Culture-independent Microbiology: Reducing Delays In The Diagnosis Of Severe Infections And Detection Of Antimicrobial Resistance From Days To Hours.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$949,589.00
Summary
Serious infections require early effective antibiotic treatment. To provide evidence that an antibiotic will be effective, current tests take 2-5 days and this leads to a reliance on broad spectrum antibiotics, which can cause harm. Our new diagnostic methods, can produce results in 4-6 hours. We will demonstrate the real-world benefit of these methods by assessing samples taken from patients with three high risk infections and compare our test to currently available results.
The Australian Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes And Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$489,749.00
Summary
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a form of home dialysis that is both substantially cheaper and associated with better early survival than standard hospital-based haemodialysis. Its use in Australia has been severely limited by poor outcomes compared to the rest of the world. This international study aims to identify “real world” PD centre practices that will lead to better outcomes for Australian patients, greater uptake of home dialysis and health savings of tens of millions of dollars annually.
Forensic Approach For Reservoir Identification For Serious S. Aureus Infections In Top End Dialysis Clients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,832.00
Summary
Indigenous Australians suffer from kidney disease at a much higher rate than non-Indigenous Australians and are far more likely to require dialysis treatment. Infections with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) further reduce the quality of life for these patients, causing serious disease and even death. We aim to identify exactly where these Golden Staph infections are coming from so that we can design targeted procedures to reduce the chance of infections occurring.
To Investigate Rates Of Peritonitis In Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients In Australia And Perform A Pilot Study Aimed At Reducing These Rates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,314.00
Summary
Overall aims: To establish how much variation in PD practice exists between renal units in Australia; to establish current practice in 8 units; to perform an intervention study in 8 units; to analyse registry data re peritonitis in PD patients; to conduct interviews with PD patients who have had peritonitis. Expected outcomes: To establish if practice variation is associated with peritonitis rates; to see if active guideline implementation leads to better peritonitis rates; to establish the reas ....Overall aims: To establish how much variation in PD practice exists between renal units in Australia; to establish current practice in 8 units; to perform an intervention study in 8 units; to analyse registry data re peritonitis in PD patients; to conduct interviews with PD patients who have had peritonitis. Expected outcomes: To establish if practice variation is associated with peritonitis rates; to see if active guideline implementation leads to better peritonitis rates; to establish the reasons why therapy fails.Read moreRead less
The Opposing Roles Of STAT1 And STAT3 Signalling By IL-6 Family Cytokines In Inflammation And Tumourigenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$472,770.00
Summary
Stomach cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and results in the yearly death of several thousand people in Australia alone. We have discovered a specific mutation in a gene for a receptor molecule called gp130 that results in the formation of stomach cancer in mice. Strikingly, mice with this mutation are also highly susceptible to clinically-relevant experimental models of septic shock and peritonitis, two chronic inflammatory disorders induced by bacterial ....Stomach cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and results in the yearly death of several thousand people in Australia alone. We have discovered a specific mutation in a gene for a receptor molecule called gp130 that results in the formation of stomach cancer in mice. Strikingly, mice with this mutation are also highly susceptible to clinically-relevant experimental models of septic shock and peritonitis, two chronic inflammatory disorders induced by bacterial infection. We are now aiming to understand the exact molecular events by which this mutation results in the uncontrolled growth of epithelial cells that line the stomach wall, as well as uncontrolled regulation of the immune system leading to local and systemic inflammation. At the molecular level, the mutation in gp130 leads to over-activation of two signalling molecules, Stat1 and Stat3, which are also used by a range of other receptors to transmit specific cellular responses. In the context of cancer and inflammation, Stat1 and Stat3 have opposing roles (ie Stat3 promotes cancer and can be both anti-pro-inflammatory, while Stat1 suppresses cancer and is pro-inflammatory), although as yet, the contribution of the gp130 receptor in directing Stat1 and Stat3 activation in these disorders is not known. Our proposal employs established strategies and unique mouse models to specifically address how the mutation in gp130 can orchestrate the opposing biological functions of these two molecules to drive stomach cancer and inflammation. The identification of mechanisms by which gp130-dependent activation of these two molecules causally relate to inflammation and stomach cancer will ultimately provide novel and rational approaches to target these molecules for the screening and treatment of various inflammatory disorders and cancers, including those of the stomach.Read moreRead less