Developing a multicomponent platform for targeted gene delivery. Gene delivery systems are important tools in biological research and offer many exciting future prospects. Delivering gene material is very difficult in practice: rapid deterioration, poor cell uptake, and reaching the right tissue and cell types are major obstacles. Ways to overcome each barrier individually have been suggested in existing research but these components have not yet been combined in a single solution, which this pr ....Developing a multicomponent platform for targeted gene delivery. Gene delivery systems are important tools in biological research and offer many exciting future prospects. Delivering gene material is very difficult in practice: rapid deterioration, poor cell uptake, and reaching the right tissue and cell types are major obstacles. Ways to overcome each barrier individually have been suggested in existing research but these components have not yet been combined in a single solution, which this project will tackle. This proposal aims to create a technology to stabilise and deliver active gene material to target cells. The gene delivery tool developed in this project will advance biological research greatly with many potential future applications.Read moreRead less
Gut Absorption of Constrained Peptides for Local and Systemic Targeting. Aims: This project aims to investigate how peptides are absorbed across the intestinal wall and distributed to organs and fluids in a rodent model by combining bio-analysis and pharmacokinetics with high-resolution microscopy and imaging.
Significance: This project expects to generate the most comprehensive survey to date of the pathways and mechanisms of peptide absorption, biodistribution and immune cell targeting, by ....Gut Absorption of Constrained Peptides for Local and Systemic Targeting. Aims: This project aims to investigate how peptides are absorbed across the intestinal wall and distributed to organs and fluids in a rodent model by combining bio-analysis and pharmacokinetics with high-resolution microscopy and imaging.
Significance: This project expects to generate the most comprehensive survey to date of the pathways and mechanisms of peptide absorption, biodistribution and immune cell targeting, by implementing innovative approaches.
Expected Outcomes: Expected outcomes include significant new knowledge and a new multi-disciplinary platform for measuring peptide absorption.
Benefits: This should provide significant benefits by informing the future design of peptides for supplements, therapeutics and carriers. Read moreRead less
Molecular probe development for high specificity and spatiotemporal control. This project aims at developing next-generation molecular probes with enhanced specificity and spatiotemporal control for the study of proteins and neuropeptide signalling. It addresses recognised knowledge gaps and technical bottlenecks in neuropeptide and memory research. Expected outcomes include a deeper molecular understanding of long-term memory formation and the role of neuropeptides in this process, as well as i ....Molecular probe development for high specificity and spatiotemporal control. This project aims at developing next-generation molecular probes with enhanced specificity and spatiotemporal control for the study of proteins and neuropeptide signalling. It addresses recognised knowledge gaps and technical bottlenecks in neuropeptide and memory research. Expected outcomes include a deeper molecular understanding of long-term memory formation and the role of neuropeptides in this process, as well as innovative chemistry strategies and novel molecular probes to advance fundamental research across the chemical and biological sciences. Anticipated benefits include technological innovations of relevance to Australia’s biotechnology sector and enhanced capacity for cross-disciplinary collaboration.Read moreRead less
Tools for manipulating neuronal activity for behavioural studies. This project aims to develop optogenetic tools neuroscientists can use to better understand brain circuitry and the functional effects of specific neurons on behaviour. Linking the activity of individual neurons in the brain to specific behaviours is a major challenge in neuroscience. Optogenetics achieve this by using light to control the activity of neurons. This has advanced understanding of behaviour and neurocircuitry. This p ....Tools for manipulating neuronal activity for behavioural studies. This project aims to develop optogenetic tools neuroscientists can use to better understand brain circuitry and the functional effects of specific neurons on behaviour. Linking the activity of individual neurons in the brain to specific behaviours is a major challenge in neuroscience. Optogenetics achieve this by using light to control the activity of neurons. This has advanced understanding of behaviour and neurocircuitry. This project is expected to increase understanding of brain function at the cellular and system levels, and advance Australia’s multidisciplinary research capacity in neuroscience, cognitive sciences and nanobiotechnology to ultimately treat neurological disorders.Read moreRead less
Engineer enzyme nanoparticles as antibiotic alternatives for agriculture. Antibiotic usage in agriculture contributes to spread of resistant bacteria. Existing antibiotic alternatives to minimize such usage are focused on growth promotion of animals and infection prevention, but lack efficient treatment. This project aims to engineer enzyme nanoparticles, with synergy from multiple enzymes, to confer better antibacterial abilities against livestock pathogens. It will combine protein engineering, ....Engineer enzyme nanoparticles as antibiotic alternatives for agriculture. Antibiotic usage in agriculture contributes to spread of resistant bacteria. Existing antibiotic alternatives to minimize such usage are focused on growth promotion of animals and infection prevention, but lack efficient treatment. This project aims to engineer enzyme nanoparticles, with synergy from multiple enzymes, to confer better antibacterial abilities against livestock pathogens. It will combine protein engineering, nanotechnology and biophysics to develop new enzyme nanoparticles that can be manufactured at low-cost through self-assembly process. The intended outcome is knowledge on molecular engineering of enzyme nanoparticles and innovative agriculture biotechnology for treatment of bacterial infectious diseases in livestock.Read moreRead less