The Contribution Of Host Caveolin-1 To Breast Cancer Metastasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$517,992.00
Summary
Mortality in breast cancer rises to 80% in cases where secondary tumors form in other organs. To improve outcome, a better understanding of the processes involved in cancer spread is needed. Normal cells contribute to the growth and spread of a tumour and are a target for therapy. When a protein called caveolin-1 is lost from normal cells in a tumour, the prognosis for the patient is much worse. The aim of this project is to understand how this protein can regulate the spread of breast cancer.
Muller Cell Reactivity During Diabetic Retinopathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$258,000.00
Summary
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the working population. In some patients with diabetes, blood vessels within the retina proliferate, haemorrhage or cause retinal detachment. The underlying changes within the retina that lead to the proliferation of blood vessels are not well understood. One of the factors that leads to changes in retinal blood vessels is an increase in growth factors from cells within the retina called Muller cells. Muller cells are vital for the normal function of ....Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the working population. In some patients with diabetes, blood vessels within the retina proliferate, haemorrhage or cause retinal detachment. The underlying changes within the retina that lead to the proliferation of blood vessels are not well understood. One of the factors that leads to changes in retinal blood vessels is an increase in growth factors from cells within the retina called Muller cells. Muller cells are vital for the normal function of the retina and are known to be abnormal late in diabetes. They may also be dysfunctional early in diabetes and could play a significant role in causing the early changes seen in diabetes. Therefore a good understanding of how Muller cells change and the time at which they change is vitally important to gain a better understanding of the defects that are associated with diabetes. Furthermore, an understanding of the basic underlying cellular changes that occur in dibaetes will aid the development of more specific therapeutic agents in the future.Read moreRead less
Viral Factors Contributing To Flavivirus-induced Cell Death And Pathogenicity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$612,885.00
Summary
West Nile virus is a mosquito-transmitted pathogen that causes severe and fatal neurological disease in humans. There are currently no effective treatments or vaccines for this disease. In this project, we will investigate how West Nile virus and other viruses of the same group use a novel translational regulatory mechanism to modulate the host antiviral response and facilitate viral pathogenicity. This will provide valuable information for the development of effective treatments against this me ....West Nile virus is a mosquito-transmitted pathogen that causes severe and fatal neurological disease in humans. There are currently no effective treatments or vaccines for this disease. In this project, we will investigate how West Nile virus and other viruses of the same group use a novel translational regulatory mechanism to modulate the host antiviral response and facilitate viral pathogenicity. This will provide valuable information for the development of effective treatments against this medically important group of viral pathogens.Read moreRead less
The balance between cell division and programmed cell death is crucial for normal development, maintenance of homeostasis, and immune system function. Inappropriately regulated cell death contributes to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune syndromes and several forms of cancer. Death receptors such as Fas and TNFR1 are cell-surface sensors that trigger cellular destruction by apoptosis in response to specific extracellular death s ....The balance between cell division and programmed cell death is crucial for normal development, maintenance of homeostasis, and immune system function. Inappropriately regulated cell death contributes to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune syndromes and several forms of cancer. Death receptors such as Fas and TNFR1 are cell-surface sensors that trigger cellular destruction by apoptosis in response to specific extracellular death signals. Recent studies have demonstrated that the mechanisms of signal transduction through Fas and TNFR1 differ significantly, however, they both require the adaptor protein FADD to induce apoptosis. In this study we will elucidate the molecular basis of the interactions between FADD and its binding partners using biochemical and biophysical studies. This research will improve our understanding of death receptor-induced apoptosis and the differences in signalling mechanisms. A detailed knowledge of these aspects of death receptor signalling is of significance because they represent critical regulatory steps that could be useful for targeted interventions.Read moreRead less
Structural Basis For Restraint And Activation Of Pro-apoptotic Bax And Bak
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,478.00
Summary
The aim of this project is to understand how cell death is controlled. Defects in the cell death machinery occur in many cancers, making that machinery an attractive target for cancer therapeutics. My experiments will yield atomic resolution pictures of the functional machinery, illustrating for the first time how the molecular brakes are applied to prevent cells dying. Understanding these structures will aid the discovery of drugs that can activate the cell death machinery in cancer cells.
Structural Determinants Of Siah Ubiquitin Ligase Complexes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$267,750.00
Summary
Controlled degradation of cellular proteins is an important process. The turnover of proteins is a fine balance between protein expression and degradation and alterations can control many cellular processes such as mitosis and intracellular signaling. Whilst a lot of research has been directed at understanding protein expression in response to stimuli such as hormones, stress etc. little has been known about the mechanisms for targeting protein degradation. In recent years it has been shown that ....Controlled degradation of cellular proteins is an important process. The turnover of proteins is a fine balance between protein expression and degradation and alterations can control many cellular processes such as mitosis and intracellular signaling. Whilst a lot of research has been directed at understanding protein expression in response to stimuli such as hormones, stress etc. little has been known about the mechanisms for targeting protein degradation. In recent years it has been shown that proteins can be modified by the addition of a signaling protein called ubiquitin, and it is this modified form that is recognised for degradation. The degradation of these proteins occurs within a large protein complex called the proteasome, which recognizes the ubiquitinated protein substrates. The ubiquitination of proteins is a multistep process, the final step of which is catalyzed by a ubiquitin ligase, or E3 enzyme. It is the E3 which is able to recognize the protein to be degraded, and catalyze the transfer of ubiquitin onto that protein. The E3 proteins (or sometimes complexes) are a diverse group which have to recognize many different proteins, in order that they be degraded at appropriate times. We have been working on the protein Siah (seven in absentia homologue), a member of an E3 complex and important in controlled cell death, cell division and inflammatory responses. One part of the Siah protein is involved in binding proteins and targeting them for ubiquitination, though it is not known how Siah recognizes its targets. Using protein crystallography we have solved the 3D structure of this part of Siah and now propose to co-crystallize Siah with target proteins and binding partners so as to understand how Siah recognizes these proteins. Understanding the basis of these interactions will allow us to determine other potential targets for the Siah protein and also how we may be able to interfere with these interactions with therapeutic drugs.Read moreRead less