To understand the genetic basis of two of the most important cancers in women, breast and ovarian cancer. The team has already identified one gene that confers a very high risk of breast cancer and may account for a large proportion of 'familial' breast cancer. Their aim is to identify additional predisposition genes and to determine their normal function in the cell, as well as the way in which they contribute to the development of cancer
Gynaecological, Oesophageal And Skin Cancer In Australia: Developing The Evidence-base
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,079,935.00
Summary
Our Program addresses cancers of the ovary, uterus, oesophagus and skin (both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers). The first three cancers together affect almost 4,000 people and cause more than 2,000 deaths every year while skin cancer affects almost 400,000 Australians each year. Our aims are, first, to understand better how these cancers are caused so that we can try to prevent them in the future; second, to enhance diagnosis of these cancers; and third, to improve the survival and qualit ....Our Program addresses cancers of the ovary, uterus, oesophagus and skin (both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers). The first three cancers together affect almost 4,000 people and cause more than 2,000 deaths every year while skin cancer affects almost 400,000 Australians each year. Our aims are, first, to understand better how these cancers are caused so that we can try to prevent them in the future; second, to enhance diagnosis of these cancers; and third, to improve the survival and quality of life for people who are diagnosed with these cancers in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Chief Investigators have worked as a team for 20 years as part of a successful NHMRC Program Grant that was renewed on three successive occasions and subsequently under a NHMRC Block Grant to QIMR. Their combined expertise covers the whole spectrum from the bedside to the bench with respect to clinical studies and fundamental molecular studies of iron homeostasis. The common theme of iron homeostasis and iron overload pervades virtually all the research of the team. The team�s research has l ....The Chief Investigators have worked as a team for 20 years as part of a successful NHMRC Program Grant that was renewed on three successive occasions and subsequently under a NHMRC Block Grant to QIMR. Their combined expertise covers the whole spectrum from the bedside to the bench with respect to clinical studies and fundamental molecular studies of iron homeostasis. The common theme of iron homeostasis and iron overload pervades virtually all the research of the team. The team�s research has led to fundamental observations of iron regulation and homeostasis and the development of guidelines for the management of, and screening for, haemochromatosis, recognized as the most common inherited disorder of Caucasian populations. The proposed research encompasses molecular studies aimed at deciphering the mechanisms of iron absorption and transport; how these processes are regulated; and clinical studies on patients diagnosed with haemochromatosis. The findings are particularly pertinent to the diagnosis, management and prevention of clinical haemochromatosis.Read moreRead less
Antibodies are made by B-cells and are essential for a functional immune system. B cells circulate in the body, and, when they encounter an invader, they mature into antibody-producing cells (ASC). A small proportion of the cells become “memory” cells with the potential to become ASC should the same infection occur in the future. This is the basis of vaccination. This program aims to understand how a B cell changes into an ASC. We aim eventually to be able to improve vaccines and understand dise ....Antibodies are made by B-cells and are essential for a functional immune system. B cells circulate in the body, and, when they encounter an invader, they mature into antibody-producing cells (ASC). A small proportion of the cells become “memory” cells with the potential to become ASC should the same infection occur in the future. This is the basis of vaccination. This program aims to understand how a B cell changes into an ASC. We aim eventually to be able to improve vaccines and understand diseases such as allergy, lupus, arthritis and leukaemia to develop novel therapies.Read moreRead less
This Program Grant investigates a number of important reproductive problems that affect the fertility of men, prostate cancer and the way the mother nurtures and protects the baby during pregnancy. The successful development of sperm requires the proper function of a number of biological processes. This grant investigates the way in which sperm are produced, the genes that are needed to control their development, and the way sperm propel themselves and fertilize the egg. The research also invest ....This Program Grant investigates a number of important reproductive problems that affect the fertility of men, prostate cancer and the way the mother nurtures and protects the baby during pregnancy. The successful development of sperm requires the proper function of a number of biological processes. This grant investigates the way in which sperm are produced, the genes that are needed to control their development, and the way sperm propel themselves and fertilize the egg. The research also investigates how sperm are protected during their development from infection and immunological rejection, achieved in part by a special environment within the tubes in the testis where they grow. It appears that the general mechanisms that the body uses to combat infections are modified within the testis and the way in which this occurs may provide clues that could be applied to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs in general. Some of the substances that control these processes appear to play an important role in the body�s defense against infection. The grant also investigates the processes that are involved in the development of prostate cancer. These changes can occur over many years and the grant will study some substances that appear to be involved. The work will provide new knowledge that may assist in new tests to identify whether a cancer is slow or fast growing, thereby helping each man to decide the most sensible form of treatment. The grant will investigate how a group of proteins, that also are involved in the control of processes discussed above, assist the mother in protecting her baby during pregnancy. The outcomes will assist in the management of disturbances of pregnancy that may put the fetus at risk of survival.Read moreRead less
This program of research is firmly focussed on the basic mechanisms involved in normal functioning of cells and tissues, followed by a step by step process to understand the abnormal or the diseased. The disease states we are investigating involve the blood and blood vessels, and when there is malfunction it may contribute to conditions as diverse as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, inflammation and cancer. The program thus addresses the fundamentals of diseases which are responsible for most deaths ....This program of research is firmly focussed on the basic mechanisms involved in normal functioning of cells and tissues, followed by a step by step process to understand the abnormal or the diseased. The disease states we are investigating involve the blood and blood vessels, and when there is malfunction it may contribute to conditions as diverse as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, inflammation and cancer. The program thus addresses the fundamentals of diseases which are responsible for most deaths in our society. We will use technology which is proven to provide precise information, the molecular and biochemical processes responsible for cell function (or malfunction). However in each individual project there will be a clear path to a clinical use, diagnostic or therapeutic. Indeed in a number of the components of the program there are already potential treatments and diagnostics in development and trial.Read moreRead less
Atherosclerosis: Lipoproteins, Cell Biology And Vascular Physiology
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,461,682.00
Summary
The world is confronting a major new epidemic of premature heart disease that is being driven by a global increase in obesity. There are several factors that contribute to the increased risk of heart disease in overweight and obese people. One is a low blood level of the “good” HDL cholesterol that normally protects against heart disease. Another relates to a decreased ability to remove cholesterol from the walls of arteries where it builds up to cause heart disease. A third is the fact that obe ....The world is confronting a major new epidemic of premature heart disease that is being driven by a global increase in obesity. There are several factors that contribute to the increased risk of heart disease in overweight and obese people. One is a low blood level of the “good” HDL cholesterol that normally protects against heart disease. Another relates to a decreased ability to remove cholesterol from the walls of arteries where it builds up to cause heart disease. A third is the fact that obesity is associated with a state of chronic inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation not only accelerates the development of heart disease but also makes people who have cholesterol accumulated in their arteries more likely to actually have a heart attack. And a fourth is the fact that the lining of blood vessels does not function normally in overweight and obese people. This loss of normal function is a very early sign of future heart disease. These factors are closely inter-related, with the “good” HDL playing a central role in removing cholesterol from arteries, inhibiting arterial inflammation and promoting normal function and repair of the lining of blood vessels. HDL is complex, consisting of a mixture of several subpopulations of particles that vary in shape, size and composition. Furthermore, these HDL subpopulations are continually remodelled as they circulate in blood in reactions promoted by a number of blood factors that change their size and composition. A major component of the research to be conducted in this program relates to understanding how the HDL subpopulations in human blood are regulated and how they protect against heart disease. The applicants have already made major contributions to understanding the functions of the “good” HDLs, how they take cholesterol out of cells in the artery wall, how they inhibit inflammation of the arteries and how they improve the function of the artery lining. We propose to extend these studies to establish how these protective functions can be enhanced, to find out which of the HDL subpopulations are most protective, and to identify how to increase the most protective HDLs in people at risk of heart disease.Read moreRead less