Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346903
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
LC-MS system for Faculty of Sciences, U.N.E. LC-MS is a technique for investigating the composition of complex mixtures and identifying its components. This instrumentation will be utilised at UNE in a diverse range of analytical investigations to further the research aims of scientists in chemistry, biological sciences, archaeology, physics, environmental sciences, marine science as well as biological researchers in specialised units based at UNE. The extraordinarily versatile capacity of this ....LC-MS system for Faculty of Sciences, U.N.E. LC-MS is a technique for investigating the composition of complex mixtures and identifying its components. This instrumentation will be utilised at UNE in a diverse range of analytical investigations to further the research aims of scientists in chemistry, biological sciences, archaeology, physics, environmental sciences, marine science as well as biological researchers in specialised units based at UNE. The extraordinarily versatile capacity of this technique for analysis and identification of organic substances, from small molecules through to large proteins and complex plant and animal metabolites, will provide impetus for existing research and stimulus for new research directions.Read moreRead less
Visualising below the tip of the proteome iceberg. Proteomics attempts to understand human biology by examining the protein components of cells and tissues. Unfortunately, currently available technology only allows approximately 10% of the complexity of these cells and tissues to be concurrently investigated. This project will the physical, chemical and functional properties of protein classes for enrichment, as well as improve technologies for protein visualization, identification and character ....Visualising below the tip of the proteome iceberg. Proteomics attempts to understand human biology by examining the protein components of cells and tissues. Unfortunately, currently available technology only allows approximately 10% of the complexity of these cells and tissues to be concurrently investigated. This project will the physical, chemical and functional properties of protein classes for enrichment, as well as improve technologies for protein visualization, identification and characterization. These approaches will allow the scientific community to further mine beneath the surface of the proteomics 'iceberg'.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882289
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,000.00
Summary
New generation mass spectrometers for characterisation of molecular shape and size. The ion mobility mass spectrometer (IMMS at UOW) will be the first of its kind in Australia, and together with the ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS at ANU) will continue the tradition of this partnership in providing researchers with cutting-edge instrumentation for nationally and internationally important projects including: (i) fundamental understanding of the ways in which biomolecules recognize one another, ( ....New generation mass spectrometers for characterisation of molecular shape and size. The ion mobility mass spectrometer (IMMS at UOW) will be the first of its kind in Australia, and together with the ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS at ANU) will continue the tradition of this partnership in providing researchers with cutting-edge instrumentation for nationally and internationally important projects including: (i) fundamental understanding of the ways in which biomolecules recognize one another, (ii) investigating the structure(s) of lipids (fats) in cardiovascular disease and cataract, (iii) developing anticancer drugs, and (iv) development of new materials.Read moreRead less
Establishing the role of alpha-2-macroglobulin in quality control of extracellular protein folding. The expected outcomes will provide important advances in understanding the role of alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) in maintaining the normal structure/function of extracellular proteins. This information may ultimately aid in the design of agents to be used to clear the body of pathological protein aggregates - potentially providing a direct economic benefit to Australia. The high novelty and broad si ....Establishing the role of alpha-2-macroglobulin in quality control of extracellular protein folding. The expected outcomes will provide important advances in understanding the role of alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) in maintaining the normal structure/function of extracellular proteins. This information may ultimately aid in the design of agents to be used to clear the body of pathological protein aggregates - potentially providing a direct economic benefit to Australia. The high novelty and broad significance of this work indicate that it will produce high-impact publications which will tangibly assist Australia being recognized as a major contributor to world research outcomes. This project will also provide a direct social benefit by training research students with the skills necessary to further the development of biological research in Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovering Mechanisms for Quality Control of Extracellular Protein Folding. The expected outcomes will provide important advances in understanding of how the mammalian body maintains the normal structure/function of extracellular proteins. This information may ultimately aid in the design of agents to be used to clear the body of pathological protein aggregates - potentially providing a direct economic benefit to Australia. The high novelty and broad significance of this work indicate that it w ....Discovering Mechanisms for Quality Control of Extracellular Protein Folding. The expected outcomes will provide important advances in understanding of how the mammalian body maintains the normal structure/function of extracellular proteins. This information may ultimately aid in the design of agents to be used to clear the body of pathological protein aggregates - potentially providing a direct economic benefit to Australia. The high novelty and broad significance of this work indicate that it will produce high-impact publications which will tangibly assist Australia being recognized as a major contributor to world research outcomes. This project will also provide a direct social benefit by training research students with the skills necessary to further the development of biological research in Australia. Read moreRead less
Cellular Gene Regulation Networks. The benefit to Australia will be scientific in terms of providing an understanding of how cells integrate transcriptional control systems and the networks that are involved. This will inform research on folate deficiency and aberrant human development and towards identifying genes that are important in improving efficiency of microbial fermentations. Additional and more practical major benefits will follow from the development of tools to analyse interaction ....Cellular Gene Regulation Networks. The benefit to Australia will be scientific in terms of providing an understanding of how cells integrate transcriptional control systems and the networks that are involved. This will inform research on folate deficiency and aberrant human development and towards identifying genes that are important in improving efficiency of microbial fermentations. Additional and more practical major benefits will follow from the development of tools to analyse interactions between control systems, including software of value to the research community. The work will provide postgraduate students with major training in up-to-date genomic technologies, and in the interface between application of bioinformatics and experimental science.
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The fate of dietary selenium in vivo; a direct approach to linking chemical form with biological activity. Dietary selenium supplementation has great potential as a preventative treatment for a range of human health conditions, including cancer, that widely affect the Australian population. However, the adverse effects of such treatments are not fully recognised. This project will increase our knowledge of how selenium compounds are stored and utilised in the body and relate the information to c ....The fate of dietary selenium in vivo; a direct approach to linking chemical form with biological activity. Dietary selenium supplementation has great potential as a preventative treatment for a range of human health conditions, including cancer, that widely affect the Australian population. However, the adverse effects of such treatments are not fully recognised. This project will increase our knowledge of how selenium compounds are stored and utilised in the body and relate the information to clinical observations regarding dietary intake of selenium and other compounds. The new understanding generated will delineate the conditions for safe intake, so that the beneficial effects associated with selenium supplementation may be harnessed more effectively.Read moreRead less
Biophysical characterization of protein interactions within a transcription factor network. Gene expression is regulated in part by interactions between pairs and groups of proteins known as transcription factors and co-regulators. These proteins assemble into complexes at gene promoters and enhancers and thereby control the expression of that gene. Little is known at the molecular level of how these complexes form and how different interactions cooperate or compete with each other. In this prop ....Biophysical characterization of protein interactions within a transcription factor network. Gene expression is regulated in part by interactions between pairs and groups of proteins known as transcription factors and co-regulators. These proteins assemble into complexes at gene promoters and enhancers and thereby control the expression of that gene. Little is known at the molecular level of how these complexes form and how different interactions cooperate or compete with each other. In this proposal we aim to define a complex between two transcriptional regulators (HOP and SRF) involved in cardiac development and to begin to define other interactions that make up a transcriptional network essential for development of a normal heart.Read moreRead less
Enantioselective nitrilases from filamentous fungi. The optical characteristics (chirality) of chemical precursors are important for many fine chemicals. Chiral intermediates are in high demand by the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries for the preparation of bulk drug intermediates and agricultural products. Nitriles are attractive starting points but their conversion to corresponding amides and carboxylic acids generates significant wastes. Their hydrolysis can be performed under mil ....Enantioselective nitrilases from filamentous fungi. The optical characteristics (chirality) of chemical precursors are important for many fine chemicals. Chiral intermediates are in high demand by the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries for the preparation of bulk drug intermediates and agricultural products. Nitriles are attractive starting points but their conversion to corresponding amides and carboxylic acids generates significant wastes. Their hydrolysis can be performed under mild conditions by enzymes termed nitrilases. We will work on fungal nitrilases as they present a globally attractive, yet untapped commercial target. The outcome for Applimex will be a suite of biocatalysts specific for the production of key intermediates for drug and agrochemical syntheses.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0236167
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,000.00
Summary
The Sydney Combinatorial Research Facility. The proposal is to establish a multidisciplinary inter-institutional research facility for solution-phase combinatorial chemistry synthesis and analysis, and medium to high throughput biological evaluation of lead compounds through fluorescence detection methods. This will be the first and only multi-user facility of its type in Sydney. It will provide through its synthetic node at NSW and Macquarie Universities and biological screening node at Univers ....The Sydney Combinatorial Research Facility. The proposal is to establish a multidisciplinary inter-institutional research facility for solution-phase combinatorial chemistry synthesis and analysis, and medium to high throughput biological evaluation of lead compounds through fluorescence detection methods. This will be the first and only multi-user facility of its type in Sydney. It will provide through its synthetic node at NSW and Macquarie Universities and biological screening node at University of Sydney an essential resource that will enable modern combinatorial techniques to be applied to chemical and drug-lead development studies in the region.Read moreRead less