Protein chips for the high-throughput study of immune complexes by mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry is a core enabling technology for proteomics with proteins identified by molecular weight, mass maps and sequencing within the confines of a mass spectrometer. We have found conditions under which it is possible to preserve and detect protein complexes by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry that has promising implications for the high-throughput screening of p ....Protein chips for the high-throughput study of immune complexes by mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry is a core enabling technology for proteomics with proteins identified by molecular weight, mass maps and sequencing within the confines of a mass spectrometer. We have found conditions under which it is possible to preserve and detect protein complexes by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry that has promising implications for the high-throughput screening of protein-protein interactions. Technologies pioneered by the applicant will be advanced to achieve the high-throughput analysis of antibody complexes with native gel recovered protein antigens across emerging strains of the influenza virus by means of miniature protein chips.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
Discovery and characterization of new classes of small regulatory RNAs in mammals. The project will reaffirm and enhance Australian leadership in the most rapidly developing area of molecular biological and genetic research, by the application of ultra high-throughput sequencing technologies to discovery of regulatory RNAs, thereby to identify the characteristics of important regulatory pathways that underpin mammalian development, brain function and species diversity. The results of this resear ....Discovery and characterization of new classes of small regulatory RNAs in mammals. The project will reaffirm and enhance Australian leadership in the most rapidly developing area of molecular biological and genetic research, by the application of ultra high-throughput sequencing technologies to discovery of regulatory RNAs, thereby to identify the characteristics of important regulatory pathways that underpin mammalian development, brain function and species diversity. The results of this research will have wide implications and applications in biotechnology, genetic engineering, animal breeding, medical science and advanced informatics.Read moreRead less
Enabling Technologies for Motion Corrected Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Unanaesthetized Laboratory Animals. Small animal molecular imaging is a powerful tool in biological research and drug discovery. Anaesthesia is routinely used to avoid motion distortion, but can profoundly alter the biological process studied. This research will enable quantitative imaging of neurobiological phenomena in awake laboratory animals. It will create new opportunities for Australian basic researchers to ....Enabling Technologies for Motion Corrected Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Unanaesthetized Laboratory Animals. Small animal molecular imaging is a powerful tool in biological research and drug discovery. Anaesthesia is routinely used to avoid motion distortion, but can profoundly alter the biological process studied. This research will enable quantitative imaging of neurobiological phenomena in awake laboratory animals. It will create new opportunities for Australian basic researchers to use innovative technology with expected high economic potential, and benefit small biotech companies by facilitating pre-clinical and clinical development of new pharmaceuticals. The new motion tracking and image reconstruction technologies developed will strengthen Australia's leading position in engineering and biomedical systems development.Read moreRead less
Characterising post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins. This project represents the first global attempt to characterize post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins using the tools of proteomics. Modifications to proteins are key elements in altering their function. In bacteria, modifications are important in cell-cell adhesion, signalling and triggering of the immune response. Characterisation of modified proteins and their sites of modification represents an opportuni ....Characterising post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins. This project represents the first global attempt to characterize post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins using the tools of proteomics. Modifications to proteins are key elements in altering their function. In bacteria, modifications are important in cell-cell adhesion, signalling and triggering of the immune response. Characterisation of modified proteins and their sites of modification represents an opportunity to understand how bacterial cell populations communicate in the environment, as well as aid in understanding pathogenesis in medical, veterinary and food-borne pathogens. Therefore, improved vaccine targets and therapeutics, as well as method-based products, may be generated by this project.Read moreRead less
Selective enrichment of proteins using micro-Gradiflow technology and characterisation of proteins using LC-MS/MS. This project describes crucial areas for the technology development of protein enrichment and fractionation. While current techniques are powerful, the usefulness to identify and characterise proteins of low abundance from massively complex samples in the presence of abundant proteins is limited and requires up to mililitre volumes. We intend to develop the micro-Gradiflow technolog ....Selective enrichment of proteins using micro-Gradiflow technology and characterisation of proteins using LC-MS/MS. This project describes crucial areas for the technology development of protein enrichment and fractionation. While current techniques are powerful, the usefulness to identify and characterise proteins of low abundance from massively complex samples in the presence of abundant proteins is limited and requires up to mililitre volumes. We intend to develop the micro-Gradiflow technology in association with Gradipore as a means of protein fractionation using microlitre volumes of sample. This technology will be applicable to all areas of proteomic research and in particular to the study of cell differentiation. The outcome for Australian industry, our competitiveness both industrial and scientific, and the potential for economic advancement is tremendous.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
New Techniques for Structural Biology and Directed Molecular Evolution. This PhD program will equip an Australian graduate with advanced training in techniques in molecular genetics and protein chemistry that are currently in high demand by the biotechnology industry, and also provide him/her with direct experience of an industrial R&D laboratory environment. Moreover, it will establish a basis for further collaboration between a leading University-based research laboratory and an established R& ....New Techniques for Structural Biology and Directed Molecular Evolution. This PhD program will equip an Australian graduate with advanced training in techniques in molecular genetics and protein chemistry that are currently in high demand by the biotechnology industry, and also provide him/her with direct experience of an industrial R&D laboratory environment. Moreover, it will establish a basis for further collaboration between a leading University-based research laboratory and an established R&D company that will lead to development of new techniques for use in biotechnology in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453400
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,040.00
Summary
The Roboocyte™: a medium-throughput, secondary functional, screening facility. Changes in ion channel function have been implicated in a wide variety of human diseases. For this reason many researchers are studying ion channels to understand how they work and how they can develop new drug treatments. The slowest step in evaluating the biological activity of compounds is testing them against the ion channels and the current technology requires much tedious manual handling and extensive operator e ....The Roboocyte™: a medium-throughput, secondary functional, screening facility. Changes in ion channel function have been implicated in a wide variety of human diseases. For this reason many researchers are studying ion channels to understand how they work and how they can develop new drug treatments. The slowest step in evaluating the biological activity of compounds is testing them against the ion channels and the current technology requires much tedious manual handling and extensive operator expertise. The Roboocyte facility will triple testing productivity by allowing for the rapid and automated screening of large libraries of compounds. Such a facility will be unique to the Southern Hemisphere.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560685
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,000.00
Summary
Scanning Probe Microscopy for Bioelectrochemistry. New methods to study the fundamental properties of biological samples, in particular proteins, are continuing to advance and impact on society. We will establish a leading edge facility for high-resolution imaging of biomolecules with redox functions. This will enable the continued development of new enzyme based diagnostic tests by understanding the dynamic nature of coupled electron and molecular interactions with redox enzymes in solution. Th ....Scanning Probe Microscopy for Bioelectrochemistry. New methods to study the fundamental properties of biological samples, in particular proteins, are continuing to advance and impact on society. We will establish a leading edge facility for high-resolution imaging of biomolecules with redox functions. This will enable the continued development of new enzyme based diagnostic tests by understanding the dynamic nature of coupled electron and molecular interactions with redox enzymes in solution. The bioelectrochemical imaging facility will be unique in Australia and establish an important cross-disciplinary approach within the international community.Read moreRead less