Dissociation of a Tetrameric Enzyme with Interface-Targeted Peptides. With antibiotic resistance on the rise, there is an urgent need to develop new antibiotics and an equally urgent need to characterise new antibiotic targets. One such target is dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) which catalyses the critical step in lysine and cell wall biosynthesis in bacteria. This proposal aims to generate new drugs targeting DHDPS for effective and rapid treatment of bacterial infections, including gastro ....Dissociation of a Tetrameric Enzyme with Interface-Targeted Peptides. With antibiotic resistance on the rise, there is an urgent need to develop new antibiotics and an equally urgent need to characterise new antibiotic targets. One such target is dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) which catalyses the critical step in lysine and cell wall biosynthesis in bacteria. This proposal aims to generate new drugs targeting DHDPS for effective and rapid treatment of bacterial infections, including gastroenteritis. Recent statistics show that over 5 million Australians suffer from gastroenteritis each year and hospitalisation for this infection is nearly seven times higher for indigenous than non-indigenous children. Accordingly, this research has the potential to assure a healthier future for millions of Australians.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354892
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$40,000.00
Summary
The Australian Protease Network. Proteases are pivotal enzymes during birth, life, ageing and death of all organisms. Proteases regulate most physiological processes by controlling protein activation, synthesis and turnover and are essential for replication and spread of viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause infectious diseases. Blockbuster drugs and diagnostics already target a few proteases. Australians have made innovative contributions individually to understanding and regulating these ....The Australian Protease Network. Proteases are pivotal enzymes during birth, life, ageing and death of all organisms. Proteases regulate most physiological processes by controlling protein activation, synthesis and turnover and are essential for replication and spread of viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause infectious diseases. Blockbuster drugs and diagnostics already target a few proteases. Australians have made innovative contributions individually to understanding and regulating these enzymes. However this initiative aims to network their efforts by value-adding to the current protease research through promoting national and international collaborations to improve our understanding of biology, and encourage exploitation of proteases/inhibitors/receptors for pharmaceutical and industrial applications.Read moreRead less
Design of Polymeric Devices for Biotechnological Applications. The research project focuses on the development of functional polymer particles for diagnostic applications. Advanced polymer chemistry will be used to synthesize devices for reliable and fast diagnostic systems. The outcome of this work will help promoting and maintaining good health in Australia by developing novel technologies and advanced materials based on polymer science.
Radio Frequency Wireless Monitoring in Sleep Apnoea (Particularly for Paediatric Patients). Disease diagnosis, chronic disease monitoring and stress monitoring all are limited by diagnostic systems that are attached to patients by wires restricting the recording of such parameters to limited intervals in the clinician's office. The proposed system will enable patients to have a range of physiological parameters recorded without the attachment of wires. This will enable extensive periods of dia ....Radio Frequency Wireless Monitoring in Sleep Apnoea (Particularly for Paediatric Patients). Disease diagnosis, chronic disease monitoring and stress monitoring all are limited by diagnostic systems that are attached to patients by wires restricting the recording of such parameters to limited intervals in the clinician's office. The proposed system will enable patients to have a range of physiological parameters recorded without the attachment of wires. This will enable extensive periods of diagnostic data to be recorded to characterize respiratory, cardiac and other parameters during extended periods, and during normal daily activity. In addition the system can be used to monitor patients with chronic disease and detect trends in their disease.Read moreRead less
Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several labora ....Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several laboratories in Australia and overseas to develop new understanding of how the molecular machine that copies DNA works. This k nowledge could lead to new drugs, and will give us new information about how cellular machines function.Read moreRead less
Defining targets and generating tools/therapeutic agents for prevention, diagnosis and therapy of atherothrombosis. Atherosclerosis and its complications such as myocardial infarction and stroke are a major cause of death and disability in Australia and worldwide. The proposed research program investigates new therapeutic targets and concepts (e.g. targeting of stem cells) to treat atherosclerosis and aims to develop new therapeutic agents using modern biotechnological methods. The project furth ....Defining targets and generating tools/therapeutic agents for prevention, diagnosis and therapy of atherothrombosis. Atherosclerosis and its complications such as myocardial infarction and stroke are a major cause of death and disability in Australia and worldwide. The proposed research program investigates new therapeutic targets and concepts (e.g. targeting of stem cells) to treat atherosclerosis and aims to develop new therapeutic agents using modern biotechnological methods. The project further aims to develop nanoparticle-based diagnostic tools to identify and preventatively treat atherosclerotic plaques that are prone to cause myocardial infarction. The expected outcome will provide direct benefit to patients and create new economic opportunities in Australian bio-/nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354474
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The ini ....Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The initiative will foster national and international cross-disciplinary collaborations to address the impediments holding back Australia's potential to take full advantage of our research strength in metals in medicine.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347585
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,000.00
Summary
Queensland high throughput structural biology screening facility. Structural biology is undergoing a worldwide revolution, enabling an enormous acceleration in the rate of protein structure determination. Australia currently lacks facilities to enable this high throughput approach to structural biology. We plan to establish a facility that addresses this deficiency and will enable the structure determination of hundreds of new proteins per year. It will contribute significantly to structural bi ....Queensland high throughput structural biology screening facility. Structural biology is undergoing a worldwide revolution, enabling an enormous acceleration in the rate of protein structure determination. Australia currently lacks facilities to enable this high throughput approach to structural biology. We plan to establish a facility that addresses this deficiency and will enable the structure determination of hundreds of new proteins per year. It will contribute significantly to structural biology research in Queensland and elsewhere in Australia and also to allied fields of biotechnology, including drug discovery, bioinformatics, molecular design and functional genomics.Read moreRead less
Development of new interventions and treatment for schistosomiasis morbidity control. Australia has played a lead role in Parasitology research. It is vital to remain at the forefront in combating the human and livestock diseases that parasites cause. Vaccine assessment and the large scale analysis of patient tissues are vital to the biotechnology, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries with outcomes leading to innovative strategies for control. Politically there is value as it is altruistic ....Development of new interventions and treatment for schistosomiasis morbidity control. Australia has played a lead role in Parasitology research. It is vital to remain at the forefront in combating the human and livestock diseases that parasites cause. Vaccine assessment and the large scale analysis of patient tissues are vital to the biotechnology, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries with outcomes leading to innovative strategies for control. Politically there is value as it is altruistic to develop new tools, technologies and treatments for the Asia/Pacific region. Economically, Australia will have first pass at developing the intellectual property arising. As well, the therapies would be developed locally to the benefit of Australia's human therapeutics industry and bio-reagent manufacturers.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100215
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Molecular spectroscopic 2D and 3D imaging systems at sub-micron spatial resolution. High-resolution chemical imaging systems are powerful tools for understanding the detailed make-up of a wide range of important high-tech materials. They allow researchers to map the distribution and form of separate chemical components, as well as the interactions between them. This information is critical for the design and formulation of the next generation of pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. It will ....Molecular spectroscopic 2D and 3D imaging systems at sub-micron spatial resolution. High-resolution chemical imaging systems are powerful tools for understanding the detailed make-up of a wide range of important high-tech materials. They allow researchers to map the distribution and form of separate chemical components, as well as the interactions between them. This information is critical for the design and formulation of the next generation of pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. It will allow the investigators to develop new biomedical materials for implants and prostheses, while new surface coatings will also improve the performance of aerospace structures. Novel sensors and process monitoring techniques will be used to develop new medical diagnostics and to control the quality of pharmaceuticals production.Read moreRead less