I am a cross-disciplinary scientist using cell, molecular, biophysical and bioengineering techniques to better understand how parasites of red blood cells cause severe and fatal diseases
I am a cell biologist determining how the organization of the plasma membrane influences signal transduction processes; my long-term goal is to understand the spatial–temporal organization of cell signalling.
The Implications Of Focal Adhesion Organization On Signal Transduction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,614.00
Summary
The areas of a cell's attachment to their surroundings are known as focal adhesion. Apart from linking the inside and outside of a cell, focal adhesions act as a communication centre transmitting incoming and outgoing signals. How focal adhesions themselves are organized is currently not known. We propose to adhere cells to model surfaces to control the protein and membrane structure of focal adhesions and measure how focal adhesion structure affects cell communication.
Characterization Of A Novel Family Of LIM-only Proteins; Role In Skeletal Muscle Differentiation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,564.00
Summary
This project aims to study the role of a new family of related proteins in skeletal muscle. One of these proteins has been shown to be deficient in muscle cancers. These proteins are important for the development and normal functioning of muscle. Related proteins have been shown to be linked with heart failure in animals. These proteins also potentially interact with proteins causing muscular dystrophy. We have identified a new family of proteins in skeletal muscle. These proteins contain so-cal ....This project aims to study the role of a new family of related proteins in skeletal muscle. One of these proteins has been shown to be deficient in muscle cancers. These proteins are important for the development and normal functioning of muscle. Related proteins have been shown to be linked with heart failure in animals. These proteins also potentially interact with proteins causing muscular dystrophy. We have identified a new family of proteins in skeletal muscle. These proteins contain so-called LIM domains, which mediate binding to other proteins. This study proposes to determine how these proteins influence skeletal muscle development and the consequences of abnormal levels of these proteins. This may lead to insights into the mechanism of cardiac failure, muscle cancers and muscular dystrophy.Read moreRead less
Dendritic cells are a very rare type of white blood cell which play a critical role in the initiation of the immune response. They are of particular interest to scientists interested in vaccination, as for a vaccine to work effectively, the vaccine must be presented to the rest of the immune system by the dendritic cell. It has only recently become apparent that there are several types of dendritic cell, and these different types of dendritic cell vary in their ability to present a vaccine to th ....Dendritic cells are a very rare type of white blood cell which play a critical role in the initiation of the immune response. They are of particular interest to scientists interested in vaccination, as for a vaccine to work effectively, the vaccine must be presented to the rest of the immune system by the dendritic cell. It has only recently become apparent that there are several types of dendritic cell, and these different types of dendritic cell vary in their ability to present a vaccine to the immune system. We have already identified some proteins that are expressed on the surface of only one type of dendritic cell. We will explore the possible use of these proteins as a means of delivering a vaccine to only one type of dendritic cell. This project will also identify new genes that are expressed in some types of dendritic cells but not others. These new genes whose expression does differ amongst the dendritic cells are potential targets for manipulating the immune system and ensuring more efficient vaccination.Read moreRead less
This research program aims to gain a detailed understanding of the organisation of the cell surface at the molecular level. The cell surface is organised into domains with distinct functions. Visualisation of these domains, identifying their important components, and understanding how they form and function will have huge importance for therapeutic strategies aimed at combatting the changes associated with cell transformation in cancer and in other human diseases such as muscular dystrophy.