There is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat human leishmaniasis, a disease that causes debilitating and life-threatening diseases in millions of people worldwide. This project will investigate whether it is possible to develop a new generation of drugs that target a novel metabolic pathway in these parasites that we have shown to be essential for virulence.
Targeting Phosphoinositide Metabolism In Leishmania
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$990,904.00
Summary
There is an urgent need to develop new drugs to treat human leishmaniasis, a disease that causes debilitating and life-threatening diseases in millions of people worldwide. This project will investigate whether it is possible to develop a new generation of drugs that target an important signaling pathway in these parasites that we have shown to be essential for virulence
Ecto-nucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolases Of Leishmania: Role In Virulence And Potential As Antimicrobial Targets
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,658.00
Summary
Leishmaniasis is a serious disease that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The disease is caused by a number of species of parasites, and current treatment regimes are not ideal. This research aims to target certain proteins produced by the parasite and define the role of the proteins in causing disease. Furthermore this research will identify new drugs that will block these parasite proteins and may contribute to new therapies for this serious disease.
Suppressor Of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS4) Is A Critical Regulator Of The Anti-viral Immune Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$616,912.00
Summary
The SOCS proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signalling and immune cell development and function. SOCS4 is the last remaining SOCS protein for which there is no described function or intracellular target. We intend to use well-defined acute and chronic viral disease models, and investigate the role of SOCS4 in infection in order to unravel its function. We will also search for its binding partners and intracellular targets, and determine the signalling pathways regulated by SOCS4.
Metabolomic Analysis Of Leishmania Parasites; Identifying Metabolic Pathways Required For Pathogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$605,963.00
Summary
Leishmania are single-celled parasites that target a major class of immune cell, affecting millions and killing thousands of people worldwide. We have developed new approaches for investigating how these parasites survive in the immune cells, and why different species of Leishmania cause markedly different pathologies. This information will be used to identify and validate new drug targets in these parasites.