Alternative Mechanisms To Initiate Apoptotic Cell Death
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,767.00
Summary
Cell death is essential for our well being. As insufficient cell deaths can lead to cancers, promoting cell killing is a promising new avenue for treating this disease. However, current approaches are not fully optimal because we do not completely understand how the switch for cell death is flipped on. Our project seeks to answer this important question and we anticipate that a better understanding of this basic process will enable improved treatment for diseases such as cancer.
Structural Characterisation Function Analyses Of Type I Interferon-receptor Interactions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$517,989.00
Summary
The interferons are an essential component of the body's response to infectious and inflammatory disease and cancer. In order to design the best therapeutic approaches to modulate interferon activity, we need a defined understanding of how IFN binds to its receptor on target cells and activates its functions. This project will characterize these interactions in cells, mice and molecules with x-ray crystallography and the synchrotron to solve the structure and facilitate informed drug design.
Cardiovascular Effects Of Enhanced Leptin Signalling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,200,972.00
Summary
Leptin treatment causes weight loss, but leptin also increases blood pressure. We wish to determine if increasing leptin signalling, by modifying signal transduction pathways within leptin sensitive cells in the brain, can reduce weight without increasing blood pressure.
I am a protein chemist-vascular biologist analysing structure, function and clinical role of platelet adhesion receptors regulating patho-physiological thrombus formation associated with thrombotic diseases such as heart attack and stroke.