成人大片

Two 成人大片 research projects to help prevent heart disease have received $843,200 funding from the Heart Foundation.

A team led by Associate Professor Peter Psaltis, an Academic Cardiologist and Vascular Biologist at the Adelaide Medical School, has received $693,200 over four years to advance his research on how local stem cells cause arteries to harden 鈥� a process called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaques inside the body鈥檚 arteries. As the main cause of heart attack, it is the leading cause of death worldwide.

鈥淲e need to better understand how atherosclerosis occurs to improve the ways we treat it,鈥� Associate Professor Psaltis said.

鈥淎n important but poorly understood aspect of atherosclerosis involves changes in the outer layer of the artery wall that involve inflammatory cells and tiny blood vessels that feed the growth of plaques.

鈥淚n a world-first, my group has discovered stem cells nestled in this outer layer that originate from early embryonic life. This project will study what happens to these stem cells in different stages of atherosclerosis and how they contribute to plaque development and its complications.

鈥淭he outcomes from this work could change the way we think about atherosclerosis and pave the way for new treatments to improve health for people with heart disease.鈥�

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Christina Bursill 鈥� a Senior Research Fellow at the Adelaide Medical School 鈥� and her team has received $150,000 over two years to undertake targeted boosting of antioxidant defences in the fatty blockages of the heart.

鈥淥ur team discovered diroximel fumarate (DRF) reduces fatty plaque in the heart, highlighting its potential to prevent heart attacks,鈥� Associate Professor Bursill said.

鈥淭o improve efficacy and reduce side effects, in collaboration with Professor Andrew Abell (成人大片) we have now developed and patented a novel switchable fumarate that is activated only at sites of oxidative stress (like fatty plaque).

鈥淲e will advance our novel fumarate drug towards clinical translation for prevention of heart attacks.鈥�

Fumarates boost antioxidant production that combats oxidative stress, a driver of fatty plaque growth in hearts that cause heart attacks.

Current therapies focus on lowering blood cholesterol, however many people suffer a second heart attack within a year of the first, highlighting the urgent need to develop non-cholesterol lowering drugs such as a novel fumarate.

鈥淎ustralian researchers such as Peter and Christina are at the cutting edge of cardiovascular research, and we need them now more than ever. I look forward to seeing the impact these important studies have on the future cardiovascular health of Australians.鈥�Heart Foundation Research Manager, Dr Jacqueline Schmitt

Heart Foundation Research Manager, Dr Jacqueline Schmitt said: 鈥淭he support for these innovative projects out of the 成人大片 is made possible with thanks to our generous donors.

鈥淎ustralian researchers such as Peter and Christina are at the cutting edge of cardiovascular research, and we need them now more than ever. Every day, more than 1,000 Australians are hospitalised with heart disease, and sadly, around 80 will die.

鈥淚 look forward to seeing the impact these important studies have on the future cardiovascular health of Australians.鈥�

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Background

• Associate Professor Peter Psaltis is an Academic Cardiologist and Vascular Biologist at the Adelaide Medical School. He is the Co-Leader of the Lifelong Health Theme, Leader of the Heart and Vascular Program and Co-director of the Vascular Research Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). He is also a consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Head of Interventional Coronary Services in the Department of Cardiology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network.
• Associate Professor Christina Bursill is a Senior Research Fellow at the Adelaide Medical School. She is also the leader of the Plaque biology and New blood vessel area at SAHMRI.