Gating and permeation in ClC channels. Chloride ion channels are essential proteins in all living cells but, compared to other channels, little is known of their structure or how this defines and controls chloride transport. We will produce both normal and structurally modified (mutant and known to cause disease) chloride channels in cultured cells by genetic engineering so that we can analyse channel function using a combination of electrophysiological and chemical methods. We expect to learn ....Gating and permeation in ClC channels. Chloride ion channels are essential proteins in all living cells but, compared to other channels, little is known of their structure or how this defines and controls chloride transport. We will produce both normal and structurally modified (mutant and known to cause disease) chloride channels in cultured cells by genetic engineering so that we can analyse channel function using a combination of electrophysiological and chemical methods. We expect to learn which channel parts are fundamental and how subtle changes in structure can alter the opening and closing of these channels and the way that chloride passes through them.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668241
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$824,610.00
Summary
A Facility for High-Throughput, Functional Gene Discovery Using Arrayed Retroviral Expression Cloning. The proposed facility will represent world-leading technology in functional genomics and provide Australian scientists with unique opportunities to identify genes involved in a broad range of biological processes. This will contribute to fundamental knowledge in mammalian biology, and equally importantly, is likely to identify genes involved in important health problems such as cancer, inflamma ....A Facility for High-Throughput, Functional Gene Discovery Using Arrayed Retroviral Expression Cloning. The proposed facility will represent world-leading technology in functional genomics and provide Australian scientists with unique opportunities to identify genes involved in a broad range of biological processes. This will contribute to fundamental knowledge in mammalian biology, and equally importantly, is likely to identify genes involved in important health problems such as cancer, inflammatory disease, brain damage and diabetes. Such genes may in turn constitute targets against which new therapies may be developed. This endeavour will contribute to national research priorities in both the health and scientific/technological development arenas.Read moreRead less
Hybrid cooling for coal fired power stations. Water shortage is a nation wide problem facing Australian industries. The project will directly benefit the Victorian power industry through water saving. If the new proposed hybrid cooling system concept is proved to be practically feasible, it will put the Australian power industry in a strong competitive position in terms of its efficiencies and waste heat recovery technology. Lowering the temperature of water into the cooling tower by 2 degree, b ....Hybrid cooling for coal fired power stations. Water shortage is a nation wide problem facing Australian industries. The project will directly benefit the Victorian power industry through water saving. If the new proposed hybrid cooling system concept is proved to be practically feasible, it will put the Australian power industry in a strong competitive position in terms of its efficiencies and waste heat recovery technology. Lowering the temperature of water into the cooling tower by 2 degree, by using the hybrid cooling system, it would save over 17,500,000 tons of makeup water per year for the Victorian power industry alone. At the same time, the waste heat recovered by the heat pump can be fed back to the power generation cycle. Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354715
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$40,000.00
Summary
The Australian Plant Nutriomics Network. The Australian Plant Nutriomics Network will link Australian scientists investigating aspects of the plant nutriome - the summation of processes that deliver nutrients and water from soil to plants. The network will establish a coordinated approach to understanding genes, proteins and metabolites involved in element acquisition and how their functions are linked to soil conditions to maximise food quality and overcome soil environmental challenges. Inter ....The Australian Plant Nutriomics Network. The Australian Plant Nutriomics Network will link Australian scientists investigating aspects of the plant nutriome - the summation of processes that deliver nutrients and water from soil to plants. The network will establish a coordinated approach to understanding genes, proteins and metabolites involved in element acquisition and how their functions are linked to soil conditions to maximise food quality and overcome soil environmental challenges. International articulation will ensure information exchange and enhance postgraduate and postdoctoral training by reciprocal visits and focused workshops. A major goal will be a strategy to integrate research using a complex systems approach to problems.Read moreRead less
Novel Nanostructured Polymeric Membranes for Energy Storage Applications. The project will bring the following significant benefit to the Australian community and economy:1. Energy and Environmental benefit: will provide the nation with renewable energy storage solution, with zero emission and urban pollution2. Global Standing: will position Australia as global leader in sustainable energy storage technology through ZBB's novel battery system development.3. Intellectual property: will deliver th ....Novel Nanostructured Polymeric Membranes for Energy Storage Applications. The project will bring the following significant benefit to the Australian community and economy:1. Energy and Environmental benefit: will provide the nation with renewable energy storage solution, with zero emission and urban pollution2. Global Standing: will position Australia as global leader in sustainable energy storage technology through ZBB's novel battery system development.3. Intellectual property: will deliver the nation a strong intellectual property (IP) position in the frontier technology4. Training: will train junior researcher and a high quality graduate in an emerging and multidisciplinary area of research with commercial turnover of more than $1000 million in AustraliaRead moreRead less
New High Temperature Proton Conducting Polymer Electrolyte For Sustainable Energy Conversion Applications. This project will bring the following significant benefit to the Australian community and economy:i)Energy and Environmental benefit: will provide the nation with an ultimate solution to zero emission vehicles and urban pollution; ii)Global Standing: will position Australia to become a global leader in sustainable energy conversion technology through the efficient fuel cell systems developm ....New High Temperature Proton Conducting Polymer Electrolyte For Sustainable Energy Conversion Applications. This project will bring the following significant benefit to the Australian community and economy:i)Energy and Environmental benefit: will provide the nation with an ultimate solution to zero emission vehicles and urban pollution; ii)Global Standing: will position Australia to become a global leader in sustainable energy conversion technology through the efficient fuel cell systems development;iii)Intellectual Property (IP): will deliver the nation a strong intellectual property (IP) position in the frontier technology, and; iv)Training: will train 2 high quality graduates in an emerging and multidisciplinary area of research with commercial turnover of more than $1000 million in Australia.Read moreRead less
New Insights into the Structure and Function of Pyruvate Carboxylase. Pyruvate carboxylase plays an essential roles in insulin secretion by pancreatic islets and in normal brain function, but excess expression of this enzyme in liver and adipose tissue is associated with diabetes and obesity.
Understanding the function of each structural feature in the reaction mechanism of an enzyme is essential to designing safe and effective pharmaceuticals that are required to modulate its activity.
Th ....New Insights into the Structure and Function of Pyruvate Carboxylase. Pyruvate carboxylase plays an essential roles in insulin secretion by pancreatic islets and in normal brain function, but excess expression of this enzyme in liver and adipose tissue is associated with diabetes and obesity.
Understanding the function of each structural feature in the reaction mechanism of an enzyme is essential to designing safe and effective pharmaceuticals that are required to modulate its activity.
This project, which will use cutting edge techniques in an experimental model, seeks to characterise this important enzyme's function so that better treatments can be developed in future for diabetes and obesity.
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Role of plant host factors in the replication and pathogenesis of Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV). Geminivirus infection is an emerging problem in the Australian tomato growing industry which is currently worth ca.A$200m annually. Knowledge gained from this research will have direct benefit in safeguarding this industry by providing an insight into geminivirus replication and identifying molecular targets for virus control. More generally, the technology developed through this study will contribu ....Role of plant host factors in the replication and pathogenesis of Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV). Geminivirus infection is an emerging problem in the Australian tomato growing industry which is currently worth ca.A$200m annually. Knowledge gained from this research will have direct benefit in safeguarding this industry by providing an insight into geminivirus replication and identifying molecular targets for virus control. More generally, the technology developed through this study will contribute to our basic understanding of virus replication in plants with a view to controlling virus diseases by direct molecular intervention with specifically engineered tools. We foresee potential industrial applications. Read moreRead less
Structural and Functional Aspects of the Allosteric Regulation of Pyruvate Carboxylase by Acyl-CoA Compounds. Pyruvate carboxylase occupies a central location in intermediary metabolism catalysing the formation of oxaloacetate, a key component of the Krebs' tricarboxylic acid cycle especially in its synthetic modes in gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis and in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
This project aims: (i) To produce crystals of pyruvate carboxylase for determining its structure by X-ra ....Structural and Functional Aspects of the Allosteric Regulation of Pyruvate Carboxylase by Acyl-CoA Compounds. Pyruvate carboxylase occupies a central location in intermediary metabolism catalysing the formation of oxaloacetate, a key component of the Krebs' tricarboxylic acid cycle especially in its synthetic modes in gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis and in the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
This project aims: (i) To produce crystals of pyruvate carboxylase for determining its structure by X-ray diffraction; (ii) To use affinity-labelling to determine the amino acid residues in the binding site of the enzyme's allosteric activator, acetyl-CoA; (iii) To construct chimeric enzymes from different species to define regions of the enzyme which affect its responses to its important allosteric activator, acetyl-CoA.
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Investigating the coupled dependencies of soot in turbulent flames by advanced laser diagnostics and modelling. The community will benefit from the project by reduced air pollution and improved health and safety. Soot is a major air pollutant, adversely effecting public health, while also contributing directly to global warming. It also dominates heat transfer and influences the emissions of NOx and CO2. The project will significantly advance detailed understanding and modelling capability of fl ....Investigating the coupled dependencies of soot in turbulent flames by advanced laser diagnostics and modelling. The community will benefit from the project by reduced air pollution and improved health and safety. Soot is a major air pollutant, adversely effecting public health, while also contributing directly to global warming. It also dominates heat transfer and influences the emissions of NOx and CO2. The project will significantly advance detailed understanding and modelling capability of flames containing soot. Hence it will provide significantly improved capability to optimise these flames in applications spanning gas turbines, power generation, minerals processing and fires.Read moreRead less