Defining The Mechanisms By Which ABCA7 And ApoE Control Alzheimer's Disease Risk. Functional Characterisation Of New Therapeutic Targets For Dementia Prevention And Treatment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,975.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the major cause of dementia and is currently without a curative treatment. An understanding of the pathways that lead to AD is urgently required to develop approaches for treatments. We have discovered new pathways by which proteins called ApoE and ABCA7 control AD. We now aim to define precisely how these proteins work in the brain and use this information to develop therapeutic approaches to treat AD in humans.
The Roles Of Retinoic Acid Receptors In Regulating Haemopoiesis And Bone
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,484.00
Summary
My research has shown that vitamin A is very important to the normal function of blood and bone cells. I will further explore the uses of vitamin A products to improve the treatment of patients with a range of different blood and bone diseases. These studies may lead to better treatments of patients with a wide range of blood cell diseases. It may also reveal better treatments for patients with bone diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis.
Sun Exposure, Vitamin D And Photohealth Over The Lifetime
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$622,655.00
Summary
Australia is a sunny country with a diverse population. Inappropriate sun exposure for skin type leads to skin cancer (mainly in the fair-skinned) and vitamin D deficiency (particularly in the darker-skinned). Potential benefits of sun exposure are broader than vitamin D production, but remain ill-defined. There are few data on appropriate sun exposure for children. This research fellowship builds the evidence to guide sun exposure messages.
This work will analyse how cells, the building blocks of tissues, are organized together to form functioning organs. It focuses on the adhesion molecules that allow cells to recognize one another, which cooperate with the internal skeleton of cells to link them together. We aim to understand how these cellular systems work normally and how they are targeted to disrupt tissue integrity in diseases like cancer and inflammation.
My research aims to (1) find ways to minimise the impact of pancreatic cancer through improved prevention, diagnosis and management; (2) contribute to the vigorous international debate about the benefits of vitamin D and the best way to balance the harms and benefits of sun exposure.