Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100624
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,556.00
Summary
Bio-compartmentalised chemistry: controlling selectivity using encapsulins. This project aims to use Nature’s compartments (encapsulins) for use in synthetic chemistry. Controlling selectivity is a major challenge for synthetic chemists. In contrast, Nature has mastered the art of selectivity by using self-assembled compartments for important biochemical processes such as carbon fixation. The encapsulin-based platform technology resulting from this project will help address the problem of poor s ....Bio-compartmentalised chemistry: controlling selectivity using encapsulins. This project aims to use Nature’s compartments (encapsulins) for use in synthetic chemistry. Controlling selectivity is a major challenge for synthetic chemists. In contrast, Nature has mastered the art of selectivity by using self-assembled compartments for important biochemical processes such as carbon fixation. The encapsulin-based platform technology resulting from this project will help address the problem of poor selectivity in synthetic chemistry, leading to more energy efficient chemical processes. Adoption of these processes by industry is expected to translate into significant benefits for the economy and the environment.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100222
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Advanced stopped flow: electron paramagnetic resonance apparatus for measurement of short-lived free radicals in engineering, science and medicine. The facility will enable world class research into complex chemical processes relevant to industry, environmental science and biochemistry. This will result in development of new technologies in explosives, pollution reduction and energy storage, and enhance our understanding of chemical processes that lead to sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage ....Advanced stopped flow: electron paramagnetic resonance apparatus for measurement of short-lived free radicals in engineering, science and medicine. The facility will enable world class research into complex chemical processes relevant to industry, environmental science and biochemistry. This will result in development of new technologies in explosives, pollution reduction and energy storage, and enhance our understanding of chemical processes that lead to sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and infertility.Read moreRead less
Detection of peptide hormone performance enhancing agents in sport using mass spectrometry. Doping control in sport is to protect the health, legal and ethical rights of athletes. The use of banned drugs in competitive sports is becoming increasingly sophisticated and the need to counter this provides a stimulus for ground breaking analytical research. This project will exploit mass spectrometry for investigation of methods to distinguish administered peptide hormones from endogenous material a ....Detection of peptide hormone performance enhancing agents in sport using mass spectrometry. Doping control in sport is to protect the health, legal and ethical rights of athletes. The use of banned drugs in competitive sports is becoming increasingly sophisticated and the need to counter this provides a stimulus for ground breaking analytical research. This project will exploit mass spectrometry for investigation of methods to distinguish administered peptide hormones from endogenous material and to develop assays for measurement of the peptide hormones, erythropoietin, growth hormone and chorionic gonadotrophin in blood or urine. The outcomes will flow to other areas where trace substance detection is important, such as environmental chemistry, medicine and quality control.Read moreRead less
Greening the production of peptides and proteins . This project aims to develop a green and sustainable synthetic platform for the production of peptide and protein molecules. The synthetic methodology that will be developed has the potential to solve a major technological gap in the field by providing an efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing peptides and proteins with a substantial reduction in reagent and solvent waste over currently employed methods. Expected outcomes include ....Greening the production of peptides and proteins . This project aims to develop a green and sustainable synthetic platform for the production of peptide and protein molecules. The synthetic methodology that will be developed has the potential to solve a major technological gap in the field by providing an efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing peptides and proteins with a substantial reduction in reagent and solvent waste over currently employed methods. Expected outcomes include the delivery of a breakthrough green technology for accessing high value peptide and protein targets in academia and industry, and the training of industry-ready early career researchers, both of which will benefit Australia’s growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.Read moreRead less
Artificial photosynthesis: developing a simple, functional light harvesting porphyrin-protein ensemble. Inspired by photosynthesis, in this project we will fabricate a light driven reaction centre using an array of artificial chlorophylls or porphyrins integrated into a synthetic protein. This centre has the potential to be used as a photocatalyst to, for example, split water into hydrogen and oxygen or be the active component of a solar cell.
Development and application of new peptide ligation methods for the synthesis and structure-function studies of glycoproteins. Novel synthetic technologies will be developed in this project to facilitate the preparation of glycoproteins, which are of widespread biological and therapeutic interest. These methods will enable the preparation of pure glycoproteins for detailed biochemical and functional studies eventually leading to therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Artificial Self-Replication of Peptide Nanocapsules. Replication is key to the operation of biology, but how molecular replicators arose spontaneously on early Earth remains an open question. The ability of molecules to self-replicate must have come before the development of the highly evolved enzymes that biology currently employs. The aim of this Future Fellowship is to develop a peptide nanocapsule capable of replicating itself nonenzymatically by self-templated ligation, thus offering a plat ....Artificial Self-Replication of Peptide Nanocapsules. Replication is key to the operation of biology, but how molecular replicators arose spontaneously on early Earth remains an open question. The ability of molecules to self-replicate must have come before the development of the highly evolved enzymes that biology currently employs. The aim of this Future Fellowship is to develop a peptide nanocapsule capable of replicating itself nonenzymatically by self-templated ligation, thus offering a platform that possesses the traits needed for Darwinian evolution to emerge. By obtaining a better understanding of the design and function of self-replicating systems, this project is expected to transform our understanding of some of the key chemical principles needed for life's emergence.Read moreRead less
Functional studies of tyrosine sulfation using synthetic sulfoproteins. This project aims to address a lack of knowledge about how post-translational sulfation of tyrosine residues influences protein function. The project will develop a synthetic platform for the rapid and efficient generation of libraries of site-selectively sulfated proteins. The new methods will be used to study bioactive sulfated proteins secreted by ticks that dampen the inflammatory response and prevent blood from clotting ....Functional studies of tyrosine sulfation using synthetic sulfoproteins. This project aims to address a lack of knowledge about how post-translational sulfation of tyrosine residues influences protein function. The project will develop a synthetic platform for the rapid and efficient generation of libraries of site-selectively sulfated proteins. The new methods will be used to study bioactive sulfated proteins secreted by ticks that dampen the inflammatory response and prevent blood from clotting. Underpinned by the ability to access synthetic sulfoproteins, expected outcomes include a detailed understanding of how tyrosine sulfation can modulate function and stability of antibodies and proteins with anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory activities. Significant benefits of the project will include breakthrough technologies for the preparation of homogeneously modified proteins, which will strengthen Australia’s growing biotechnology sector.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100142
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
An integrated liquid chromatography mass spectrometry nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-MS-NMR) facility for applications in proteomics and organic chemistry. This application completes the requested liquid chromatography mass spectrometry nuclear magnetic resonance (LCMS-NMR) facility and will allow the training of over 150 researchers, significantly enhancing their research productivity and translation of outcomes in areas of national importance. New breakthroughs in drug development, smart mate ....An integrated liquid chromatography mass spectrometry nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-MS-NMR) facility for applications in proteomics and organic chemistry. This application completes the requested liquid chromatography mass spectrometry nuclear magnetic resonance (LCMS-NMR) facility and will allow the training of over 150 researchers, significantly enhancing their research productivity and translation of outcomes in areas of national importance. New breakthroughs in drug development, smart materials, organic electronic materials and biomedical research require routine access to cutting edge technology. The LCMS-NMR augments the capabilities of our research teams at the forefront of these efforts. These include understanding the impact of the environment on plant and animal development, pest animal control, development of new biotechnology tools, new drugs and new methods for the detection of narcotics and explosives.Read moreRead less