Novel Approaches To The Prevention And Treatment Of Chronic Heart Disease And Its Co-morbid Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,793,580.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its associated additional disorders constitute major public health problems, especially given the rapidly ageing population which is increasingly affected by obesity and diabetes. This Program will explore novel therapies for the treatment of CVD and associated diseases, particularly focussing on chronic kidney disease, translating preliminary laboratory-based findings into clinical trials and then clinical and epidemiological findings into practice and policy.
Molecular Regulation Of Blood Cell Production And Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$18,330,902.00
Summary
This Program comprises an established team of investigators that have made world-class contributions to the understanding of blood cell formation and function. Research will combine novel multidisciplinary genetic/genomics approaches, expert biochemistry, cell and molecular biological techniques with translational studies in humans to provide new insights into blood cell control and novel avenues for therapies in blood cell diseases such as leukaemia and autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
Infectious diseases plague mankind; with infections responsible for approximately 20% of all deaths worldwide. New strategies are urgently needed and we have positioned our research to address questions around how to forestall bacterial pathogens in the initial phases of invasion of human tissues and provide full understanding of the key molecules on the surfaces of bacterial cells. This fundamental knowledge is crucial to new drugs, vaccines and infection-resistant medical devices.
Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya are viral diseases transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Our research uses a naturally-occurring bacteria, Wolbachia, to stop mosquitoes transmitting these viruses to humans. Our proposal addresses critical knowledge gaps in the biology of mosquitoes and Wolbachia to enable large-scale field-deployment optimisation in affected countries. The outcome of our research will immediately translate to disease control efforts in northern Australia, Asia and Latin America.
Understanding The Major Class Of Cell Surface Drug Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,595,840.00
Summary
G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) form the largest family of receptors and drug targets in living organisms. Currently, the major reason that new drugs fail to reach the clinic is lack of appropriate drug effect (approx. 30%). Thus, we need a better understanding of how GPCRs work and how this relates to disease. Our Program addresses this knowledge gap, using GPCR models that are relevant to treatment of metabolic, inflammatory, cardiovascular and central nervous system disease.