University of Queensland researchers have received two $3 million grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to accelerate knowledge and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and to improve gynaecological cancer treatment.
The funding will support collaborative research aimed at addressing pressing health challenges and improving patient outcomes.
Innovation in approaching Alzheimer's disease
A $3 million NHMRC grant will fund a new Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Mechanisms in Neurodegeneration - Alzheimer's Disease (MIND-AD).
Led by Professor Jürgen Götz from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute, the new centre is the first dedicated CRE to lead basic science research to investigate the underlying causes of neurodegenerative diseases.
"Using a multidisciplinary approach, we are aiming for discoveries that leapfrog us towards new disease-halting or reversing treatments, which have remained elusive for more than a century," Professor Götz said.
"Alzheimer's disease drug research has been largely focused on strategies to remove toxic amyloid-β and Tau aggregates from the brain, but the effectiveness of these drugs is yet to be determined.
"A growing body of evidence supports the multifactorial nature of Alzheimer's disease, so the MIND-AD Centre of Research Excellence will take a more holistic approach."
Professor Götz said the centre will look at the relationship between protein aggregation and misfolding and mitochondrial functions and exploit those links to engineer next-generation combination therapies.
"Our program will span molecular, cellular and brain-wide research, drug targeting and delivery as well as multiscale mathematical models," he said.
"We will also nurture industry partnerships and support translation and commercialisation opportunities where appropriate."
Improving gynaecological cancer treatments
A $3 million NHMRC grant will establish a new Centre of Research Excellence to Improve the Quality of Survival in Gynaecological Cancer Patients (ALIVE WELL).
Professor Andreas Obermair from UQ's Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) will lead a team across 7 projects investigating the factors that impact the wellbeing of women treated for gynaecological cancers.
"The current treatment for most gynaecological cancers takes a brutal toll on patients," Professor Obermair said.
"Some of the biggest concerns for these women include issues with fertility, lymphoedema or swelling caused by a lymphatic system blockage, and their general recovery from treatment.
"The new centre will focus on priority areas aiming to enable fertility after endometrial cancer, reducing lymphoedema and optimising cancer recovery."
The centre builds on 6 clinical trials the team is currently running involving more than 2500 women with gynaecological cancer from around the world.
Three new clinical trials will commence under this CRE.
UQCCR researcher Dr Eva Baxter said each trial aims to address a different aspect of improving gynaecological cancer treatment and follow-up, and monitoring how this impacts women's lives.
"We will look at things including pregnancy rates and cancer recurrence after treatment, healthy habits and exercise interventions for patients during and after treatment, and barriers to implementing new treatment pathways in clinical practice," Dr Baxter said.
"Overall, our aim is to improve quality of life, health and function during and after gynaecological cancer treatment, so women can get back to living their best lives."
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