Characterization of bioadhesives from marine diatom slimes and their interactions with different substrata; developing environmentally friendly, foul-release coatings. This project represents a collaborative effort between Melbourne University, the Department of Defense and Akzo Nobel to develop new, environmentally friendly strategies to modify and/or prevent marine slime adhesion in anti-foul coatings or paint. Fouling by diatom slimes occurs at great expense to industry and the Australian N ....Characterization of bioadhesives from marine diatom slimes and their interactions with different substrata; developing environmentally friendly, foul-release coatings. This project represents a collaborative effort between Melbourne University, the Department of Defense and Akzo Nobel to develop new, environmentally friendly strategies to modify and/or prevent marine slime adhesion in anti-foul coatings or paint. Fouling by diatom slimes occurs at great expense to industry and the Australian Navy, adding up to 60% annually to the cost of propulsive fuel consumption in shipping. We will characterize the chemical and physical properties of the slime adhesives in order to understand how organisms control adhesion, and use these principles to develop new technology, anti-foul paints.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis for oocyst and cyst wall formation in apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites such as Eimeria, Neospora, Toxoplasma and Plasmodium are single celled organisms - protozoa - that cause some of the most serious infectious diseases of livestock and humans ever known. Transmission of these parasites is dependent on their ability to encase themselves in protective structures known as oocyst or cyst walls. These walls are resistant to harsh environmental conditions, chemicals ....The molecular basis for oocyst and cyst wall formation in apicomplexan parasites. Apicomplexan parasites such as Eimeria, Neospora, Toxoplasma and Plasmodium are single celled organisms - protozoa - that cause some of the most serious infectious diseases of livestock and humans ever known. Transmission of these parasites is dependent on their ability to encase themselves in protective structures known as oocyst or cyst walls. These walls are resistant to harsh environmental conditions, chemicals and attack by the immune system. We will discover and characterise the molecular basis for cyst wall formation. This fundamental knowledge will be the building block for new, highly specific drugs and vaccines to control these extremely important pathogens.Read moreRead less
The role of the Ttyh1 protein in cell activation. We have cloned TTYH1, a human homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster tweety gene. The mouse gene has also been identified. The predicted structure of the protein is a membrane protein with 5 transmembrane domains. We have also expressed a GFP-tagged fusion protein in mouse fibroblasts. Confocal microscopy indicates that this protein is likely to be a novel adhesion molecule, with a cellular distribution characteristic of molecules such as integ ....The role of the Ttyh1 protein in cell activation. We have cloned TTYH1, a human homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster tweety gene. The mouse gene has also been identified. The predicted structure of the protein is a membrane protein with 5 transmembrane domains. We have also expressed a GFP-tagged fusion protein in mouse fibroblasts. Confocal microscopy indicates that this protein is likely to be a novel adhesion molecule, with a cellular distribution characteristic of molecules such as integrins. We aim to determine the function of Ttyh1, its interacting intra- and extra-cellular proteins and to assess its candidature as a molecule of importance in cell migration and adhesion.Read moreRead less