ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Wall Biology. The ARC Centre for Plant Cell Wall Biology will define the regulatory mechanisms that control molecular, enzymic and cellular processes involved in the synthesis, deposition, re-modelling and depolymerisation of cell wall polysaccharides of cereals and grasses. Plant cell walls represent the world's largest renewable carbon resource, but the regulatory mechanisms responsible for their synthesis and assembly are not understood. Key distinguishi ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Wall Biology. The ARC Centre for Plant Cell Wall Biology will define the regulatory mechanisms that control molecular, enzymic and cellular processes involved in the synthesis, deposition, re-modelling and depolymerisation of cell wall polysaccharides of cereals and grasses. Plant cell walls represent the world's largest renewable carbon resource, but the regulatory mechanisms responsible for their synthesis and assembly are not understood. Key distinguishing features of the Centre will be the international, integrative, and multidisciplinary approach towards addressing major questions in plant biology, its strategy to leverage ARC funding, and its linkages with potential national and international end-users of the fundamental scientific discoveries.Read moreRead less
Development And Application Of A Mendelian Randomization Framework Aimed At Dissecting The Biological Basis Of Ankylosing Spondylitis And Other Complex Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$279,666.00
Summary
Our aim is to identify genes and biological molecules that cause a type of autoimmune arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis. Our approach involves finding combinations of genes that are related to biological molecules of interest and then testing to see whether the gene combination is also related to risk of disease. We hope that our strategy will lead to new drug treatments targeting the condition.
Modulating Skin Regenerative Responses To Improve Wound Repair And Fight Carcinogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,144.00
Summary
Skin disorders, such as hard to heal wounds or the most common skin cancers, are a major burden on the national health system. Despite their different nature they employ similar mechanisms of response to injury. In this project we intend to develop a comprehensive understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms at play to allow clinical interventions to prevent or to cure these disorders.
Improving clostridial toxoid production through molecular fermentation maps. This project aims to improve vaccine production by generating detailed molecular maps of fermentation which will be used to design superior fermentation processes with reduced cost. Toxoid vaccines, used routinely in the livestock industry to prevent animal-disease caused by pathogenic Clostridia, are produced using batch fermentation processes. These processes have undergone limited optimisation over the past five deca ....Improving clostridial toxoid production through molecular fermentation maps. This project aims to improve vaccine production by generating detailed molecular maps of fermentation which will be used to design superior fermentation processes with reduced cost. Toxoid vaccines, used routinely in the livestock industry to prevent animal-disease caused by pathogenic Clostridia, are produced using batch fermentation processes. These processes have undergone limited optimisation over the past five decades. Low titres and frequent batch failures greatly affect capital use and represent a significant cost. In addition, current optimisation approaches are limited by the use of expensive and noisy endpoint assays. This project aims to use high-throughput chemistry (multi-omics) that overcome these limitations.Read moreRead less
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is extremely common in Australia, resulting in disfiguring surgeries and deaths. Although cumulative sun exposure is important, some people are very susceptible, and we do not know why. This project hinges on the notion that skin cancer is a complex (many genes involved). We will utilize novel systems to harness this complexity to understand why some people are resistant and others very susceptible so as to design appropriate control measures and treatments.
Computational systems biology: understanding mammalian cell fates using genome-scale network models. Mutations can disrupt the cellular networks that control normal development, causing cells to develop abnormally including in ways that lead to cancer. The project will analyse genome sequences from more than 700 pancreatic cancers and matched controls to precisely map the causative trail from mutations to disrupted networks to altered cell development.
Towards high efficiency biofuel systems: a molecular resolution three-dimensional atlas of the photosynthetic machinery of a high-efficiency green algae cell. Solar-powered single-cell green-algae systems represent a powerful and environmentally friendly biotechnology used to produce clean fuels, food and high value products. This project is focused on solving the three-dimensional structure of key components of the photosynthetic machinery to improve the efficiency and profitability of advance ....Towards high efficiency biofuel systems: a molecular resolution three-dimensional atlas of the photosynthetic machinery of a high-efficiency green algae cell. Solar-powered single-cell green-algae systems represent a powerful and environmentally friendly biotechnology used to produce clean fuels, food and high value products. This project is focused on solving the three-dimensional structure of key components of the photosynthetic machinery to improve the efficiency and profitability of advance microalgae production systems.Read moreRead less
Bioengineering High Efficiency Solar Driven H2 Production. The project aims to bio-engineer high-efficiency microalgae cell-lines that can drive solar powered H2 production from water. It plans to do so by increasing proton and electron supply to the H2-producing hydrogenase. It builds on patented cell lines that have enhanced light capture efficiency and H2 production capabilities. The aim of this project is to increase the efficiency of the last stage of the process (three fold) in a major ste ....Bioengineering High Efficiency Solar Driven H2 Production. The project aims to bio-engineer high-efficiency microalgae cell-lines that can drive solar powered H2 production from water. It plans to do so by increasing proton and electron supply to the H2-producing hydrogenase. It builds on patented cell lines that have enhanced light capture efficiency and H2 production capabilities. The aim of this project is to increase the efficiency of the last stage of the process (three fold) in a major step in developing economic solar-fuel systems. National benefits include the development of advanced microalgae fuels systems to increase future fuel security, reduce CO2 emissions and assist with regional development.Read moreRead less
Gain from pain: new tools from venomous animals for exploring pain pathways. This project aims to explore animal venoms for new pain-causing toxins, to determine their structure and mechanism of action. Many venomous animals use their venom defensively and envenomation is frequently associated with rapid and often excruciating pain. In most cases the molecular mechanisms by which they achieve this is unknown. Using biochemical, pharmacological and biophysical techniques, this project expects to ....Gain from pain: new tools from venomous animals for exploring pain pathways. This project aims to explore animal venoms for new pain-causing toxins, to determine their structure and mechanism of action. Many venomous animals use their venom defensively and envenomation is frequently associated with rapid and often excruciating pain. In most cases the molecular mechanisms by which they achieve this is unknown. Using biochemical, pharmacological and biophysical techniques, this project expects to uncover toxins that employ new mechanisms of pain signalling, leading to new insights into pain physiology.Read moreRead less
Advanced solar powered hydrogen production systems based on green algal cells. This project aims to enhance the efficiency of solar powered hydrogen production from water and will facilitate the co-production of H2 and oil through microalgal biofuel systems. This frontier science project will therefore deliver a process with high solar conversion efficiency and will deliver multiple product streams increasing profitability.