Molecular Mechanisms Of Inherited Cardiomyopathies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,574.00
Summary
Heart failure due to disorders of the heart’s contraction and rhythm is a major health burden for our community. Two of the most common causes of heart failure are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and atrial fibrillation (AF). The broad objective of DF’s research is identification of genetic variants that cause familial forms of DCM and AF, and elucidation of the pathophysiological effects of these variants. A better understanding of disease mechanisms will facilitate new approaches to diagnosis, tr ....Heart failure due to disorders of the heart’s contraction and rhythm is a major health burden for our community. Two of the most common causes of heart failure are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and atrial fibrillation (AF). The broad objective of DF’s research is identification of genetic variants that cause familial forms of DCM and AF, and elucidation of the pathophysiological effects of these variants. A better understanding of disease mechanisms will facilitate new approaches to diagnosis, treatment and prevention.Read moreRead less
Genetic Basis For Skeletal Muscle Formation In Development And Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$751,854.00
Summary
Inherited skeletal dystrophies and myopathies are devastating and debilitating disease for which there are no cures and general muscle wasting is major health problem for a significant number of older Australians. Understanding how muscles form, grow and are maintained in model system, the Zebrafish, will provide avenues for treatment of these diseases. We will create models of human muscle diseases in zebrafish and test the usefulness of different therapeutic approaches we develop.
Modelling Haematopoietic Disease And Leukocyte Function Using Zebrafish Models
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$686,656.00
Summary
Dr Lieschke studies white blood cell function and diseases. His biomedical research uses zebrafish animal models of human white blood cell diseases and he is an international expert on their blood and immune systems. His current research aims to understand what goes wrong in diseases when there are too many white blood cells (as in leukaemia), or too few (as in some hereditary diseases), and to develop new therapies for controlling inflammatory and infective diseases.
Cancer is linked to mutations in a large variety of genes but how these changes impact on cell behaviour is often unknown. We are using functional genomics in zebrafish to identify genes that are essential for rapid rates of proliferation by intestinal epithelial cells. Seven genes have been cloned so far and our next task is to analyse, using mouse models and human cancer transcriptome analysis, whether any are indispensable for cancer growth and thereby present suitable targets for therapy.