Coeliac Disease Research - research grants funding announcement 2009
CRF supports young researchers embarking on careers in the area of researching coeliac disease and provides seed funding for new research initiatives.
Funding research and lifting the profile of coeliac disease in the medical research community is a primary objective of the CRF. Although modest in comparison with National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants, the CRF grants allow researchers to gather preliminary data so that they can compete more effectively for the highly prized NHMRC funding; only one in five research proposals received by the NHMRC is successful despite most being considered competitive.
Based upon the processes adopted by the NHMRC, each proposal was evaluated by three expert reviewers for scientific rigor, feasibility and significance. The grant review process was co-ordinated by a member of our Clinical Advisory Committee who was not applying for funding himself and all funding decisions were made without the knowledge of the applicants.
It is with great pleasure the Board of the CRF announces the successful grant recipients and research projects of our 2009 Grants Program. They are:
The effect of plant enzyme supplementation on duodenal histology in coeliac patients maintaining a gluten free diet.
Professor Finlay McCrae and his research team at Melbourne Health will investigate plant enzyme therapy in the management of coeliac disease. During a six week trial treatment, some volunteers will take treatment whilst others will be given a placebo. The changes in the gut will be monitored and villous atrophy assessed before and after the research period as well as the level of tTG in the blood. The project will evaluate the effectiveness of the plant enzyme supplementation for management of coeliac disease.
An evaluation of cognitive changes in response to gluten challenge in patients with coeliac disease on a strict gluten free diet
This research project will be conducted Dr Evan Newnham and the research team at the Department of Gastroenterology at Monash University. The project will measure the subtle neurological effects of eating gluten by those with coeliac disease such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor memory and coordination. Finding an association between these subtle neurological deficits and gluten exposure will have significant implications for the quality of life in patients with coeliac disease before and after diagnosis. Findings will be extremely useful in the educational setting and qualify the ‘fuzzy’ feeling many with coeliac disease report.
Is immune tolerance abnormal in coeliac disease?
Associate Professor Tony Kelleher and researchers at St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Immunology in Sydney and Dr Bob Anderson and his team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne are collaborating on an innovative project to investigate the question of immune tolerance to gluten. Although most of the population regularly consume gluten and approximately one in three people carry the essential susceptibility genes, only one in 100 actually develop coeliac disease. The reason for this is unknown, however environmental factors are likely to be very important by influencing the balance between a destructive pro-inflammatory and a tolerant immune response to gluten. Understanding the immune tolerance to gluten is perhaps one of the most pressing questions in the field of coeliac disease immunology.
The last project is to run over two years. The CRF recognises the importance of supporting a range of research therefore it has committed to funding this project for the first year and is working to raise the funds required for the second year.
The CRF and the successful grant recipients would like to thank everyone who donated to the program to make these grants possible.
Previous supporters of the CRF will have received information on how to support future research into coeliac disease, however, for those who would like to find out more information, please contact Kristine Ash on (03) 5968 2670.