The Biology Of Risk For Bipolar Disorder: Genetic Effects In A High-risk Longitudinal Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$856,412.00
Summary
Bipolar disorder is a severe mood disorder affecting over 350,000 Australians. Some children of bipolar disorder patients will also become ill, although currently we have no tools to predict which of these genetically at-risk young individuals will eventually develop symptoms. This study will use genetic information plus brain structural changes to predict which at-risk individuals are likely to become ill. This study will help elucidate early clinical and biological markers of bipolar disorder.
Improving Sexual Health In Men With Prostate Cancer: Randomised Controlled Trial Of Exercise And Psychosexual Therapies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$583,416.00
Summary
Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common and distressing side effects of prostate cancer. Despite being a critical survivorship care issue, there is a clear gap in knowledge surrounding the optimal treatment of sexual dysfunction in men with prostate cancer. This project examines whether exercise aids in the management of sexual dysfunction and explores if an integrated treatment model incorporating pharmacological, exercise and psychosexual therapies maximises improvement in sexual health.
Brain Connectivity Imaging Markers To Confirm Diagnosis For Bipolar Vs. Unipolar Depression – A Connectome Approach.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$434,369.00
Summary
Differentiating Bipolar disorders from Unipolar Depression is a major clinical challenge. This misdiagnosis hinders optimal clinical care and has many deleterious consequences such self-harm, increased chances of suicide, poor prognosis, and greater health care costs related to this disorder. This project will provide urgently-needed advance in accurate identification of Bipolar disorders using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and remove one of the key obstacles to accurate diagnosis.
Real-time Optical Window Imaging Of AKT-FRET Biosensor Mice To Maximise PI3K/AKT Drug Targeting Within The Hypoxic Microenvironment Of Pancreatic Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$683,447.00
Summary
Inefficient drug response in solid tumour tissue is often a limiting factor in the clinical effectiveness of cancer therapies. Using cutting-edge imaging technology and 3D models that mimic the disease, we have mapped areas of poor drug response within distinct regions of tumours with low oxygen levels known as hypoxia. Here, we will specifically target factors limiting efficient drug targeting in these areas to improve the encouraging anti-cancer profile of AKT inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.
New Treatments For Epitheliod Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Sarcoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$647,267.00
Summary
Epithelioid Inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (eIMS) is a rare aggressive cancer, most common in of childhood and young adults. This cancer has been scarcely studied due to its rarity and is not cured by standard chemotherapeutic regimes. Our investigations will extensively characterise eIMS samples from recently diagnosed patients, and apply a new laboratory model to discover more effective drugs and improve treatment outcomes.
Sex Hormones And Heart Disease In Older Women Study (The SHOW Study)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,672.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD, heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in women aged 65 and over. Counter-intuitively, androgens may be as, or even more important, than estrogens in determining CVD risk and all-cause mortality in women, but this is yet to be verified. We will document blood levels of androgens in women aged 70+ and determine whether androgens are associated with CVD and death in this large cohort of elderly well women.
The Older Australian Twins Study (OATS) Of Healthy Brain Ageing And Age-related Neurocognitive Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,960.00
Summary
Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and dementia. It is still not completely understood what relative contributions genes and environment play in these. This project is an extension of the Older Australian Twins Study to examine genetic and environmental factors associated with late life brain changes and dementia, and will establish an internationally significant cohort for novel discovery.
Central Aortic Blood Pressure In Children: Establishing A Gold Standard Non-invasive Assessment Of Cardiovascular Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$694,342.00
Summary
The best way of assessing early risk of cardiovascular disease involves measuring blood pressure near the heart (central pressure), but existing devices used in adults for this purpose are inaccurate in children. We will develop a children-specific method and apply it to study early cardiovascular risk in a comprehensive health study of 2000 children Australia-wide. We will also investigate why children with congenital heart disease frequently develop ‘older-adult’ heart disease at a young age.
Can One Health Strategies Be More Effectively Implemented Through Prior Identification Of Public Values?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,331.00
Summary
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a significant risk to our region. One Health approaches to EIDs emphasize connections between human,animal and ecological health, enhancing capacity for disease prediction and intervention. This project will examine existing EID legislation,identify social and ethical barriers to effective EID risk governance and create a comprehensive statement of values to ensure the acceptability of One Health approaches to EID control to the Australian community.
Developmental Schizotypy In The General Population: Early Risk Factors And Predictive Utility.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$830,952.00
Summary
This study will determine early childhood risk factors for psychosis-proneness in children aged 11 years, and emerging signs and symptoms of mental health disorders of these children, using population data from the NSW Child Development Study. Determining risk for psychosis as early as possible in the life course will enable the provision of preventative interventions to children at critical points in development.