Novel Antifungal Strategies Using Drug Response Networks
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$484,420.00
Summary
Fungal cells are quite similar to our own making it hard to find good drug targets. This project aims to enhance current antifungal drugs with agents that interfere with iron, which is needed for fungal growth. We will see how fungal cells change the genes they use when they are treated with drugs alone and combined with molecules that mop up iron. We will then track the pathways within cells that are targets of the affected genes, and find points where these pathways can be blocked.
Uptake Of Evidence To Policy: The Indigenous Burden Of Disease Case Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,210.00
Summary
Burden of Disease (BOD) methods were designed with the intention of assisting health policy makers in decision making. Using a unit called the Disability Adjusted Life Year, the process measures both death and disability caused by disease or illness, allowing the burden of differing diseases to be compared, and priorities clarified. This research will improve communication between researchers, community and policy makers by showing how the Indigenous BOD study has been used in policy processes.
Genetic Fate Mapping Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Origins And Investigating Their Contribution To Developmental Haematopoiesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,525.00
Summary
Mesenchymal stem cells are a population of cells that reside in various organs in the body and are thought to contribute to tissue repair. However little is known about the developmental origins and identity of these cells. I will investigate where these cells originate from, their molecular identity and how they relate to blood development. These findings will help in developing protocols to manipulate these cells to repair damaged organs. This study will also inform current attempts to generat ....Mesenchymal stem cells are a population of cells that reside in various organs in the body and are thought to contribute to tissue repair. However little is known about the developmental origins and identity of these cells. I will investigate where these cells originate from, their molecular identity and how they relate to blood development. These findings will help in developing protocols to manipulate these cells to repair damaged organs. This study will also inform current attempts to generate blood stem cells.Read moreRead less
The Hippo Pathway, Neural Stem Cells And Brain Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$363,137.00
Summary
During organism development, the brain grows to the right size without overgrowing. Neural stem cells are key regulators of brain size. We will define how the Hippo pathway crosstalks with nutrition-induced signals to control proliferation of neural stem cells and brain size. As well as producing important insights into normal growth, we will increase our understanding of brain diseases associated with aberrant brain growth, such as cancer.
Defining The Molecular Regulation Of Muscle Stem Cell Action During Organ Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$738,259.00
Summary
How do organs grow to develop a complex cellular structure. Organ growth needs a careful balance between cell commitment and stem cell self renewal to maintain tissue growth trajectories. How this balance is achieved at the cellular and molecular level remains unresolved for most organ systems. This application studies a specific stem cell pool within the zebrafish myotome and how it is used to drive organ growth.
Social Functioning In Early Primary School Following Traumatic Brain Injury Prior To Age Three: The Contribution Of Cognitive, Environmental And Neurological Factors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,501.00
Summary
Children of preschool age and older demonstrate social problems after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). What effect a TBI has on the social function of young children (before 3 years) is currently unknown but is thought that these children have more problems than older children do. This study will look at how a TBI impacts on the social function of young children and the role of cognition and brain development in social function will also be explored.
Characterisation Of Eurl, A Novel Gene Implicated In The Etiology Of Abnormal Brain Development And Intellectual Disability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$597,541.00
Summary
Intellectual disability affects around one per cent of Australians, and can arise from genetic abnormalities during fetal life, such as through abnormal regulation of gene expression. We have identified a novel gene, known as eurl, which controls brain assembly as well as the ability of neurons to form functional connections within the brain. We will investigate how this novel gene controls brain development, and characterise eurl as a potential therapeutic target for learning and memory.
Identification Of Testis-specific Markers Of Male Infertility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$617,008.00
Summary
Infertility affects 1 in 20 men, and carries major health and financial burdens. Patient management is difficult because there are no tests to monitor testicular function. While sperm number is normally used, their absence in the ejaculate provides no information whether sperm are present in the testis suitable for IVF, or if sperm production could be ‘kick-started’ with hormones. Our goal is to identify new markers of testis function in blood, and then use them to help treat infertile men.
Identification And Molecular Characterisation Of High-risk Premalignant Breast Lesions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,382.00
Summary
Understanding the full repertoire of genetic events that underlie the development of breast cancer may allow development of prevention strategies. This study will analyse genetic data of benign breast lesions that may be non-obligate precursors of breast cancer. Importantly, clinical management of these lesions is difficult. A reliable method of predicting the risk of progression to cancer would be a significant advance, with benefits to individual patients and also the health system.
High-throughput genetic assays are commonly used to study the molecular basis of disease and such technology requires sophisticated data analysis methods that account for significant biological and experimental complexity. Specialized methods will be developed in free public software that will greatly benefit future genetic profiling studies.