Using multiple data sources to understand the opioid crisis in Australia . This project aims to improve the quality and integration of population-level data for monitoring the consumption of opioids, licit and illicit, in Queensland communities. The analysis of opioids in wastewater, integrated with opioid use information such as prescription and seizure statistics will vastly increase knowledge of consumption patterns of opioids. By analysing wastewater samples from 2011 and triangulating with ....Using multiple data sources to understand the opioid crisis in Australia . This project aims to improve the quality and integration of population-level data for monitoring the consumption of opioids, licit and illicit, in Queensland communities. The analysis of opioids in wastewater, integrated with opioid use information such as prescription and seizure statistics will vastly increase knowledge of consumption patterns of opioids. By analysing wastewater samples from 2011 and triangulating with other datasets, the expected outcomes include building capacity to estimate consumption of all opioids; detecting the misuse of licit and illicit opioids over time. Anticipated benefit is to provide objective evidence of opioid use patterns for decision makers and a framework for a national opioids monitoring program.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100147
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,000.00
Summary
Revitalising NMR facilities in South Australia - Stage 2. The determination of molecular structure using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a fundamental and powerful technique that is utilised by researchers across numerous disciplines. We are proposing to upgrade NMR facilities within South Australia in a carefully staged process so as to provide researchers access to state of the art experiments on modern instrumentation. In this proposal we aim to replace end of life components as well as p ....Revitalising NMR facilities in South Australia - Stage 2. The determination of molecular structure using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a fundamental and powerful technique that is utilised by researchers across numerous disciplines. We are proposing to upgrade NMR facilities within South Australia in a carefully staged process so as to provide researchers access to state of the art experiments on modern instrumentation. In this proposal we aim to replace end of life components as well as provide increased sensitivity and capability by installing new probes. We aim to minimise duplication and maximise capability by undertaking a coordinated approach to NMR upgrades.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100050
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,681,491.00
Summary
A national network for magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our proposed network of high-end facilities for solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy aims to establish cutting-edge capabilities nationally for molecular and materials characterisation. The new infrastructure will enable advanced studies in chemistry, drug design, materials science, and environmental sciences. The expected outcomes include new discoveries, innovative applications, and potential commercialisation of new produc ....A national network for magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our proposed network of high-end facilities for solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy aims to establish cutting-edge capabilities nationally for molecular and materials characterisation. The new infrastructure will enable advanced studies in chemistry, drug design, materials science, and environmental sciences. The expected outcomes include new discoveries, innovative applications, and potential commercialisation of new products, which will bring significant economic benefits to the Australian economy. Additionally, the network will foster collaborations with international researchers and industry partners in areas of biotechnology, energy capture and storage, and environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101231
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,837.00
Summary
Quinoid Polymers for Organic Electrochemical Transistors and Bioelectronics. This project aims to develop organic semiconductors (OSCs) with excellent mechanical flexibility and biocompatibility to exploit their potentials in bioelectronics. It connects the electronic world with ionic world of biology to push the biomedical application of OSCs a big step forward. Interdisciplinary knowledge, intellectual properties (IPs), top-notch publications, invited talks, and international collaborations ar ....Quinoid Polymers for Organic Electrochemical Transistors and Bioelectronics. This project aims to develop organic semiconductors (OSCs) with excellent mechanical flexibility and biocompatibility to exploit their potentials in bioelectronics. It connects the electronic world with ionic world of biology to push the biomedical application of OSCs a big step forward. Interdisciplinary knowledge, intellectual properties (IPs), top-notch publications, invited talks, and international collaborations are expected. Additionally, it will earn Australia a commercial lead in the biomedical sector to attract more talents to serve Australia. This project also matches well with several government’s strategic research priorities, attracting industries to realise IPs transfer to bring “great value for money” to feed back Australia.Read moreRead less
Artificial Self-Replication of Peptide Nanocapsules. Replication is key to the operation of biology, but how molecular replicators arose spontaneously on early Earth remains an open question. The ability of molecules to self-replicate must have come before the development of the highly evolved enzymes that biology currently employs. The aim of this Future Fellowship is to develop a peptide nanocapsule capable of replicating itself nonenzymatically by self-templated ligation, thus offering a plat ....Artificial Self-Replication of Peptide Nanocapsules. Replication is key to the operation of biology, but how molecular replicators arose spontaneously on early Earth remains an open question. The ability of molecules to self-replicate must have come before the development of the highly evolved enzymes that biology currently employs. The aim of this Future Fellowship is to develop a peptide nanocapsule capable of replicating itself nonenzymatically by self-templated ligation, thus offering a platform that possesses the traits needed for Darwinian evolution to emerge. By obtaining a better understanding of the design and function of self-replicating systems, this project is expected to transform our understanding of some of the key chemical principles needed for life's emergence.Read moreRead less
Oxytocin receptor PET ligands: imaging the love receptor’s engagement. This project aims to develop a positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for the oxytocin receptor. This novel platform is significant as it will allow the scientific community to answer questions about the role of the oxytocin receptor in the important process of social behaviour which underlies quality of life. This knowledge gap has remained unanswered for decades due to the lack of specific techniques to measure oxytocin ....Oxytocin receptor PET ligands: imaging the love receptor’s engagement. This project aims to develop a positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for the oxytocin receptor. This novel platform is significant as it will allow the scientific community to answer questions about the role of the oxytocin receptor in the important process of social behaviour which underlies quality of life. This knowledge gap has remained unanswered for decades due to the lack of specific techniques to measure oxytocin receptor engagement. It is also significant as it will equip Australian startup Kinoxis Therapeutics to progress their molecules to market, a process enabled by measuring oxytocin receptor engagement. Our dual expertise on the oxytocin receptor and PET ligand development uniquely situate us to generate this technology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100356
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,241.00
Summary
Bacterial membrane remodelling and the interaction with peptides. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental mechanism of lipid remodelling in Gram-negative outer membrane, which is critical both in preventing noxious compounds and evading host immune defence. For the first time, the complex interplays between bacterial cellular metabolism and membrane remodelling will be defined through systems pharmacology, and the precise membrane-peptide interaction will be examined by computational and ....Bacterial membrane remodelling and the interaction with peptides. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental mechanism of lipid remodelling in Gram-negative outer membrane, which is critical both in preventing noxious compounds and evading host immune defence. For the first time, the complex interplays between bacterial cellular metabolism and membrane remodelling will be defined through systems pharmacology, and the precise membrane-peptide interaction will be examined by computational and biophysical approaches. Novel knowledge will be generated to improve our understanding on how bacteria remodel their outer membrane in response to environmental stress. This will benefit the future design of much-needed antimicrobial strategies including products and technologies to target bacterial membrane. Read moreRead less
How lipid binding proteins shape the activity of nuclear hormone receptors. This project aims to explore how a family of lipid binding proteins control organ specific activation of nuclear receptors – receptors that play a key role in generating energy and are critical for life. The project will employ chemical, molecular, cell biology approaches to generate new knowledge about lipid binding protein-receptor interactions and how these complexes dictate receptor activation. The outcomes could pro ....How lipid binding proteins shape the activity of nuclear hormone receptors. This project aims to explore how a family of lipid binding proteins control organ specific activation of nuclear receptors – receptors that play a key role in generating energy and are critical for life. The project will employ chemical, molecular, cell biology approaches to generate new knowledge about lipid binding protein-receptor interactions and how these complexes dictate receptor activation. The outcomes could provide a roadmap to design drugs that interact with the right protein in the right tissue and in doing so dramatically enhance drug specificity. This will benefit the success of drug treatments which require stimulation of a therapeutic response at a target site, and avoidance of potentially toxic activity at other locations.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE240100063
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,900,000.00
Summary
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Beam-Sensitive Materials. This project aims to establish a transmission electron microscopy facility for the high-throughput characterisation of delicate materials, at the atomic scale and a broad range of temperatures. Unique in Australia, this capability will enable the location and type of atoms critical to materials properties to be determined for materials as diverse as lithium-bearing minerals, next-generation solar cells and drug-delivery agen ....Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Beam-Sensitive Materials. This project aims to establish a transmission electron microscopy facility for the high-throughput characterisation of delicate materials, at the atomic scale and a broad range of temperatures. Unique in Australia, this capability will enable the location and type of atoms critical to materials properties to be determined for materials as diverse as lithium-bearing minerals, next-generation solar cells and drug-delivery agents. In this way it will foster the engineering of new materials for addressing current challenges in energy, environment, transport, health and manufacturing. This will be a national, open access facility for use by research institutions and industry, and for training the next generation of postgraduate students.Read moreRead less
Understanding and controlling neuropeptide GPCR-transducer coupling. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are physiologically essential, yet the spatiotemporal complexity of receptor function has limited our understanding of their function and success in drug development. Using a multi-disciplinary approach integrating GPCR signalling, trafficking and drug delivery, this research program aims to understand, and control, the molecular mechanisms that enable a single receptor to respond to differen ....Understanding and controlling neuropeptide GPCR-transducer coupling. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are physiologically essential, yet the spatiotemporal complexity of receptor function has limited our understanding of their function and success in drug development. Using a multi-disciplinary approach integrating GPCR signalling, trafficking and drug delivery, this research program aims to understand, and control, the molecular mechanisms that enable a single receptor to respond to different ligands to promote unique cellular processes. The anticipated outcomes include an enhanced capacity for understanding fundamental biology, and stronger national and international collaborations. It will provide significant benefits including expanded basic knowledge and advancement of drug delivery technology.Read moreRead less