Enhancing our understanding of metallochemistry in neurobiology with modern electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Many neurological diseases involve protein accumulation that appears causally linked to abnormal levels of metal ions in the brain. This project will use a special technique called electron paramagnetic resonance to uncover how these metals interact with specific proteins at the molecular level and how drug treatments can modify these interactions.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100061
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$710,000.00
Summary
Extending frontiers of structural chemistry and biology through high resolution pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. Multifrequency high resolution pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) instrumentation will provide forefront technologies in identifying, characterising, quantifying and visualising free radicals and metal ions that are involved in fundamental chemical and biological processes in science and nature.
Understanding how cells store and use iron . This project aims to understand the mechanism and function of the protein nanocage, ferritin, which stores iron in the body ready for use on demand. Iron is an essential element, vital for wellbeing. To understand iron we need to understand ferritin. Despite being widely studied, how ferritin actually works remains unclear. This project aims to use an interdisciplinary approach combining protein biochemistry, spectroscopy, genetics and whole organism ....Understanding how cells store and use iron . This project aims to understand the mechanism and function of the protein nanocage, ferritin, which stores iron in the body ready for use on demand. Iron is an essential element, vital for wellbeing. To understand iron we need to understand ferritin. Despite being widely studied, how ferritin actually works remains unclear. This project aims to use an interdisciplinary approach combining protein biochemistry, spectroscopy, genetics and whole organism studies. It will develop new techniques to enable the physiological role of iron to be explored. Outcomes of this innovative platform are anticipated to include in-depth understanding of how ferritin functions to unravel its fundamental role in iron storage and release ready for re-use.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354474
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The ini ....Metals in Medicine. Metal-based drugs account for several billion dollars of pharmaceutical sales worldwide, but proportionally much less research and development has focussed on this area than organic drugs. Australia has played a pivotal role in the early development of metal-based pharmaceuticals, which remains a research strength. The dual aims of the initiative are to provide a network for a vibrant industry based around metals in medicine and to improve the health of Australians. The initiative will foster national and international cross-disciplinary collaborations to address the impediments holding back Australia's potential to take full advantage of our research strength in metals in medicine.Read moreRead less
Site-specific Conjugation of Zirconium and Copper Complexes to Antibodies for Application in Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy. This project will focus on fundamental chemistry that underpins innovations in the synthesis of metal-based imaging and therapeutic agents. Radioactive isotopes of copper and zirconium can be used for either non-invasive diagnostic imaging or treatment of disease. However, it is essential that the diagnostic or therapeutic agent selectively localises in diseased tissue. Th ....Site-specific Conjugation of Zirconium and Copper Complexes to Antibodies for Application in Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy. This project will focus on fundamental chemistry that underpins innovations in the synthesis of metal-based imaging and therapeutic agents. Radioactive isotopes of copper and zirconium can be used for either non-invasive diagnostic imaging or treatment of disease. However, it is essential that the diagnostic or therapeutic agent selectively localises in diseased tissue. This project aims to achieve the required selectivity by employing enzymatic site-specific bioconjugation reactions to build new imaging agents that feature ligands designed to safely bind radioactive isotopes fused to antibody derived targeting molecules.Read moreRead less
Pushing the Boundaries of Multi-modal Biospectroscopic Microscopies. In order to understand the fundamentals of life processes, diseases, and their treatments, it is essential to probe fundamental changes in molecular processes in cells, tissues and whole organisms. Much of our understanding of these processes has involved the introduction of chemical probes for biospectroscopy, but these have inherent problems because the probe can often change the biochemistry that is being probed. This projec ....Pushing the Boundaries of Multi-modal Biospectroscopic Microscopies. In order to understand the fundamentals of life processes, diseases, and their treatments, it is essential to probe fundamental changes in molecular processes in cells, tissues and whole organisms. Much of our understanding of these processes has involved the introduction of chemical probes for biospectroscopy, but these have inherent problems because the probe can often change the biochemistry that is being probed. This project will push the boundaries of a variety of micro and nano "probe-free" microscopies to provide fundamental insights into these life processes, which could ultimately lead to improvements in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases.Read moreRead less
Exploiting bacterial metal resistance machinery for metal ion nano-biosensors development. This project aims to integrate advanced materials chemistry, molecular biology, bio-electrochemical and synchrotron imaging approaches to understand the role of silver resistance machinery of bacteria in their ability to form silver nanoparticles. This aims to enable discovery of new metal-specific reductase enzymes. The fundamental biomolecular understanding of bacterial silver resistance will allow the u ....Exploiting bacterial metal resistance machinery for metal ion nano-biosensors development. This project aims to integrate advanced materials chemistry, molecular biology, bio-electrochemical and synchrotron imaging approaches to understand the role of silver resistance machinery of bacteria in their ability to form silver nanoparticles. This aims to enable discovery of new metal-specific reductase enzymes. The fundamental biomolecular understanding of bacterial silver resistance will allow the use of a silver-binding protein to develop a series of next-generation nano-biosensors. These biosensing platforms will provide high-throughput, cost-effective, selective, sensitive and continuous monitoring of heavy metal ions in effluents from mining and mineral processing industries in a real-time fashion.Read moreRead less
Microprobe and Nanoprobe Studies on Intracellular Disease Processes and Their Treatment. Breakthrough microprobe and nanoprobe technologies, involving X-ray, visible and infrared light can focus into different components of mammalian cells in order to interrogate the biochemistry that is occurring therein. Each of the different wavelengths of light provides complementary biochemical information that enables a deeper understanding of changes in cells that occur as a function of drug treatments an ....Microprobe and Nanoprobe Studies on Intracellular Disease Processes and Their Treatment. Breakthrough microprobe and nanoprobe technologies, involving X-ray, visible and infrared light can focus into different components of mammalian cells in order to interrogate the biochemistry that is occurring therein. Each of the different wavelengths of light provides complementary biochemical information that enables a deeper understanding of changes in cells that occur as a function of drug treatments and disease processes. This will provide unprecedented information as to where drugs go and how they are transformed inside cells that, in turn, may revolutionalise the way in which new drugs are designed that have higher specificity and fewer side effects.Read moreRead less
Discovering New Chemistry and Potential Applications of Metal Tetrapyrroles. This project aims to make fundamental advances in inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry by preparing new metal-containing molecules based on specifically designed tetrapyrrole ligands. Innovative synthetic methods will be developed to enable systematic chemical modifications to explore the chemical and biological properties of the metal complexes. The potential of the new molecules to be ....Discovering New Chemistry and Potential Applications of Metal Tetrapyrroles. This project aims to make fundamental advances in inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry by preparing new metal-containing molecules based on specifically designed tetrapyrrole ligands. Innovative synthetic methods will be developed to enable systematic chemical modifications to explore the chemical and biological properties of the metal complexes. The potential of the new molecules to be of use as tracers for molecular imaging will be investigated. An expected outcome of this research will be an increased understanding of how chemical properties dictate the biological activity of metal complexes informing the potential long-term translation of this chemistry to to new molecular diagnostics and therapeutics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100540
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Site-specific modification of proteins with radioactive technetium. This project aims to produce homogeneous and fully functional constructs that may be used as imaging agents. Most techniques for incorporating radioactive isotopes into proteins adversely influence biological behaviour and the quality of the image. This project will develop technology for the benign modification of proteins with the radioactive isotope technetium for nuclear imaging. Development of the fundamental chemistry in t ....Site-specific modification of proteins with radioactive technetium. This project aims to produce homogeneous and fully functional constructs that may be used as imaging agents. Most techniques for incorporating radioactive isotopes into proteins adversely influence biological behaviour and the quality of the image. This project will develop technology for the benign modification of proteins with the radioactive isotope technetium for nuclear imaging. Development of the fundamental chemistry in this project may lead to future applications in imaging and therapy. Creation of intellectual property could lead to joint ventures with hospitals and industry.Read moreRead less