Contact Us
Call +61 (0) 411 816 444
Address
PO Box 636 Bondi Junction
NSW 1355
Australia
Email: admin@lara.org.au
The LAM Australasia Research Alliance (LARA) is dedicated to improving the health prospects of women with LAM in Australia, New Zealand and throughout the region. A disease that affects only women, LAM is rare and often devastating.
ALL DONATIONS TO LARA ARE FULLY TAX DEDUCTIBLE
Your contribution to LARA will go 100% to funding vital medical research to find a cure for LAM.
You can donate to the LAM Australasia Research Alliance by sending us a cheque, using our PayPal facility, or by making a deposit directly to our ANZ Bank account: 012 055 4926 67193.
Please advise us of your donation by sending an email to admin@lara.org.au with your name, address and email address. We will respond with our thanks and a fully tax deductible receipt.
Major Donors
Macquarie Group Foundation
Roth Charitable Foundation
Mr Robert Gavshon
Hollick Wines
Acknowledgements
LARA thanks the professionals who work pro bono for this not-for-profit organisation. We highly recommend the services of:
Ben Higham, Webhead
Karen Riethmuller, KGR Design
Peter Hersh, Loggica Pty Ltd
Peter Kelso
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Lamstatin research funded by the LAM Australasia Research Alliance (LARA)
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Judith Black AO MB BS PhD FRACP 8 August 2011 Lamstatin research funded by the LAM Australasia Research Alliance (LARA)Early in 2011, the Cell Biology group of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research received what is thought to be the first ever Australian National Health and Medical Research Council grant for studies investigating Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). The grant runs for three years from 2011. Our research project involves studying human lung cells and tissue, some of which are from patients with LAM, who have generously donated tissue for research at the time of a lung transplantation. We are collaborating with two renowned scientists at Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Institute, Dr Marc Achen and Dr Steve Stacker - both world experts in lymphangiogenesis. The project focuses on our novel finding that the lungs of women with LAM lack a protein we have named “lamstatin”. In healthy people, lamstatin inhibits lymphangiogenesis, that is, the formation of new lymph vessels, and the uncontrolled multiplication of lymph vessel cells. Lymphangiogenesis is associated with the LAM disease process as well as being critical to the spread of cancers through the lymphatic system. Thus, any knowledge gained about lymphangiogenesis in relation to LAM could have important consequences for the treatment of cancers. Our collaborators in Melbourne are extending the studies we have undertaken in Finland with Dr Caroline Heckman. These studies show that when lamstatin is applied to a mouse ear tumour, the protein inhibits an associated increase in local lymph vessel formation. In the experiments to be conducted by Dr Achen and Dr Stacker, lamstatin will be tested on a mouse tumour model in which the cancer is no longer localised, but has spread to other organs. The findings will be critical for LAM and for metastatic cancer in general. Amplifying the NHMRC funding, money raised by LARA is covering the high costs of applying molecular biology techniques to produce synthetic lamstatin, to buy and house mice, and to carry out the experiments. By completing the mouse experiments, we hope to progress this very important area of research. The combination of the Woolcock’s innovative findings regarding human cells and tissues and our collaborators’ knowledge and expertise should enable us to make a significant impact on the treatment of LAM, a devastating disease affecting women, for which there is currently no cure. |