Mycobacterial Cholesterol Degradation: A Unique Metabolic Weakness? This project aims to understand the use of the steroid cholesterol as a source of essential metabolic building blocks by bacteria. Cholesterol utilisation is a key feature of many bacterial pathogens which have evolved to survive in niche environments. By understanding the initial step in cholesterol degradation and the bioinorganic and bioorganic chemistry of the metalloenzymes that catalyse it, this work aims to develop strate ....Mycobacterial Cholesterol Degradation: A Unique Metabolic Weakness? This project aims to understand the use of the steroid cholesterol as a source of essential metabolic building blocks by bacteria. Cholesterol utilisation is a key feature of many bacterial pathogens which have evolved to survive in niche environments. By understanding the initial step in cholesterol degradation and the bioinorganic and bioorganic chemistry of the metalloenzymes that catalyse it, this work aims to develop strategies to block this activity. This will turn a key strength of these bacteria into a potent weakness and will generate the proof of principle and knowledge required for the future development of effective strategies to combat pathogenic bacteria.Read moreRead less
Understanding the mechanism of two important cytochrome P450 catalysed reactions: dehydrogenation and C-C cleavage. Cytochromes P450 are enzymes that play key roles in drug metabolism and biosynthesis. P450s often catalyse hydroxylation but also carry out important transformations such as dehydrogenation or carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Such reactions are pivotal in many biological pathways. This work will elucidate the mechanism of these transformations and the factors that facilitate their occu ....Understanding the mechanism of two important cytochrome P450 catalysed reactions: dehydrogenation and C-C cleavage. Cytochromes P450 are enzymes that play key roles in drug metabolism and biosynthesis. P450s often catalyse hydroxylation but also carry out important transformations such as dehydrogenation or carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Such reactions are pivotal in many biological pathways. This work will elucidate the mechanism of these transformations and the factors that facilitate their occurrence. This will mainly entail the synthesis of small organic mechanistic probes and determining the structure and stereochemistry of the product of enzymic oxidation. Understanding these mechanisms will allow us to predict when such reactions will occur, enabling their utilisation in for example drug design in the avoidance of the formation of toxic metabolites.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100075
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,000.00
Summary
Acoustic liquid handling robotics for bioactive compound discovery. This project aims to use a Labcyte Echo 550 acoustic dispenser with Combination Software to deliver sophisticated assay-ready screening. The Echo is the only liquid handling dispenser for 1536-well microplates and will allow Australian researchers to develop assay miniaturisation. The robotics will provide our nation’s researchers with a distinct competitive edge by enhancing assay sophistication, accuracy and reproducibility wh ....Acoustic liquid handling robotics for bioactive compound discovery. This project aims to use a Labcyte Echo 550 acoustic dispenser with Combination Software to deliver sophisticated assay-ready screening. The Echo is the only liquid handling dispenser for 1536-well microplates and will allow Australian researchers to develop assay miniaturisation. The robotics will provide our nation’s researchers with a distinct competitive edge by enhancing assay sophistication, accuracy and reproducibility while reducing cost. The expected benefits will advance the elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in complex biological phenomena. The benefits of this are substantial, including reduction in test compound and reagents, which in turn reduces laboratory costs, conserves cells and increases data quality.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,000.00
Summary
Electrophysiology Platform for Ion-channel Characterisation. Ion channels are ubiquitous pore-forming membrane proteins, with the human genome encoding >300 ion channels. The diverse roles of ion channels include action potential generation, control of ion flow across secretory and epithelial cells, and regulation of cell volume, motility and proliferation. Pharmacological modulators are powerful tools for probing ion channel function, but for most channels these tools are lacking. Thus, this p .... Electrophysiology Platform for Ion-channel Characterisation. Ion channels are ubiquitous pore-forming membrane proteins, with the human genome encoding >300 ion channels. The diverse roles of ion channels include action potential generation, control of ion flow across secretory and epithelial cells, and regulation of cell volume, motility and proliferation. Pharmacological modulators are powerful tools for probing ion channel function, but for most channels these tools are lacking. Thus, this project aims to develop the first comprehensive toolbox of ion channel modulators using an integrated in vitro/in vivo electrophysiology platform. These pharmacological tools will be made freely available to the Australian research community for probing the mechanism and physiological function of ion channels.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Eliminating violence against women is one of the major challenges of the 21st century. Awareness of the problem has grown exponentially, but solutions to it have not. This Centre aims to transform our understanding of the problem by examining the structural drivers that cause and compound violence against women, and pioneering new, evidence-based approac ....ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Eliminating violence against women is one of the major challenges of the 21st century. Awareness of the problem has grown exponentially, but solutions to it have not. This Centre aims to transform our understanding of the problem by examining the structural drivers that cause and compound violence against women, and pioneering new, evidence-based approaches to radically improve policy and practice across Australia and the Indo-Pacific. The Centre mobilises survivor-centric and Indigenous methodologies, interdisciplinary collaborations, and Indo-Pacific partnerships to deliver scalable approaches to eliminate violence against women across the legal, security, economic, health, and political systems of Australia and the region.Read moreRead less
CENTRE OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE TO REDUCE INEQUALITY IN HEART DISEASE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,607,253.00
Summary
There is increasing recognition of a societal responsibility to provide effective and sustainable health care to the entire population and not just to selected parts. Indigenous and regional Australians are most affected by Australia's biggest killer - heart disease. In response, the CRE to Reduce Inequality in Heart Disease, is a national collaboration of researchers from a range of health disciplines. Together they aim to address this problem by developing sustainable and cost-effective health ....There is increasing recognition of a societal responsibility to provide effective and sustainable health care to the entire population and not just to selected parts. Indigenous and regional Australians are most affected by Australia's biggest killer - heart disease. In response, the CRE to Reduce Inequality in Heart Disease, is a national collaboration of researchers from a range of health disciplines. Together they aim to address this problem by developing sustainable and cost-effective health care services.Read moreRead less
Veteran suicide: investigating the historical and social dimensions . This project aims to address veteran suicide by conducting an historical and cultural analysis of the ways government, the military and the community have understood, governed, and serviced veterans from 1914-present. This project will generate new knowledge, moving beyond orthodox medical and cultural assessments to explore wider historical, cultural and sociological relations of veteran suicide, including civil military rela ....Veteran suicide: investigating the historical and social dimensions . This project aims to address veteran suicide by conducting an historical and cultural analysis of the ways government, the military and the community have understood, governed, and serviced veterans from 1914-present. This project will generate new knowledge, moving beyond orthodox medical and cultural assessments to explore wider historical, cultural and sociological relations of veteran suicide, including civil military relations, and the influence of the veteran sector and families and community. The project will develop an innovative survey that will form the foundation of a longitudinal social health and wellbeing dataset on veterans, and contribute to policy and service provision to reduce veteran suicide and improve their wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC210100040
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,997,903.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB). The Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB) will transform the rapidly growing bioactive ingredients sector. It will apply advanced analytical methods to molecular characterisation of bioactive products derived from foods, food-waste, and cell-based biotechnologies. FAAB will determine modes of action for bioactives with potential lifestyle and nutritional benefits allowing for evidence- ....ARC Training Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB). The Centre for Facilitated Advancement of Australia's Bioactives (FAAB) will transform the rapidly growing bioactive ingredients sector. It will apply advanced analytical methods to molecular characterisation of bioactive products derived from foods, food-waste, and cell-based biotechnologies. FAAB will determine modes of action for bioactives with potential lifestyle and nutritional benefits allowing for evidence-informed decision-making, and regulatory framework development. FAAB graduates will lead and deliver future national self-reliance to the Australian bioactives sector, increasing diversification and international competitiveness and development of regulation in a growing market. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989759
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Australian Access to and Operation of Advanced Synchrotron Radiation Facilities at the Photon Factory. The primary national benefit of this application will be continued access by peer review for Australian scientists to the advanced synchrotron-radiation capabilities of the Australian National Beamline Facility and other complementary beamlines at the Photon Factory, Japan. This proposal is consistent with the National Research Priorities of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, Promoting a ....Australian Access to and Operation of Advanced Synchrotron Radiation Facilities at the Photon Factory. The primary national benefit of this application will be continued access by peer review for Australian scientists to the advanced synchrotron-radiation capabilities of the Australian National Beamline Facility and other complementary beamlines at the Photon Factory, Japan. This proposal is consistent with the National Research Priorities of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and will generate science to support and stimulate domestic industry, enhance the domestic knowledge base and international research profile, train students and future synchrotron scientists and foster domestic and international collaborations.Read moreRead less
Sexual health and relationships in young Indigenous people. Despite higher notified rates of sexually transmissible infections and blood borne viruses and often negative depictions of young indigenous people, very little is known of the health and well being of young Indigenous people. This project will for the first time provide a national profile of risk behaviours, levels of knowledge and the types of health services young Indigenous people access for sexual health and blood borne viruses. Th ....Sexual health and relationships in young Indigenous people. Despite higher notified rates of sexually transmissible infections and blood borne viruses and often negative depictions of young indigenous people, very little is known of the health and well being of young Indigenous people. This project will for the first time provide a national profile of risk behaviours, levels of knowledge and the types of health services young Indigenous people access for sexual health and blood borne viruses. The findings of this research will set the foundations for a longer term strategy to ensure trends and behaviours can be identified among the population and where necessary interventions can be implemented. Read moreRead less