University of Queensland researchers have been awarded $2.289 million in the latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council grants.
UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor David Siddle said three of the C.J. Martin Fellowships awarded to UQ would attract talented researchers back from overseas.
The UQ grants announced today by the Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott include:
• A C.J. Martin Fellowship valued at $313,084 to Dr Kate Seib, who will return to Australia to characterise candidates for a vaccine against serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis, the major cause of meningococcal disease in Australia, Europe and the United States.
Dr Seib is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Novartis Vaccines, a leading global pharmaceutical company.
She said Neisseria meningitidis was a significant cause of mortality worldwide due to septicaemia and meningitis. There is currently no vaccine against serogroup B.
“The recent availability of genome sequences and microarray technologies has led to identification of potential vaccine candidates of N. meningitidis serogroup B,” she said.
“My project involves characterising the role of several vaccine candidates to aid development of a vaccine.”
• An Australian Clinical Research Fellowship valued at $269,000 has been awarded to Mr Timothy Silk, who has submitted a PhD which has focused on brain imaging studies in children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mr Silk said ADHD affected 3-5% of primary school-aged children and had serious consequences for the child’s educational and social development.
“Although it is generally well accepted that ADHD has a biological cause, very little is known about the changes in brain function which underlie ADHD," he said.
“My study aims to examine the function of frontal and parietal brain neworks, using advanced brain imaging methods, and to examine how genetic variation contributes to individual differences.
“Understanding the biological/genetic factors that contribute to different expression of ADHD is crucial for developing more effective interventions and treatment strategies.”
• NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow Professor Martin Lavin has been awarded an NHMRC $109,250 development grant in collaboration with Professor John de Jersey and Dr Paul Masci, also of The University of Queensland, to develop an anti-bleeding agent from snake venom.
The project is designed to exploit observations made with proteins isolated from snake venom that lead to efficient clotting of whole blood. The group has isolated and identified multiple families of proteins from the venom of most venomous Australian snakes. The protein being used here is an efficient blood coagulant.
Professor Lavin said the protein involved in this study, a factor Va-like, is part of a prothrombin activator complex which the snake exploits to enhance clotting in its prey.
"The aim of the project is to complete a proof-of-concept for a single component haemostat that will be targeted to sites of injury," he said.
"We anticipate that the agent will be used both intravenously and topically (on the skin)."
Awards to UQ researchers also included funding on topics including improving the understanding of asthma susceptibility; copper-related diseases; treatment of head and neck cancer stem cells; and physical activity in the lives of Indigenous young people.
Media: Further information, Jan King 0413 601 248.
