An Integrated Approach To Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,120.00
Summary
The development of antibiotics such as penicillin was hailed as one of the great breakthroughs in medicine. However, an increasing number of pathogens have acquired resistance to these drugs. One of the most common resistance mechanisms employed by these pathogens is the use of metal dependent enzymes that promote the degradation of antibiotics. To date, no clinically useful inhibitors for these enzymes are available. In this project, we aim to develop such inhibitors as therapeutic drug leads.
Reversing Antibiotic Resistance With Efflux Pump Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,174.00
Summary
Antibiotic resistance in dangerous pathogens is one of the greatest threats to human health of the 21st century. The main cause of multidrug resistance is the presence of drug efflux pumps, which remove antibiotics from the bacterial cell thereby lowering the antibiotic concentration inside the cells to sub-toxic levels. We will use our expertise on these efflux pumps and on how to inhibit them to develop compounds that could reverse resistance and restore the activity of antibiotics.
Development Of Novel Anticoagulants Inspired By Nature For Improved Ischaemic Stroke Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$716,396.00
Summary
Ischaemic stroke, caused by clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain, is the third most common cause of mortality and the leading cause of disability globally. Unfortunately, the only approved therapeutic option is ineffective for a significant proportion of stroke sufferers. This project will develop novel anticoagulants, inspired by molecules produced by blood feeding organisms, for use in more effective and safe ischaemic stroke therapy.
Exploring The Haemagglutinin-neuraminidase Of Human Parainfluenza Virus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$731,268.00
Summary
Respiratory diseases, for example croup, in children are caused in the main by human parainfluenza viruses (hPIVs). No vaccines or specific antiviral therapy against hPIV infections exist. This project targets an essential protein in the virus’ lifecycle. This project will produce compounds that block the protein’s function and may provide drug candidates for development. Furthermore the role of human host cell-associated carbohydrates in parainfluenza infection will be better understood.
Sleep Disturbance And Cholinergic Degeneration In Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$860,912.00
Summary
The largest class of drugs given to Alzheimer's disease patients aims to increase the function of cholinergic neurons that degenerate early in the disease. We will test whether disturbed sleep, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline are caused by neurodegeneration of these neurons, and whether early treatment can slow disease progression.
Understanding The Role Of The Scaffolding Protein D13 In Poxvirus Assembly And Its Inhibition By Rifampicin
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,275.00
Summary
Smallpox is one the most notorious diseases in human history. Despite its eradication in the 1970s, human cases of animal poxviruses such as monkeypox virus and the potential use of smallpox as a bioterrorism weapon have called for an improved preparedness of Australia against (re)-emerging poxviruses. This project combines structural biology approaches to understand the complex assembly of poxviruses and provide the basis for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
Major progress has been made in the treatment of cancer by the development of inhibitors of oncogenes that drive cancer growth. This application will test whether this approach can be used for melanomas with activation of the CDK4 oncogene that becomes activated in over 50% of melanomas. We will indentify which patients melanomas respond best to this approach and understand why some melanomas but not other responds providing the scientific framework for clinical trials of CDK4 inhibitors.
Design And Delivery Of Peptide-based Anti-cancer Grb7 Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,126.00
Summary
The Grb7 protein is overproduced in many types of cancer cells and plays a role in cancer cell growth and spread. The current proposal builds upon the discovery of a peptide-based Grb7 inhibitor that has anti-cancer activity. This proposal is to prepare more potent inhibitor molecules that can efficiently reach the target cancer cells. Such molecules will be used for the study of Grb7 and for the development of a new Grb7-based anti-cancer drug therapy.
Towards A New Class Of Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor For HIV Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$688,833.00
Summary
There remains an urgent need for new HIV prevention strategies. New HIV drugs that block the virus by distinct ways are needed to prevent transmission of drug resistant HIV. This study seeks to identify very small molecules called “fragments” that bind to previously undiscovered pockets on the HIV reverse transcriptase to stop its function, and that can be used as building blocks to design more potent HIV drugs to be used solely for HIV prevention.
Improved Treatment Of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Disease Through Study Of Placental Models Of Pathogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$674,918.00
Summary
Congenital CMV is the second most common cause of fetal malformation in Australia, and yet most pregnant mothers do not know about it, nor how to prevent congenital CMV in their baby. It is a viral infection that can severely damage the unborn baby. Our research aims to find more about how the virus damages the baby, and whether antiviral drugs are useful in reducing infection of the baby, and also reducing damage to the baby from such infection. If successful, these studies will be the basis fo ....Congenital CMV is the second most common cause of fetal malformation in Australia, and yet most pregnant mothers do not know about it, nor how to prevent congenital CMV in their baby. It is a viral infection that can severely damage the unborn baby. Our research aims to find more about how the virus damages the baby, and whether antiviral drugs are useful in reducing infection of the baby, and also reducing damage to the baby from such infection. If successful, these studies will be the basis for clinical trials in pregnant women.Read moreRead less