Elucidating Sub-clinical Pathways To Chronic Rejection In Lung Transplantation And Therapeutic Implications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,587.00
Summary
Organ transplantation has become a feasible option for many end-stage clinical conditions, including advanced lung disease. However, despite often dramatic short term successful outcomes, late graft dysfunction due to chronic rejection remains a major obstacle to long-term success. This is particularly the case in lung transplantation despite the use of potent broad spectrum immunosuppressive agents. The three major risk factors that have been identified for chronic rejection following lung tran ....Organ transplantation has become a feasible option for many end-stage clinical conditions, including advanced lung disease. However, despite often dramatic short term successful outcomes, late graft dysfunction due to chronic rejection remains a major obstacle to long-term success. This is particularly the case in lung transplantation despite the use of potent broad spectrum immunosuppressive agents. The three major risk factors that have been identified for chronic rejection following lung transplantation are acute rejection episodes diagnosed on lung biopsy, reactivation of the ubiquitous human DNA virus CMV and persistent lymphocytosis in the transplanted lung suggesting that potent broad spectrum immunosuppression may have both beneficial and harmful effects in lung transplant recipients. This proposal will apply sensitive new immunological techniques to detect and quantitate each of these risk factors at a sub-clinical level with a view to delineating their relationship with each other and with the development of chronic rejection following lung transplantation. This information will help unravel the pathogenesis of chronic rejection in lung transplant recipients and improve clinical management decisions in these patients and therefore long term health outcomes.Read moreRead less
Cross-reactive Anti-viral T Cells Mediate Allograft Rejection In Lung Transplantation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,563.00
Summary
In solid organ transplantation chronic viral infections can play a major role in causing graft dysfunction and-or loss. This study investigates the role of a specific population of immunological cells. These specific anti-viral immune cells are key controllers of viral infections and have also been implicated in mediating the destruction and-or rejection of a transplanted graft.
Circulatory Biomarkers For Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Improving Patient Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$841,625.00
Summary
We are going to find molecules in the blood that would improve the diagnosis and treatment of a lung condition called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). The project brings together well characterized patients from the Australian IPF registry, blood samples we have collected from them and cutting edge technologies to complete this project.
I am a developmental lung physiologist who specialises in understanding the factors regulating normal and abnormal lung development as well as the physiological transformation of the lung into an efficient gas-exchange organ at birth.
The Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency And Chronic Lung Disease Is Due To Increased Airway Smooth Muscle
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$644,067.00
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency is a global public health problem. It is becoming increasingly evident that vitamin D deficiency increases the severity of chronic lung disease. In this study we propose to examine a mechanism that we think clearly explains this association. These studies are critical to understanding how deficiencies in key nutrients can impact on chronic lung disease and will provide the data necessary to guide public health policy to reduce the burden of disease in the community.
Deregulated Cytokine Signalling As A Molecular Bridge Linking The Pathogenesis Of Emphysema To Lung Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,820.00
Summary
Lung cancer is the most lethal form of cancer in Australia and worldwide. Although smokers with emphysema are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, it is becoming apparent that emphysema can predispose to lung cancer independently of cigarette smoking, albeit by unknown mechanisms. Our aim is to combine smoke carcinogen and genetic mouse models of lung cancer with novel mouse strains displaying emphysema to identify the processes which link the pathogenesis of emphysema to lung cancer.