GrantsCurrently the CTN is successfully acquired some peer reviewed grants such as: 2005 NHMRC Project GrantChief Investigator: Xu-Feng Huang Total: $254,250 over 3 years Title: Obesity: The role of Neuropeptide Y, Melanocortin and Serotonin Systems in Development and Prevention Summary: This project studies central regulation of energy balance contributing to protection or development of chronic high-energy diet-induced obesity. Obesity is a major predisposing factor for a variety of life threatening diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease with their enormous costs both socially and financially. Development of human obesity and its related metabolic disorders is a long-term process generally develops over a long period and eventually becomes a chronic condition. Generally, chronic consumption of high-energy food in excess of expenditure leads to excessive fat accumulation and promotes the development of obesity. However, studies on both humans and experimental animals have revealed that not all individuals become obese on a high-energy diet; thus, individual susceptibility is an important phenomenon allowing us to search for the genes contributing to the individuals' susceptibility or resistance to diet-induced obesity and to identify for effective targets for both prevention and treatment of obesity. Using the animal models developed in our laboratory, the proposed research aims to demonstrate the differences in the central regulation between the mice resistant or susceptible to the development of chronic high-energy diet-induced obesity. Outcomes of this project will provide us with: 1) better targets for the prevention of diet-induced obesity; (2) more effective treatments for the late stage of obesity and its related metabolic disorders; and (3) a better understanding of the individual susceptibility to diet-induced obesity.
2005 Round 2 ARC Linkage ProjectChief Investigator: Xu-Feng Huang, Linda Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Suresh Gulati, Kirsten Grinter Total: $225,444 over 3 years Partner Organisation: Uncle Tobys Title: Establishing evidence for the functional properties of a whole grain in weight management Category : 2901 - Industrial Biotechnology and Food Sciences Summary: The successful development of functional foods relies on communicating proven effects. This project aims to prove that the food containing the satiety properties of a whole grain (OG) may help in weight management. We will conduct basic research investigating the link between consumption of OG-containing foods and the regulatory mechanisms of satiety, and test whether the satiety properties can be used to prevent, reduce and correct body weight gain in the early, middle and late stages of obesity. We will then apply this understanding in a human trial of mildly and long term overweight subjects, to aid the formulation of statements on the potential health benefits from consuming OG. 
|
