Interaction Of Angiotensin II And PPARg In Aortic Aneurysm Formation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,398.00
Summary
Between 5% to 10% of men and 1% of women over the age of 60 years develop weakening of their main abdominal artery leading to slow dilation of the vessel. If this process continues long term the artery can burst resulting in sudden death. At present the only treatment available for this problem is surgery, either open or minimally invasive. Both these forms of treatment are associated with significant complications and unsuitable for some patients. Thus the development of a drug treatment which ....Between 5% to 10% of men and 1% of women over the age of 60 years develop weakening of their main abdominal artery leading to slow dilation of the vessel. If this process continues long term the artery can burst resulting in sudden death. At present the only treatment available for this problem is surgery, either open or minimally invasive. Both these forms of treatment are associated with significant complications and unsuitable for some patients. Thus the development of a drug treatment which can slow or halt the weakening and dilation of the aorta would have great patient benefits. We have identified an important role for a newly discovered protein in weakening of the abdominal aorta. In this study we investigate the role of a pathway which appears to be fundamental in generating this protein. In particular we will assess the role of drug treatment in blocking this pathway as a basis for medical treatment for artery weakening.Read moreRead less
A Novel Tumour-targeting Nanoliposome Drug Delivery System For The Treatment Of Malignant Gliomas
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,097.00
Summary
Most patients with malignant brain tumours die within a year after diagnosis due to the difficulty in effectively delivering drugs to the tumour cells. We aim to develop a safe and novel drug delivery system to effectively deliver anticancer drugs and novel anticancer agents to brain tumour cells that remain in normal brain after surgery. The success of this project will bring us a step forward in our efforts to significantly improve the survival rate and quality of life of such patients.
Selective Therapies Targeting Tumour Vasculature Of Colorectal Liver Metastases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,279.00
Summary
Cancer of the bowel is the second highest cause of cancer related deaths in Australia. Over 70% of these deaths are due to bowel cancer spread to the liver or liver metastases. Treatment options for the majority of patients with liver spread are limited. Although chemotherapies are a standard treatment option, they cause significant side-effects as they are small in size and thereby distributed to both cancer and normal tissue. Given the limitations of chemotherapy, our objective is to investiga ....Cancer of the bowel is the second highest cause of cancer related deaths in Australia. Over 70% of these deaths are due to bowel cancer spread to the liver or liver metastases. Treatment options for the majority of patients with liver spread are limited. Although chemotherapies are a standard treatment option, they cause significant side-effects as they are small in size and thereby distributed to both cancer and normal tissue. Given the limitations of chemotherapy, our objective is to investigate two new strategies which selectively destruct tumours with minimal effect to normal tissues. Cancer growth is dependent on an efficient blood supply. One strategy uses drug delivery systems (DDS) to selectively target cancers by exploiting the unique properties of tumour blood vessels. The second strategy uses vascular targeting agents (VTA's) which act on tumour vessels to reduce blood flow and starve the tumour of oxygen, leading to its destruction. We will be testing two agents: SMA-Pirarubicin, a DDS and an innovative VTA, Oxi4503, in an animal model of colorectal cancer liver metastases. Although these drugs are successful in destroying the majority of tumour cells, they have a patchy effect and do not completely destroy the cancerous growth. The varied effects of these agents may be due to variations in tissue hypoxia, tumour vessel structure or factors which trigger blood vessel formation and breakdown. These features will be investigated using techniques established within our laboratory. We will also investigate the combined effect of other novel agents and hyperbaric oxygen administration to improve the effectiveness of these drugs. A successful outcome will result in the development of an improved treatment method which targets tumours, producing maximum destruction with minimum side-effects. This has the potential to replace standard chemotherapies as the preferred treatment for patients with bowel cancer spread, with overall significant patient benefits.Read moreRead less