Novel green scalable chemical peptide synthesis and enzyme immobilization. The Project aims to address the critical issue of developing green processes for the chemical production of peptides including on an industrial scale. It will use unique, biocompatible solid supports that have been invented by our partner SpheriTech Ltd together with other reagents to allow synthesis to be conducted in water rather than toxic organic solvents. Expected outcomes of the Project include an international part ....Novel green scalable chemical peptide synthesis and enzyme immobilization. The Project aims to address the critical issue of developing green processes for the chemical production of peptides including on an industrial scale. It will use unique, biocompatible solid supports that have been invented by our partner SpheriTech Ltd together with other reagents to allow synthesis to be conducted in water rather than toxic organic solvents. Expected outcomes of the Project include an international partnership in highly efficient environmentally-friendly assembly of peptides and of their analogues by both solid phase synthesis and immobilized enzyme-mediated ligation. The clear benefit will be the first novel, water-based, scalable green synthesis of peptides as biological probes and potential therapeutic agents.Read moreRead less
Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors w ....Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors will be used to devise a simple portable colorimetric test that can be performed in the vineyard or the winery. The ability to rapidly determine the level of grape contamination with phenolic glucosides would give Australian wine growers and wine makers a powerful tool to mitigate the effects of bushfires.Read moreRead less
Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approac ....Engineering safer pastures for livestock. This project aims to develop subterranean clover with elevated condensed tannins in leaves. This important pasture legume is currently a bloat risk for cattle and sheep due to low condensed tannins and high soluble proteins. Bloat is a health issue that costs the Australian and New Zealand livestock industries over $200 million per annum. Condensed tannins can reduce bloat, decrease methane production and improve efficiency of production. A novel approach using CRISPR and other innovative molecular techniques will generate breeding lines high in condensed tannins and deliver knowledge applicable to other pasture legumes. Expected outcomes for livestock producers include improved animal welfare, reduced carbon emissions and enhanced profits.Read moreRead less
Greening the production of peptides and proteins . This project aims to develop a green and sustainable synthetic platform for the production of peptide and protein molecules. The synthetic methodology that will be developed has the potential to solve a major technological gap in the field by providing an efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing peptides and proteins with a substantial reduction in reagent and solvent waste over currently employed methods. Expected outcomes include ....Greening the production of peptides and proteins . This project aims to develop a green and sustainable synthetic platform for the production of peptide and protein molecules. The synthetic methodology that will be developed has the potential to solve a major technological gap in the field by providing an efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing peptides and proteins with a substantial reduction in reagent and solvent waste over currently employed methods. Expected outcomes include the delivery of a breakthrough green technology for accessing high value peptide and protein targets in academia and industry, and the training of industry-ready early career researchers, both of which will benefit Australia’s growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.Read moreRead less
Gut Absorption of Constrained Peptides for Local and Systemic Targeting. Aims: This project aims to investigate how peptides are absorbed across the intestinal wall and distributed to organs and fluids in a rodent model by combining bio-analysis and pharmacokinetics with high-resolution microscopy and imaging.
Significance: This project expects to generate the most comprehensive survey to date of the pathways and mechanisms of peptide absorption, biodistribution and immune cell targeting, by ....Gut Absorption of Constrained Peptides for Local and Systemic Targeting. Aims: This project aims to investigate how peptides are absorbed across the intestinal wall and distributed to organs and fluids in a rodent model by combining bio-analysis and pharmacokinetics with high-resolution microscopy and imaging.
Significance: This project expects to generate the most comprehensive survey to date of the pathways and mechanisms of peptide absorption, biodistribution and immune cell targeting, by implementing innovative approaches.
Expected Outcomes: Expected outcomes include significant new knowledge and a new multi-disciplinary platform for measuring peptide absorption.
Benefits: This should provide significant benefits by informing the future design of peptides for supplements, therapeutics and carriers. Read moreRead less
Novel chemoenzymatic synthesis and bioconjugation of peptides and proteins. This project aims to solve the critical difficulty of producing the complex peptide insulin and related insulin-like peptides (INSLs) and their analogues. The project will use unique, recyclable enzymes which ligate smaller peptide segments with extraordinary site and substrate selectivity. The expected outcome of the project is novel, cheaper and scalable, enzyme-mediated engineering of this critical class of peptides a ....Novel chemoenzymatic synthesis and bioconjugation of peptides and proteins. This project aims to solve the critical difficulty of producing the complex peptide insulin and related insulin-like peptides (INSLs) and their analogues. The project will use unique, recyclable enzymes which ligate smaller peptide segments with extraordinary site and substrate selectivity. The expected outcome of the project is novel, cheaper and scalable, enzyme-mediated engineering of this critical class of peptides as biological probes and potential therapeutic agents.Read moreRead less
Ancestral enzyme engineering for designer fat products. Consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives of meat and dairy products due to concerns about health, animal welfare and sustainability. Taste, nutritional profile, protein content and limited variety are barriers that continue to challenge food manufacturers. This project aims to develop a process for the fermentation of specialty food oils and fats from agriculture production waste, that can deliver the flavour and nutri ....Ancestral enzyme engineering for designer fat products. Consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives of meat and dairy products due to concerns about health, animal welfare and sustainability. Taste, nutritional profile, protein content and limited variety are barriers that continue to challenge food manufacturers. This project aims to develop a process for the fermentation of specialty food oils and fats from agriculture production waste, that can deliver the flavour and nutritional benefits of meat and dairy products when added to plant-based alternatives. The outcomes should valorise existing agriculture and food waste, converting waste materials into valuable food ingredients.Read moreRead less
Australia’s first Green Biopharm . Protein-based medicines and vaccines represent the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical market, but their production by Australian small and medium enterprises is prohibited by the high infrastructure and operating costs of traditional manufacturing systems. This project aims to develop advanced methods to produce protein-based medicines using a native plant. The power of this technology will be demonstrated by making a biologic anti-parasite treatment, ....Australia’s first Green Biopharm . Protein-based medicines and vaccines represent the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical market, but their production by Australian small and medium enterprises is prohibited by the high infrastructure and operating costs of traditional manufacturing systems. This project aims to develop advanced methods to produce protein-based medicines using a native plant. The power of this technology will be demonstrated by making a biologic anti-parasite treatment, as an alternative to outdated chemical treatments. Expected outcomes include a unique scalable technology which will support Australia's sovereign capacity to produce high-value proteins, rapidly, affordably, and at scale, and with less complexity than current plant-based systems. Read moreRead less
Enhanced natural insecticidal activity against a pest of national priority . This project aims to deliver environmentally friendly, non-genetically modified crop protection tools against a catastrophic pest, the fall armyworm. This project expects to generate new knowledge of natural plant protection strategies and their application in targeted crop protection using a combination of unconventional, but cleverly integrated, cutting-edge technologies and approaches. Expected outcomes include compr ....Enhanced natural insecticidal activity against a pest of national priority . This project aims to deliver environmentally friendly, non-genetically modified crop protection tools against a catastrophic pest, the fall armyworm. This project expects to generate new knowledge of natural plant protection strategies and their application in targeted crop protection using a combination of unconventional, but cleverly integrated, cutting-edge technologies and approaches. Expected outcomes include comprehensive new technologies to fight against the most damaging global crop pest, improved Australian agritech capacity and strengthened international collaborations. This should provide significant benefits, such as added security for Australia’s most important agricultural crops and regions, and global food production.Read moreRead less