Ion transport in the malaria parasite and parasitised erythrocyte. This work will contribute to the national research effort in parasitology (an area in which the ARC has established a Research Network), as well as laying the groundwork for subsequent efforts (not part of this grant) to develop new antimalarial strategies. Although not yet endemic in Australia, malaria is a serious problem in the local region and, as the major developed nation in the region Australia has an obligation to make ....Ion transport in the malaria parasite and parasitised erythrocyte. This work will contribute to the national research effort in parasitology (an area in which the ARC has established a Research Network), as well as laying the groundwork for subsequent efforts (not part of this grant) to develop new antimalarial strategies. Although not yet endemic in Australia, malaria is a serious problem in the local region and, as the major developed nation in the region Australia has an obligation to make a significant contribution to research in this area. The work proposed here will contribute to Australia's meeting this obligation.Read moreRead less
Amino acid transporters and the chloroquine resistance transporter of the intracellular malaria parasite. This work entails an ongoing collaboration between three independent research groups with highly complementary expertise and experience. It will make a significant contribution to the maintenance of Australia's scientific capabilities and training opportunities. The project will yield important insights into the biology of the causative agent of a major human disease, and the mechanism by ....Amino acid transporters and the chloroquine resistance transporter of the intracellular malaria parasite. This work entails an ongoing collaboration between three independent research groups with highly complementary expertise and experience. It will make a significant contribution to the maintenance of Australia's scientific capabilities and training opportunities. The project will yield important insights into the biology of the causative agent of a major human disease, and the mechanism by which the malaria parasite has developed resistance to antimalarial drugs. Although not yet endemic in Australia, malaria is a serious problem in the local region and this work will help Australia meet its obligations to carry out high-quality research that advances our knowledge in this area.
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Signalling pathways for sexual differentiation of apicomplexan parasites. This project aims to study the sexual development of apicomplexan parasites, which cause major diseases in humans, livestock and wildlife, including malaria. Only sexually differentiated cells can survive in the mosquito vector and hence this development is essential for the parasite's life-cycle. This project will employ a new approach that separates female from male parasites, thus enabling new information to be gleaned ....Signalling pathways for sexual differentiation of apicomplexan parasites. This project aims to study the sexual development of apicomplexan parasites, which cause major diseases in humans, livestock and wildlife, including malaria. Only sexually differentiated cells can survive in the mosquito vector and hence this development is essential for the parasite's life-cycle. This project will employ a new approach that separates female from male parasites, thus enabling new information to be gleaned about the development of these parasites. The expected outcomes are an understanding of the mechanisms of sexual differentiation and a functional characterisation of novel sex-specific molecules. This will provide significant benefits, such as pivotal prerequisites for new approaches to parasite intervention.Read moreRead less
A systems approach to dissect the pathogenicity and host specificity of the Fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum. The pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum causes wilt disease in many plant species, including many that are important for Australian agriculture. Developing environmentally friendly disease protection strategies against this pathogen requires a clear understanding of infection strategies used by the fungus to invade its host. This project, along with a parallel project in host ....A systems approach to dissect the pathogenicity and host specificity of the Fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum. The pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum causes wilt disease in many plant species, including many that are important for Australian agriculture. Developing environmentally friendly disease protection strategies against this pathogen requires a clear understanding of infection strategies used by the fungus to invade its host. This project, along with a parallel project in host resistance mechanisms, will provide the basis for development of a world leading platform in mechanisms of fungal pathogenicity and virulence and plant disease resistance/susceptibility. Application of the knowledge gained in this project to other host-pathogen interactions will thereby provide opportunities for improved crop protection and biosecurity.Read moreRead less
Regulating nutrient uptake in intracellular parasites. Parasites impose a major economic and medical burden on human societies. In order to grow and reproduce, parasites scavenge nutrients from their animal or human hosts. As they move within and between hosts they encounter different levels of nutrients; how they adapt to these differences is poorly understood. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms by which the model parasite Toxoplasma senses and responds to the nutrients in its envi ....Regulating nutrient uptake in intracellular parasites. Parasites impose a major economic and medical burden on human societies. In order to grow and reproduce, parasites scavenge nutrients from their animal or human hosts. As they move within and between hosts they encounter different levels of nutrients; how they adapt to these differences is poorly understood. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms by which the model parasite Toxoplasma senses and responds to the nutrients in its environment, thereby shedding light on how they adapt to the different environments that they inhabit and, in the longer term, informing novel treatment strategies that aim to limit the parasites’ nutrient supply.Read moreRead less
A novel family of amino acid transporters in Apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites are single celled organisms that are the causative agents of major diseases in livestock and humans. However, the basic biochemistry of these intracellular parasites is poorly understood, and there are limited treatments available for the diseases these parasites cause. The project hypothesis is that a novel family of proteins that are unique to apicomplexan parasites play a key role in the uptake of esse ....A novel family of amino acid transporters in Apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites are single celled organisms that are the causative agents of major diseases in livestock and humans. However, the basic biochemistry of these intracellular parasites is poorly understood, and there are limited treatments available for the diseases these parasites cause. The project hypothesis is that a novel family of proteins that are unique to apicomplexan parasites play a key role in the uptake of essential nutrients (amino acids) into these organisms. This project aims to use a combination of genetic, biochemical and physiological methods to understand the function of these proteins, the role(s) that they play in apicomplexan biology, and their importance for parasite survival.Read moreRead less
How do apicomplexan parasites steal amino acids from their hosts? The single-celled parasites that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis are adept at stealing nutrients from the host animals that they infect. How they do this is, however, poorly understood. This project seeks to identify the processes by which these parasites scavenge amino acids, an essential class of nutrient, from their hosts. Using innovative experimental approaches, the project aims to identify and characterise the parasite prote ....How do apicomplexan parasites steal amino acids from their hosts? The single-celled parasites that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis are adept at stealing nutrients from the host animals that they infect. How they do this is, however, poorly understood. This project seeks to identify the processes by which these parasites scavenge amino acids, an essential class of nutrient, from their hosts. Using innovative experimental approaches, the project aims to identify and characterise the parasite proteins that mediate the uptake of different amino acids into the parasite. The intended outcomes of the project are to provide comprehensive insights into a fundamental aspect of parasite biology, and inform strategies to treat the diseases caused by these parasites by cutting off their nutrient supply.Read moreRead less
Environmental contamination and pig disease: an Australian microbe evolves. The Australian pig industry produces pork commodities from over 4.75 million pigs per year. Infectious diseases in industrial-scale piggeries can have a devastating effect on pork production, particularly on feed conversion efficiency and growth rates, and can pose downstream environmental contamination and food safety risks. This project aims to assess a current infectious disease problem in pigs by studying a microbe t ....Environmental contamination and pig disease: an Australian microbe evolves. The Australian pig industry produces pork commodities from over 4.75 million pigs per year. Infectious diseases in industrial-scale piggeries can have a devastating effect on pork production, particularly on feed conversion efficiency and growth rates, and can pose downstream environmental contamination and food safety risks. This project aims to assess a current infectious disease problem in pigs by studying a microbe that appears to have uniquely evolved in Australia. These results could inform the rational design of monitoring, prevention and treatment strategies to minimise infection outbreaks in Australian pigs and may result in production benefits to the pork industry, reduced environmental microbial contamination and safer food.Read moreRead less
The biosynthesis of structural proteins in parasites. The socio-economic impact of parasitic diseases, in Australia and throughout the world, is enormous- they kill 2-3 million people per year and cost livestock industries billions of dollars per annum. Some are serious food and waterborne threats, such as the coccidia, because they are transmitted from person-to-person via the faecal-oral route, or via ingestion of contaminated water or food, or through the ingestion of cysts in raw or underco ....The biosynthesis of structural proteins in parasites. The socio-economic impact of parasitic diseases, in Australia and throughout the world, is enormous- they kill 2-3 million people per year and cost livestock industries billions of dollars per annum. Some are serious food and waterborne threats, such as the coccidia, because they are transmitted from person-to-person via the faecal-oral route, or via ingestion of contaminated water or food, or through the ingestion of cysts in raw or undercooked meat. They cause diarrhoea, which in some cases, can be life-threatening. We will understand how the coccidia protect themselves as they move from host to host and, through that understanding, develop new ways to control them and eliminate the suffering caused by parasitic diseases.Read moreRead less
New mathematical and statistical methods that inform the control of infectious disease outbreaks. Emerging infectious diseases are an ever-present threat to our community, as highlighted by the recent SARS epidemic and current fears concerning avian influenza. The research proposed by this project will help policy makers implement effective border control and outbreak control against a variety of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including SARS, influenza and the deliberate release o ....New mathematical and statistical methods that inform the control of infectious disease outbreaks. Emerging infectious diseases are an ever-present threat to our community, as highlighted by the recent SARS epidemic and current fears concerning avian influenza. The research proposed by this project will help policy makers implement effective border control and outbreak control against a variety of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including SARS, influenza and the deliberate release of an infectious disease such as smallpox. The project will enhance preparedness through a better understanding of the relative merits of different control strategies, and provide new methodology that can dynamically guide border and outbreak control in the midst of an outbreak by making effective use of data. Read moreRead less