The Inhibition Of Biotin Protein Ligase As A New Source Of Antibiotics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$750,167.00
Summary
We have become so accustomed to treating bacterial infections with antibiotics that it is hard to imagine life without them. However, the emergence of drug-resistance is creating a global health care crisis. Recently, there has not been enough attention paid to replacing old antibiotics with new products to combat drug resistance. Our team is addressing this challenge. We have discovered a new class of antibiotic that is unlike any other drug in clinical use.
Polymyxin-like Lipopeptide Antibiotics Of The Future
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$335,323.00
Summary
Polymyxins are now being clinically used as the ‘last-line’ therapy for infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative ‘superbugs’. For the first time our novel approach will interface chemistry and biology of the polymyxins with the purpose of creating a new generation of safer and more efficacious polymyxin antibiotics.
LRH-1 is a protein that is inappropriately present in cancers of the breast and other tissues. It causes cancer cells to divide and multiply, and therefore it is important to block its activity. There are, however, no treatments available that block LRH-1. This proposal brings together a team of researchers with broad experience. We will use high throughput technologies to identify and characterize novel LRH-1 inhibitors, and demonstrate their efficacy in reducing the growth of cancer cells.
The Pharmacology And Toxicity Of Synthetic Cannabinoids
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$744,808.00
Summary
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) have been recently linked to many deaths and hospitalizations but there is limited data available that addresses these issues. We have identified SCs which display unprecedented cannabinoid receptor function, unusual selectivity, and SCs with high activity at cannabinoid receptors. This project will define the role of CB receptors in the actions of SCs, and provide an evidence-based rationale for treating SC overdoses.
Oxytocin Receptor Agonists For Treatment Of Social Anxiety
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,844.00
Summary
At any one time, about 3% of the population suffers from crippling social anxiety disorder, characterized by excessive fear of exposure to situations that involve potential scrutiny by others. Current medications for treating social anxiety are of limited use. This project will develop new drug like molecules that could provide breakthroughs in the effective treatment of social anxiety.
Novel TB Drug Candidates Via The Inhibition Of Lipid I Biosynthesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$780,743.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is an enormous global health problem with a continuing impact in Australia. TB is now the leading killer of any infectious disease (1.8 million people per year) and the rapid emergence of drug resistant TB infections threatens to prevent efforts to control the disease. This project seeks to develop novel TB drug candidates that operate by preventing the construction of the cell wall by the bacterial agent that causes the disease.
Development Of Reversible Inhibitors Of Factor XIa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$444,318.00
Summary
Blood usually clots in response to injury, but unwanted clots can cause thrombosis, as well as leading to stroke and heart disease. Existing drugs to treat thrombosis suffer from drawbacks such as invasive monitoring, interaction with diet and other medicines, and bleeding complications. New drugs are clearly needed. Our expert group of researchers will discover new anti-thrombotic compounds based upon our previous identification of natural products with anticoagulant properties.
Understanding How Toxins Interact With Lipid Membranes And Ion Channels
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$598,220.00
Summary
Chronic pain affects one in five Australians and current treatments have limited effectiveness, with only about one third of patients getting meaningful, pain relief. The aim of the current project is to create alternative treatments for pain that can potentially lead to the reduced suffering and improvement of life quality of many Australians. To achieve this aim we propose to study how spider toxins interact with cells and deactivate sensor targets responsible for chronic pain.
Novel Fluorogenic Probes For The Selective Detection Of Pathogenic Bacteria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,489.00
Summary
Current methods for the detection of multi-resistant organisms either require expensive instrumentation and expert analysts or are simple, but require 24-48 hours for bacterial identification. The ideal surveillance method would be cost effective, rapid, reliable, and simple to perform. This project aims to prepare a range of fluorescent substrates for incorporation into growth media which will then be evaluated for the specific identification of individual multi-resistant organisms, e.g. MRSA.
Evaluation Of Novel Pyrrolo/Iminoquinone Antimalarial Compounds
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$614,250.00
Summary
The development of new antimalarial drugs is an unmet global health priority. In this project we will investigate novel compounds that have been found to display promising in vitro antimalarial activity. We will modify these compounds to make them more drug-like, and assess their efficacy in vivo using malaria animal models. These studies have the potential to identify compounds that may result in a new therapy for malaria, the worlds' most significant tropical infectious disease.