The health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables can in part be attributed to their high content of polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids. These substances can improve functioning of blood vessels and have the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease. This project will examine one of the most common flavonoids in the diet to try and understand how it works and better understand the protective effects.
Glucose Uptake During Exercise: Important Role Of AMP-activated Protein Kinase And Nitric Oxide?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,875.00
Summary
Almost one in four Australians aged 25 and over has either diabetes or impaired glucose metabolism. In people with type 2 diabetes the rate of glucose uptake into muscles in response to insulin is reduced. However, glucose uptake during exercise is normal. Therefore, the hyperglycaemia of diabetes tends to normalise during exercise. The signals within the muscle which result in glucose uptake during exercise are largely undefined, but are known to differ to to that of insulin. This project will ....Almost one in four Australians aged 25 and over has either diabetes or impaired glucose metabolism. In people with type 2 diabetes the rate of glucose uptake into muscles in response to insulin is reduced. However, glucose uptake during exercise is normal. Therefore, the hyperglycaemia of diabetes tends to normalise during exercise. The signals within the muscle which result in glucose uptake during exercise are largely undefined, but are known to differ to to that of insulin. This project will determine whether the skeletal muscle enzymes AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) play a critical role in the activation of glucose uptake during exercise. Exercise is considered the best prevention and treatment option for diabetes. Unfortunately, approximately 50% of people with diabetes do not exercise regularly with adherence to exercise programs being poor. Therefore, other alternatives must be sought to effectively manage diabetes. If it is found that skeletal muscle AMPK and-or NOS regulate glucose uptake during exercise, efforts can then be made to design drugs for diabetics that mimic these exercise effects on skeletal muscle glucose uptake resulting in improved glycemic control and consequently reduced diabetic complications.Read moreRead less
Endothelial Development From Pluripotent Stem Cells As A Means To Study Pathology In Pulmonary Artery Hypertension
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$613,311.00
Summary
Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease primarily affecting young adults. It is caused by a defect in cells that form the vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. We will use stem cells made from the skin of PAH patients to examine why the blood vessel cells from these patients fail to function normally.
Novel Anti-Infective Agents That Act By Enhancing The Host Innate Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$655,482.00
Summary
Antibiotic resistance is one of our major challenges, with fears expressed that we may soon run out of effective antibiotics for the treatment of infections. The goal of this project is to develop a novel class of antibiotics that acts by enhancing our immune response to infection rather than attacking the bacteria themselves, and therefore will not be susceptible to the development of bacterial resistance. These agents inhibit the degradation of a key enzyme involved in combating infections.