Research
Basic to all attempts to understand and control the problems associated
with liver disease is support of intensified research into the causes and treatment
of liver diseases. The Foundation's research programs include:
Research Grants - awards to help support the ongoing liver research
projects of Australian investigators with a focus on collaborative research;
Fellowships - awards to enable Australian doctors to obtain
further training in the study of liver diseases at internationally recognised
centres: for example, many developed countries award Fellowships to promising,
emerging researchers wishing to specialise in liver diseases but Australia
has no such fellowships.
Scholarships - awards to encourage independent
investigators to pursue five-year programs of liver research at Australian
universities;
Summer Student Scholarships - awards to provide undergraduates
with support for summer research projects with senior investigators;
Studentships - awards to enable academically superior students to undertake
full-time studies in Australian universities under the sponsorship of experienced
liver research scientists.
Some examples of collaborative research that the ALF might consider for funding
once sufficient funds are available:
• Development of a non-invasive
serological test for fibrosis and cirrhosis in a variety of liver diseases
including cystic fibrosis liver disease, extrahepatic
biliary atresia and haemochromatosis.
Aim: Decrease the requirement for a liver biopsy.
Staff required: Post-doctoral research scientist.
Funding required: $300,000 over 3 years.
• Development of a diagnostic serological test for extrahepatic
biliary atresia.
Aim: The diagnosis of children with this disease very
early following birth, allowing earlier intervention for successful surgical
treatment, obviating the requirement to proceed to liver transplantation.
Staff required: a post-doctoral research scientist.
Funding required: $270,000 over 3 years.
• Identification of genes which predispose children with cystic fibrosis to develop serious liver disease.
Aim: Allow earlier identification of potential
for serious liver complications later in life, and thus facilitate earlier
treatment.
Staff required: A PhD scholar and a research
assistant.
Funding required: $315,000 over 3 years.
• The role of the liver-derived peptide hepcidin in the regulation
of body iron metabolism.
Aim: Understand how hepcidin responds to changes
in body iron demand and regulates iron release from intestinal epithelial
cells and macrophages, which is critical knowledge for the development of
improved diagnostic strategies and therapies for haemochromatosis and related
diseases.
Funding required: $761,000 over 3 years.
• A Study of the Effectiveness of Regular Surveillance for Hepatocellular
Carcinoma (HCC) in Patients with Haemochromatosis and Cirrhosis .
Aim: Determine whether regular surveillance by
ultrasonography and a -foetoprotein measurements improves outcome for patients
with HCC in haemochromatosis; Define the optimal surveillance interval and
determine its cost-effectiveness.
Funding required: $195,000 over 3 years.
• How fatty liver causes fibrosis. (The role of steatosis
in promoting cellular injury and fibrogenesis in human liver disease.)
Apart from optimizing body weight, there is no established treatment of fatty
liver disease. Delineation of the mechanisms involved in liver injury will
allow the development of specific protective strategies for steatotic livers.
Staff required: Senior Research Fellow, Research
Assistant.
Funding required: $420,000 over 3 years.
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