein, which acts as a negative regulator of wound healing. Flii neutralising antibody treatment has been shown to improve wound healing. However, the role of Flii in scarring has yet to be investigated. This project will investigate the role of Flii in scarring and its potential as a therapeutic target.
Wounds and burn injuries are frequent injuries which can lead to deformity, disfigurement and loss of movement. The cytoskeleton is integral to the wound healing process and we have shown that a specific cytoskeletal protein, Flightless I (Flii), is an important regulator of wound repair. During the course of this fellowship I plan to further my investigations into the function and regulation of Flii in wounds and aim to develop new therapies for treating wounds and reducing scar formation.
Integrin Intracellular Transport, Expression And Function In Macrophages Regulates Inflammation During Wound Healing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$434,134.00
Summary
Burns are one of the most common and devastating forms of trauma; 70% occur in young children. Burns scars may be aesthetically disfiguring and functionally disabling, as well as psychosocially damaging. The study will identify how macrophages enter, function and persist in a burn wound to regulate inflammation, which if prolonged results in delayed healing and excess scar formation, and will generate multiple targets for potential future wound healing therapies.
Function Of The Flightless Protein In Wound Repair And Scar Formation In Skin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$472,750.00
Summary
Scarring is the inevitable outcome of wound repair and can cover a spectrum of conditions, from normal fine lines to unsightly, restrictive and deforming scars. Each year in the world over 100 million patients acquire scars, primarily from surgical procedures. Many of these scars cause considerable problems. Over 4 million burn scars occur every year, 70% of them in children. Poor wound healing is a major clinical problem and can result in loss of movement and deformity. These are especially imp ....Scarring is the inevitable outcome of wound repair and can cover a spectrum of conditions, from normal fine lines to unsightly, restrictive and deforming scars. Each year in the world over 100 million patients acquire scars, primarily from surgical procedures. Many of these scars cause considerable problems. Over 4 million burn scars occur every year, 70% of them in children. Poor wound healing is a major clinical problem and can result in loss of movement and deformity. These are especially important considerations for children, where their growth places extra demands on healing wounds and grafts, necessitating regular surgical adjustment. Scarring is an area of largely unmet medical need and development of new treatment strategies would have significant impact on public health. Changes in cell adhesion, shape and movement are important processes in wound repair. A framework of filaments, much like guy-ropes that support a tent, help coordinate these events. Remodelling of these filaments, shortening or extending them and making new connections, allows cells to change shape and respond to stimuli. This is a crucial event in repairing wounds and the proteins that perform this are fundamentally important to wound repair. We have discovered a protein in skin, known as Flightless, that is involved in this filament remodelling process. The goal of this project is to determine what Flightless does in wound repair. By changing the amount of this protein and comparing its effect in non-scarring and scarring animal wound healing models we can gain insight into its role in wound healing and scar formation in humans. The development of new animal models in this research and the discovery of the role of Flightless in wound repair will provide exciting new opportunities to improve wound repair and reduce scarring, with significant impact on public health.Read moreRead less