Developing Novel Anti-cancer Agens By High Throughput Chemical Screens For Small Molcules That Modulate The Pro-survival
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$125,000.00
Summary
Cancer is the second commonest cause of deaths in our community. Unfortunately, treatment often fails or causes unwanted side effects. This proposal seeks to discover and develop a novel class of anti-cancer drugs that act by directly activating programmed cell death (apoptosis). The Bcl-2 proteins are key regulators of cell death and by exploiting knowledge about these prime targets for cancer therapy, we aim to discover drugs that are potentially of considerable medical and commercial value.
Controlling The Pro-survival Protein Mcl-1: Discovering Novel Opportunities And Developing Innovative Approaches To Target Mcl-1 For Treating Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$749,415.00
Summary
Cancer cells are often sustained by evading cell death. Thus, a promising approach to develop new cancer treatments aims to restore their ability to commit cell suicide. Proteins related to Bcl-2 are, in this regard, attractive targets because they are prominent barriers to cell death. This project seeks to uncover how a Bcl-2 relative, Mcl-1, is regulated, and to explore how the mechanisms that underpin these processes can be targeted in cancers (melanomas, leukemias) that it sustains.
Cancers arise as a result of the impairment of critical cellular processes following the mutation of important regulatory genes. I am a molecular biologist and I study how the proteins of the Bcl-2 family regulate apoptosis, a process of cell death essential to maintain homeostasis in multicellular organisms, with the aim of designing drugs to kill cancer cells selectively. I am also interested in discovering new genes involved in the development of cancer using new genomics technology.
Schistosomiasis is one of the world's most serious and prevalent diseases affecting nearly 200 million people world-wide. It is currently treated with a single drug, though there is growing concern about the development of resistance to it. In this proposal we will explore whether a new cellular pathway involving the cell death machinery we have identified in the disease-causing parasites could provide a possible target for the development of new treatments against schistosomiasis.
Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by parasites known as schistosomes. As the current use of a single drug could lead to resistance, there is an urgency for new drugs. I discovered a novel cell death machinery in schistosomes and I now aim to unravel how this cell death pathway works and to identify the players required for parasite survival. The next step will then be to develop molecules that neutralize the activity of these pro-survival molecules hence leading to parasite death.
Elucidating The Cellular Processes That Are Critical For P53 Mediated Tumour Suppression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,016,108.00
Summary
p53 is a tumour suppressor gene that is mutated in ~50% of human cancers. Mutations in p53 cause development of cancer and render malignant cells resistant to chemotherapy. We have identified genes regulated by p53 that appear critical for its tumour suppressive function. In this project, we will use innovative novel genetic tools to discover the cellular and biochemical functions of these genes. The ultimate goal of our studies is to identify novel targets for anti-cancer therapy.
Defining The Role Of The Ubiquitin Protein Ligase Nedd4 In Vascular Development.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$702,166.00
Summary
Blood and lymphatic vessels are vital components of the cardiovascular system. Abnormalities in the growth and development of these vessels are associated with human disorders including cancer and cardiovascular disease. The focus of this application is to characterise the role of the ubiquitin protein ligase Nedd4 in vascular development, with the aim of identifying targets to which novel therapeutics for the treatment of blood and lymphatic vascular diseases could be generated.
Understanding Human Dysmorphology Through Analysis Of ENU Mutant Mice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$602,501.00
Summary
Birth defects are common and have an enormous impact on both the individual and their family. Birth defects are by definition the products of abnormal development of the embryo. Our research is aimed at identifying the normal mechanisms that usually prevail during development and the disturbances to those mechanisms that result in birth defects. These findings will lead to improved diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative options for families affected by birth defects
Rapid Identification And Characterisation Of Genes Involved In Skeletal Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,536.00
Summary
Birth defects are common and have an enormous impact on both the individual and their family. Birth defects are by definition the products of abnormal development of the embryo. Our research is aimed at identifying the normal mechanisms that usually prevail during development and the disturbances to those mechanisms that result in birth defects. These findings will lead to improved diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative options for families affected by birth defects