Chemical building block size principles for discovery chemists. This project aims to deliver an innovative platform of new fundamental molecules, and associated design principles that will assist discovery chemists (DCs) to sidestep outdated, caged hydrocarbon chemical building blocks (CHCBBs). The expanding global population places significant challenges on discovery chemistry, driven by an appetite for innovative chemical technologies for societal longevity such as pharmaceuticals, agrichemica ....Chemical building block size principles for discovery chemists. This project aims to deliver an innovative platform of new fundamental molecules, and associated design principles that will assist discovery chemists (DCs) to sidestep outdated, caged hydrocarbon chemical building blocks (CHCBBs). The expanding global population places significant challenges on discovery chemistry, driven by an appetite for innovative chemical technologies for societal longevity such as pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, and microelectronics. In translating this new CHCBB technology into accessible commodity supply streams, the project hopes to provide DCs with tools to sustain chemical technology evolution in a multitude of key industries that underpin the longevity of society.Read moreRead less
Eradicating bacterial biofilms with nitroxide-antimicrobial hybrids. This project aims to develop new antimicrobials to address the rise of drug-resistant infections and resilient bacterial communities called biofilms. We aim to break new ground in our fundamental knowledge of antimicrobial mechanisms and exploit this understanding by fusing cellular/molecular microbiology and synthetic chemistry approaches. We seek to gain an in-depth understanding of how nitroxides induce bacterial biofilm dis ....Eradicating bacterial biofilms with nitroxide-antimicrobial hybrids. This project aims to develop new antimicrobials to address the rise of drug-resistant infections and resilient bacterial communities called biofilms. We aim to break new ground in our fundamental knowledge of antimicrobial mechanisms and exploit this understanding by fusing cellular/molecular microbiology and synthetic chemistry approaches. We seek to gain an in-depth understanding of how nitroxides induce bacterial biofilm dispersal, which is critical for the discovery of anti-biofilm molecules that do not fail due to resistance development. These breakthroughs should induce a step-change in our ability to reduce the occurrence of biofilm-related infection in fields ranging from medical and veterinary to biotechnology and agriculture.Read moreRead less
Harnessing molecular strain for drug discovery and bioconjugation. Peptides and proteins are increasingly important therapies for the treatment of disease. Nevertheless, the synthesis and optimisation of these high-value compounds still relies primarily on technologies developed decades ago. There is a desperate need for modern strategies to unlock the full potential of peptides and proteins for diverse applications in drug discovery. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop new tools for ....Harnessing molecular strain for drug discovery and bioconjugation. Peptides and proteins are increasingly important therapies for the treatment of disease. Nevertheless, the synthesis and optimisation of these high-value compounds still relies primarily on technologies developed decades ago. There is a desperate need for modern strategies to unlock the full potential of peptides and proteins for diverse applications in drug discovery. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop new tools for the construction and modification of peptides and proteins by harnessing the energy in a unique class of strained molecules. A focus on peptide-based inhibitors of the proteasome, a critical target for modern cancer treatments, should provide future health and economic benefits for the Australian community.Read moreRead less
Advances in Peptide Synthesis: Exploiting Underutilised Functional Groups. The translation of therapeutically-relevant classes of peptides to the clinic is often limited by chemists' ability to synthesise these complex biomolecules efficiently and sustainably. This project aims to develop new tools for the preparation of designer peptides that are broadly inspired by an underutilised reactive group found in naturally-occurring peptide sequences. Expected outcomes encompass health and economic be ....Advances in Peptide Synthesis: Exploiting Underutilised Functional Groups. The translation of therapeutically-relevant classes of peptides to the clinic is often limited by chemists' ability to synthesise these complex biomolecules efficiently and sustainably. This project aims to develop new tools for the preparation of designer peptides that are broadly inspired by an underutilised reactive group found in naturally-occurring peptide sequences. Expected outcomes encompass health and economic benefits for the Australian community, including: the first approach to a class of promising antibiotic peptide natural product analogues, the development of a mild electrochemical approach to peptide modification, and the production of a library of novel amino acids for incorporation into potential antibiotic leads.Read moreRead less
Nitroxide-containing scaffolds for controlling biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in healthcare systems around the world as they cause persistent and chronic infections, including those associated with medical implants and cystic fibrosis. This project aims to develop new chemical approaches to deliver nitroxides at surface interfaces and in microparticles to facilitate long term control over biofilm growth. It is expected that these functionalised scaffolds will ....Nitroxide-containing scaffolds for controlling biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in healthcare systems around the world as they cause persistent and chronic infections, including those associated with medical implants and cystic fibrosis. This project aims to develop new chemical approaches to deliver nitroxides at surface interfaces and in microparticles to facilitate long term control over biofilm growth. It is expected that these functionalised scaffolds will represent a breakthrough in the field and will have a profound impact by reducing infection rates associated with medical devices and improving airway clearance in cystic fibrosis patients.Read moreRead less
Enzyme-inspired polymer nanomaterials. This project aims to develop new chemical methods and polymers inspired by nature. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts: they recognise a substrate and bind with it to provide the optimal environment for a reaction. However, they are easily degraded, limiting their industrial use. This project aims to develop new, highly stable polymer designs that can perform similar functions. This will be achieved by using polymer and supramolecular chemistry to control the re ....Enzyme-inspired polymer nanomaterials. This project aims to develop new chemical methods and polymers inspired by nature. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts: they recognise a substrate and bind with it to provide the optimal environment for a reaction. However, they are easily degraded, limiting their industrial use. This project aims to develop new, highly stable polymer designs that can perform similar functions. This will be achieved by using polymer and supramolecular chemistry to control the reaction environment, in combination with computational techniques to explore observed reactivity and guide nanoenvironment design. Expected outcomes include new polymers and materials capable of controlling a range of reactions and expanding the scope of bioinspired polymer design.Read moreRead less
Vapour phase detection of chemical warfare agents. This project aims to create luminescent plastic optoelectronic materials that can detect airborne chemical warfare agents, particularly nerve agents. Such agents are often odourless and invisible at lethal concentrations, so technology must detect and identify them before exposure. The intended outcomes are design rules for sensitive and selective materials that can be used in a handheld infield detector to sense chemical warfare agents based on ....Vapour phase detection of chemical warfare agents. This project aims to create luminescent plastic optoelectronic materials that can detect airborne chemical warfare agents, particularly nerve agents. Such agents are often odourless and invisible at lethal concentrations, so technology must detect and identify them before exposure. The intended outcomes are design rules for sensitive and selective materials that can be used in a handheld infield detector to sense chemical warfare agents based on the materials’ photophysical properties, and new analytical methods and sensing protocols. This research will be of interest to security agencies in Australia and internationally, and will better protect our military.Read moreRead less
Methods for Protein Structure Analysis by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. This highly interdisciplinary project aims to establish new tools to analyse the structure and motions of proteins that are otherwise difficult to study. A combination of advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy methods, and high-performance computing techniques will be applied to study proteins at physiological concentrations and in complex environments. New techniques will be developed and tested on proteins ....Methods for Protein Structure Analysis by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. This highly interdisciplinary project aims to establish new tools to analyse the structure and motions of proteins that are otherwise difficult to study. A combination of advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy methods, and high-performance computing techniques will be applied to study proteins at physiological concentrations and in complex environments. New techniques will be developed and tested on proteins of high biochemical or biomedical importance, and the approach will be applied to established drug targets.Read moreRead less
Development of potent and specific modulators of the human sodium channel Nav1.7. There are few effective drugs available for the treatment of chronic pain. This team recently discovered that spider venoms are a rich source of inhibitors of Nav1.7, a new target for anti-pain drugs. The goal of this project is to develop potent blockers of Nav1.7 that can be used to critically assess the role of this ion channel in mediating pain.
Protein Structure and Dynamics by Electron/Nuclear Paramagnetic Resonance. This interdisciplinary project aims to establish new magnetic resonance methods for the analysis of protein structure and motion at low concentrations and in physiological conditions that are otherwise difficult or impossible to study. It brings together four different research groups with expertise in advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy and high-performance computing. The project expects to develop tools ....Protein Structure and Dynamics by Electron/Nuclear Paramagnetic Resonance. This interdisciplinary project aims to establish new magnetic resonance methods for the analysis of protein structure and motion at low concentrations and in physiological conditions that are otherwise difficult or impossible to study. It brings together four different research groups with expertise in advanced biochemistry, modern magnetic spectroscopy and high-performance computing. The project expects to develop tools to study protein structure, protein-protein association and protein-ligand interactions of established drug-targets. Expected outcomes include new techniques that quickly inform how drugs work, providing significant benefits to many researchers studying biomolecules, and supporting Australia’s growing biotechnology sector. Read moreRead less