A Program Of Methodological And Collaborative Research In Biostatistics And Population Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$264,081.00
Summary
Biostatistics is a critical component of health and medical research, especially for studies in population health. However, there is an increasing gap between supply and demand for high-level biostatistical input. This proposal combines novel methodological research into methods for analysing incomplete data, with collaborative research applying new ideas and complex analyses to important health problems. The fellowship will facilitate my development as a future leader in this key area.
Understanding The Factors Governing Susceptibility And Outcome In Childhood Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$276,122.00
Summary
This research seeks to understand why a minority of children are prone to severe and often life-threatening infections and inflammation. It focusses on infections both in preterm infants and in later childhood, which may also be relevant to understanding atherosclerosis. I am also interested in improving the health of recently arrived refugees, by conducting research that allows the development of evidence-based health interventions and developing national policy on refugee health.
Tuberculosis - Transmission, Drug Resistance And Strain Emergence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,652.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) kills nearly 2 million people each year. The emergence of drug resistant TB in the Asia-Pacific region pose a particular threat to Australia, due to frequent population mixing and ongoing TB transmission that may facilitate its spread within vulnerable communities. The proposed study will develop advanced tools to monitor and limit TB transmission within Australia. It will also provide novel insight into the evolution of the global TB epidemic and key factors that sustain it.
Pneumococcal disease is one of the biggest killers of children under 5 years of age worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are highly effective at reducing pneumococcal disease however the duration of protection and the immune factors involved is unknown, particularly when fewer than the recommended number of doses are used. My fellowship aims to examine the key immune factors that provide long-term protection following pneumococcal vaccination.
Mood and anxiety disorders represent a tremendous cause of disability and morbidity. This research will use cutting-edge brain imaging technologies to understand why these disorders typically emerge in young people and whether brain imaging can reliably predict the effectiveness of different treatments for individual patients.
Understanding Typical And Atypical Development Of The Infant Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,065.00
Summary
This project will apply advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to understand how brain abnormalities in preterm infants relate to their functional impairments. It aims to: develop new software to easily and accurately measure infant brain structures and tissues; understand the neurobiological basis for adverse outcomes, enabling diagnosis of high risk preterm infants; and identify MRI biomarkers to assess interventions designed to give Australian babies a healthier start to life.