Discovery and directed evolution of small molecule biosensors. This project aims to address the need for novel small molecule biosensing capability in diverse fields including food and wine production, environmental monitoring, biocatalysis, and diagnostics using a synthetic biology approach. The significance of this work is the development of new biosensors by a strong interdisciplinary team contributing bioinformatics to identify new biosensors, innovative protein engineering approaches, and c ....Discovery and directed evolution of small molecule biosensors. This project aims to address the need for novel small molecule biosensing capability in diverse fields including food and wine production, environmental monitoring, biocatalysis, and diagnostics using a synthetic biology approach. The significance of this work is the development of new biosensors by a strong interdisciplinary team contributing bioinformatics to identify new biosensors, innovative protein engineering approaches, and cutting-edge directed evolution methodologies. Intended outcomes include enhanced institutional capacity for interdisciplinary collaboration; discovery of fundamentally important bacterial sensors; and development of synthetic regulatory circuits enabling outgrowth of non-biological biocatalysis industries.Read moreRead less
Rational design of array-based nanozyme sensors. The project aims to obtain a deep understanding of molecular interactions at the nano-bio interface, and use this knowledge to develop a robust sensor technology for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens in complex samples. The project proposes to employ an innovative approach that mimics the senses of smell and taste, where an array of aptamers are expected to work in synergy to precisely identify a target, providing an edge over current sen ....Rational design of array-based nanozyme sensors. The project aims to obtain a deep understanding of molecular interactions at the nano-bio interface, and use this knowledge to develop a robust sensor technology for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens in complex samples. The project proposes to employ an innovative approach that mimics the senses of smell and taste, where an array of aptamers are expected to work in synergy to precisely identify a target, providing an edge over current sensing technologies. Expected outcomes include a ready-to-go analytical tool for the detection of food contaminants. This should provide significant economic, health, and social benefits through supporting Australian food and health sectors, and the potential commercialisation of sensor technologies.Read moreRead less
Improving grain legume seeds for future climates. Grain legumes are essential for sustainable agriculture and human dietary protein, but seed quality is predicted to decline under future scenarios of high CO2 and warmer temperatures. This project aims to improve legume seed quality under future climates by comparing metabolites and physiological traits of chickpea and other legumes to establish mechanisms by which legumes maximise seed nutrient allocation. The anticipated outcomes include new me ....Improving grain legume seeds for future climates. Grain legumes are essential for sustainable agriculture and human dietary protein, but seed quality is predicted to decline under future scenarios of high CO2 and warmer temperatures. This project aims to improve legume seed quality under future climates by comparing metabolites and physiological traits of chickpea and other legumes to establish mechanisms by which legumes maximise seed nutrient allocation. The anticipated outcomes include new metabolite-based breeding markers for the improvement of crops with higher seed proteins, micronutrients and bioactive compounds that are adapted to future climates. Seed nutrient improvement will also include increased biological nitrogen fixation to reduce the need for chemical nitrogen fertilisers.Read moreRead less