Identifying novel insecticides and their targets: probing Australian arachnid venoms. Insect pests destroy an estimated 2-3 billion dollars of crops in Australia. Insect pests also are responsible for the transmission of many new and re-emerging human, animal and plant diseases threatening health, wellbeing and prosperity. Current insecticides are severely limited by toxicity and/or insect resistance, and some are undergoing use cancellation overseas. Thus there is an urgent need to develop safe ....Identifying novel insecticides and their targets: probing Australian arachnid venoms. Insect pests destroy an estimated 2-3 billion dollars of crops in Australia. Insect pests also are responsible for the transmission of many new and re-emerging human, animal and plant diseases threatening health, wellbeing and prosperity. Current insecticides are severely limited by toxicity and/or insect resistance, and some are undergoing use cancellation overseas. Thus there is an urgent need to develop safer and more specific insecticides that are effective against disease vectors and agricultural pest insects, as well as to identify new insecticide targets. This research has a multi-million dollar potential benefit to agricultural, health and pest control sectorsRead moreRead less
Hydrophobin proteins on the fungal frontline. This project aims to use advanced biophysical techniques to study the role of hydrophobin proteins in three diseases caused by fungi. The specific focus will be on hydrophobins from fungal species that cause severe loss of rice plants, cause invasive growths in humans, and infect the eggs of endangered turtles and result in death of the turtle embryos. Hydrophobins are small fungal proteins that assemble into large biological layers at the boundary ....Hydrophobin proteins on the fungal frontline. This project aims to use advanced biophysical techniques to study the role of hydrophobin proteins in three diseases caused by fungi. The specific focus will be on hydrophobins from fungal species that cause severe loss of rice plants, cause invasive growths in humans, and infect the eggs of endangered turtles and result in death of the turtle embryos. Hydrophobins are small fungal proteins that assemble into large biological layers at the boundary between the fungus and the host. This research aims to focus on characterising the structure of the layers, understanding how they form and how they attach to the host tissue. This work may lead to new antifungal strategies aimed at reducing the impact of these devastating fungal infections.Read moreRead less
Elucidating the molecular basis of plant potyvirus resistance . Plant viruses are responsible for a large proportion of crop losses, and genetic resistance is currently the most effective means to control viral spread. This project investigates, on a molecular and structural level, host factors that plant viruses hijack during infection, and in particular, the mutations in these factors that confer resistance. We further aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which plant viruses overcome resistance ....Elucidating the molecular basis of plant potyvirus resistance . Plant viruses are responsible for a large proportion of crop losses, and genetic resistance is currently the most effective means to control viral spread. This project investigates, on a molecular and structural level, host factors that plant viruses hijack during infection, and in particular, the mutations in these factors that confer resistance. We further aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which plant viruses overcome resistance mediated by these host factors. A detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between plant viruses and their host will enable new, robust and more effective forms of resistance to be engineered. This work therefore has economic and environmental implications for agricultural productivity in Australia. Read moreRead less
Role of Musashi in the regulation of cell cycle proteins. We have identified a protein family that directs cell fate and maintains male fertility. This project will provide new avenues for generation of contraceptives in male animals and to regulate stem cells for production of specialised cell types in biotechnological applications.