Antibiotic resistance is a looming public health crisis. New antibiotics with new mechanisms of action are desperately needed. The long-term goal of this research is to develop new drugs that disarm bacteria to overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Designing offices well. This project aims to describe, quantify and analyse the impact of workspace design on workers’ satisfaction, productivity and health. The Australian market is the fastest adopter of Activity-Based Working (ABW) in the world and impacts arising from this workspace typology on workers will be significant now and in the next decade. This project will develop benchmarking for ABW offices, techniques for monitoring cognitive performance in situ, and design guidelines for healt ....Designing offices well. This project aims to describe, quantify and analyse the impact of workspace design on workers’ satisfaction, productivity and health. The Australian market is the fastest adopter of Activity-Based Working (ABW) in the world and impacts arising from this workspace typology on workers will be significant now and in the next decade. This project will develop benchmarking for ABW offices, techniques for monitoring cognitive performance in situ, and design guidelines for health promotion. By shifting attention to design features that actually perform well, this project will provide the empirical basis needed to transform the way workspaces are designed now and in the future. It will therefore lead to greater productivity in and among workplaces.Read moreRead less
A Structural Understanding Of Class B G Protein-coupled Receptor Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,289,570.00
Summary
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cell surface proteins that enable communication from external signals to the inside of cells of the body. Class B GPCRs are a therapeutically important subclass of these receptors and they play crucial roles in bone and energy homeostasis, cardiovascular control and immune response. This grant will uncover fundamental knowledge on how these receptors work, and will enhance future development of therapeutics.
Targeted Development Of AMPK Β2-isoform Allosteric Activators
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$898,147.00
Summary
Sedentary lifestyles and consumption of high energy foods has led to dramatic increases in the incidence of diseases associated with metabolic dysregulation e.g. type 2 diabetes. An attractive drug target to treat these diseases is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which functions as a cellular fuel gauge. We have discovered a new drug that crucially activates the form of AMPK found in metabolically active organs. We aim to develop this drug to unlock new therapeutic opportunity.
Offsite manufacture reimagined for high-performance adaptable housing. The project aims to address housing performance and affordability in Australia by deploying adaptable design for spatial reconfiguration and component reuse, to advance offsite timber manufacture towards energy efficient and healthy homes as mainstream practice. The intended outcome is the development, prototyping and monitoring of an offsite manufactured panelised lightweight timber system for high-performance homes, that is ....Offsite manufacture reimagined for high-performance adaptable housing. The project aims to address housing performance and affordability in Australia by deploying adaptable design for spatial reconfiguration and component reuse, to advance offsite timber manufacture towards energy efficient and healthy homes as mainstream practice. The intended outcome is the development, prototyping and monitoring of an offsite manufactured panelised lightweight timber system for high-performance homes, that is adaptable to all Australian climates and long-term household changes. This will contribute to the sustainable growth of the Australian housing market with significant benefits on housing affordability, adaptable design and long-lasting performance, while boosting the offsite manufactured timber construction sector.Read moreRead less
Understanding Changes In The Mammalian Prenylome Induced By Statins And Prenyltransferase Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$566,308.00
Summary
Prenylation, the covalent attachment of isoprenoid lipids to proteins, is widespread in mammalian cells. Essential for a protein's normal function, it contributes to the progression of cancer and inflammation. We have developed a novel technology to identify all prenylated proteins in the cell. Aided by this method, we will analyse the effect of statins and anti-cancer drugs on protein prenylation. This will provide guidance in identifying a more effective clinical use for them.
Designing healthy and efficient luminous environments in Green Buildings. This project aims to investigate the relationship between indoor lighting, visual comfort, and office workers’ wellbeing for green buildings in Australia. Around 50 per cent of workers in green commercial buildings in subtropical climates have reported visual discomfort from glass facades and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Visual discomfort could affect people’s performance. It could also increase energy consumption due to ....Designing healthy and efficient luminous environments in Green Buildings. This project aims to investigate the relationship between indoor lighting, visual comfort, and office workers’ wellbeing for green buildings in Australia. Around 50 per cent of workers in green commercial buildings in subtropical climates have reported visual discomfort from glass facades and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Visual discomfort could affect people’s performance. It could also increase energy consumption due to users’ interventions, causing a clear mismatch between design intent and final results. The project aims to relate the luminous environment to occupant responses and to use a novel tool for capturing physical and psychological properties of luminous environments through smart phones. The outcome should be a predictive model of visual comfort for better design of buildings.Read moreRead less
Co-ordinated Action of ATM and DNA-PK in DNA damage recognition. The aim of this project is to investigate the mechanism of repair of double straind breaks in DNA sustained after radiation damage. Specifically we will focus on two proteins ATM (mutated in the genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia) and DNA-PK mutated in scid mice. There two proteins recognize double straind breaks in DNA and signal this damage to the DNA repair machinery of the cell and to cell cycle checkpoints. The emphasis ....Co-ordinated Action of ATM and DNA-PK in DNA damage recognition. The aim of this project is to investigate the mechanism of repair of double straind breaks in DNA sustained after radiation damage. Specifically we will focus on two proteins ATM (mutated in the genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia) and DNA-PK mutated in scid mice. There two proteins recognize double straind breaks in DNA and signal this damage to the DNA repair machinery of the cell and to cell cycle checkpoints. The emphasis here will be in the relationship between the two proteins in co-ordinating the repair of breaks in DNA. This information will be important in understanding mechanisms for maintaining the integrity of the genome.Read moreRead less
An international evaluation of work-family balance: Validation of the work-family balance measure and theoretical model. Work-family imbalance costs Australia $8 billion per annum, via staff absenteeism, turnover, and health costs. By employing two Australian and three international experts, this project will investigate the long-term process of work-family balance, identify effective employment policies, and produce a new balance measure for use by industry and government. This will lead to imp ....An international evaluation of work-family balance: Validation of the work-family balance measure and theoretical model. Work-family imbalance costs Australia $8 billion per annum, via staff absenteeism, turnover, and health costs. By employing two Australian and three international experts, this project will investigate the long-term process of work-family balance, identify effective employment policies, and produce a new balance measure for use by industry and government. This will lead to improved health, personal satisfaction and employment choices for working Australians, and hence higher productivity for industry. The research addresses the second national research priority: promoting and maintaining good health. The consequential contributions to knowledge will directly benefit Australia's regard within the global academic community.Read moreRead less