Decoding regulatory RNA function in bacteria. All complex biological processes in bacterial cells appear to utilise regulatory small RNAs to control gene expression, but we lack a systems-level understanding of their functions and mechanisms of control. This proposal aims to address this fundamental knowledge gap using machine learning and cutting-edge, systems-level techniques to determine how small RNA sequence and structure determines function. Small RNAs have been found to control a broad ra ....Decoding regulatory RNA function in bacteria. All complex biological processes in bacterial cells appear to utilise regulatory small RNAs to control gene expression, but we lack a systems-level understanding of their functions and mechanisms of control. This proposal aims to address this fundamental knowledge gap using machine learning and cutting-edge, systems-level techniques to determine how small RNA sequence and structure determines function. Small RNAs have been found to control a broad range of traits including metabolism, biofilm formation, antibiotic tolerance, and virulence. The work proposed here will enhance our ability to predict and control bacterial gene expression with potential future impacts on bioproduction, synthetic biology, and veterinary and medical microbiology.Read moreRead less
Investigations into the antibacterial mechanism of action of cannabidiol. Cannabidiol (CBD) comes from a set of naturally occurring compounds, with a range of applications in mainstream culture. We have recently reported that CBD has excellent antimicrobial properties, with the ability to kill bacteria. This project aims to understand how CBD works by examining CBD-bacterial interactions at a genetic and molecular level. By understanding how CBD acts on and within bacterial cells, we can create ....Investigations into the antibacterial mechanism of action of cannabidiol. Cannabidiol (CBD) comes from a set of naturally occurring compounds, with a range of applications in mainstream culture. We have recently reported that CBD has excellent antimicrobial properties, with the ability to kill bacteria. This project aims to understand how CBD works by examining CBD-bacterial interactions at a genetic and molecular level. By understanding how CBD acts on and within bacterial cells, we can create fundamental new knowledge that could lead to the design of improved analogs of CBD to that can treat bacterial infections. As a much-needed completely new antibiotic class, this will lead to significant benefits, supporting Australia's National Strategy to combat the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance.Read moreRead less
Investigations into the antibacterial mechanism of action of cannabidiol. This project aims to understand how the compound cannabidiol is able to kill bacteria by examining its interactions with bacteria from a genetic and molecular level. This research is critical, because future development of cannabidiol and design of improved analogs is predicated on knowing how it works. Expected outcomes include the first detailed understanding of how cannabidiol interacts with bacteria. This should lead ....Investigations into the antibacterial mechanism of action of cannabidiol. This project aims to understand how the compound cannabidiol is able to kill bacteria by examining its interactions with bacteria from a genetic and molecular level. This research is critical, because future development of cannabidiol and design of improved analogs is predicated on knowing how it works. Expected outcomes include the first detailed understanding of how cannabidiol interacts with bacteria. This should lead to significant benefits, including high impact publications, additional collaborations with industrial partner Botanix, and a new class of antibiotics to overcome antibiotic resistance.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
Chemo-sensation in Ascaris infection. This project aims to show the role of chemo-sensation as an equally important target for worm control, and explore pathways to prevent infection. Parasitic worms cost global food/textile industry more than $100 billion dollars per year, and cause disease in more than 1 billion people and domesticated animals world-wide. This project will use a combination of imaging, systems biology, chemical biology and microfluidic methods to provide significant benefits, ....Chemo-sensation in Ascaris infection. This project aims to show the role of chemo-sensation as an equally important target for worm control, and explore pathways to prevent infection. Parasitic worms cost global food/textile industry more than $100 billion dollars per year, and cause disease in more than 1 billion people and domesticated animals world-wide. This project will use a combination of imaging, systems biology, chemical biology and microfluidic methods to provide significant benefits, such as exploring Ascaris chemo-sensation during larval migration, identify the key host queues and parasite genes regulating this process, and probe helminth chemosensation as a novel target for anti-parasitic treatments.Read moreRead less
Creation of a super-resolution map of the bacterial cytokinesis machinery . Cell division is a fundamental process essential for life. Yet our understanding of this process on a molecular level is limited, mostly hampered by the inability to visualize the different components of the division machinery inside these tiny cells with adequate resolution. To overcome this barrier, capitalizing on recent advancements in imaging and molecular technologies combined with innovative engineering, this proj ....Creation of a super-resolution map of the bacterial cytokinesis machinery . Cell division is a fundamental process essential for life. Yet our understanding of this process on a molecular level is limited, mostly hampered by the inability to visualize the different components of the division machinery inside these tiny cells with adequate resolution. To overcome this barrier, capitalizing on recent advancements in imaging and molecular technologies combined with innovative engineering, this project aims to create a spatial and temporal map of the division machinery inside bacterial cells at unprecedented resolution. The expected outcomes are new knowledge on the mechanism of bacterial division and technological advances in biological imaging, informing applications in a wide variety of sectors.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
Novel Babesia proteins and their roles in the pathogenesis of tick fever. This project aims at gaining a deep understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites and how they cause tick fever in cattle. The project expects to discover novel parasite proteins involved in the development and persistence of tick fever and identify their functional role in infection. The main expected outcome is the discovery of parasite proteins that are critical for infection and pathogenesis of cattle tick fever. T ....Novel Babesia proteins and their roles in the pathogenesis of tick fever. This project aims at gaining a deep understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites and how they cause tick fever in cattle. The project expects to discover novel parasite proteins involved in the development and persistence of tick fever and identify their functional role in infection. The main expected outcome is the discovery of parasite proteins that are critical for infection and pathogenesis of cattle tick fever. The findings will contribute to the development of future novel vaccines to control tick fever, with significant economic benefits for the beef and dairy industries worldwide.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