Free Radicals in Chemistry and Biology: A Computational Quantum Chemistry Investigation. This proposal aims to carry out state-of-the-art chemistry research using computers rather than traditional laboratory techniques. Free radicals, which have widespread importance in the multibillion dollar polymer and health industries, form the centrepiece of the proposal. These are highly reactive substances that are difficult to study by conventional experimental techniques but ideal to study using compu ....Free Radicals in Chemistry and Biology: A Computational Quantum Chemistry Investigation. This proposal aims to carry out state-of-the-art chemistry research using computers rather than traditional laboratory techniques. Free radicals, which have widespread importance in the multibillion dollar polymer and health industries, form the centrepiece of the proposal. These are highly reactive substances that are difficult to study by conventional experimental techniques but ideal to study using computers. The increased understanding of free radicals that will stem from this research may help in dealing with ageing, and afflictions such as hardening of the arteries and vitamin B12 deficiency. It will also result in the training at the highest level of new generations of chemists in this exciting field of "chemistry with computers".Read moreRead less
Computational Quantum Chemistry Study of Molecular Structures, Stabilities and Reactions. Computational quantum chemistry is revolutionizing the study and practice of chemistry. We will use state-of-the-art computer calculations to investigate chemical structures, stabilities and reactions, particularly for free radicals. Radicals are of great importance in chemistry, biology and polymer science, but are difficult to study experimentally. We will use the computer calculations to determine how ....Computational Quantum Chemistry Study of Molecular Structures, Stabilities and Reactions. Computational quantum chemistry is revolutionizing the study and practice of chemistry. We will use state-of-the-art computer calculations to investigate chemical structures, stabilities and reactions, particularly for free radicals. Radicals are of great importance in chemistry, biology and polymer science, but are difficult to study experimentally. We will use the computer calculations to determine how to make radicals more stable, how they react to produce polymers, how they cause damage to proteins, and how they are involved in helping vitamin B12 make reactions go faster. We will create new methodologies in order to reliably achieve these goals.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347607
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$306,000.00
Summary
FishWorks - collaborative infrastructure for zebrafish research. Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful and cost-effective animal model for studying development, biology, and disease. FishWorks represents a large-scale co-operative initiative to develop state-of-the-art zebrafish housing, manipulation, genomics and screening infrastructure in Australia. This will both support and further enhance a core group of high quality researchers to engage in cutting-edge research in areas of acknowledged ex ....FishWorks - collaborative infrastructure for zebrafish research. Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful and cost-effective animal model for studying development, biology, and disease. FishWorks represents a large-scale co-operative initiative to develop state-of-the-art zebrafish housing, manipulation, genomics and screening infrastructure in Australia. This will both support and further enhance a core group of high quality researchers to engage in cutting-edge research in areas of acknowledged expertise as well as priority within their respective institutions. In addition, it will facilitate wide-ranging collaborative arrangements to further develop and exploit this research area.Read moreRead less
Tissue specific regulation of gene expression. Despite the polarized public debate concerning the use of stem cells for tissue regeneration, fundamental questions relating to the identity and hierarchy of these cells remain unanswered. The benefit to Australia will be scientific in terms of providing an understanding of how stem and progenitor cells integrate transcriptional control systems during differentiation and the networks that are involved. This is fundamental to the future isolation a ....Tissue specific regulation of gene expression. Despite the polarized public debate concerning the use of stem cells for tissue regeneration, fundamental questions relating to the identity and hierarchy of these cells remain unanswered. The benefit to Australia will be scientific in terms of providing an understanding of how stem and progenitor cells integrate transcriptional control systems during differentiation and the networks that are involved. This is fundamental to the future isolation and manipulation of these stem cell types to benefit the community. The work will also provide postgraduate students with training in state of the art genomic techniques and in the interface between bioinformatics and experimental science. Read moreRead less
Targeting DNA with Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry. The interaction of molecules with DNA, the molecule that controls genetic information, is fundamental to drug design, diagnosis of disease and the environment. Chemists usually synthesise these molecules in the laboratory. We will use an innovative new approach to producing molecules that interact with DNA, that as fast and efficient and mirrors the processes used by Nature to make natural products. This research may lead to the design of new ....Targeting DNA with Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry. The interaction of molecules with DNA, the molecule that controls genetic information, is fundamental to drug design, diagnosis of disease and the environment. Chemists usually synthesise these molecules in the laboratory. We will use an innovative new approach to producing molecules that interact with DNA, that as fast and efficient and mirrors the processes used by Nature to make natural products. This research may lead to the design of new therapeutics, diagnostics and applications that will benefit the Australian community, and will provide excellent training of researchers in skills required for employment in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields.Read moreRead less
Investigating the molecular function of alpha-Haemoglobin stabilising protein. The research described in this proposal will provide new insights into haemoglobin regulation and redox chemistry in erythrocytes. Deregulation of these processes gives rise to a number of debilitating diseases, including varieties of anaemia and thalassaemia-in Australia it is estimated that 3% of the population could be carriers of b-thalassaemia mutations. Given the contribution of free aHb to the pathology of b-th ....Investigating the molecular function of alpha-Haemoglobin stabilising protein. The research described in this proposal will provide new insights into haemoglobin regulation and redox chemistry in erythrocytes. Deregulation of these processes gives rise to a number of debilitating diseases, including varieties of anaemia and thalassaemia-in Australia it is estimated that 3% of the population could be carriers of b-thalassaemia mutations. Given the contribution of free aHb to the pathology of b-thalassaemia, understanding the specific aHb-binding factor, AHSP is a goal of national significance. In the long term, manipulation of AHSP function through gene therapy may have a direct role in the treatment of thalassaemia.Read moreRead less
Characterization of erythroid differentiation related factor (EDRF): a novel a-globin binding protein. Hemoglobin, a four-subunit protein comprising two alpha and two beta polypeptide chains, is the essential oxygen transporter found in all mammals. Problems with the synthesis of hemoglobin can give rise to a range of common and serious human disorders, including thalassaemia and anemia. We have discovered a protein, EDRF, that appears to interact directly with alpha-globin (but not beta-globin) ....Characterization of erythroid differentiation related factor (EDRF): a novel a-globin binding protein. Hemoglobin, a four-subunit protein comprising two alpha and two beta polypeptide chains, is the essential oxygen transporter found in all mammals. Problems with the synthesis of hemoglobin can give rise to a range of common and serious human disorders, including thalassaemia and anemia. We have discovered a protein, EDRF, that appears to interact directly with alpha-globin (but not beta-globin) and to play a role in the regulation of hemoglobin production. We now seek to understand the nature of this interaction at a molecular level and mechanistic level.Read moreRead less