New biotech methods for crop quality assurance. Quality assurance of crop products is a key for Australia to be competitive in the world marketplace. The power of molecular diagnostics has not been applied to this important but neglected part of the produce handling chain. In this project research will be undertaken that will lead to low cost on site assays to test for variety preservation, contamination, and presence of pests and diseases. It employs the tools of genomics and proteomics to p ....New biotech methods for crop quality assurance. Quality assurance of crop products is a key for Australia to be competitive in the world marketplace. The power of molecular diagnostics has not been applied to this important but neglected part of the produce handling chain. In this project research will be undertaken that will lead to low cost on site assays to test for variety preservation, contamination, and presence of pests and diseases. It employs the tools of genomics and proteomics to provide basic understanding of processes which can be developed into cost effective analyses for practical use by industry to ensure quality assurance.Read moreRead less
Buried treasure: bioactive plant seed proteins evolving inside hosts. This project aims to examine how evolution in plants shortcuts the creation of new proteins by burying one within another. Scientists now realise that new genes and proteins appear frequently. A recent discovery in plant seeds involves DNA sequence insertions in a gene that makes two proteins instead of one. This project will reveal a new family of buried seed proteins, determine the rules for burying them and search plants fo ....Buried treasure: bioactive plant seed proteins evolving inside hosts. This project aims to examine how evolution in plants shortcuts the creation of new proteins by burying one within another. Scientists now realise that new genes and proteins appear frequently. A recent discovery in plant seeds involves DNA sequence insertions in a gene that makes two proteins instead of one. This project will reveal a new family of buried seed proteins, determine the rules for burying them and search plants for new examples. The first examples from plants create strongly bioactive products so the ability to dig for similar plant events will reveal new and bioactive natural products with biomedical and biotechnology applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100077
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
Automated preparative gas chromatograph for isolating unique and important organic components for structural identification. The rapid capability to purify and identify significant and important organic compounds, present at low levels within complex mixtures, is fundamental to geochemistry, plant biology, chemistry, and environmental science. This facility's automated gas chromatograph will assist in isolating and purifying new compounds from microbes, plants, humans, animals, and environmental ....Automated preparative gas chromatograph for isolating unique and important organic components for structural identification. The rapid capability to purify and identify significant and important organic compounds, present at low levels within complex mixtures, is fundamental to geochemistry, plant biology, chemistry, and environmental science. This facility's automated gas chromatograph will assist in isolating and purifying new compounds from microbes, plants, humans, animals, and environmental and geological samples.Read moreRead less
Revealing the impacts of super-charged photosynthesis on leaf respiration. This project aims to use state-of-the-art technologies to develop a novel framework that links a super-charged version of photosynthesis (known as C4 photosynthesis) to changes in nocturnal leaf respiration. A quarter of global land photosynthesis occurs in C4 plants that include several important cereal crops. Although advances have been made in modelling C4 photosynthesis, these advances are unable to model variations i ....Revealing the impacts of super-charged photosynthesis on leaf respiration. This project aims to use state-of-the-art technologies to develop a novel framework that links a super-charged version of photosynthesis (known as C4 photosynthesis) to changes in nocturnal leaf respiration. A quarter of global land photosynthesis occurs in C4 plants that include several important cereal crops. Although advances have been made in modelling C4 photosynthesis, these advances are unable to model variations in nocturnal respiration. Expected outcomes include equations that predict respiration in C4 plants growing in current/future climates. Benefits to include knowledge needed to engineer faster-growing crops and providing climate modelers the ability to more accurately predict carbon exchange in C4-dominated ecosystems. Read moreRead less
How scissors learn to glue: the catalysis of ligation by proteases. This project proposes to study protein-cutting enzymes from plants that are drawn into biosyntheses where they paradoxically perform protein-joining (ligation) reactions. Enzymes are everywhere, from detergents to digestion to detoxifying drugs. Industry uses artificial evolution to improve enzymes or create enzymes with new activities. By exploring the changes that allowed one such cutting enzyme to ligate, the knowledge acquir ....How scissors learn to glue: the catalysis of ligation by proteases. This project proposes to study protein-cutting enzymes from plants that are drawn into biosyntheses where they paradoxically perform protein-joining (ligation) reactions. Enzymes are everywhere, from detergents to digestion to detoxifying drugs. Industry uses artificial evolution to improve enzymes or create enzymes with new activities. By exploring the changes that allowed one such cutting enzyme to ligate, the knowledge acquired may enable protein engineering to develop designer enzymes with enhanced or suppressed ligating ability. Although protein evolution can be studied with artificial systems, natural systems are extremely valuable. Insights from studying this natural evolution of ligation may test hypotheses developed with data from artificial evolution.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100122
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,000.00
Summary
Returning WA Rapid Acquisition Fluorescent Microscopy to the cutting edge. The equipment proposal aims to establish West Australia's only super-rapid-speed, high throughput confocal microscopy facility. The technology will provide researchers in biotechnology, medicine, environmental biology and agriculture with contemporary state-of-art opportunities to analyse living cells and/or large-area tissue specimens in three-dimensions with the highest possible speed and high-resolution. West Australia ....Returning WA Rapid Acquisition Fluorescent Microscopy to the cutting edge. The equipment proposal aims to establish West Australia's only super-rapid-speed, high throughput confocal microscopy facility. The technology will provide researchers in biotechnology, medicine, environmental biology and agriculture with contemporary state-of-art opportunities to analyse living cells and/or large-area tissue specimens in three-dimensions with the highest possible speed and high-resolution. West Australia hosts 1 twelve-year old historic rapid-acquisition confocal microscope that is heavily subscribed, no longer manufactured and prone to regular, prolonged, costly breakdowns. Accessing high-speed confocal systems in other states is not a viable option putting WA-based researchers at a significant disadvantage.Read moreRead less
How do sunflowers make protein drugs in their seeds? We recently discovered in sunflower the origin of a small protein ring that chemists have used for a decade to base designed drugs upon. This project aims to know how sunflowers make it so we may manipulate other plants to manufacture ring-based drugs.
Genetic evolution of plant proteins with biomedical applications. This project will draw upon a unique combination of skills in plant genetics and biomedical research to demonstrate that plants are not just a source of novel drugs. The results will show that they also provide a powerful biotechnological platform for the discovery, understanding, design and production of new pharmaceuticals.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100126
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$160,000.00
Summary
Expanding capability in Western Australian flow cytometry for earth, oceans, environmental and biomedical science: state-of-the-art four laser and 12 colour analysis. This multiparameter flow cytometry facility will find wide application in the biological and environmental sciences, including analysis: of cells in vertebrates giving new understanding of cognitive development; of parasites and bacteria leading to new animal vaccines; and of marine plankton leading to more sustainable ecosystems a ....Expanding capability in Western Australian flow cytometry for earth, oceans, environmental and biomedical science: state-of-the-art four laser and 12 colour analysis. This multiparameter flow cytometry facility will find wide application in the biological and environmental sciences, including analysis: of cells in vertebrates giving new understanding of cognitive development; of parasites and bacteria leading to new animal vaccines; and of marine plankton leading to more sustainable ecosystems and fisheries.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC210100047
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crop Development . The Centre will create a new generation of leaders in the implementation of advanced gene and field technologies for the benefit of the Australian agriculture industry. We will build the workforce and foundations that will drive translation of breakthroughs in advanced breeding, phenotyping and genetic technologies into higher-yielding crops. This will increase productivity across the sector and create new markets. Our technical trai ....ARC Training Centre for Accelerated Future Crop Development . The Centre will create a new generation of leaders in the implementation of advanced gene and field technologies for the benefit of the Australian agriculture industry. We will build the workforce and foundations that will drive translation of breakthroughs in advanced breeding, phenotyping and genetic technologies into higher-yielding crops. This will increase productivity across the sector and create new markets. Our technical training programs for graduates, trainees and industry will interface with best evidence-based practices in the wider socio-economic, regulatory and environmental contexts. Coupled with community and stakeholder engagement, the Centre will redefine and secure Australia’s future in agriculture. Read moreRead less