Novel target of amiloride analogues - picornaviral RNA polymerase. Picornaviruses cause a range of diseases such as poliomyelitis, meningitis, myocarditis, hepatitis A, neonatal sepsis and common cold. No antiviral treatment is available for these infections. Nearly 50% of antiviral drugs used in medicine are viral polymerase inhibitors; however picornaviral RNA polymerase has been largely overlooked as a drug target. We have discovered a group of compounds that inhibit picornaviral RNA polymera ....Novel target of amiloride analogues - picornaviral RNA polymerase. Picornaviruses cause a range of diseases such as poliomyelitis, meningitis, myocarditis, hepatitis A, neonatal sepsis and common cold. No antiviral treatment is available for these infections. Nearly 50% of antiviral drugs used in medicine are viral polymerase inhibitors; however picornaviral RNA polymerase has been largely overlooked as a drug target. We have discovered a group of compounds that inhibit picornaviral RNA polymerase. This project aims to define the inhibition mechanism and to evaluate a potential use of these compounds for antiviral drug development.Read moreRead less
Raman and synchrotron spectroscopy of nano-scale drug interactions and molecular processes in single living cells. The need for potent low-cost drugs is ever increasing, yet effective ways to screen for new drugs remain elusive. A spectroscopic approach to screening drugs in living cells would seem a logical alternative to chemically based and morphological methods that are the status quo. In this context we are developing methodology to analyse molecular target sites in single living cells for ....Raman and synchrotron spectroscopy of nano-scale drug interactions and molecular processes in single living cells. The need for potent low-cost drugs is ever increasing, yet effective ways to screen for new drugs remain elusive. A spectroscopic approach to screening drugs in living cells would seem a logical alternative to chemically based and morphological methods that are the status quo. In this context we are developing methodology to analyse molecular target sites in single living cells for two of the most devastating diseases to afflict human kind, namely malaria and cancer. New ways of rapidly screening drugs in living cells prior to clinical trials will save an enormous amount of time, money and ultimately lives.Read moreRead less
New approaches to inhibition of activity of HIV integrase. This project aims to assist in the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that will benefit the 17000 Australians and more than 33 million people worldwide who are currently suffering with this terrible disease. The project will utilise state-of-the-art approaches in structure-based drug design to identify and synthesise compounds as leads for the development of anti-HIV drugs. Furthermore, the project will provide invaluable training for t ....New approaches to inhibition of activity of HIV integrase. This project aims to assist in the development of novel anti-HIV drugs that will benefit the 17000 Australians and more than 33 million people worldwide who are currently suffering with this terrible disease. The project will utilise state-of-the-art approaches in structure-based drug design to identify and synthesise compounds as leads for the development of anti-HIV drugs. Furthermore, the project will provide invaluable training for the researchers involved and enhance the relationship between the academic and commercial collaborators.Read moreRead less
The Design and Synthesis of Inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) Budding. We have a very exciting and revolutionary approach to drug design by exploiting the exquisite potent action of peptides and at the same time overcome their shortcomings as drug candidates in that they are rapidly degraded in the body. We do this by slightly modifying their chemical structure but at the same time maintaining their biological activity. We will apply this new approach to a novel protein target to inhibi ....The Design and Synthesis of Inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) Budding. We have a very exciting and revolutionary approach to drug design by exploiting the exquisite potent action of peptides and at the same time overcome their shortcomings as drug candidates in that they are rapidly degraded in the body. We do this by slightly modifying their chemical structure but at the same time maintaining their biological activity. We will apply this new approach to a novel protein target to inhibit one of the main steps in the budding of Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) from infected cells. This unique combination of novel chemistry and drug design target makes this project highly innovative and with enormous potential to accelerate the identification of new drugs for HIV treatment.Read moreRead less