The discovery and validation of novel drug classes against parasites with the potential for major economic impacts. This project will develop a quality scientific and technological program in national priority areas, leading to a strong basic research, new concepts and the enhanced international collaborative links; strengthen links between basic and applied research, and academia and industry; develop excellence via pan-Australian collaborations, resulting in a more efficient use of resources i ....The discovery and validation of novel drug classes against parasites with the potential for major economic impacts. This project will develop a quality scientific and technological program in national priority areas, leading to a strong basic research, new concepts and the enhanced international collaborative links; strengthen links between basic and applied research, and academia and industry; develop excellence via pan-Australian collaborations, resulting in a more efficient use of resources in a national and international context; enhance the skills-base in biology, biotechnology and chemistry; increase global visibility with increased investment in Australian science; improve animal welfare and production via improved control of infectious diseases; producing commercial products with benefits to agricultural producers in regional & rural communities.Read moreRead less
Australian Sea Anemone Venoms: Bioprospecting & Evolution. Australian sea anemones are a highly promising and largely unexplored source of peptides and proteins with potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This project aims to evaluate this potential by undertaking transcriptomic analyses of a number species of anemones from Australian waters and identifying peptides and proteins in their venoms by mass spectrometry. It will also demonstrate the value of transcriptomics in informing t ....Australian Sea Anemone Venoms: Bioprospecting & Evolution. Australian sea anemones are a highly promising and largely unexplored source of peptides and proteins with potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This project aims to evaluate this potential by undertaking transcriptomic analyses of a number species of anemones from Australian waters and identifying peptides and proteins in their venoms by mass spectrometry. It will also demonstrate the value of transcriptomics in informing taxonomic classification of anemones. In addition this project will assess toxin diversity within and between species based on nematocyst function from specific tissue sources and provide a clearer understanding of the evolution of venoms in Australian Actiniaria.Read moreRead less
Development of Insulin-like peptide 5 (INSL5) peptide analogues as novel therapeutics. Insulin-like peptide 5 (INSL5) is a naturally-occurring hormone in the body that likely plays a role in the control of appetite. This project aims to develop new molecules based on INSL5 that could be suitable for use as drugs to treat various appetite-related disorders, such as obesity (where patients eat too much) or anorexia (where patients eat too little).
Development of Multivalent Hyaluronan Derivative Therapeutics. Over-expression of the hyaluronan receptor CD44 has been identified at pathological sites of diseases such as cancer, psoriasis, arthritis and asthma. The research described in this proposal aims to develop novel therapeutic compounds which target CD44 whilst eliciting a therapeutic index. The design of these new therapeutics is based on a template structure which incorporates known cytotoxic or anti-fungal agentsas well as hyalu ....Development of Multivalent Hyaluronan Derivative Therapeutics. Over-expression of the hyaluronan receptor CD44 has been identified at pathological sites of diseases such as cancer, psoriasis, arthritis and asthma. The research described in this proposal aims to develop novel therapeutic compounds which target CD44 whilst eliciting a therapeutic index. The design of these new therapeutics is based on a template structure which incorporates known cytotoxic or anti-fungal agentsas well as hyaluronan, a naturally occurring carbohydrate, ubiquitous in nature.Read moreRead less
Structure-based design of inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase. This project will produce compounds that block human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. These compounds will benefit the 17000 Australians and more than 34 million people worldwide who are currently suffering with this terrible disease.
Understanding dendrimer pharmaceuticals: The application of parallel computing to the investigation of dendrimer structure and activity. Dendrimers or starburst polymers are an important new class of synthetic material with physical and chemical properties that lie between those of small organic molecules and traditional linear polymers. One exciting area of application is the development of new dendrimer-based pharmaceuticals. This project aims to use computer-aided molecular modelling method ....Understanding dendrimer pharmaceuticals: The application of parallel computing to the investigation of dendrimer structure and activity. Dendrimers or starburst polymers are an important new class of synthetic material with physical and chemical properties that lie between those of small organic molecules and traditional linear polymers. One exciting area of application is the development of new dendrimer-based pharmaceuticals. This project aims to use computer-aided molecular modelling methods to investigate the three dimensional structure and dynamic behaviour of dendrimers. This will assist in the design of new compounds to target diseases such as secondary cancers, asthma and viral respiratory diseases.Read moreRead less
New approaches to inhibition of activity of HIV integrase. This project aims to assist in the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that will benefit the 17000 Australians and more than 33 million people worldwide who are currently suffering with this terrible disease. The project will utilise state-of-the-art approaches in structure-based drug design to identify and synthesise compounds as leads for the development of anti-HIV drugs. Furthermore, the project will provide invaluable training for t ....New approaches to inhibition of activity of HIV integrase. This project aims to assist in the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that will benefit the 17000 Australians and more than 33 million people worldwide who are currently suffering with this terrible disease. The project will utilise state-of-the-art approaches in structure-based drug design to identify and synthesise compounds as leads for the development of anti-HIV drugs. Furthermore, the project will provide invaluable training for the researchers involved and enhance the relationship between the academic and commercial collaborators.Read moreRead less
Grafted peptide constructs - a new platform for delivering stable bioactive peptides. The project will develop a new strategy to overcome the lack of bioavailability of peptides. The project will design an effective drug delivery vehicle and facilitate drug development as highly active peptides will become attractive drug targets.
The Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Bivalent Dopamine D2 and Adenosine A2A Ligands for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease. This program will significantly contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel in the area of organic and medicinal chemistry where there is currently a national shortage. Other benefits are the capacity to advance this critical research in PD and potentially provide substantial national competitive advantages and growth opportunities in the glo ....The Synthesis and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Bivalent Dopamine D2 and Adenosine A2A Ligands for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease. This program will significantly contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel in the area of organic and medicinal chemistry where there is currently a national shortage. Other benefits are the capacity to advance this critical research in PD and potentially provide substantial national competitive advantages and growth opportunities in the global anti-Parkinsonian therapeutics market.Read moreRead less
Applications of the Polonovski Reaction in the Synthesis of Bioactive Opiates. This program will contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel in the area of organic and medicinal chemistry. It will also address the development of improved processes for the large scale preparation of semi-synthetic pharmaceutical opiates in support of one of Australia's important export industries. Furthermore, a greater understanding of the structure-activity relationships of noscapine will make a ....Applications of the Polonovski Reaction in the Synthesis of Bioactive Opiates. This program will contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel in the area of organic and medicinal chemistry. It will also address the development of improved processes for the large scale preparation of semi-synthetic pharmaceutical opiates in support of one of Australia's important export industries. Furthermore, a greater understanding of the structure-activity relationships of noscapine will make a contribution to the overall search for improved anti-cancer agents.Read moreRead less