Cancer Epidemiology In High-risk Populations And Complex Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,716.00
Summary
My research program aims to better understand the causes of cancer and factors that influence outcomes after cancer diagnosis. It employs classical and innovative cancer epidemiology and includes large-scale studies of cancer incidence, survival and risk factors in people with immune dysfunction. It also includes studies of lymphoid malignancies and ‘cancer of unknown primary’ origin. The research program aims to build an evidence base for interventions that will reduce the burden of cancer nati ....My research program aims to better understand the causes of cancer and factors that influence outcomes after cancer diagnosis. It employs classical and innovative cancer epidemiology and includes large-scale studies of cancer incidence, survival and risk factors in people with immune dysfunction. It also includes studies of lymphoid malignancies and ‘cancer of unknown primary’ origin. The research program aims to build an evidence base for interventions that will reduce the burden of cancer nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Reconsideration Of The Mechanisms Underlying Movement Changes With Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,361.00
Summary
Pain changes the way we move. Although undisputed, there is a surprising lack of agreement regarding the underlying mechanisms. This project involves an innovative mix of neurophysiological methods to investigate how the drive to muscle cells from the nervous system is altered during pain. We aim to resolve the perplexing problem of how pain changes our ability to activate muscle. Our findings are likely to provide a clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms and guide rehabilitation.
Improving Upper Limb Function In Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,034.00
Summary
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) causes in-coordination and muscle weakness which may result in the affected person being unable to walk or use their arms effectively. In-coordination is a result of destruction of nerves in the spine and the area of the brain that controls movement (cerebellum). This study will assess the use of brain stimulation to improve coordination and function in people with FRDA. The results of this study may also result in treatments for similar inherited cerebellar ataxias.
Translating Neuroscience Into Treatments And Public Health Policies For Addictive Behaviours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,048.00
Summary
Advances from neuroscience promise to revolutionise our ability to treat and prevent addictive disorders such as gambling, overeating and drug addiction. These developments may also have unexpected clinical consequences, undermine individuals’ belief in their control over their behaviour or increase stigma and discrimination. This project will develop clinical guidelines and public health policy recommendations to ensure that we realise the benefits of neuroscience while minimising social harms.
Application Of Next Generation Sequencing To Address Clinical Problems In Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,652.00
Summary
Cancer is the cause of 1 in 8 deaths worldwide. Cancer occurs due to errors or mutations in the DNA of normal cells. The mutations may cause the cells to grow incorrectly and become cancer. I will identify the mutations or errors in tumour cells. This will tell us: i) How the tumour started and continued to grow ii) How to treat the tumour cells to kill the cancer The work will involve a variety of cancer types including mesothelioma, melanoma, oesophageal, pancreatic and breast cancer.
We stand without falling by using silent senses from muscles and the balance organs of the inner ear to unconsciously detect and control our movements. Since the leg muscles provide both the force and the sense, and critically rely on good circulation, they are vitally important. I propose to study how these sensory and muscle functions are used to control balance, posture and stepping reflexes, making it easier to identify older people who will fall and design new preventative strategies.
Development Of Statistical Methodologies And Application To Clinical Cancer Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
Integrating different layers of information coming from the recent ‘-omics’ technologies can help improving the treatment and the prevention of complex diseases. In particular, the identification of molecular markers of different types can be used for better diagnostics and prognosis in cancer and immune diseases. This project will develop innovative statistical solutions to handle and make sense of the vast amount of biological data that are routinely generated in the laboratories.
Computational Methods For The Analysis Of Next Generation Sequence Data In Human Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,361.00
Summary
Modern DNA sequencing technologies generate data at an unprecedented rate, providing the opportunity to develop deep insights into human disease. We can now sequence a tumour genome in a matter of weeks, or assay epigenetic marks in the malaria parasite genome, but these data raise new analysis challenges requiring new statistical and computational methods to solve. This fellowship will support the development of such new methods and will contribute to basic discoveries in human disease.
LINEs Of Mutagenesis, Selection And Evolution In Ovarian Cancer And Chemoresistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,048.00
Summary
L1 elements are powerful mutagens encoded within the human genome that becomes active in epithelial tumours. I will define the broad effects of L1 elements on the evolution of chemoresistance, focusing on ovarian cancer as a model system. Ovarian cancer is characterised by a poor 5 year survival rate of ~40% with most tumours developing resistance. Understanding the impacts of L1 on this evolution will inform the development and selection of more effective treatments for ovarian cancer.