Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis - Fungal Determinants Of Invasion Of The CNS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,634.00
Summary
Meningitis and brain infection (meningoencephalitis) due to the fungus Cryptococcus, affect over 1 million patients with AIDS annually, especially in developing countries; with more than 600,000 deaths. It is not known how Cryptococci cross from the blood stream into the brain; this must be elucidated in order to prevent and/or control this devastating infection. This project will determine how cryptococci influence host blood cells to act as “Trojan horses” and/or release products that initiate ....Meningitis and brain infection (meningoencephalitis) due to the fungus Cryptococcus, affect over 1 million patients with AIDS annually, especially in developing countries; with more than 600,000 deaths. It is not known how Cryptococci cross from the blood stream into the brain; this must be elucidated in order to prevent and/or control this devastating infection. This project will determine how cryptococci influence host blood cells to act as “Trojan horses” and/or release products that initiate invasion of brain tissue and meningitis.Read moreRead less
Signalling Pathways And Fungal Virulence – The Inositol Polyphosphate Kinase Pathway In Cryptococcus Neoformans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$545,189.00
Summary
Bloodstream fungal infections kill millions of people per year world-wide and are costly to treat. A potentially fruitful strategy for developing new, urgently-needed drugs to fight these infections, is to target signalling pathways, which in fungi, are essential for establishing infection. This proposal investigates how one such pathway, the inositolpolyphosphate kinase pathway, allows fungi to establish infection and will determine which components are suitable targets for drug development.
Invasive fungal infections are a serious, escalating health issue. They cause severe disease with high death rates and are very costly to the health system. Current drugs often have suboptimal efficacy and cause side effects. New drugs are needed urgently. Many fungi, including the AIDS-related pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, secrete phospholipase B (Plbp) to facilitate infection. We will identify and investigate the Plbp secretion pathway as a novel anti-fungal drug target.
Solving Delivery Of Gene Therapy For Control Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,439.00
Summary
Antiretroviral therapy free control of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection requires control of the viral reservoir. We have a unique approach, aimed at enforcing HIV latency by targeting highly conserved regions in the viral promoter. These constructs completely silence viral transcription for long periods of time. We intend to develop & assess vectors that are specifically targeted to the reservoir and which can enforce viral latency despite immune activation or viral variation.
The Use Of Gene-Silencing Nanodrugs To Inhibit Lung Cancer Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,950.00
Summary
Lung cancer accounts for the most cancer deaths worldwide. This research proposal will use state-of-the-art nanomedicines designed to penetrate lung tumours and suppress a gene which drives cancer growth and resistance to chemotherapy drugs. Our results could underpin new approaches that revolutionise more effective and less toxic treatments for a highly lethal malignancy.
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.
Most eye diseases have a genetic contribution, whether rare disorders affecting children such as retinoblastoma or congenital cataracts through to common disorders of older people such as myopia, age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma. We will continue our successful research to find genes that cause these diseases and use this to improve patient care and prevent blindness. We will work out how families can use this genetic information to participate in trials to develop new treatments.
A genetic analysis of the role of an atypical hexokinase in gene regulation. This project addresses a question which is relevant to all living things-how do changes in the environment of a cell bring about a change in gene expression? The aim of this project is to investigate the role of hexokinases in gene regulation by studying the Aspergillus nidulans xprF gene, which encodes an an unusual hexokinase. Hexokinases are thought to be the glucose sensors in plants, animals and fungi, and play a ....A genetic analysis of the role of an atypical hexokinase in gene regulation. This project addresses a question which is relevant to all living things-how do changes in the environment of a cell bring about a change in gene expression? The aim of this project is to investigate the role of hexokinases in gene regulation by studying the Aspergillus nidulans xprF gene, which encodes an an unusual hexokinase. Hexokinases are thought to be the glucose sensors in plants, animals and fungi, and play a role in the development of diabetes in humans. In plants, sugars affect many processes including growth, flowering, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, starch synthesis, pigmentation and response to pathogens.Read moreRead less
Epistatic Genetic Effects On Neuroanatomical Subtypes Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,141.00
Summary
Schizophrenia represents a number of clinically distinct syndromes, with a complex mode of inheritance. The delineation of biologically valid subtypes of schizophrenia is necessary to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of these syndromes. This project uses pattern classification techniques to determine subtypes of schizophrenia on the basis of structural brain abnormality across multiple regions, and will examine genetic interactions and differential gene expression associated with t ....Schizophrenia represents a number of clinically distinct syndromes, with a complex mode of inheritance. The delineation of biologically valid subtypes of schizophrenia is necessary to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of these syndromes. This project uses pattern classification techniques to determine subtypes of schizophrenia on the basis of structural brain abnormality across multiple regions, and will examine genetic interactions and differential gene expression associated with these biologically-derived subtypes.Read moreRead less
The transcriptional co-repressor C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) in metabolic control. This project will provide insights into the genes that regulate the storage of fat. We will learn about basic biology but will also discover mechanisms that may be used to influence fat storage in human health. We will also consolidate Australia's expertise in the use of the genetic model organism, the worm C. elegans, and validate the findings in mammalian systems. Finally, the process of training young sci ....The transcriptional co-repressor C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) in metabolic control. This project will provide insights into the genes that regulate the storage of fat. We will learn about basic biology but will also discover mechanisms that may be used to influence fat storage in human health. We will also consolidate Australia's expertise in the use of the genetic model organism, the worm C. elegans, and validate the findings in mammalian systems. Finally, the process of training young scientists in these modern systems, will also equip future researchers to make additional contributions to Australia's research output.Read moreRead less