Ketamine Therapy Among Patients With Treatment-resistant Depression: A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,069,382.00
Summary
In the last decade, there have been reports of powerful antidepressant effects after a single injection of anaesthetic ketamine, with dramatic (though shortlasting) effects within 24 hours. This will be the first controlled study to test whether a course of repeated ketamine treatments, given over 4 weeks, is effective and safe in treating depression.
Discovery And Mechanisms Of Host Cell Factors In HIV Uncoating
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,098.00
Summary
HIV entry into the host cell involves release of its capsid, a protein shell protecting the viral genome. The capsid hijacks host proteins to cloak itself from cellular defenses while the cell has evolved sensors that can block viral infection. This proposal aims to discover proteins involved in this arms race between host and virus and decipher how they control capsid disassembly. This insight will help design new drugs against HIV infection and new ways to deliver genes for gene therapies.
Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Targeting PI3K-regulated Small Non-coding RNAs To Restore Cardiac Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$610,204.00
Summary
Heart failure affects approximately 2.4% of the adult population and over 11% of people over 80 years old. The majority of existing therapies slow, rather than reverse heart failure progression. The primary goal of this study is to determine whether regulating novel regulatory genes can enhance cardiac function in a setting of heart failure. Ultimately, technologies that target these genes may lead to innovative pharmacotherapies in the clinical management of heart failure.
Prion-like Behaviour In Immunity: Super-sized Signalling Platforms?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$611,995.00
Summary
Prions have been mostly associated with pathologies but recent discoveries show that prion-like behaviour may be beneficial, enhancing our immune response for example. To test this, we want to systematically explore all human proteins involved in the defence against pathogens, find new prion-like trends and probe their role in the innate immune response.
Structural And Functional Studies On RNA Nuclear Retention Mediated By Paraspeckles: A Novel Gene Regulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,978.00
Summary
Dynamic interactions between proteins and nucleic acids are essential process in gene regulation, where aberrant regulation leads to various diseases including cancers. The project aims to examine the interactions between paraspeckle proteins and nucleic acid molecules via determination of the structures of protein-nucleic acid complexes at the atomic level. The results will provide a better understanding of a recently discovered gene regulation mechanism and a basis for new gene therapy.
Targeting Drug-Resistance In Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$649,048.00
Summary
Leukaemia is the most common type of cancer in children but resistance to therapy continues to be a significant problem. This project will investigate the biology of drug-resistance and relapse using a mouse model that replicates the human disease. We hope to identify novel therapeutic targets that can be used in combination with existing therapies to improve outcomes in this disease, particularly for patients that develop drug-resistance such as those at the time of relapse.
Many drugs modulate the function of proteins imbedded in cell membranes. Extensive research has been undertaken to better understand drug interactions with these proteins to improve drug therapies, but there has been relatively little progress in understanding the role of the cell membrane. This project will investigate how the cell membrane influences protein function and then use this information to develop novel drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders.
Mammalian chitinases and gene therapy: new weapons to combat fungal and insect attack in mammals. Plants combat fungal and insect attack by producing chitin degrading enzymes. Related, chitinolytic enzymes have been identified in mammals, but their functions are unclear. We found that chitinases from human macrophages inhibited fungal growth. We hypothesise that, like plants, mammalian chitinases are produced to fight chitin containing pathogens. We will transform cells with a chitotriosidase ge ....Mammalian chitinases and gene therapy: new weapons to combat fungal and insect attack in mammals. Plants combat fungal and insect attack by producing chitin degrading enzymes. Related, chitinolytic enzymes have been identified in mammals, but their functions are unclear. We found that chitinases from human macrophages inhibited fungal growth. We hypothesise that, like plants, mammalian chitinases are produced to fight chitin containing pathogens. We will transform cells with a chitotriosidase gene and encapsulate them, creating bioreactors secreting chitinases. Therapeutic effects will be tested by grafting bioreactors to mice inoculated with Aspergillus. The research is a new approach to fighting chitin containing pathogens, with potential applications from parasite infestations in livestock to fungal infections in humans.Read moreRead less