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Investigating the functional interaction between vasopressin and angiotensin receptors. Kidney disease resulting from diabetes is a major health issue for Australians, and indigenous Australians in particular. This project aims to enable improved therapies to be developed, as well as better inform doctors regarding the use of potential combinations of existing pharmaceuticals to treat this condition.
Melanotransferrin: A “Missing Link” And A Novel Pharmacological Target For Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$613,848.00
Summary
Despite >30 years of research, the precise function of the protein, melanotransferrin (MTf), is unknown. However, we have breakthrough evidence that MTf stimulates WNT signalling as a major driver in cancer progression. We will investigate this hypothesis, which will underpin new cancer therapies. Indeed, we designed a new class of drugs that target the WNT pathway via up-regulating the WNT inhibitor, NDRG1. This drug (DpC) inhibits MTf expression to block tumour cell growth and metastasis.
Determinants of Expression, Assembly and Function of the Noradrenaline Transporter. The noradrenaline transporter protein that is the focus of this project is important for mental health because it belongs to the family of proteins where psychostimulants, such as cocaine, and drugs used in the treatment of depression act. The project will lead to exciting advances in our understanding of how the structure of this protein controls its functions, and potentially to the design of better antidepress ....Determinants of Expression, Assembly and Function of the Noradrenaline Transporter. The noradrenaline transporter protein that is the focus of this project is important for mental health because it belongs to the family of proteins where psychostimulants, such as cocaine, and drugs used in the treatment of depression act. The project will lead to exciting advances in our understanding of how the structure of this protein controls its functions, and potentially to the design of better antidepressant drugs and to the design of drugs to prevent the effects of cocaine.Read moreRead less
Exploiting The Pharmacokinetic And Pharmacodynamic Properties Of Bile Acid Receptor Agonists To Treat Liver Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$653,952.00
Summary
We have generated preliminary data suggesting that chemicals made by the liver, called bile acids, act on fat cells to release a hormone called adiponectin. In liver disease adiponectin has favorable effects, including reducing liver inflammation and fibrosis (scarring). By using drugs that mimic the action of bile acids we expect that adiponectin production by fat cells can be increased, creating a new way to treat patients with chronic liver diseases.
Pharmacological modification of retinal and visual function and relation to control of refractive error. Myopia (short-sightedness) affects many hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can lead to blindness. Drug treatments that prevent myopia are being developed, however there is no efficient way of determining who is at risk of myopia or who will benefit from these treatments. This fundamental research project will determine the retinal and visual effects of pharmacologic agents that inhi ....Pharmacological modification of retinal and visual function and relation to control of refractive error. Myopia (short-sightedness) affects many hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can lead to blindness. Drug treatments that prevent myopia are being developed, however there is no efficient way of determining who is at risk of myopia or who will benefit from these treatments. This fundamental research project will determine the retinal and visual effects of pharmacologic agents that inhibit myopia, with the aim of determining an ocular measure that is related to myopia, which is altered by drugs that are known to slow myopia progression, and that could be used as an indication of an agent's likely effectiveness.Read moreRead less
Relaxin: molecular mechanisms of cardioprotection. Heart failure represents a major health and economic burden worldwide, for which there is currently no successful cure. This project will provide valuable information on the basic mechanisms associated with the vascular actions of the hormone relaxin that has shown great promise in clinical trials as a novel treatment for heart failure.
Discovery And Development Of Novel Venom Peptide Analgesics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
Professor Lewis will discover and develop new research tools and potential therapeutics from toxins acting on pain pathways. The Fellowship will leverage (i) well-funded collaborations with top Australian and international scientists (ii) the recently established IMB Centre for Pain Research that I lead as inaugural Director, and (iii) an outstanding Institute equipped with leading edge technologies for high throughput and high content discovery and proteomic and transcriptomic analysis.
Stroke is a devastating disease causing mortality and morbidity on a massive scale, and which still has no treatment besides a clot-buster that cannot be used in 90% of patients. This research should provide a better understanding of stroke pathology and identify new therapeutic directions. It will elucidate an unappreciated but crucial role of specific immune cells in brain injury after stroke, and hopefully lead to new ways to limit brain injury and promote recovery from stroke.
Targeting Aldosterone Receptors In Cerebrovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$857,712.00
Summary
Stroke represents a major health (accounting for 6% of all deaths) and economic (costs Australia $2.14 billion per year) burden on society, thus clearly more effective treatments are needed. This project will investigate the role of two substances produced in the body – angiotensin II and aldosterone – in stroke outcome, and whether targeting their receptor(s) may prevent poor outcomes following stroke.
Exploring metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 bias, allostery and heteromers. This project aims to provide novel mechanistic and structural insights into metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) function. The mGlu5 is an essential regulator of neurotransmission and higher order brain functions including learning and memory. This project expects to expand knowledge of the fundamental biological processes engaged by mGlu5 through exploration of three novel paradigms of receptor activity: allostery, ....Exploring metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 bias, allostery and heteromers. This project aims to provide novel mechanistic and structural insights into metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) function. The mGlu5 is an essential regulator of neurotransmission and higher order brain functions including learning and memory. This project expects to expand knowledge of the fundamental biological processes engaged by mGlu5 through exploration of three novel paradigms of receptor activity: allostery, bias and heteromerisation. Expected outcomes also include generation of new pharmacological tools through interdisciplinary collaborative research between multiple institutions. There is significant expected economic benefit through commercialisation of new tools and facilitation of novel drug discovery.Read moreRead less