The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Assessing the physiological roles of ubiquitination in regulating neuronal ion channels, receptors and transporters. Significant alterations in the activity neuronal transporters and receptors occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as in many neurodegenerative disease states. Modulation of the pathways that control these transporters is an emerging therapeutic target, however, the molecular basis of these control mechanisms remain poorly understood. The outcome of this project will ....Assessing the physiological roles of ubiquitination in regulating neuronal ion channels, receptors and transporters. Significant alterations in the activity neuronal transporters and receptors occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as in many neurodegenerative disease states. Modulation of the pathways that control these transporters is an emerging therapeutic target, however, the molecular basis of these control mechanisms remain poorly understood. The outcome of this project will be a thorough characterisation of a novel regulatory paradigm in neurons that is likely to be crucial for neuronal development and regeneration, and will potentially provide novel therapeutic targets for various neuronal diseases.Read moreRead less
G-protein coupled receptor-mediated calcium signalling in parasympathetic neurons. External chemical stimuli act on specific cell-surface receptors of neurons resulting in an increase in the intracellular calcium ion concentration which acts as a second messenger to alter neuronal excitability. There are, however, many receptors acting through a number of closely related proteins involving complex intracellular signalling pathways which remain poorly understood. This project uses molecular, elec ....G-protein coupled receptor-mediated calcium signalling in parasympathetic neurons. External chemical stimuli act on specific cell-surface receptors of neurons resulting in an increase in the intracellular calcium ion concentration which acts as a second messenger to alter neuronal excitability. There are, however, many receptors acting through a number of closely related proteins involving complex intracellular signalling pathways which remain poorly understood. This project uses molecular, electrical and fluorescence techniques to elucidate the molecular basis for these interactions by identifying the roles individual proteins play in integrating diverse extracellular stimuli and neuronal excitablility in the peripheral nervous system.Read moreRead less
Functional ubiquitination of neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels. Alterations in the electrical properties of excitable cells occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as many disease states. Preventing or controlling these changes is a key strategic therapeutic aim. It is, however, only through a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular excitability that we can identify these therapeutic targets. The major outcome of this project will be a thor ....Functional ubiquitination of neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels. Alterations in the electrical properties of excitable cells occur during tissue injury and regeneration as well as many disease states. Preventing or controlling these changes is a key strategic therapeutic aim. It is, however, only through a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular excitability that we can identify these therapeutic targets. The major outcome of this project will be a thorough characterisation of a novel pathway that is potentially crucial in the development, homeostasis and regeneration of the nervous system. Disruption of normal function of this system may underlie the hyperexcitability observed in mannu neurodegenerative conditions.Read moreRead less
Glycerotoxin, a unique tool to investigate the dynamic interactions between N-type Ca2+ channels and the exo-endocytic machinery. Communication between neurons relies on exocytosis, a process in which synaptic vesicles containing a neurotransmitter release their content in the extracellular synaptic cleft. We have recently discovered a unique neurotoxin called glycerotoxin (GLTx), which selectively activates Ca2+ channels (Cav2.2), linked with the exocytic machinery in the Central Nervous System ....Glycerotoxin, a unique tool to investigate the dynamic interactions between N-type Ca2+ channels and the exo-endocytic machinery. Communication between neurons relies on exocytosis, a process in which synaptic vesicles containing a neurotransmitter release their content in the extracellular synaptic cleft. We have recently discovered a unique neurotoxin called glycerotoxin (GLTx), which selectively activates Ca2+ channels (Cav2.2), linked with the exocytic machinery in the Central Nervous System. GLTx provide a new tool to further dissect the role of Cav2.2 in controlling neurotransmitter release. GLTx also greatly facilitates synaptic vesicle recycling, suggesting an unexpected link between Cav2.2 activation and the compensatory endocytic machinery. Our goal is to investigate functional coupling between Cav2.2 and the exo- and endocytic machineries using GLTx.Read moreRead less
Monolayer crystallization of membrane proteins. Membrane proteins comprise 25-40% of all proteins and conduct a myriad of finely tuned reactions in every cell. Despite their importance and diversity only ~40 membrane protein structures have been solved, due to the difficulty of producing high quality 2D and 3D crystals. We propose to develop and use the new monolayer crystallization technique, which employs a lipid monolayer as a crystallization template for 2D crystal production. A number of ....Monolayer crystallization of membrane proteins. Membrane proteins comprise 25-40% of all proteins and conduct a myriad of finely tuned reactions in every cell. Despite their importance and diversity only ~40 membrane protein structures have been solved, due to the difficulty of producing high quality 2D and 3D crystals. We propose to develop and use the new monolayer crystallization technique, which employs a lipid monolayer as a crystallization template for 2D crystal production. A number of important membrane proteins are available for these structural studies including ABC transporters, Caveolin-3 and the NS1 protein of Dengue virus, all of which are difficult to crystallize using conventional techniques.Read moreRead less
Innovative Approaches to Membrane Protein Crystallography & Drug Discovery. Membrane proteins make up around 30% of the predicted products from our human genome, are critical for life, and represent the targets of biological agents like hormones and toxins as well as most drugs. Yet these proteins have persistently defied our best efforts to study them: we know very little about what they do or what they look like. This project is aimed at cracking the problem of membrane proteins, while at the ....Innovative Approaches to Membrane Protein Crystallography & Drug Discovery. Membrane proteins make up around 30% of the predicted products from our human genome, are critical for life, and represent the targets of biological agents like hormones and toxins as well as most drugs. Yet these proteins have persistently defied our best efforts to study them: we know very little about what they do or what they look like. This project is aimed at cracking the problem of membrane proteins, while at the same time developing screening methods that can be used to design drugs against them. The long-term benefits to the community will include fundamental new knowledge and the development of new technologies and pharmaceuticals.Read moreRead less
The structural biology of light capture: A molecular resolution 3D atlas of the photosynthetic machinery. This project underpins the development of carbon dioxide (CO2)-neutral fuels for the future. Fuels account for around sixty seven percent of the global energy market. The Solar-Biofuels Consortium (www.solarbiofuels.org) is targeting this market by developing high efficiency second generation microalgal biofuel systems for the production of bio-diesel, bio-methane and bio-hydrogen (shown on ....The structural biology of light capture: A molecular resolution 3D atlas of the photosynthetic machinery. This project underpins the development of carbon dioxide (CO2)-neutral fuels for the future. Fuels account for around sixty seven percent of the global energy market. The Solar-Biofuels Consortium (www.solarbiofuels.org) is targeting this market by developing high efficiency second generation microalgal biofuel systems for the production of bio-diesel, bio-methane and bio-hydrogen (shown on Catalyst 2007). The solar-powered microalgal bioreactors can be located on non-arable land (eliminating competition with food production) and be coupled to carbon sequestration. Closed systems also minimize water use. This technology differs from most others (that is, clean-coal, nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal) as these target the electricity market.Read moreRead less
Subunit stoichiometry and arrangement in the glycine receptor. Glycine receptors are important for nervous system function. These receptors comprise a mixture of 5 alpha and beta subunits arranged around a central ion-conducting pore. The subunit stoichiometry (i.e., numbers of alpha and beta subunits) and arrangement (i.e., subunit order) are unknown. The first aim of this project is to define these parameters using tethered subunits. The second aim is to use the tethered subunits to probe th ....Subunit stoichiometry and arrangement in the glycine receptor. Glycine receptors are important for nervous system function. These receptors comprise a mixture of 5 alpha and beta subunits arranged around a central ion-conducting pore. The subunit stoichiometry (i.e., numbers of alpha and beta subunits) and arrangement (i.e., subunit order) are unknown. The first aim of this project is to define these parameters using tethered subunits. The second aim is to use the tethered subunits to probe the structure and function of glycine and zinc binding sites at an unprecedented level of resolution. The results will provide crucial new information concerning glycine receptor structure and function.Read moreRead less
High Resolution EM Tomography of Specialised Plasma Membrane Domains. This project will provide National benefits in two major areas. Firstly, these studies will greatly increase our understanding of the cellular structures which are crucial to the functioning of cells in the body. Understanding the structure of the components of animal cells in three dimensions will provide long-term benefits in the quest to understand how a cell works in health and what goes wrong in disease. Secondly, this pr ....High Resolution EM Tomography of Specialised Plasma Membrane Domains. This project will provide National benefits in two major areas. Firstly, these studies will greatly increase our understanding of the cellular structures which are crucial to the functioning of cells in the body. Understanding the structure of the components of animal cells in three dimensions will provide long-term benefits in the quest to understand how a cell works in health and what goes wrong in disease. Secondly, this project will allow us to develop the new method of electron microscope tomography and apply it to a crucial question in biology. This will be a vital technique for Australian investigators in the coming years and this project will allow scientists and students to be trained in these state-of-the-art techniques.Read moreRead less
Molecular structure and function of the glycine receptor. This proposal will employ a cutting edge approach to reveal fundamental new insights into the ways that ligand-gated ion channels, and proteins in general, work. The new knowledge and technology developed here will broaden and strengthen Australia's research expertise across a number of basic scientific disciplines. The results will also have relevance to human health. Glycine receptors have an essential role in brain function and are ....Molecular structure and function of the glycine receptor. This proposal will employ a cutting edge approach to reveal fundamental new insights into the ways that ligand-gated ion channels, and proteins in general, work. The new knowledge and technology developed here will broaden and strengthen Australia's research expertise across a number of basic scientific disciplines. The results will also have relevance to human health. Glycine receptors have an essential role in brain function and are targets for anaesthetics and drugs of abuse. GlyRs are also important in modulating pain sensation by the brain. New insights into how natural agonists and drugs affect ion channel structure and function may lead to novel therapeutic opportunities and improved drug structure predictions.Read moreRead less