Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetases as drug targets in Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria is a major worldwide infectious disease. The disease kills around 2 million people every year, and current drugs are increasingly failing due to parasite drug resistance, creating an urgent demand for new drugs, that inhibit different targets. The Fellow will study a new class of parasite drug targets, the transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase enzymes to find novel inhibitors. Compounds blocking ....Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetases as drug targets in Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria is a major worldwide infectious disease. The disease kills around 2 million people every year, and current drugs are increasingly failing due to parasite drug resistance, creating an urgent demand for new drugs, that inhibit different targets. The Fellow will study a new class of parasite drug targets, the transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase enzymes to find novel inhibitors. Compounds blocking these enzymes may lead to new drugs to combat malaria.Read moreRead less
Brain metabolic changes in experimental malaria: a paradigm for the molecular mechanisms of intravascular inflammation. Malaria is endemic in countries directly to the north of Australia, as close as Papua New Guinea and East Timor. This project's findings about malaria also will have relevance to other infectious diseases of national importance. The outcomes will contribute to Australia's research reputation. We will build international links that will increase the national knowledge base and r ....Brain metabolic changes in experimental malaria: a paradigm for the molecular mechanisms of intravascular inflammation. Malaria is endemic in countries directly to the north of Australia, as close as Papua New Guinea and East Timor. This project's findings about malaria also will have relevance to other infectious diseases of national importance. The outcomes will contribute to Australia's research reputation. We will build international links that will increase the national knowledge base and research skill base. Young scientists will be trained in state-of-the-art research techniques in a cross-disciplinary environment that is the way of future biological research. The project may identify potential drug targets for malaria or other infectious diseases. The Intellectual Property will be protected and commercialised.Read moreRead less
Discovery of novel myokines by innovative proteomic analyses. This project will utilise sophisticated techniques to identify novel proteins that are released from contracting skeletal muscle termed myokines. It is expected the project will identify numerous novel proteins that may enhance our understanding of human biology.
Molecular networks underlying mitochondrial biogenesis in humans. Mitochondria are essential for life, and we propose a highly-innovative approach (employing multiple, cutting-edge ‘omic’ technologies and bioinformatics) to advance the fundamental understanding of how mitochondria respond and adapt to exercise in humans. The project outcomes should include significant new knowledge and advanced expertise that can be used by others to facilitate additional research outcomes. The project anticipa ....Molecular networks underlying mitochondrial biogenesis in humans. Mitochondria are essential for life, and we propose a highly-innovative approach (employing multiple, cutting-edge ‘omic’ technologies and bioinformatics) to advance the fundamental understanding of how mitochondria respond and adapt to exercise in humans. The project outcomes should include significant new knowledge and advanced expertise that can be used by others to facilitate additional research outcomes. The project anticipates the contribution of innovative tools for molecular biology research, benefiting therapeutic and biotechnology applications. This project will support advanced training of young researchers in frontier technologies, which will expand Australian research capabilities and help produce a higher quality workforce.Read moreRead less
Uncovering novel metabolic processes in eukaryotic cells. This project aims to investigate the origin and function of the large number of chemically undefined metabolites that occur in all cells. The project will utilise advanced analytical techniques, as well as computational and genetic approaches, to characterise the chemical structures of these metabolites and identity the enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation. It will provide new information on the metabolic capacity of eukary ....Uncovering novel metabolic processes in eukaryotic cells. This project aims to investigate the origin and function of the large number of chemically undefined metabolites that occur in all cells. The project will utilise advanced analytical techniques, as well as computational and genetic approaches, to characterise the chemical structures of these metabolites and identity the enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation. It will provide new information on the metabolic capacity of eukaryotic cells and allow the generation of more accurate models of metabolism. These outcomes have important biotechnology applications and will identify metabolic processes that underpin normal and disease states in animals and human cells.Read moreRead less
Machineries that maintain mitochondrial architecture. This project aims to define and characterise the protein machines that give mitochondria their characteristic shape in different cellular tissues. Innovative approaches involving gene editing and quantitative proteomics with molecular cell biology will be employed. This project expects to generate new knowledge in protein-mediated membrane shaping and mechanisms by which signaling occurs across multiple membranes. The project outcomes should ....Machineries that maintain mitochondrial architecture. This project aims to define and characterise the protein machines that give mitochondria their characteristic shape in different cellular tissues. Innovative approaches involving gene editing and quantitative proteomics with molecular cell biology will be employed. This project expects to generate new knowledge in protein-mediated membrane shaping and mechanisms by which signaling occurs across multiple membranes. The project outcomes should include enhanced capacity for fundamental cell biology research in Australia. The project anticipates the contribution of new tools for structural biology, benefiting therapeutic and biotechnology applications and the training of young researchers in frontier technologies.Read moreRead less
Reducing the fat burden: Identification of novel cellular and molecular targets for alleviating skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Insulin resistance and the associated consequences are a major public health problem in Australia and cost the healthcare system >$1.1 billion/year. Exercise training and thiaziolidinedione (TZD) treatment are therapies that partially ameliorate insulin resistance through distinct and independent mechanisms. However, neither intervention represents a viable long-ter ....Reducing the fat burden: Identification of novel cellular and molecular targets for alleviating skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Insulin resistance and the associated consequences are a major public health problem in Australia and cost the healthcare system >$1.1 billion/year. Exercise training and thiaziolidinedione (TZD) treatment are therapies that partially ameliorate insulin resistance through distinct and independent mechanisms. However, neither intervention represents a viable long-term strategy: exercise training has low compliance, while chronic TZD use is associated with several adverse side effects (edema, weight gain etc.). We will investigate the metabolic, cellular and molecular mechanisms by which these therapies each exert their positive effect on insulin action with the aim of identifying novel targets for future drug interventions. Read moreRead less
Enhancing fertility for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Enhancing fertility for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Responding to industry calls for improved methods of detecting and managing infertility in both stallions and mares, this project aims to provide a platform for competitive collaborations between universities, biotechnology companies and horse breeders: the end-users of technological developments in equine reproduction. The Thoroughbred and Standardbred bree ....Enhancing fertility for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Enhancing fertility for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries. Responding to industry calls for improved methods of detecting and managing infertility in both stallions and mares, this project aims to provide a platform for competitive collaborations between universities, biotechnology companies and horse breeders: the end-users of technological developments in equine reproduction. The Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding industries contribute over $6.5 billion per annum to the Australian economy and employ thousands of staff across their value chains. However, these industries suffer from breeding program inefficiencies that amount to over $800 million in annual losses. Expected outcomes are novel reproductive technologies and specialised research capabilities that will make the Australian equine industry a global leader.Read moreRead less
Mannosyl transfer processes in leishmania and mycobacteria. The human diseases leishmaniasis and tuberculosis are caused by infectious microorganisms. We will target pathways to the biosynthesis and degradation of parasite-specific mannose containing metabolites that play essential roles in the ability of these pathogens to cause disease. We will develop new ways to study these pathways, and will synthesize novel substrates and inhibitors that will allow the development of antituberculosis and a ....Mannosyl transfer processes in leishmania and mycobacteria. The human diseases leishmaniasis and tuberculosis are caused by infectious microorganisms. We will target pathways to the biosynthesis and degradation of parasite-specific mannose containing metabolites that play essential roles in the ability of these pathogens to cause disease. We will develop new ways to study these pathways, and will synthesize novel substrates and inhibitors that will allow the development of antituberculosis and antileishmanial drugs. This project will contribute to our national competitiveness in the newly emerging area of chemical biology.Read moreRead less
Mannose metabolism in pathogenic microorganisms. Current treatments for tuberculosis and leishmaniasis are failing due to chronic underinvestment by the private sector and public agencies over many decades. The causative agents, the microorganisms Leishmania spp and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively, use sugar processing pathways that differ from humans, and thus represent targets for new drugs. We will study two related sugar-processing biochemical pathways in these organisms. We will de ....Mannose metabolism in pathogenic microorganisms. Current treatments for tuberculosis and leishmaniasis are failing due to chronic underinvestment by the private sector and public agencies over many decades. The causative agents, the microorganisms Leishmania spp and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively, use sugar processing pathways that differ from humans, and thus represent targets for new drugs. We will study two related sugar-processing biochemical pathways in these organisms. We will develop new ways to measure enzyme activity using mass spectrometry, and new reagents to clone several biosynthetic enzymes. Our work will lay a foundation for new antibiotics to combat these insidious diseases, and will foster Australian expertise in chemical biology and innovative basic science.Read moreRead less