Investigation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Alpha Synuclein Function At The Presynapse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common brain disease affecting 7 million people worldwide. It is caused by the death of brain cells. ?-synuclein is a protein in that brain that is likely to contribute to the cell death in PD, but the normal role of the protein remains unknown. This study will investigate the function of ?-synuclein in maintaining normal healthy brain activity. In addition, this work will help us understand how normal brain processes are affected in diseases such as PD.
Understanding Immunosuppressive Pathways In Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,178.00
Summary
Cancer-induced immune suppression is a major obstacle to the effective treatment of many cancers. Suppression can be mediated by cells of the immune system, or cancers themselves. My project aims to investigate 3 suppressive pathways and determine their hierarchy in different mouse models of cancer using mouse genetics and antibody-based treatment approaches. Understanding these processes ongoing in the cancer environment will allow the design of more effective cancer therapies.
Understanding And Modulating The Human Immune System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
T cells are the sentinels of our immune system continually scanning our tissue for abnormalities and eliminating threats in many forms. They are our second and last line of defence against microorganisms and cancer. Unfortunately, T cells can also cause harm through accidental crossreactvity or overzealous function. My work is directed at understanding how T cells work and how they can be controlled using drugs and gene therapy. If we can ‘tune’ the power of this master immune lineage we can unl
Understanding The Mechanisms Of Action Of The ISCOMATRIX Adjuvant For The Development Of Human Vaccines
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,361.00
Summary
CSL Limited, an Australian owned global biopharmaceutical company, is developing the ISCOMATRIX (IMX) adjuvant for vaccines to prevent and treat serious human disease of global concern (e.g. cancer, pandemic flu, HPV, HCV). This study will identify the mechanisms of action of IMX in generating strong cellular immunity, how to enhance it further by combining with other immuno-modulators so as to develop novel IMX vaccines for the treatment of established cancer and persistent viral infections.
Inhibitory Signalling Switches Define The Machinery Of Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
The nerve cells in our brains are in constant communication to sustain life. Communication involves one nerve cell responding to electrical stimulation by releasing chemical messengers, from vesicles, onto the next cell. Our research focuses on the mechanism of recycling of vesicles. Targeting this mechanism is a way to gain fundamental knowledge of how to intervene medically when communication fails, or when communication needs to be dampened, in neurological diseases.
The Search For Novel Therapeutic Targets For The Treatment Of Chronic Pain.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,048.00
Summary
Chronic pain is very common, with one in five Australians suffering long-term pain that is serious enough to cause disability. It is extraordinarily difficult to treat. Medicines used to treat normal pain symptoms are usually ineffective on chronic pain patients because the cause of the pain is different. The aim of this project is to identify new drug targets in the spinal cord that are specific for chronic pain so we can develop new medicines to reverse the symptoms safely and effectively.
Investigating CD4+ T Helper Cell Differentiation During Blood-stage Plasmodium Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,388.00
Summary
Some infections tend to afflict us only once, e.g. chickenpox, because our bodies develop immunity to these microbes relatively easily. In contrast, it takes many infections to develop immunity to the malaria parasite, because our immune systems seem to respond inefficiently to it. My work will improve our understanding of how the immune system is poorly activated during malaria, and may provide new ideas for boosting the immune system in response to malaria or indeed other infections.