CD4+ T Cell-independent Immunity Against Salmonellae
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,226.00
Summary
Salmonella typhimurium is an important pathogen in both developed and developing countries where it causes significant HIV-linked morbidity. There is a pressing need to understand how immunity might be established against this organism that will function when the patient is immunocompromised either through age or through a comorbidity like HIV.
Characterisation Of Extracellular DNases Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Their Contribution To Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,516.00
Summary
The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes a number of serious diseases of humans particularly of immunocompromised patients. We have found that this bacterium secretes enzymes that have the ability to digest DNA. This proposal aims to work out how this bacterium uses these enzymes to infect human tissues and escape killing by immune cells. The results from this study will help to determine if these proteins may be used as targets for the development of new anti-infective drugs.
Structural Characterization Of Novel AB5 Cytotoxin - SubAB
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,011.00
Summary
AB5 toxins are virulence factors from a range of pathogenic bacteria, including Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC), S. dysenteriae, V. cholerae, and B. pertussis. AB5 toxins comprise a catalytic A subunit that disrupts distinct essential cellular processes within the cell and a receptor binding, pentameric B subunit that enables the toxin to target certain cell types. We are structural characterizing a novel AB5 toxin that targets an essential component of the cellular machinery.
Transcriptome Characterization Of Klebsiella Pneumoniae During Infection (TRACKIN)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,806.00
Summary
Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is an important pathogen associated with high mortality and antimicrobial resistance. Upon infection, the host activates a sophisticated immune response, but there is evidence that KP is capable of modifying this response. Here I will take advantage of cutting-edge genome sequencing to understand the interactions between KP and host immunity. These studies will provide a pathway for the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat multiresistant infections.
A Genome Wide Screen For Human Genes That Support The Replication Of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,090.00
Summary
Coxiella burnetii is a bacterium that causes a life threatening infection of humans, termed Q fever.Coxiella survives and replicates inside human cells within a unique protected niche and little is known about how the bacterium does this. This study will identify and investigate the individual human proteins that are used by the bacterium to manipulate the human cells it inhabits and the mechanisms through which the bacterium achieves this.
Some of the world's most important diseases, including important diseases of indigenous chilren and the hospitalised elderly are caused by bacteria that carry a surface coating called a capsule. It is not clear how this capsule is retained by bacteria. Resolution of this question could lead to the development of new disinfectants that will stop hospital-acquired infections, to new reagents that can be incoporated into medical devices where bacteria frequently grow, and new antibiotics.
Factors That Influence Disease Severity In Tuberculosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$149,076.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health problem and is one of the leading causes of death from an infectious disease worldwide. The severity of disease that occurs with TB is dependent on many complex factors including the infected person’s immune system and factors related to the TB organism itself. This research will determine the key factors that cause severe disease in TB which will translate into improved care of TB patients and enhance further research in this field.
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common infectious diseases of humans and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In the USA, UTI accounts for >$1.6 billion in medical expenses each year. It is estimated that 50% of women will develop a UTI in their lifetime. This research aims to understand the processes by which bacteria colonize the human bladder. The work has implications for the development of new approaches to prevent and treat UTI.