Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Cause And A Cure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$828,300.00
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss and there is urgent need for an intervention to slow disease progression. AMD is characterised by debris accumulation in the retina and I will investigate if loss of function in cells that should clear this debris is a critical step in the development of AMD. I will trial a novel laser intervention to slow progression of disease and use basic science techniques to investigate the mechanisms of action of the laser.
The Interaction Of LPS Pathway Genes With Pre-natal And Early Exposure To LPS And Allergens Predicts Atopy At Age One
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,263.00
Summary
The poor understanding of the cause of asthma has made prevention strategies unsuccessful. This study will provide valuable data for understanding the interactions between exposure to environmental stimuli and LPS pathway genes on the development of allergy and asthma in infants. As environmental modifications and dietary interventions during pregnancy are being investigated, the findings from the proposed study will be important in guiding prevention practices of allergic diseases.
Validation And Implementation Of A Diabetic Retinopathy Quality Of Life Item Bank
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,362.00
Summary
The current proposal will validate a comprehensive diabetic retinopathy quality of life item bank using a computer adaptive testing system in an Australian, and Singapore-Chinese, -Malay and -Indian sample. The national and international translational applications of the final item bank for researchers, clinicians and policy planners will be substantial, allowing the outcomes of novel treatment therapies for diabetic retinopathy to be accurately assessed from the patient’s perspective resulting ....The current proposal will validate a comprehensive diabetic retinopathy quality of life item bank using a computer adaptive testing system in an Australian, and Singapore-Chinese, -Malay and -Indian sample. The national and international translational applications of the final item bank for researchers, clinicians and policy planners will be substantial, allowing the outcomes of novel treatment therapies for diabetic retinopathy to be accurately assessed from the patient’s perspective resulting in better allocation of funding and resources.Read moreRead less
The Relationship Between Airborne Particle Exposure, Incident Respiratory Symptoms And Decline In Lung Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,497.00
Summary
Air pollution has been consistently identified as the environmental health problem of greatest concern to the general public in Australia. Yet hard evidence of adverse health effects from air pollution in Australian cities and towns is limited to date. It has been estimated that high levels of particles in urban air could be responsible for as many as 2,400 deaths nationally, costing approximately $4,300 million each year. This study will follow two groups of young Melbourne adults recruited som ....Air pollution has been consistently identified as the environmental health problem of greatest concern to the general public in Australia. Yet hard evidence of adverse health effects from air pollution in Australian cities and towns is limited to date. It has been estimated that high levels of particles in urban air could be responsible for as many as 2,400 deaths nationally, costing approximately $4,300 million each year. This study will follow two groups of young Melbourne adults recruited some years ago for studies of respiratory health. They will be a sent a questionnaire by mail and invited back to our laboratory for breathing tests. We will obtain routinely collected air quality data and measure fine particles < 2.5 thousandths of a mm in outdoor air. A subgroup of 100 subjects will also participate in some measurements of indoor air pollution. The analysis will look for relationships between particles in the air, new symptoms and changes in lung function over time. Comparisons will also made with other centres doing a very similar study in Europe. Reviews commissioned by the National Environment Protection Council have highlighted the lack of Australian data to assist in setting standards for particulate air pollution. The proposed study would provide some of the necessary local data and assist in the development of new health based environmental protection measures for fine particles. Once these measures have been implemented, we would expect to see an improvement in the respiratory health of the Australian population.Read moreRead less
Risk Factors For Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis And Emphysema In Older Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,574.00
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema) is a major public health problem in Australia. The main known cause is cigarette smoking, which peaked among Australian men shortly after the second world war. Now that the consequences of this epidemic of smoking are passing, more attention needs to be paid to other causes of the condition. The proposed study will focus on occupational and domestic exposures and dietary factors in older people. Dusty jobs have lo ....Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema) is a major public health problem in Australia. The main known cause is cigarette smoking, which peaked among Australian men shortly after the second world war. Now that the consequences of this epidemic of smoking are passing, more attention needs to be paid to other causes of the condition. The proposed study will focus on occupational and domestic exposures and dietary factors in older people. Dusty jobs have long been associated with COPD. However it is not known to what extent other occupational exposures to fumes and vapours are also responsible. Identifying such jobs would lead to better workplace conditions and prevention of further cases. Workers who have already developed COPD could be more fairly compensated. Similarly if indoor exposures to tobacco smoke and unvented gas appliances were found to play a role, further controls on smoking, flues and improved ventilation could also prevent cases of COPD. It is generally thought that emphysema develops from an imbalance between the oxidative stresses on the lungs and protective enzymes. A diet high in antioxidant vitamins and fish may protect against the development of COPD. If confirmed by this study, it would then be possible to conduct clinical trials of supplementation in smokers at risk of developing COPD. Public nutritional education could reduce the incidence of the condition in the future.Read moreRead less
Reducing Indoor Air Pollution In The Home: A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Behavioural Intervention.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,552.00
Summary
Exposure to air pollution is not confined to pollution emitted outdoors by motor vehicles and industry. We are exposed to a diverse and complex mix of indoor pollutants produced in many cases by everyday activities. Since we spend about 70-90% of our time indoors, the potential effect of these pollutants on our health is important and of concern. There is a growing number of scientific studies that confirm the importance of indoor air pollution to our health. Two indoor pollutants commonly found ....Exposure to air pollution is not confined to pollution emitted outdoors by motor vehicles and industry. We are exposed to a diverse and complex mix of indoor pollutants produced in many cases by everyday activities. Since we spend about 70-90% of our time indoors, the potential effect of these pollutants on our health is important and of concern. There is a growing number of scientific studies that confirm the importance of indoor air pollution to our health. Two indoor pollutants commonly found in the home are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emitted from gas appliances and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). ETS, or passive smoking, is known to increase lower respiratory tract illness in children, asthma, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that NO2 may increase respiratory symptoms and exacerbate the response of asthmatics to allergens such as house dust mites. In this project we extend our earlier work on indoor air pollution, with the aim of evaluating simple and effective ways to improve air quality in the home. Parents of school children from the Newcastle area will be invited to participate in the study. Parents will receive information about the health risks of indoor air pollution and advice on how to decrease the levels in their home. We will monitor the air quality in each participant's home to see whether the education program has helped parents to decrease the levels of NO2 and ETS in their home. We will also examine whether a reduction in these pollutants has improved the lung health of the children in the study.Read moreRead less