Big ideas attract big funding

Eggs provide genetic and non-genetic (epigenetic) information that is critical for offspring development. While it is understood how genes transmit instructions that regulate offspring development, epigenetic inheritance is poorly understood. This project will determine how an essential epigenetic mechanism acting in eggs controls formation of tissues in offspring and grand-offspring and how dysregulation of this mechanism results in disease. Outcomes will help understand disease inheritance.

Compared with vaginally born babies, babies born at term by caesarean section have a higher risk of needing intensive care due to breathing problems soon after birth. The team have recently made a major break-through in understanding why, and this project will provide the additional information required to identify effective treatments for these otherwise healthy newborns. Ultimately this research will identify approaches and treatments that will reduce the risk or severity of newborn breathing problems.

Autoimmune diseases affect approximately five per cent of Australians and are driven by autoantibodies. While treatments are available to limit disease progression and morbidity, these are non-curative and have numerous side-effects. The team propose an innovative approach to tackle the management of autoimmunity by targeting how auto-antibodies are generated. A new class of highly-specific therapeutics has been generated that have the potential to help management of diverse autoimmune conditions.

Endometriosis is a chronic, debilitating condition that affects one in nine menstruators. People with the disease have limited treatment options and there is no cure. A defective immune response is one of the causes of the disease. This project aims to investigate a new immunomodulator, interferon epsilon (IFNε), which may exert protective effects against the development of endometriosis. The team will investigate whether IFNε  can be used as an innovative treatment for endometriosis.

Highly pathogenic influenza A virus infections are associated with high mortality rates. To facilitate the development of improved treatments for severe IAV infections, this project will advance the fundamental knowledge of mechanisms by which the host and virus interact and elucidate how the host’s immune system can be therapeutically modulated to limit disease severity. These studies are crucial to prepare for the next pandemic.