Engineering synthetic genetic codes. Large, high quality libraries of new drugs are absolutely essential resources to find new medicines. However, their use is restricted to a few pharmaceutical giants. We will engineer cells to make a wide variety of drug-like polymers, providing a drug discovery resource accessible to almost any scientific laboratory. As each cell could make a different polymer, billions of different potential drugs could be produced in a single tube. This technology provides ....Engineering synthetic genetic codes. Large, high quality libraries of new drugs are absolutely essential resources to find new medicines. However, their use is restricted to a few pharmaceutical giants. We will engineer cells to make a wide variety of drug-like polymers, providing a drug discovery resource accessible to almost any scientific laboratory. As each cell could make a different polymer, billions of different potential drugs could be produced in a single tube. This technology provides an opportunity to put the future of drug discovery in the hands of the wider scientific community and new tools for Australian industries.Read moreRead less
Re-engineering the genetic code. Large, high quality libraries of new drugs are absolutely essential resources to find new medicines. However, their use is restricted to a few pharmaceutical giants. We will engineer cells to make a wide variety of drug-like polymers, providing a drug discovery resource accessible to almost any scientific laboratory. As each cell could make a different polymer, billions of different potential drugs could be produced in a single tube. This technology provides an o ....Re-engineering the genetic code. Large, high quality libraries of new drugs are absolutely essential resources to find new medicines. However, their use is restricted to a few pharmaceutical giants. We will engineer cells to make a wide variety of drug-like polymers, providing a drug discovery resource accessible to almost any scientific laboratory. As each cell could make a different polymer, billions of different potential drugs could be produced in a single tube. This technology provides an opportunity to put the future of drug discovery in the hands of the wider scientific community and provides new tools for Australian industries.Read moreRead less
Functional Genomics to Predict and Enhance Response to Interferon. The increasing number and huge cost impost of new therapies to health providers, both worldwide and nationally, has not yet resulted in a concomitant increase in strategies to optimise their use. Many of the new therapies are proteins (recombinant human proteins or humanised monoclonal antibodies). The improved use of one of Australia's most expensive commonly used protein drugs, pegylated interferon ribavirin (Peg-IFN-R), could ....Functional Genomics to Predict and Enhance Response to Interferon. The increasing number and huge cost impost of new therapies to health providers, both worldwide and nationally, has not yet resulted in a concomitant increase in strategies to optimise their use. Many of the new therapies are proteins (recombinant human proteins or humanised monoclonal antibodies). The improved use of one of Australia's most expensive commonly used protein drugs, pegylated interferon ribavirin (Peg-IFN-R), could potentially produce savings to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and improve delivery of healthcare to thousands of Australians.Read moreRead less
Global genetic regulation of carbon metabolism in filamentous fungi. Fungi are of great importance in medicine, agriculture and industry. They are used extensively for food, antibiotic and chemical production and, increasingly, for generating cheap substrates for bioethanol. However many are serious pathogens of plants and humans. Understanding how fungi control their metabolism is of fundamental importance for their more effective use or control. This project takes advantage of a fungus that is ....Global genetic regulation of carbon metabolism in filamentous fungi. Fungi are of great importance in medicine, agriculture and industry. They are used extensively for food, antibiotic and chemical production and, increasingly, for generating cheap substrates for bioethanol. However many are serious pathogens of plants and humans. Understanding how fungi control their metabolism is of fundamental importance for their more effective use or control. This project takes advantage of a fungus that is easily studied in the laboratory by advanced genetic techniques to identify the ways in which genes are turned on and off in response to changes in the nutrients available. By comparing DNA sequences the results are readily applied to fungi of economic importance.Read moreRead less
Genetic and molecular analysis of long-distance gene silencing in Arabidopsis. Gene silencing is a surveillance mechanism in plants and animals to ensure that all genes are switched on or off at the right time. It is also a defence mechanism against viruses. Perturbation of gene silencing can be a cause of genetic diseases, and conversely, gene silencing has immense potential as a therapeutic tool for correcting genetic diseases and curing viral diseases. When silencing is triggered against a ge ....Genetic and molecular analysis of long-distance gene silencing in Arabidopsis. Gene silencing is a surveillance mechanism in plants and animals to ensure that all genes are switched on or off at the right time. It is also a defence mechanism against viruses. Perturbation of gene silencing can be a cause of genetic diseases, and conversely, gene silencing has immense potential as a therapeutic tool for correcting genetic diseases and curing viral diseases. When silencing is triggered against a gene or virus in plants, genetic signals are transmitted throughout the organism to systemically switch off the specific gene or virus. Expected long-term national/community benefits from understanding gene silencing are wide-ranging, from improved crops through to drugs and gene therapy.Read moreRead less
Identification of the targets of a novel metalloproteinase inhibitor used for the treatment of human head lice. Human head lice are difficult to control. This project examines a new type of ovicidal treatment that prevents louse eggs from hatching. The goal is to understand precisely how this treatment is ovicidal, so that even more effective products might be designed. Beyond the benefits of providing a safe and reliable treatment option for a troublesome pest, the development of this product ....Identification of the targets of a novel metalloproteinase inhibitor used for the treatment of human head lice. Human head lice are difficult to control. This project examines a new type of ovicidal treatment that prevents louse eggs from hatching. The goal is to understand precisely how this treatment is ovicidal, so that even more effective products might be designed. Beyond the benefits of providing a safe and reliable treatment option for a troublesome pest, the development of this product will be a significant step forward for the Australian pharmaceutical industry.Read moreRead less