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Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the ou ....Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas. Chlamydial infection of the eyes is a significant cause of disease and death in koalas, contributing to the ongoing decline of this native species. Little is known about what influences the outcome of these infections, challenging efforts to manage and control koala chlamydial blindness. This project aims to evaluate whether differences in the infecting Chlamydia pecorum strains or the koala immune response, are associated with the outcome of chlamydial ocular infection. In addition to helping us to understand and prevent blindness in koalas, this project should significantly expand our knowledge of the koala immune system and generate an array of koala immunological assays, outcomes that may benefit all koala conservation efforts.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of virus transport in indoor environments. The socio-economic benefits to Australia from the project will include the developed and validated model for quantification of virus spread and survival through aerosolation processes, which will become an important tool for: (i) prediction of the pathways of virus spread in indoor environment, and (ii) developing future directions for management and control for prevention or minimization the likelihood of human infections. The ultimate econo ....Mechanisms of virus transport in indoor environments. The socio-economic benefits to Australia from the project will include the developed and validated model for quantification of virus spread and survival through aerosolation processes, which will become an important tool for: (i) prediction of the pathways of virus spread in indoor environment, and (ii) developing future directions for management and control for prevention or minimization the likelihood of human infections. The ultimate economic benefit of this research will be reduction in health care costs and lost productivity. The research will also place Australia in the forefront of international progress and race towards toward better methods for virus spread prevention. Read moreRead less
Bio-engineering Insect-Specific Flaviviruses for control of arboviruses. This project aims to study a family of commensal viruses of mosquitoes called insect-specific flaviviruses that are naturally found in mosquitoes and do not infect or cause disease in vertebrate hosts. Using an innovative approach, this project employs cutting-edge molecular virology approaches to modify these insect-specific flaviviruses to enhance their ability to block the replication of other pathogenic viruses in the m ....Bio-engineering Insect-Specific Flaviviruses for control of arboviruses. This project aims to study a family of commensal viruses of mosquitoes called insect-specific flaviviruses that are naturally found in mosquitoes and do not infect or cause disease in vertebrate hosts. Using an innovative approach, this project employs cutting-edge molecular virology approaches to modify these insect-specific flaviviruses to enhance their ability to block the replication of other pathogenic viruses in the mosquito vector. Expected outcome of this project is a bio-control strategy that is complementary to the Wolbachia approach. The anticipated benefits include the advancement of knowledge of insect-specific flaviviruses, and promotion of interdisciplinary research across the fields of Entomology and Virology.Read moreRead less
How auto-transporter proteins mediate bacterial interactions. This project aims to investigate the structure-function relationships that underpin key auto-transporter roles in bacterial cell adhesion, aggregation and biofilm formation. Auto-transporter proteins are extremely common in bacteria where they play a central role in controlling bacterial interactions with other bacteria, with human cells, and with surfaces. This project will define the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. ....How auto-transporter proteins mediate bacterial interactions. This project aims to investigate the structure-function relationships that underpin key auto-transporter roles in bacterial cell adhesion, aggregation and biofilm formation. Auto-transporter proteins are extremely common in bacteria where they play a central role in controlling bacterial interactions with other bacteria, with human cells, and with surfaces. This project will define the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. This will have significant benefits, such as providing the basis for the development of approaches to block auto-transporter functions that contribute to the establishment of persistent and difficult to treat bacterial infections.Read moreRead less
Unraveling autotransporter function in bacterial aggregates and biofilms. Autotransporters are a large family of bacterial proteins that play a central role in pathogenesis. They promote the formation of cell clusters and biofilms, which are mechanisms for bacterial resistance to host immune factors and antibiotics. Currently, the precise mode of action of autotransporters is unknown. This project will examine the interplay between the structure and function of key autotransporter proteins. It ....Unraveling autotransporter function in bacterial aggregates and biofilms. Autotransporters are a large family of bacterial proteins that play a central role in pathogenesis. They promote the formation of cell clusters and biofilms, which are mechanisms for bacterial resistance to host immune factors and antibiotics. Currently, the precise mode of action of autotransporters is unknown. This project will examine the interplay between the structure and function of key autotransporter proteins. It is expected that the outcomes of this research will establish how these proteins mediate aggregation and biofilm formation. It may also provide three-dimensional structures of proteins that are strongly immunogenic and may represent targets for future vaccine design, as well as identify molecules that inhibit autotransporter function.Read moreRead less
An interdisciplinary approach to host-pathogen interactions in infection. This project aims to understand the molecular and cellular interactions between host and parasite, as well as providing a quantitative framework for analysing infection dynamics in other systems. Infection involves a complex interaction between the host and the parasite, which is very dynamic and therefore difficult to study by traditional sampling and analysis approaches. This project has combined mathematical modelling w ....An interdisciplinary approach to host-pathogen interactions in infection. This project aims to understand the molecular and cellular interactions between host and parasite, as well as providing a quantitative framework for analysing infection dynamics in other systems. Infection involves a complex interaction between the host and the parasite, which is very dynamic and therefore difficult to study by traditional sampling and analysis approaches. This project has combined mathematical modelling with a novel experimental protocol to allow the study of kinetics of parasite replication in vivo. Expected outcomes will provide significant benefits, such as new avenues for vaccination and immune intervention.Read moreRead less
Rapid functional and taxonomic skin microbe characterisation. Rapid functional and taxonomic skin microbe characterisation. This project aims to develop methods to detect and characterise bioactive molecules released by skin microbes, and a novel microspectroscopy method for rapid taxonomic identification. This project will acquire independent spectra and develop classification algorithms, and participate in strategic planning for applications and product development. The expected outcomes from ....Rapid functional and taxonomic skin microbe characterisation. Rapid functional and taxonomic skin microbe characterisation. This project aims to develop methods to detect and characterise bioactive molecules released by skin microbes, and a novel microspectroscopy method for rapid taxonomic identification. This project will acquire independent spectra and develop classification algorithms, and participate in strategic planning for applications and product development. The expected outcomes from this project are research tools for skin microbiome modulation of immunity, and proof-of-concept data for future commercial product development. Potential commercial applications include microbial characterisation for biosecurity, agriculture, environmental and soil biology.Read moreRead less
Transport and innate immune properties of DNA in bacterial nano-sized vesicles. All types of living organisms release nano-sized membrane vesicles or “blebs” which they use for intercellular communication and transport of molecules. This project will determine how bacteria package DNA within these vesicles, how this DNA is transported into host cells and how it triggers immune responses in these cells.
ARC Centre of Excellence - Structural and Functional Microbial Genomics. The research falls under the National Research Priority Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries, with the priority goal of frontier technologies. The research has commercial applications, such as the development of novel antimicrobials and vaccines, with potentially enormous impact in the biotechnology area of biomedical health and the primary industries. In addition, the project will use ....ARC Centre of Excellence - Structural and Functional Microbial Genomics. The research falls under the National Research Priority Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries, with the priority goal of frontier technologies. The research has commercial applications, such as the development of novel antimicrobials and vaccines, with potentially enormous impact in the biotechnology area of biomedical health and the primary industries. In addition, the project will use state-of-the-art technology, including use of synchrotron radiation at the Monash-based Australian Synchrotron facility from 2007.Read moreRead less
Novel Babesia proteins and their roles in the pathogenesis of tick fever. This project aims at gaining a deep understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites and how they cause tick fever in cattle. The project expects to discover novel parasite proteins involved in the development and persistence of tick fever and identify their functional role in infection. The main expected outcome is the discovery of parasite proteins that are critical for infection and pathogenesis of cattle tick fever. T ....Novel Babesia proteins and their roles in the pathogenesis of tick fever. This project aims at gaining a deep understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites and how they cause tick fever in cattle. The project expects to discover novel parasite proteins involved in the development and persistence of tick fever and identify their functional role in infection. The main expected outcome is the discovery of parasite proteins that are critical for infection and pathogenesis of cattle tick fever. The findings will contribute to the development of future novel vaccines to control tick fever, with significant economic benefits for the beef and dairy industries worldwide.Read moreRead less