The Australasian Leukaemia And Lymphoma Group (ALLG) Trial Centre
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$790,000.00
Summary
Lymphoma, leukaemia and related cancers of the blood affect thousands of Australians, including children. The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group, a network of clinical and laboratory haematologists, will integrate laboratory research to discover new approaches to treatment, with clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of the new treatments. This approach should accelerate the research and maximise patient and community benefits.
We are studying stem cells and their utility for transplantation into several organ systems including blood, neural and liver. We are also determining the relevance of epigenetic changes in transplanted cells that may interfere with normal function and could be the basis for disease.
Manipulation Of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Niches To Improve Their Clinical Use
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$434,883.00
Summary
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) reside in adult bone marrow (BM) and make all blood and immune cells. HSCs can be damaged by chemotherapy leading to blood and BM failure. We have identified an adhesion molecule in the BM which regulates HSC behaviour. We anticipate that inhibiting this molecule will i) help minimise HSC damage during chemotherapy and ii) enhance the success of BM transplantation.
The Clinical Value Of Serology And Molecular Tests For Diagnosing Invasive Aspergillosis In At-risk Hematology Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,095,500.00
Summary
Aspergillus is a fungus found in soil, on farms and on construction sites. In those whose immune system is impaired it causes severe infection. The people who are particularly at high-risk of Aspergillus infection (called Invasive Aspergillosis) are those with acute leukaemia on chemotherapy or post bone marrow transplantation. Currently 15% of those at high-risk get Invasive Aspergillosis and 58-93% of those infected die. The main reason for this high death rate is that our current diagnostic t ....Aspergillus is a fungus found in soil, on farms and on construction sites. In those whose immune system is impaired it causes severe infection. The people who are particularly at high-risk of Aspergillus infection (called Invasive Aspergillosis) are those with acute leukaemia on chemotherapy or post bone marrow transplantation. Currently 15% of those at high-risk get Invasive Aspergillosis and 58-93% of those infected die. The main reason for this high death rate is that our current diagnostic tests are not good at detecting infection or often only detect the infection at advanced stages when treatment is ineffective. Because of the limitations of current diagnostic tests the current practice is to give empiric antifungal therapy (EAFT) early to treat Invasive Aspergillosis. However studies have demonstrated that this therapy has only resulted in a minor reduction in the mortality rates and it causes significant drug toxicity. It is a suboptimal treatment modality. New tests have been developed to diagnose Invasive Aspergillosis. These tests are for the detection of an Aspergillus protein in blood and for the detection of Aspergillus DNA in the blood. Available data suggests that these new tests are sensitive in the detection of Invasive Aspergillosis. Also other studies suggest that these new tests make an early diagnosis and seem to be able to monitor responses to treatment. However no study has been performed to date which demonstrates that the use of these tests can impact on important patient outcomes. This trial is designed to determine whether the use of the new tests to guide therapy will help improve treatment of Invasive Aspergillosis, reduce drug toxicity and reduce the death rate in the high-risk patients as compared with the current standard method of diagnosis and treatment with EAFT. If the trial is successful then this represents a significant advancement in the treatment and survival of leukaemic and bone marrow transplantation patients.Read moreRead less
Cell Cycle Regulation, Haemopoietic Stem Cells And Myeloproliferation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$579,138.00
Summary
My research has focused on understanding how the process of cell division can result in different outcomes for adult blood stem cells. I am interested in determining the role of bone and blood vessels in the regulation of blood stem cells and in the development of blood diseases (myeloprolifertive disease). I will also determine the effects of changing the cell cycle with drugs to improve transplantation of blood stem cells.
Activated Dendritic Cell Monoclonal Antibodies As Therapeutics To Prevent Graft Versus Host Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,750.00
Summary
A New Therapy to Prevent Graft versus Host Disease in Bone Marrow Transplantation Bone marrow transplants often fail due to the immune reaction of the grafted donor cells against the patient (graft versus host disease). Current treatments to prevent this do not always work and have serious side-effects or other disadvantages.The immune reaction is induced by activated dendritic cells which are the primary stimulators of the body's defences against foreign invaders. We have developed antibodies i ....A New Therapy to Prevent Graft versus Host Disease in Bone Marrow Transplantation Bone marrow transplants often fail due to the immune reaction of the grafted donor cells against the patient (graft versus host disease). Current treatments to prevent this do not always work and have serious side-effects or other disadvantages.The immune reaction is induced by activated dendritic cells which are the primary stimulators of the body's defences against foreign invaders. We have developed antibodies in mice that react with human activated dendritic cells and prevent them from inducing immune responses in the test-tube. These antibodies are also likely to be effective in patients, but cannot be used in their present form because mouse antibodies induce an undesirable immune response in humans. We therefore plan to convert them to resemble human antibodies (antibody engineering). Antibodies that react with other types of cell in the body are already used to treat or prevent a variety of conditions, including graft versus host disease, but no one has developed a therapeutic antibody against activated dendritic cells. We are applying to the NHMRC for funding to engineer our antibodies and to test them in test tube experiments and also in mouse models of graft versus host disease. We also plan to study the changes in blood levels of activated dendritic cells in bone marrow transplnt patients. This will provide information on the best time to use our new therapeutic antibodies to prevent graft versus host disease. The aim of this grant application will have been achieved if, after three years, we have a new antibody ready for testing in bone marrow transplant patients.Read moreRead less