Brain Repair Following Stroke: The Role Of Npas4, A Neural-specific Transcription Factor
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,053.00
Summary
Stroke is the #1 cause of adult disability in Australia and #2 cause of death. About 60,000 Australians suffer a stroke each year while about 250,000 live with the disabilities of stroke, costing over $2B/year. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and University of Adelaide will study why the Npas4 gene switches on after stroke and the role it plays in brain repair. Future health benefits may be tests to help improve stroke outcome in patients and therapy to decrease loss of brain cells after stroke.
Impaired Bone Remodelling Leads To Failure Of Orthopaedic Prostheses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,917.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active in ....The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem. More than 26,000 hip, and an equal number of knee, replacements were performed in Australia in 2002 with the number increasing between 5%-10% each year for the previous 10 years. Disturbingly, the incidence of revision hip surgery in Australia is now more than 15%, meaning that, despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is becoming more common for young, active individuals to receive joint replacement surgery to improve their quality of life. This, combined with increasing life expectancy, and the known higher rate of failure of joint replacements in younger patients, means that the morbidity of a failed replacement, and the mobidity and associated mortality of revision surgery, will become an increasingly important health issue, with a major impact upon health budgets. The overwhelming majority of hip and knee prostheses have metal or ceramic on polyethylene bearing surfaces. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them leading to loosening, and evidence is accumulating that polyethylene wear particles are a major contributing factor to this process. It is therefore vital that we obtain better understanding of the causes of implant failure in order to extend the life of these implants and this project is designed to do so.Read moreRead less
MICROFABRICATED DEVICES: A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE FOR THE DETECTION AND MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF CIRCULATING CANCER CELLS?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,107.00
Summary
Using advanced microfabrication concepts, this project aims to develop a platform technology able to capture tumour cells circulating in the blood of cancer patients. Although present only in extremely small numbers, these cells provide invaluable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease and consequently provide vital diagnostic and prognostic information. Molecular analyses of these cancer cells could ultimately enable the design of improved and personalized cancer treatment.