Developing In Vivo Methods Of Adipose Tissue Engineering
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,703.00
Summary
Surgical repair and replacement of soft tissues after tumour removal or to repair existing damage requires fat tissue with a good blood supply. Tissue engineering allows us to create new fat grafts for replacement tissue without causing unnecessary pain or trauma to the patient. We have developed a method for growing fat tissue using a chamber to maintain a space for the tissue to grow into, a blood vessel to supply nutrients to the growing tissue, cells or tissue from the host to encourage cell ....Surgical repair and replacement of soft tissues after tumour removal or to repair existing damage requires fat tissue with a good blood supply. Tissue engineering allows us to create new fat grafts for replacement tissue without causing unnecessary pain or trauma to the patient. We have developed a method for growing fat tissue using a chamber to maintain a space for the tissue to grow into, a blood vessel to supply nutrients to the growing tissue, cells or tissue from the host to encourage cell growth and migration and a matrix or scaffold to support the developing tissue and guide it to form the type of tissue we want (fat, muscle etc). We have shown that the tissue graft may cause fat to grow due to causing an inflammatory reaction and confirmed this by adding a mild inflammatory compound to the chamber instead of a tissue graft. This compound caused the chamber to grow fat tissue. The aim of this project is to determine which of the growth factors or other signaling factors released by the inflammation process is responsible for causing fat tissue production and to identify what cells are being attracted to the chamber to help grow the fat, so that we can further improve our engineering of fat tissue. Understanding the pathways which mediate or stimulate fat growth will provide new opportunities for improving fat growth and allow the engineering of larger fat grafts in larger animals and eventually human clinical application. Beyond that, inflammation is involved in many disease processes (eg. obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer), and these fields of study will also benefit from our research.Read moreRead less
Building Tissue Engineered Flaps For Surgical Reconstruction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$548,453.00
Summary
As a result of serious trauma, burns or cancer surgery, large areas of new skin may be required. Of the three major skin layers - epidermal and dermal replacements are available clinically, but the third layer - the underlying fat tissue layer is yet to be developed. This project has devised a novel product to rapidly recreate the skin fat layer and additionally rapidly grow new blood vessels in these layers which will enable excellent skin coverage in all forms of major skin loss.
Identifying Strategies To Reduce The Risk Of Kneecap Arthritis After Serious Knee Ligament Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
Early-onset kneecap arthritis, and associated pain and disability, affects younger adults at an alarming rate after serious knee ligament injury – “young people, old knees”. This research aims to identify modifiable risk factors for early-onset kneecap arthritis (reconstruction surgery, knee biomechanics and functional deficits) which will aid the development of interventions to minimise onset and progression of kneecap arthritis, and reduce the burden of this important public health problem.
Making Football Safe For Women: Implementing An Injury Prevention Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$842,951.00
Summary
The risk of serious knee injury in female football is high, and injuries are continuing to increase. In partnership with the AFL, Medibank, Aust. Physiotherapy Association, Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians and Sports Medicine Australia we will aim to increase the use of a knee injury prevention program (Prep-to-Play) in ~4200 female community football players in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Evaluating And Disseminating The Implementation Success Of A Surgical Training Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$181,065.00
Summary
Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) is the most commonly performed major surgical procedure in women (30,000/yr in Australia). Internationally, only about 25% of hysterectomies are still performed through an open abdominal approach, compared to 40% in Australia. This means that too many women in Australia will suffer unnecessary side-effects, pain and long recovery, keeping them away from their family and usual tasks longer than necessary.
THE CONTROL OF TYPE 2 DIABETES THROUGH WEIGHT LOSS IN INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF LAGB
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,854.00
Summary
Our recent clinical trial showed that 3 out of every 4 obese people with type 2 diabetes who undergo substantial weight loss have their diabetes go into remission. In this project we recognise in the Indigenous people specific cultural and socio-economic factors and family and community approach to health care and seek to test if the Lap-Band procedure is acceptable to them and if it is feasible to achieve substantial weight loss and control of diabetes as was seen in a European population.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) And Neuromuscular Training
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,248.00
Summary
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive (ACLR) following ACL rupture is a successful surgery that improves stability of the knee joint. However, evidence is emerging that despite undergoing reconstructive surgery, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is prevalent in the proceeding years. The proposed research aims to improve biomechanical abnormalities by providing a neuromuscular intervention. This could lead to a more optimal biomechanical pattern which could reduce the degenerative changes occu ....Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive (ACLR) following ACL rupture is a successful surgery that improves stability of the knee joint. However, evidence is emerging that despite undergoing reconstructive surgery, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is prevalent in the proceeding years. The proposed research aims to improve biomechanical abnormalities by providing a neuromuscular intervention. This could lead to a more optimal biomechanical pattern which could reduce the degenerative changes occurring within the knee of ACLR patients.Read moreRead less