Identifying Pragmatic Strategies To Prevent And Treat Enteric Infection In Indigenous Infants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$189,384.00
Summary
Diarrhoea remains one of the commonest causes of death in young children. Most of these deaths occur in places that have limited clean water, food, and health care. Although deaths from diarrhoea are rare in Australia, Indigenous children still suffer from frequent and severe episodes of diarrhoea, much more so that than non-Indigenous infants. This research aims to reduce this suffering by finding ways to both prevent and treat diarrhoea in young children.
Microbiological And Immunological Determinants Of Prolonged Illness Following Q Fever.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$362,036.00
Summary
Q fever is a severe, sometimes life-threatening infection acquired by individuals who work with livestock, particularly abattoir workers. At least 10% of individuals who develop Q fever experience prolonged ill-health in the form of weeks or months of debilitating fatigue, profuse night sweats, headaches, as well as muscle and joint pains. This poorly understood persistent illness is associated with substantial disability and loss of income. This research is based upon an established cohort stud ....Q fever is a severe, sometimes life-threatening infection acquired by individuals who work with livestock, particularly abattoir workers. At least 10% of individuals who develop Q fever experience prolonged ill-health in the form of weeks or months of debilitating fatigue, profuse night sweats, headaches, as well as muscle and joint pains. This poorly understood persistent illness is associated with substantial disability and loss of income. This research is based upon an established cohort study in which subjects with acute, documented Q fever are recruited shortly after the onset of symptoms and followed at regular intervals through to recovery or persistent symptoms. The aim of this research is to determine whether abnormal persistence of the causative organsim of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, underlies the continued symptoms in those who do not recover promptly from the acute illness. Furthermore, the research is examining the host defense response against the organism via the production of cytokines or immunological hormones, to determine whether these proteins mediate the ongoing symptoms. If confirmed, these hypotheses would lead the way to diagnostic markers for the disorder and a rational treatment strategy.Read moreRead less
Patient Tailored Immunity Transplant For The Prevention Of Viral Infections Post Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$567,967.00
Summary
Blood or bone marrow transplantation can cure leukaemia and related blood disorders, but patients are susceptible to infections in the period early after transplant. Infectious complications remain a leading cause of death among allogeneic transplant recipients. Our research aims to prevent the onset of infection using novel cell therapies to rapidly restore the immune system thus preventing the problems associated with the transplant process.
Establishment Of A Bank Of Third Party T Cells To Treat Virus Infections (that Are Resistant Or Unsuitable For Other Forms Of Antibiotic Therapy) In Immunocompromised And Transplant Patients Across Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$811,530.00
Summary
Bone marrow transplantation can cure cancers of the blood but patients are susceptible to viral infections due to ongoing immune deficiency. We have shown you can grow immune cells in the laboratory and transfer this immunity to transplant recipients. While effective, this has not been widely adopted due to the time, complexity and costs of the process. We aim to address these issues by providing a treatment option for patients with life threatening infections using immediately available “off th ....Bone marrow transplantation can cure cancers of the blood but patients are susceptible to viral infections due to ongoing immune deficiency. We have shown you can grow immune cells in the laboratory and transfer this immunity to transplant recipients. While effective, this has not been widely adopted due to the time, complexity and costs of the process. We aim to address these issues by providing a treatment option for patients with life threatening infections using immediately available “off the shelf” immune cells.Read moreRead less