Fetal Immune Response To Vertical Transmission Of Toxoplasma Gondii
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,891.00
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that is a leading cause of human abortion and congenital infections of newborns. In addition, recent research implicates Toxoplasma in diagnoses of schizophrenia and other neuromental conditions. Study of Toxoplasma, it's transmission and effects of infection and development of tools such as vaccines and diagnostic technologies will lead to an improvement in health of mothers, newborns and the wider population.
SBP1 And Altered Structure And Function Of Malaria-infected Red Blood Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,550.00
Summary
Malaria is a serious disease affecting half the world's population. Every year, more than a million people (mostly children) die as a result of being infected with malaria parasites. Our work will help us to understand how the parasites alter normal human red blood cells and make them stick in organs such as the brain. Preventing the red blood cells from becoming sticky with new drugs will open up new lines of attack to combat this devastating disease.
Targeting Toxoplasma Gondii Latent Stages Responsible For Chronic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,107.00
Summary
Many microbial pathogens become resistant to host immune response and drugs by entering a slow-growing, dormant state. These stages are commonly responsible for long term, chronic infections. We will investigate the molecular basis of dormancy in Toxoplasma gondii, which infects one in three people. These studies will identify metabolic pathways that are essential for dormancy with the view of developing new therapies for treating long term, recurrent infections.
Immunological Prevention Of Hydatid Disease And Cysticercosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,340.00
Summary
This project seeks to develop practical vaccines to control the transmission of cysticercosis and hydatid disease. These diseases are caused by infection with the larval stages of tapeworm parasites which have a worldwide distribution and cause substantial human morbidity and mortality. The parasites are transmitted to humans from animals. Methods for control of transmission of infection currently rely on public education and anthelmintic treatment of animals. These measures are often ineffectiv ....This project seeks to develop practical vaccines to control the transmission of cysticercosis and hydatid disease. These diseases are caused by infection with the larval stages of tapeworm parasites which have a worldwide distribution and cause substantial human morbidity and mortality. The parasites are transmitted to humans from animals. Methods for control of transmission of infection currently rely on public education and anthelmintic treatment of animals. These measures are often ineffective and there is an urgent need for new tools to help control transmission of these important diseases. Previous research has shown that the animal hosts of these parasites can be protected from infection by vaccination. Prevention of infection in the parasites' animal hosts has the effect of breaking the parasite life cycle and indirectly removes the source of infection for humans. This project will further develop an existing vaccine against hydatid disease, will develop a new vaccine against cysticercosis and will participate in initial international parasite control campaigns based on application of these vaccines.Read moreRead less
Polysaccharide Biosynthesis As A New Drug Target In Leishmania Parasites
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,517.00
Summary
Leishmania are protozoan parasites that cause a number of important diseases in humans, afflicting more than 12 million people worldwide. There are currently few drugs that target infectious disease causing stages of these parasites. We have recently shown that Leishmania parasites accumulate a highly unusual sugar polymer when they infect mammalian cells, which appears to be important for infectivity. In this proposal , we will investigate how this sugar polymer is made, identify enzymes involv ....Leishmania are protozoan parasites that cause a number of important diseases in humans, afflicting more than 12 million people worldwide. There are currently few drugs that target infectious disease causing stages of these parasites. We have recently shown that Leishmania parasites accumulate a highly unusual sugar polymer when they infect mammalian cells, which appears to be important for infectivity. In this proposal , we will investigate how this sugar polymer is made, identify enzymes involved in its synthesis and develop new chemical tools for generating highly specific inhibitors of Leishmania sugar biosynthesis. This project will provide new insights into processes that are essential for the survival and infectivity of an improtant group of human pathogens, and lead to the development of new classes of enzyme inhibitors with anti-parasite activity.Read moreRead less
Small Molecule Therapeutics: From Infectious And Parasitic Diseases To Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
I will lead a team of medicinal chemists to discover better treatments of diseases focused in two major domains. On one hand, I will discover new drugs to treat certain parasitic diseases such as Sleeping Sickness, Chagas disease and malaria, all caused by protozoal parasites. On the other hand, I will discover new drugs to treat certain cancers, in particular acute myeloid leukemia and Burkitt’s lymphoma, caused by dysfunction of certain types of enzymes called histone acetyltransferases.
Immunological Prevention Of Cysticercosis And Hydatid Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,109.00
Summary
Cysticercosis and hydatid disease are caused by infections with the larval stages of tapeworm parasites. They are zoonotic diseases, transmitted to humans from animals. This project aims to develop practical vaccines to assist with the prevention of these diseases in humans. We will vaccinate the parasites' natural animal hosts and, thereby, break the parasite life-cycles, indirectly and inexpensively preventing the diseases being passed to humans.