Obesity ensues when calorie intake exceeds energy expended. Hitherto, up-regulating energy expenditure is a relatively unexplored avenue. This project will address 3 facets of energy expenditure (fat, muscle and neural control). Understanding how sex and steroids act in concert to regulate energy expenditure will pave the way towards developing novel anti-obesity agents. This work will delineate mechanisms that underpin gender differences in the regulation of body weight.
Sex Differences In Long-Term Outcomes Of Young Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$333,900.00
Summary
Young women (?55 years) are more likely to die after having a heart attack and face more difficult recoveries compared to similar aged men. However the cause of this difference is unknown. This project seeks to improve the prevention, care and longer term outcomes for young women following a heart attack. Information obtained from will provide evidence-based and actionable information for physicians to inform and manage their patients so that we may ultimately improve the lives of young women.
Generating New Evidence To Better Guide Stroke Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$568,293.00
Summary
I wish to produce sound knowledge on the management of blood pressure and nursing monitoring for patient affected by stroke. I plan to address gaps in stroke management that exist between men and women around the world in order for there to be equity of care and an ability for every patient to have the best chances of receiving proven therapies to optimise their chances of recovery. Finally, I will use data that considers patients’ own view of wellbeing that can be used to direct stroke care.
Fetal Sex: An Important Determinant Of The Placental Transcriptome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$553,574.00
Summary
There are fetal sex differences in pregnancy outcomes that place boys at greater risk than girls. These are likely caused by genetic differences in the placenta. We will use 21st century gene sequencing technology to obtain the complete sequence of placental genes in early pregnancy and normal term placenta to determine what the genetic differences are between male and female placentas. This may be important in developing future sex specific therapeutics for babies in the neonatal nursery.
Interaction Between Estrogen And The Renin-angiotensin System In The Regulation Of Arterial Pressure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,525.00
Summary
Women before menopause are protected from cardiovascular disease. Estrogen is thought to provide this protection. Yet post-menopause estrogen replacement has not always proven beneficial. We are investigating the idea that estrogen within a narrow window modulates the hormone angiotensin (a major regulator of blood pressure) to lower blood presssure but outside this range (higher or lower) the benefits are lost.
Novel DNA Modifications Underlying Sex Differences In Fear-related Learning And Memory
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,978.00
Summary
Women are at increased risk of developing fear-related anxiety disorders. We have recently discovered that there sex-specific regulatory mechanisms in the brain that are associated with differences in the control of fear. In this proposal, we will determine whether novel DNA modifications in the female brain are responsible for establishing sex differences in brain states that make the brain more or less responsive to fear-related learning.
Sex Disparities In Management Of Myocardial Infarction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,203.00
Summary
We propose using linked routine Big Data from the NSW health system to investigate sex differences in medications prescribed following a first MI, including deviances from guideline recommendations. We will also quantify differences between women and men in subsequent adverse outcomes, such as recurrent MI, according to treatment prescribed, and will study variations in sex dif
Understanding The Biology Of Pregnancy To Prevent Morbidity And Mortality
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,746.00
Summary
Progress in the care of the unborn baby, and thus optimisation of life-long health, will only come with a greater understanding of the fundamental processes that underlie pregnancy. My research is aimed at saving babies lives and reducing the long-term burdens (health, emotional and economic) of major perinatal conditions. I am uniquely placed to carry out this research, using the research tools I have developed to deliver real outcomes that will change clinical practice