research grants program - 2009
The CP Institute has great pleasure in announcing the recipients of the 2009 Research Grant Program. The program, funded by the CP Foundation aims to encourage researchers with diverse perspectives to participate in short and long term projects; and to facilitate basic science, epidemiological and clinical research into cerebral palsy.
View recipients from previous years: 2006, 2007 and 2008
2009 AVANT INNOVATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS
Dr Mary Tolcos - $284,882 over two years
The University of Melbourne
Can erythropoietin treatment provide long term protection against inflammation induced brain injury?
Dr Mary Tolcos and colleagues from the University of Melbourne will use animal models to study erythropoietin, or EPO, which is a naturally occurring hormone being closely examined for a range of potential uses. Can EPO reduce the damage caused by inflammation? Can it reduce brain injury? In the long run, this research hopes to help prevent some children being born with cerebral palsy.
Associate Professor David Walker - $137,040 over two years
Monash University
Hypoxia-induced bleeding in the foetal and new born brain - a cause of cerebral palsy preventable by supplementing the mother’s diet with creatine?
Professor David Walker has carried out research with mice, showing that giving pregnant mice a dietary supplement can help prevent some of the damage to blood vessels in the brain caused by low oxygen. The supplement is creatine, which is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein. We get most of the creatine in our diet from red meat.
He will now repeat the research on sheep, whose brains are even more like humans than are the brains of mice. If the research is successful, it will be a step along the way towards preventing some forms of brain damage in children, which is very important in efforts to prevent cerebral palsy.
Professor Alastair MacLennan – $145,900 over two years
University of Adelaide
A genomic basis for cerebral palsy: studies on a large Australian cohort
Genes play an important role in human development and they also play a role in making us susceptible to things like infections, inflammation, and poor oxygen supply early in life. However, we don’t all react in the same way to infections. It may be our genes that make the difference.
Alastair MacLennan and colleagues are carrying out research involving children with cerebral palsy and their families. They are carrying out genetic analyses of samples of saliva and checking them against very comprehensive medical records. They hope to make connections between health of children with cerebral palsy and their genes.
Associate Professor Nick Evans and Angela McGillivray - $33,000 over three years
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney
Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia - an opportunity for prevention of cerebral palsy
Clinical Associate Professor Nick Evans and colleagues from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney are carrying out the first nationwide survey of paediatricians through the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU) to answer the following questions. How common is severe jaundice in Australian babies? What underlies this jaundice? What happens to the babies as the jaundice disappears, and how often do conditions such as cerebral palsy develop?
2009 INNOVATIVE RESEARCH GRANTS
Dr Yvonne Wu - $155,310 over two years
The regents of the University of California, San Francisco campus, USA
Genetic basis of cerebral palsy in term and near term infants
Associate Professor Yvonne Wu and colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco are examining the genetic makeup of a large group of children with cerebral palsy. They will choose 12 genes which seem to be important in causing inflammation and problems with blood clotting, and see whether they are associated with cerebral palsy.
They will perform a detailed analysis of a gene known as the interleukin-6 gene, which research suggests might be important in the development of cerebral palsy and try to match particular brain abnormalities, as seen in CT scans and MRIs, and with particular genetic traits.
Professor Alastair MacLennan – $600,000 over three years
University of Adelaide
A genomic basis for cerebral palsy: studies on a large Australian cohort
Genes play an important role in human development and they also play a role in making us susceptible to things like infections, inflammation, and poor oxygen supply early in life. However, we don’t all react in the same way to infections. It may be our genes that makes the difference.
Alastair MacLennan and colleagues are carrying out research involving children with cerebral palsy and their families. They are carrying out genetic analyses of samples of saliva and checking them against very comprehensive medical records. They hope to make connections between health of children with cerebral palsy and their genes
Dr Henry Chambers – $10,000
The Regents of the University of California, San Diego, USA
One World CP Website development
A website devoted to linking professional organisations and their members, epidemiologists and grassroot organisations to improve communication and foster cooperation in research and effect policy and funding changes in countries throughout the world.
2009 DOCTORAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP
John Gilroy - $34,968
Centre for Disability Studies, Sydney
2009 POST DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
Alicia Spittle - $116,450
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne
Catherine Gibson - $76,931
University of Adelaide, Adelaide
For further information about grants administration contact Deborah Hoffman at dhoffman@tscnsw.org.au