Bowel cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in Australia. Rectal cancer represents 40% of these, and is more common in the elderly who are frequently unable to tolerate chemoradiation therapy. The Mutated in Colorectal Cancer gene (MCC) could become a predictor to chemoradiotherapy in up to 30% of these patients. A defective MCC in tumours can predict a good response to this treatment. Our project will potentially identify patients that are more sensitive to chemoradiotherapy and l ....Bowel cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in Australia. Rectal cancer represents 40% of these, and is more common in the elderly who are frequently unable to tolerate chemoradiation therapy. The Mutated in Colorectal Cancer gene (MCC) could become a predictor to chemoradiotherapy in up to 30% of these patients. A defective MCC in tumours can predict a good response to this treatment. Our project will potentially identify patients that are more sensitive to chemoradiotherapy and lead to a personalized treatment of rectal cancer.Read moreRead less
A New Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibody Targeting CD302 In Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
This project will develop a new antibody treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Antibody treatments help the body to attack the leukaemia using its immune system. The prognosis of this leukaemia is poor. Our current treatments use high dose chemotherapy and sometimes a stem cell transplant. Many patients cannot have the current therapy due to their age or other medical problems. A new antibody therapy may be used on its own or with other therapies to help more patients achieve remission.
Successful establishment of pregnancy requires a viable embryo and a receptive uterus. The contribution that reduced uterine receptivity makes to human infertility is unknown. IVF patients with implantation failure will be investigated using different approaches to identify gene pathways that are altered in reduced uterine receptivity. This study could lead to a clinical test for uterine receptivity and help to improve fertility treatment options for women with repeated implantation failure.
Lung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death worldwide. There is growing interest in the genetic causes of lung cancer. The overall aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of the steps in the genetic pathway of lung cancer spread. This knowledge is essential in the development of new targeted therapies and improvement in lung cancer prognosis.
Dietary Therapies For The Treatment Of Drug-resistant Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$69,757.00
Summary
Epilepsy affects about 225,000 Australians, with 30% of suffers still experiencing seizures despite being on medications. A reduction in seizures can significantly improve the health of people with epilepsy who do not respond to medications. Low carbohydrate, high fat diets are a well-established treatment option in children, but this has not previously been studied in Australian adults. The aim of this research is to evaluate if dietary therapies are an effective treatment in adult epilepsy.
Optimising Cooperative Group Cancer Clinical Trials In The Era Of Molecularly Targeted Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$55,778.00
Summary
Cancer treatments are tested in trials to ensure that they are effective and safe for use. Recently treatments have been developed that act on newly discovered pathways of cancer growth. I aim to research the way cancer clinical trials are designed and evaluate ways to improve them. This will help to ensure cancer medicines are brought into clinical use as efficiently as possible in this new era of drug treatment.
Improving The Treatment Of Neonatal Sepsis Through Vancomycin Pharmacokinetic And Pharmacodynamic Modelling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$71,458.00
Summary
Our study will assess whether vancomycin, a key antibiotic used to treat severe infections in young infants, is best given as a continuous infusion or as multiple doses per day. We will determine which is the most effective method to achieve the target blood level of vancomycin and if current recommended target levels for vancomycin are appropriate for infants. Findings will be used to develop a bedside tool that will enable clinicians to tailor the dose of vancomycin to individual children.
Understanding And Manipulating The Epigenetic Networks That Define Osteosarcoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$80,467.00
Summary
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer and the fifth most common form of cancer in children. Although osteosarcoma begins in bones, the cancer often spreads to other parts of the body. Patients have a very poor chance of survival if their cancer has spread. We will use mouse and human models of osteosarcoma to improve our understanding of how the cancer is different from the normal bone forming cells. This information will help us to find new treatments to improve patient outcomes.
Obesity In The Elderly: Effect Of Exercise And Weight Loss Therapies On Physiology And Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$69,729.00
Summary
The population is ageing and the prevalence of obesity is increasing. The “Baby Boomer” generation has the highest prevalence of obesity of all age groups, hence increasing numbers of older adults (age over 65) are obese, and this is unprecedented. We know that obesity predisposes to loss of physical function and independence in older adults, and may increase the risk of dementia. Our trial will compare multiple treatments for obesity in older persons, including newer treatments.
Novel Inhibition Of Cancer Cell Growth In Gastrointestinal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$47,474.00
Summary
This research project will focus on new treatment targets for gastrointestinal malignancies, focusing on the mTOR pathway which is important in driving cancer cell growth. The mTOR inhibitor drug Everolimus will be used in colon and biliary tract cancers to look for novel biomarkers of response and resistance to treatment, using cancer cell lines and correlative analysis with data obtained from patients' tumour samples and clinical assessment in current trials.