Research award to better understand ageing

Wednesday, 15 January 2003

University of Adelaide Associate Professor Nick Fazzalari is one of eight successful applications to be awarded funding under the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) $1.7 million Strategic Healthy Ageing Program.

Dr Fazzalari, an affiliate member of the University's Department of Pathology, will receive $240,000 over three years and will research Osteoarthritis in a Rapidly Ageing Population.

The Strategic Healthy Ageing Program funds research in areas that will improve the health outcomes for an ageing Australian population, by both prevention and treatment of the conditions commonly associated with the ageing process.

"It is pleasing to note that we are the only South Australian institution to benefit from this program," Dr Fazzalari said. The other successful teams come from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.

Senator Kay Patterson, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, said she welcomed the focus on preventing diseases of ageing in the Australian community.

"Projects will study how ageing leads to adverse effects from drug dosages, how cells multiply as they age, examine the range of community services available for those with dementia and better understand how dementia affects the perception of pain," she said.

Dr Fazzalari's project will focus on the following:

The process of bone remodelling (bone renewal) is fundamental for the maintenance of skeletal integrity. There is little information regarding the expression of specific molecules in human bone tissue or their role in skeletal disease.

This project will study human bone samples donated by patients undergoing surgery for a total hip replacement and, with the consent of the next-of-kin, taken at autopsy. These molecular and tissue- level studies will determine how bone cell activity influences the quality of bone in skeletal disease such as osteoarthritis.

 

Contact Details

Dr Nick Fazzalari
Email: nick.fazzalari@imvs.sa.gov.au
Affiliate member of the University's Department of Pathology
Business: +61 8 8222 3269


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