Discovering The Function And Structure Of RIO Kinases – Toward New Nematocides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,477.00
Summary
This project is focused on: high quality fundamental molecular science, contributing to national objectives, including the development of novel and innovative scientific concepts and international collaborations; consolidating links between basic and applied research; enhancing the skills-base in molecular biology and global visibility of Australian science.
Artificial Synthesis Of The Type III Secretion System Translocon. A New Approach To Vaccine Design
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$668,742.00
Summary
Today hospitals are plagued with bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics. The problem exists because although antibiotics are effective at killing bacteria, this paradoxically also helps the drug-resistant bacteria thrive. We will pioneer a completely new approach to vaccine design that allows us to construct a vaccine that protects us from bacterial infection without killing the bacteria. The vaccine should therefore be far less susceptible to drug resistance.
Characterization And Inhibition Of Higher-order Assembly Signalling In Toll-like Receptor Pathways
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$711,995.00
Summary
The innate immune system is the first line of defence against pathogens. Inhibitors of innate immune pathways can be developed into therapeutic agents against a number of disorders including chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. We have discovered a new mechanisms of signaling by a set of key molecules in these pathways, through formation of large assemblies. We will characterize these assemblies and uncover ways to inhibit their formation.
Structural Investigations Of The Bax And Bak Cell Death Apparatus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$275,509.00
Summary
Programmed cell death is a process by which the body keeps rogue cells in check. Cancer cells adapt to avoid this process and thus evade this important defence mechanism. This project seeks to understand the machinery that controls programmed cell death at the molecular level. It will provide the atomic details of how this machinery is regulated and how it functions to induce cell death. These insights will provide new avenues for targeting this machinery for a new generation of cancer therapeut ....Programmed cell death is a process by which the body keeps rogue cells in check. Cancer cells adapt to avoid this process and thus evade this important defence mechanism. This project seeks to understand the machinery that controls programmed cell death at the molecular level. It will provide the atomic details of how this machinery is regulated and how it functions to induce cell death. These insights will provide new avenues for targeting this machinery for a new generation of cancer therapeutics.Read moreRead less
Dissecting The Molecular Basis Of Actin Filament Disassembly In The Malaria Parasite
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$576,716.00
Summary
Cell movement by the malaria parasites is fundamental to parasite infection and disease. However, whilst core components of the parasite motor driving movement are known, little is understood about their regulation, in particular actin – the dynamic force behind all parasite motility. Here by dissecting the role of actin-depolymerizing-factor-1, an essential parasite actin regulator, we hope to reveal one of the central processes that underlies motility and develop it into a potential drug targe ....Cell movement by the malaria parasites is fundamental to parasite infection and disease. However, whilst core components of the parasite motor driving movement are known, little is understood about their regulation, in particular actin – the dynamic force behind all parasite motility. Here by dissecting the role of actin-depolymerizing-factor-1, an essential parasite actin regulator, we hope to reveal one of the central processes that underlies motility and develop it into a potential drug target.Read moreRead less
Plasmin is a complex enzyme that performs major roles in removal of blood clots, wound healing and in tumor metastasis. Here we will understand how plasmin function is regulated at the molecular level. These key insights will be of future use in the development of therapeutics targeting the plasmin system in cancer and clotting diseases.
Understanding The Structure And Function Of The Chromosome Condensin Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,731.00
Summary
In order to survive cells need to divide their genetic material (DNA) equally between two daughter cells. For correct cell division to occur DNA has to be correctly packaged into condensed and organised chromosomes. Improper packaging of genetic material can result in unregulated cells that may become cancerous or lead to other genetic diseases such as Down's Syndrome. Understanding the key players regulating this process is vital to allowing researchers to further work in these areas.
Architecture Of The Hendra Virus Nucleocapsid And Implications For Replication
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,108.00
Summary
Hendra virus causes sporadic fatal outbreaks in horses, which may result in human deaths through direct contact with infected animals. The unanticipated surge of Hendra cases since mid-2011, the broad host range of the virus and the discovery of other related viruses worldwide highlight the epidemic potential of hendra-related paramyxoviruses. To improve our preparedness against paramyxoviruses, this Project aims at determining the structure of the viral replication machinery.
Mechanistic Characterisation Of The Epigenetic Modifier Smchd1
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,197,133.00
Summary
FSHD is a progressive muscular dystrophy that currently has no treatment or cure. SMCHD1 is known to play an important role in FSHD, where its usual function in switching genes off is imperfect, contributing to disease. In this project we will determine how SMCHD1 switches genes off and what SMCHD1 looks like at the molecular level, so that we can elucidate how to boost SMCHD1 function for FSHD therapy.