Discovery of Novel Bacteriophage with the Capacity to Modulate Gut Bacteria. This project aims to experimentally validate the largest ever collection of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) within the gut microbiome. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of bacteriophage biology and genomics by using the innovative approaches of wet-lab and bioinformatic genome analyses. Expect outcomes of this project include the discovery of novel phages using bioinformatics, wet-lab validat ....Discovery of Novel Bacteriophage with the Capacity to Modulate Gut Bacteria. This project aims to experimentally validate the largest ever collection of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) within the gut microbiome. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of bacteriophage biology and genomics by using the innovative approaches of wet-lab and bioinformatic genome analyses. Expect outcomes of this project include the discovery of novel phages using bioinformatics, wet-lab validation of their activity and characterisation of their potential to contribute new bacterial host metabolism. This should provide benefits, such as advancement to our understanding of bacteriophages, improved bioinformatic software, and a characterised collection of commercially valuable bacterial strains and phages.Read moreRead less
Exploiting microbial metabolites to understand fungal biology. The project aims to investigate the principles of hyphal growth in fungi, by studying the mechanisms of action of a bacteria-derived compound that inhibits hyphae. Changing cell shape between yeast and hyphae is a prototype developmental switch enabling fungi to escape stressful environments, while hyphal invasion promotes fungal infections of animals and plants that endanger food security and biodiversity. By using interdisciplinary ....Exploiting microbial metabolites to understand fungal biology. The project aims to investigate the principles of hyphal growth in fungi, by studying the mechanisms of action of a bacteria-derived compound that inhibits hyphae. Changing cell shape between yeast and hyphae is a prototype developmental switch enabling fungi to escape stressful environments, while hyphal invasion promotes fungal infections of animals and plants that endanger food security and biodiversity. By using interdisciplinary approaches of microbiology and chemistry, the expected outcomes are to generate deep knowledge of an important microbial process and how it could be modulated, characterise a new bacterial compound and build research capacity at the nexus of biology and chemistry to benefit discoveries in academia and industry.Read moreRead less
Defining the antiviral effects of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that carry a bacterium called Wolbachia do not transmit human pathogenic viruses. These mosquitoes are being developed as a biocontrol tool to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. This project aims to define the molecular basis for virus inhibition by Wolbachia. Using unique biological tools including mosquitoes carrying different strains of Wolbachia that do or do not inhibit dengue virus, the project will define ho ....Defining the antiviral effects of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that carry a bacterium called Wolbachia do not transmit human pathogenic viruses. These mosquitoes are being developed as a biocontrol tool to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. This project aims to define the molecular basis for virus inhibition by Wolbachia. Using unique biological tools including mosquitoes carrying different strains of Wolbachia that do or do not inhibit dengue virus, the project will define how Wolbachia modifies its host to create an antiviral state. The findings will provide insight into how viral pathogens can be suppressed in insect hosts. This may guide future viral disease intervention strategies for diverse areas afflicted by insect-borne viral disease, including human health and agriculture.Read moreRead less
How bacteria form resistant aggregates and biofilms. This research aims to use interdisciplinary approaches to advance fundamental knowledge on bacterial aggregates and biofilms. These bacterial clusters are a significant problem as they have extraordinary resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics, and currently no effective methods are available to disrupt them. The expected outcomes of this project are to dissect how autotransporters, the most common group of bacterial cell-surface proteins, ....How bacteria form resistant aggregates and biofilms. This research aims to use interdisciplinary approaches to advance fundamental knowledge on bacterial aggregates and biofilms. These bacterial clusters are a significant problem as they have extraordinary resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics, and currently no effective methods are available to disrupt them. The expected outcomes of this project are to dissect how autotransporters, the most common group of bacterial cell-surface proteins, promote aggregation and biofilm formation, and to develop inhibitors that prevent the formation of these damaging bacterial clusters. Ultimately, this new knowledge will help address the increasing economic and social burden of industrial, environmental and biomedical biofilms.Read moreRead less
Noncoding RNAs of insect-specific flaviviruses: biogenesis and functions. This project aims to investigate noncoding RNAs (sfRNAs) of insect-specific flaviruses (ISFs). These RNAs are produced from viral RNA by host ribonuclease and play important role in pathogenesis and transmission of vertebrate-infecting flaviviruses (VIFs). The team has shown that ISFs also produce sfRNAs although likely employing a different mechanism. The project expects to generate new knowledge on ISF sfRNA biogenesis a ....Noncoding RNAs of insect-specific flaviviruses: biogenesis and functions. This project aims to investigate noncoding RNAs (sfRNAs) of insect-specific flaviruses (ISFs). These RNAs are produced from viral RNA by host ribonuclease and play important role in pathogenesis and transmission of vertebrate-infecting flaviviruses (VIFs). The team has shown that ISFs also produce sfRNAs although likely employing a different mechanism. The project expects to generate new knowledge on ISF sfRNA biogenesis and functions using combination of modern structural, biochemical, and innovative molecular virology methods. The outcome will be a clearer understanding of processes governing flavivirus host restriction and evolution. This will improve understanding of virus-host interactions and train students in cutting edge techniques.Read moreRead less
Microbial community stability dynamics to environmental triggers. This project aims to advance our knowledge of the structural/functional dynamics of complex microbial communities by defining stability in response to environmental influences such as nutrient stress, pathogen invasion and antibiotics/chemicals. Using innovative microbial consortia modelling, to identify communities at risk of homeostatic disruption, we will develop and test pre-emptive microbial manipulation strategies for restor ....Microbial community stability dynamics to environmental triggers. This project aims to advance our knowledge of the structural/functional dynamics of complex microbial communities by defining stability in response to environmental influences such as nutrient stress, pathogen invasion and antibiotics/chemicals. Using innovative microbial consortia modelling, to identify communities at risk of homeostatic disruption, we will develop and test pre-emptive microbial manipulation strategies for restoring community stability. This project will yield significant global impact and economic/health benefit for humans and animals.Read moreRead less
Biogenesis and functions of bacterial membrane vesicles. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms that regulate the production of bacterial membrane vesicles and how this determines their bacterial cargo and subsequent biological functions. Bacterial membrane vesicles are naturally produced nanoparticles released by all bacteria as part of their normal growth. These vesicles contain a range of bacterial cargo and function to promote bacterial survival and growth. This project will advance ....Biogenesis and functions of bacterial membrane vesicles. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms that regulate the production of bacterial membrane vesicles and how this determines their bacterial cargo and subsequent biological functions. Bacterial membrane vesicles are naturally produced nanoparticles released by all bacteria as part of their normal growth. These vesicles contain a range of bacterial cargo and function to promote bacterial survival and growth. This project will advance our knowledge regarding the regulation of bacterial membrane vesicle biogenesis, their composition and biological functions. Collectively, these findings will facilitate the development and refinement of membrane vesicle-based biotechnologies with broad applications.Read moreRead less
Functional identification of vaccine targets in pathogenic mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are important bacterial pathogens in domestic animals that are incompletely controlled by current vaccines. As a result current control measures for the diseases they cause rely on ongoing treatment with antibiotics. This project will aim to use functional genomics and metabolomics to determine the function of specific surface proteins of a model mycoplasma to identify targets for novel approaches to vaccines aga ....Functional identification of vaccine targets in pathogenic mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are important bacterial pathogens in domestic animals that are incompletely controlled by current vaccines. As a result current control measures for the diseases they cause rely on ongoing treatment with antibiotics. This project will aim to use functional genomics and metabolomics to determine the function of specific surface proteins of a model mycoplasma to identify targets for novel approaches to vaccines against these pathogens, and to then assess the potential for inclusion of these proteins in vaccines. Ultimately this will lead to improved vaccines against these important pathogens, improving agricultural productivity and reducing the use of antibiotics in intensively raised livestock.Read moreRead less
Untangling the matrix of bacterial biofilms. This research aims to use forefront molecular microbiology and biophysical approaches to advance fundamental knowledge on bacterial biofilms. These bacterial clusters are held together by an extracellular matrix comprised of bacterial-derived fibrous protein and the polysaccharide cellulose, which imparts structural integrity and resistance to antimicrobials. The major goals of this project are to dissect how bacteria regulate production of the biofil ....Untangling the matrix of bacterial biofilms. This research aims to use forefront molecular microbiology and biophysical approaches to advance fundamental knowledge on bacterial biofilms. These bacterial clusters are held together by an extracellular matrix comprised of bacterial-derived fibrous protein and the polysaccharide cellulose, which imparts structural integrity and resistance to antimicrobials. The major goals of this project are to dissect how bacteria regulate production of the biofilm matrix, and examine how changes in the composition of the matrix alters its properties, including the penetration of antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics. The outcomes will help address the economic burden of difficult to treat industrial, environmental and biomedical biofilms.Read moreRead less
The cellular basis of sex-specific responses to virus infection. This project aims to explore how the sex of cells impacts virus infections in culture. To date, the sex of cells in culture has been overlooked as an important source of biological variability, but may be found to affect basic science through to anti-viral drug discovery. Using a model in which a virus can be adapted to grow better in cells of a single sex, this project expects to generate new knowledge about how sex differences im ....The cellular basis of sex-specific responses to virus infection. This project aims to explore how the sex of cells impacts virus infections in culture. To date, the sex of cells in culture has been overlooked as an important source of biological variability, but may be found to affect basic science through to anti-viral drug discovery. Using a model in which a virus can be adapted to grow better in cells of a single sex, this project expects to generate new knowledge about how sex differences impact virus-host interactions. This project expects to provide new insights into sex-based differences in how cells detect and respond to virus infection, and the extent to which the sex of cells impacts viruses in general.Read moreRead less