Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560657
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$740,000.00
Summary
Ultra-High Resolution NMR Imaging System for Nanotechnology including Nanobiotechnology. The ultra-high resolution imaging NMR spectrometer at the centre of this application is a generation ahead of comparable facilities in Australia and will extend the research capacity of numerous research groups comprising in excess of 50 academics and postgraduate students. The aims and significance of this infrastructure lie in it being one of the centrepieces of the partner institutions' aspirations to tak ....Ultra-High Resolution NMR Imaging System for Nanotechnology including Nanobiotechnology. The ultra-high resolution imaging NMR spectrometer at the centre of this application is a generation ahead of comparable facilities in Australia and will extend the research capacity of numerous research groups comprising in excess of 50 academics and postgraduate students. The aims and significance of this infrastructure lie in it being one of the centrepieces of the partner institutions' aspirations to take Australia to the cutting edge of nanotechnology and cognate disciplines many of which are areas of national priority. The expected manifold outcomes include research of the highest rank into fundamental problems of drug development through to applied outcomes such as new nanomaterials and improved horticulture/fruit preservation.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882357
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
A Computational Facility for Multi-scale Modelling in Bio and Nanotechnology. Bio- and nanotechnology have the potential to transform Australian industry and research, and to bring significant benefits for consumers. The scope will include materials for energy storage, medical diagnostics and cellular imaging, bioengineering, drug and gene delivery, improved foods by molecular design, novel materials for electronics, improved techniques for particle processing, and molecular sieves for filtering ....A Computational Facility for Multi-scale Modelling in Bio and Nanotechnology. Bio- and nanotechnology have the potential to transform Australian industry and research, and to bring significant benefits for consumers. The scope will include materials for energy storage, medical diagnostics and cellular imaging, bioengineering, drug and gene delivery, improved foods by molecular design, novel materials for electronics, improved techniques for particle processing, and molecular sieves for filtering/purifying water and gases. The dedicated computing facility will enable a fast interactive cycle between simulation and experiment in these areas, accelerating the pace of research and applications.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354636
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Australian Computational Molecular Science Network. Computational Molecular Science (CMS) involves the use of theory and computational methods to simulate and visualise molecular systems ranging from small atmospheric species to proteins, nucleic acids, chemical polymers and materials. It represents our most incisive expression of what we understand about the molecular basis of nature. The CMS network will integrate and cross-fertilize both fundamental and application-based expertize in molecula ....Australian Computational Molecular Science Network. Computational Molecular Science (CMS) involves the use of theory and computational methods to simulate and visualise molecular systems ranging from small atmospheric species to proteins, nucleic acids, chemical polymers and materials. It represents our most incisive expression of what we understand about the molecular basis of nature. The CMS network will integrate and cross-fertilize both fundamental and application-based expertize in molecular scale computations in the fields of nanoscience, biomaterials, biotechnology, biomedical science and environmental science. It will uncover and explore critical new interdisciplinary science and create new molecular-based paradigms that will drive advances in these fields over the next decade.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668521
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Small Angle Scattering Facility for the Materials and Biological Sciences. There are many benefits to the community from the application of modern technology for materials and protein characterisation, particularly one that is as broadly applicable as small angle scattering. For example, it can directly aid in the development of new materials for energy storage and generation, biomaterials for improved health and the process of design of drugs for many types of disease. This facility will ben ....Small Angle Scattering Facility for the Materials and Biological Sciences. There are many benefits to the community from the application of modern technology for materials and protein characterisation, particularly one that is as broadly applicable as small angle scattering. For example, it can directly aid in the development of new materials for energy storage and generation, biomaterials for improved health and the process of design of drugs for many types of disease. This facility will benefit a large number of researchers and significantly enhance the outcomes of recent investments in high quality pure and applied research.Read moreRead less
Theoretical and computational approaches to accurately predict the structures of a unique family of circular and knotted proteins. The primary outcome will be a fundamental new knowledge on cyclotide structures and a new protein engineering method to design stabilised proteins. Because cyclotides have significantly higher stabilities than conventional proteins, they have a range of pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Both fields of use have the potential for very great economic and soc ....Theoretical and computational approaches to accurately predict the structures of a unique family of circular and knotted proteins. The primary outcome will be a fundamental new knowledge on cyclotide structures and a new protein engineering method to design stabilised proteins. Because cyclotides have significantly higher stabilities than conventional proteins, they have a range of pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Both fields of use have the potential for very great economic and social benefits for Australia. From a pharmaceutical perspective our computing development will greatly facilitate the design of stabilised peptide-based drugs using the cyclotide framework. Such drugs have potential sales of several billion dollars per annum and the royalty returns from successful commercialisation of IP can be substantial.Read moreRead less
MOLECULAR BREEDING OF CYTOCHROME P450 ENZYMES. Cytochrome P450s are enzymes that catalyse an impressive array of oxidative transformations. However, there is little available data on how to modify their substrate specificity and generate tailored biocatalysts. We plan to use an emerging technology known as DNA shuffling to create libraries of P450s with varying activities. These will then be screened for enzymes that can catalyse the formation of indigo (a blue dye) and indirubin (a chemother ....MOLECULAR BREEDING OF CYTOCHROME P450 ENZYMES. Cytochrome P450s are enzymes that catalyse an impressive array of oxidative transformations. However, there is little available data on how to modify their substrate specificity and generate tailored biocatalysts. We plan to use an emerging technology known as DNA shuffling to create libraries of P450s with varying activities. These will then be screened for enzymes that can catalyse the formation of indigo (a blue dye) and indirubin (a chemotherapeutic agent). The enzymes that catalyse indigo formation will be useful in the production of coloured transgenic plants and those that produce indirubin will have a role in gene therapy.Read moreRead less
New approaches to functional and structural genomics. Genome sequencing has revealed complete sets of macromolecules that make up our cells. We now need to learn how these macromolecules work together in a coordinated fashion. The proposed research will lead to the discovery of new biological molecules, interactions and processes essential for the function of cells, identify new therapeutic targets and strategies to combat disease, identify new concepts in bio- and nanotechnology, and train new ....New approaches to functional and structural genomics. Genome sequencing has revealed complete sets of macromolecules that make up our cells. We now need to learn how these macromolecules work together in a coordinated fashion. The proposed research will lead to the discovery of new biological molecules, interactions and processes essential for the function of cells, identify new therapeutic targets and strategies to combat disease, identify new concepts in bio- and nanotechnology, and train new interdisciplinary researchers. It will underpin the National Research Priorities (Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries, and Promoting and Maintaining Good Health) and help Australia capitalise on a plethora of opportunities for future economic and health benefits.Read moreRead less
BIOCATALYSTS MINED FROM CYTOCHROME P450 LIBRARIES: AN INNOVATIVE TOOL FOR ACCELERATING DRUG DEVELOPMENT. The cytochrome P450s (P450s) are a family of enzymes that are perhaps the most versatile biological catalysts known. DNA shuffling is an emerging technique that takes the genes encoding families of enzymes and creates libraries of catalysts with both improved and novel properties. We will obtain proof of concept that shuffled P450 libraries can be screened and optimized for use as biocatalys ....BIOCATALYSTS MINED FROM CYTOCHROME P450 LIBRARIES: AN INNOVATIVE TOOL FOR ACCELERATING DRUG DEVELOPMENT. The cytochrome P450s (P450s) are a family of enzymes that are perhaps the most versatile biological catalysts known. DNA shuffling is an emerging technique that takes the genes encoding families of enzymes and creates libraries of catalysts with both improved and novel properties. We will obtain proof of concept that shuffled P450 libraries can be screened and optimized for use as biocatalysts in drug development. The methodologies developed here will overcome two critical bottlenecks in current drug development: the optimisation and metabolic profiling of new drug candidates. This will yield important benefits in accelerating the optimisation and safety testing of drugs under development.Read moreRead less
Organophosphate pesticide degradation: evolved enzymes and biomimetics for bioremediation and medicine. Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are an indispensable part of modern agriculture - their use results in dramatically increased crop yields. However, they are toxic and can damage the environment and cause significant health problems. Enzymes are currently being used to treat runoff water that is contaminated with OPs. The same enzymes also have the potential to aid in the treatment of OP poison ....Organophosphate pesticide degradation: evolved enzymes and biomimetics for bioremediation and medicine. Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are an indispensable part of modern agriculture - their use results in dramatically increased crop yields. However, they are toxic and can damage the environment and cause significant health problems. Enzymes are currently being used to treat runoff water that is contaminated with OPs. The same enzymes also have the potential to aid in the treatment of OP poisoning. However, OP degrading enzymes could be improved in many ways - we will evolve these enzymes to enhance their catalytic properties - to enable them to act more efficiently on an increased number of OPs. Read moreRead less
Plant heterotrimeric G proteins: new roles in defence, stomatal control and ABA perception. Agriculture is an important economic activity in Australia that results in considerable export revenues. Two of the major problems facing agriculture around the globe are the incidence of diseases and the scarcity of water. Agricultural losses caused by plant pathogens and low water availability account for billions of dollars every year and have profound economic and social implications. Water is an extr ....Plant heterotrimeric G proteins: new roles in defence, stomatal control and ABA perception. Agriculture is an important economic activity in Australia that results in considerable export revenues. Two of the major problems facing agriculture around the globe are the incidence of diseases and the scarcity of water. Agricultural losses caused by plant pathogens and low water availability account for billions of dollars every year and have profound economic and social implications. Water is an extremely scarce resource in Australia and periodic droughts inflict immense losses to the Australian agricultural sector. Our research will explore new and cleaner strategies to provide crop protection as well as to increase water use efficiency.Read moreRead less