Linking Lifestyle And Molecular Biology To Inform Precision Public Health For Major Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,487,111.00
Summary
The Program of research seeks to increase our understanding of cancer risk. We will use our large collections of population and family-based datasets to conduct innovative analyses, improving our understanding of the roles that genetic, epigenetic and lifestyle factors play in our risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. This information should allow us to better predict a person’s cancer risk, enabling public health interventions, such as screening, to be delivered more effectively and e ....The Program of research seeks to increase our understanding of cancer risk. We will use our large collections of population and family-based datasets to conduct innovative analyses, improving our understanding of the roles that genetic, epigenetic and lifestyle factors play in our risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. This information should allow us to better predict a person’s cancer risk, enabling public health interventions, such as screening, to be delivered more effectively and economically to those most at risk.Read moreRead less
Generating The Evidence To Control Cancer And Optimise Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,564,341.00
Summary
Our Program addresses the public health aspects of common cancers, particularly cancers of the skin and gynaecological tracts. Each year in Australia, nearly 400,000 people are treated for skin cancer, and more than 3,500 women develop ovarian or uterine cancer. Our aims are first, to understand how we might prevent these cancers in the future; second, to enhance diagnosis of these cancers; and third, to improve the survival and quality of life for people who are diagnosed with these cancers
Precision Nanomedicine-based Diagnostics And Therapeutics For Refractory Malignancies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,329,484.00
Summary
The vast majority of cancer patients die of their disease due to the emergence of drug resistant cancer cells or metastatic disease that is diagnosed at late stages. Our program aims to develop new types of therapy to specifically target aggressive cancers. To detect cancer early and evaluate the effectiveness of cancer therapy, we will develop sensitive diagnostic tools and devices. This research has application to both childhood and adult cancers.
We seek to understand how white blood cells detect and destroy disease, and how molecules of the immune system punch holes in diseased cells. We wish to learn how cancer can sometimes evade the immune system. Our work will also find out how some common treatments for cancer, like chemotherapy, can be used to boost the immune system and eliminate tumours. Through knowledge gained from these studies, we aim to develop new therapies that can help patients with devastating diseases like cancer.
This Program team will discover new things about immunity to cancer and virus infection and translate the information into novel therapies in patients with blood or solid cancers. The approaches will include new cellular or antibody therapies, alone or in combination. We will determine new predictive biomarkers to better select patients for therapy. We will overcome treatment resistance, improve the safety of combination therapies, and determine their best scheduling and dosing.
Translating Molecular Determinants Of Susceptibility And Progression In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,510,085.00
Summary
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Despite improvements in prevention, detection and treatment, it is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in Australian women. Research advances in the last decade have improved our understanding of the pathways from susceptibility to progression and metastasis but this has mostly not yet translated into better outcomes. This program aims to translate some of our fundamental discoveries to improve outcome for affected women and their families.
Improving Chronic Disease Outcomes For Indigenous Australians: Causes,Interventions, System Change
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$8,788,853.00
Summary
Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases occur in epidemic proportions among Indigenous Australians, with very early age of onset and high rates of preventable complications. This Program will bring together a multi skilled team of researchers with Indigenous partners to better understand the development of these conditions, and to guide the development of diet, lifestyle, clinical and health system interventions in order to minimise their adverse impacts and improve health overall.
Improving The Health Of People With Problematic Drug Use: Hepatitis C And Drug Dependence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,060,140.00
Summary
Problematic drug use is the major risk factor to health among Australians aged 15-49 years. The dual harms of drug dependence and hepatitis C virus (HCV) faced by people who use drugs compel improved drug dependence management and HCV prevention and treatment. This Program Grant will improve the lives of people with problematic drug use by investigating health impacts of drug use and evaluating new strategies for managing drug dependence and eliminating HCV among people who use drugs.
This proposal is for a team of researchers and clinicians to explore the molecular control of the lymphatic vasculature. This network of lymphatic vessels, located in organs throughout the body, is critical for regulation of tissue fluid and immune function. It will identify new molecular pathways controlling lymphatic vessels and their interactions with other cells in the body and identify new diagnostic approaches and molecular targets for medicines to treat human diseases including cancer.
Hepatitis C affects a quarter of a million Australians, causing insidious but progressive liver disease which culminates in liver failure or cancer. There is no vaccine and prevention programs have limited effectiveness, but new antiviral therapies now offer high rates of cure. This Program will evaluate strategies to improve the health of those affected and prevent new infections by better understanding of the virus and the body’s immune response, including scarring and liver cancer formation.