Protecting Australia And The Region From Emerging And Re-emerging Infectious Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$774,540.00
Summary
The world is facing unprecedented threats from epidemics. In 2014 Ebola showed that issues such as quarantine, personal protective equipment and improved health system capacity are just as critical as drugs and vaccines, yet these are under-researched. Professor MacIntyre is an international expert epidemic control. She will lead a strategic research program to improve control of emerging and re-emerging infections, using her expertise in vaccines, personal protective equipment and biosecurity.
Central Aortic Blood Pressure In Children: Establishing A Gold Standard Non-invasive Assessment Of Cardiovascular Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$694,342.00
Summary
The best way of assessing early risk of cardiovascular disease involves measuring blood pressure near the heart (central pressure), but existing devices used in adults for this purpose are inaccurate in children. We will develop a children-specific method and apply it to study early cardiovascular risk in a comprehensive health study of 2000 children Australia-wide. We will also investigate why children with congenital heart disease frequently develop ‘older-adult’ heart disease at a young age.
Enabling Personalised Risk Assessment For Colorectal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$431,000.00
Summary
Bowel cancer screening will be most effective in disease prevention if it is applied proportionately to individual person's risk. Risk-based screening requires a risk calculator to assess personal risk. By utilising existing large, international datasets, I will identify the risk factors specific for different bowel cancer types and incorporate them to upgrade the prediction model that I have developed. This will achieve more accurate risk prediction to enable personalised risk-based screening.
Use Of Statistical And Mathematical Models To Investigate Infectious Disease Transmission Dynamics To Better Inform Control Measures In Hospitals And The Community
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Globally tuberculosis infects over 9 million people yearly. In low incidence countries TB is re-emerging, with HIV, drug resistance and migration driving this. Australia needs to examine the transmission of TB within our country and The Asia-Pacific region. This proposal will quantify the risk for importation of highly drug resistant TB into Australia and assess the factors that lead to outbreaks. Models will be informative for Australian TB policy development and contribute to regional and glob ....Globally tuberculosis infects over 9 million people yearly. In low incidence countries TB is re-emerging, with HIV, drug resistance and migration driving this. Australia needs to examine the transmission of TB within our country and The Asia-Pacific region. This proposal will quantify the risk for importation of highly drug resistant TB into Australia and assess the factors that lead to outbreaks. Models will be informative for Australian TB policy development and contribute to regional and global efforts for TB control.Read moreRead less
TB is a global public health problem, responsible for the deaths of 2 million children and young adults annually. Drug resistant strains of TB are emerging and pose a threat even in countries where TB is well controlled, such as Australia. Research undertaken in this CRE will translate into improved treatments, diagnostics and strategies to prevent transmission. The CRE will build capacity for research on TB in our region and provide a legal framework to support public health policy.
Modelling Of Clinic And Ambulatory Blood Pressure On Cardiovascular Risk And Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$133,957.00
Summary
Whilst ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data has been shown to be a good predictor of cardiovascular events, there remains controversy as to its utility in clinical practice. This project will use data from existing population and clinical cohort studies to examine the role of ambulatory blood pressure in risk assessment and hypertension management in Australia and around the globe. The findings are likely to have a major impact on clinical guidelines for hypertension management.
Young Onset Colorectal Cancer: Genetics Pathology And Environment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,180.00
Summary
There has been a steady increase since 2002, in the age-standardised incidence of CRC in males under 45 years in Australia, contrasting with the stabilisation in incidence of CRC in males of age 45 years and over. Persons under 50 years are not routinely screened unless they have a significant family history of CRC. Young-onset rectal cancer is associated with late presentations and with a higher mortality. This proposal will address the possible risk factors for young-onset CRC.
Developmental Origins Of Adult Cardiovascular Disease: Vascular Health In The Raine Cohort
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,087,427.00
Summary
The Raine study is a unique long term experiment that has collected extensive pre-birth and childhood data in ~3000 young Australians, who are now 27 years old. We plan to measure the artery health of 1200 of these volunteers and to determine what factors, both before and after birth, influence the presence of early atherosclerosis in humans. This study will guide strategies aimed at early prevention of heart attacks and stroke in humans, by defining the major risk factors.
Cancers of the skin are the most common tumours in humans, and their diagnosis and treatment impose the largest costs on Australia’s cancer budget. While much has been learned about the roles of sunlight and skin type as risk factors for skin cancer, relatively little is known about the genes conferring risk. This study will compare the genetic profiles of over 6000 patients with skin cancer to 3000 people without skin cancer to pinpoint the genes responsible for skin cancer.
The Biology Of Risk For Bipolar Disorder: Genetic Effects In A High-risk Longitudinal Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$856,412.00
Summary
Bipolar disorder is a severe mood disorder affecting over 350,000 Australians. Some children of bipolar disorder patients will also become ill, although currently we have no tools to predict which of these genetically at-risk young individuals will eventually develop symptoms. This study will use genetic information plus brain structural changes to predict which at-risk individuals are likely to become ill. This study will help elucidate early clinical and biological markers of bipolar disorder.