Molecular characterisation of antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli recovered from food-producing animals and humans. Antibiotic resistance is an accelerating global problem. Antibiotic resistance genes are located on mobile genetic elements which can be horizontally transferred between distantly related bacteria. It is becoming increasingly apparent that healthy humans carry populations of resistant bacteria as part of the normal microbial flora. This project w ....Molecular characterisation of antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli recovered from food-producing animals and humans. Antibiotic resistance is an accelerating global problem. Antibiotic resistance genes are located on mobile genetic elements which can be horizontally transferred between distantly related bacteria. It is becoming increasingly apparent that healthy humans carry populations of resistant bacteria as part of the normal microbial flora. This project will characterise the antibiotic resistance gene arrangements among populations of bacteria which belong to the Enterobacteriaceae. These resistant bacteria represent a threat to human and veterinary health because they are readily ingested as part of the food chain and represent reservoirs for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogens.Read moreRead less
Investigating the Ability of Honey to Inhibit Bacterial Biofilms Found in Chronic Wounds. Chronic (non-healing) wounds are a serious health problem in Australia. One quarter of our institutionalized aged population have pressure ulcers. The difficulty in treating these wounds is that most contain communities of bacteria, called biofilms, that are not killed by conventional antibiotics. Special honeys from Australia and NZ that are effective in chronic wound treatment can eradicate these biofilms ....Investigating the Ability of Honey to Inhibit Bacterial Biofilms Found in Chronic Wounds. Chronic (non-healing) wounds are a serious health problem in Australia. One quarter of our institutionalized aged population have pressure ulcers. The difficulty in treating these wounds is that most contain communities of bacteria, called biofilms, that are not killed by conventional antibiotics. Special honeys from Australia and NZ that are effective in chronic wound treatment can eradicate these biofilms. This project will identify the components in honey that do this and determine how they do it, to provide a more effective chronic wound treatment. It will decrease the prevalence of these wounds in Australia and the associated personal trauma and health costs.Read moreRead less
Defining domains within Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface proteins that interact with host extracellular matrix: efficacy testing of candidate vaccines in swine. Over 90% of Australian commercial pig production facilities are affected by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of swine enzootic pneumonia. This disease causes economic losses in Australia of over $20 million per annum and up to $1 billion per annum in major swine rearing countries worldwide. This project will determine the p ....Defining domains within Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface proteins that interact with host extracellular matrix: efficacy testing of candidate vaccines in swine. Over 90% of Australian commercial pig production facilities are affected by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of swine enzootic pneumonia. This disease causes economic losses in Australia of over $20 million per annum and up to $1 billion per annum in major swine rearing countries worldwide. This project will determine the protective efficacy of new generation vaccines against M. hyopneumoniae, which aim to block the colonisation process and prevent disease .Read moreRead less
Identification and characterisation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface-molecules that interact with the host epithelium. Mycoplasma hyponeumoniae causes porcine enzootic pneumonia, a disease that significantly impacts swine production. Current vaccines are unable to prevent colonisation of the respiratory tract and are costly to produce and administer. The expression of microbial adhesins that mediate adherence to the extracellular matrix is considered the initial step in host colonisation for ....Identification and characterisation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface-molecules that interact with the host epithelium. Mycoplasma hyponeumoniae causes porcine enzootic pneumonia, a disease that significantly impacts swine production. Current vaccines are unable to prevent colonisation of the respiratory tract and are costly to produce and administer. The expression of microbial adhesins that mediate adherence to the extracellular matrix is considered the initial step in host colonisation for many bacterial pathogens. We propose to identify M. hyopneumoniae cell surface moleculaes that interact with components of the extracellular matrix. Targetting these cell surface molecules will lead to therapeutics that prevent disease and block colonisation, eventually eradicating the host pathogen from pig production facilities.Read moreRead less
Targeted isolation of specific marine bacterial species associated with higher organsims for the purpose of discovering new antimicrobial compounds. Specific bacterial species that are commonly found in association with marine plants and animals often produce active secondary metabolites. The aim of this project is to apply our understanding of these bacterial-host associations to the targeted isolation of novel antimicrobials from the marine environment. While these new compounds will undoubted ....Targeted isolation of specific marine bacterial species associated with higher organsims for the purpose of discovering new antimicrobial compounds. Specific bacterial species that are commonly found in association with marine plants and animals often produce active secondary metabolites. The aim of this project is to apply our understanding of these bacterial-host associations to the targeted isolation of novel antimicrobials from the marine environment. While these new compounds will undoubtedly have a number of commercial applications this project focuses on the development of products for dental hygiene in animals. Generally, the urgent need for new antimicrobial compounds to combat the growing number of microbes that are resistant to current antibiotics highlights the importance of this project.Read moreRead less
Development of a safe and immunogenic anti-chlamydia vaccine for the koala. Many koala populations are under threat of extinction from chlamydial disease.The project will develop a chlamydial vaccine and conduct trials in several wild koala populations for safety and effectiveness.
Managing acid mine drainage in northern Australia using microbial mats. One of the most difficult environmental issues for the mining industry is acid mine drainage (AMD) that can lead to significant environmental damage. This project aims to identify microbes and characterise their roles in AMD formation in north Australia. We will use our new knowledge to design and trial microbial mats for the treatment of AMD. A successful AMD microbial treatment technology will minimise the risk of acid run ....Managing acid mine drainage in northern Australia using microbial mats. One of the most difficult environmental issues for the mining industry is acid mine drainage (AMD) that can lead to significant environmental damage. This project aims to identify microbes and characterise their roles in AMD formation in north Australia. We will use our new knowledge to design and trial microbial mats for the treatment of AMD. A successful AMD microbial treatment technology will minimise the risk of acid runoff and metal seepage into rivers and through groundwater. AMD treatment technology we develop in the tropics where we experience the extremes of dry and wet seasons will require only minor modification to operate in temperate climates however the reverse is not true. Read moreRead less
Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a ....Bacterial Proteomics: From Cell Division to Novel Antibiotic Targets. When a cell divides it is essential that each newborn cell gets a complete copy of the DNA. To ensure that this happens, cell division must be tightly controlled. It is not known how this occurs in bacteria. However, if we knew what molecules were involved in this control, we could target them to kill harmful bacteria. This project aims to identify such regulatory molecules as candidate targets for antimicrobial agents, with a view to developing powerful, novel antibiotics to protect us from the imminent threat of bioterrorism and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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POLYMER-BASED COATINGS TO INCREASE THE SURVIVAL OF MICROBIAL INOCULANTS APPLIED TO AGRICULTURAL SEEDS. World-wide, there is much active research to maximise the use of Rhizobium for legumes and to develop a new range of growth-promoting micro-organisms for application to agricultural crops including cereals. However, very poor survival of inoculant bacteria after application to seed severely limits their effectiveness. New polymer coatings on seed may enhance survival of inoculants. By collabora ....POLYMER-BASED COATINGS TO INCREASE THE SURVIVAL OF MICROBIAL INOCULANTS APPLIED TO AGRICULTURAL SEEDS. World-wide, there is much active research to maximise the use of Rhizobium for legumes and to develop a new range of growth-promoting micro-organisms for application to agricultural crops including cereals. However, very poor survival of inoculant bacteria after application to seed severely limits their effectiveness. New polymer coatings on seed may enhance survival of inoculants. By collaboration between chemists, rhizobiologists and the inoculant and seed-coating industries, innovative technology can now be generated, improving inoculum potential, giving higher crop yields using less fertilisers. The technology will generate a rural service industry providing coated seed products that reduce farmers' input costs and help maximise their income.Read moreRead less
The Development of Microbial Inoculants as Biofertilisers for Rice, Wheat and Turf-Grass. Plant-microbial interactions can increase vegetative growth and crop yield. These PGPR effects result from improved N and P nutrition, stimulation of root growth, disease control, altered environmental conditions and, most importantly, positive interactions between all these. This project aims to develop plant growth promoting bacteria and fungi as commercial products. By matching microbes to plants and soi ....The Development of Microbial Inoculants as Biofertilisers for Rice, Wheat and Turf-Grass. Plant-microbial interactions can increase vegetative growth and crop yield. These PGPR effects result from improved N and P nutrition, stimulation of root growth, disease control, altered environmental conditions and, most importantly, positive interactions between all these. This project aims to develop plant growth promoting bacteria and fungi as commercial products. By matching microbes to plants and soil environments, a set of peat-based inoculants will be optimised for application as biofertilisers to field crops and turfgrass.
Potential applications are both rural and urban.
The outcomes will be proven commercial products able to promote plant growth and rapid recovery from adverse conditions.Read moreRead less