The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Macrophage Polarisation And Control Of Pulmonary Inflammation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,494.00
Summary
As key immune cells, macrophages are polarised to phenotypes that turn inflammation on or off. In cystic fibrosis, defective macrophage polarisation enhances inflammation and prevents lung repair. We are defining the molecules and cellular pathways that control this process and identifying targets for existing drugs that can be used to reprogram macrophages and restore lung repair to improve patient outcomes.
Atherosclerosis is the disease which narrows arteries and causes heart attacks and stroke. It is one of the major causes of death in Australia. Although certain treatments, such as lowering blood cholesterol levels, reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis, current motality rates from this disease indicate that there is still a great need to improve our understanding and treament of the condition. In the development of atherosclerosis, some of the cells in the vessel wall accumulate large deposit ....Atherosclerosis is the disease which narrows arteries and causes heart attacks and stroke. It is one of the major causes of death in Australia. Although certain treatments, such as lowering blood cholesterol levels, reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis, current motality rates from this disease indicate that there is still a great need to improve our understanding and treament of the condition. In the development of atherosclerosis, some of the cells in the vessel wall accumulate large deposits of cholesterol. These cells are macrophages, derived from circulating white blood cells that have migrated into the vessel wall. Normally these cells are able to efficiently export excess cholesterol, but this process seems to fail in atherosclerosis. This project will study the molecular mechanism for cholesterol export from macrophages, concentrating on a the mechnisms by which recently identified cholesterol pumps operate. These are located in cell membranes, including at the cell surface, which is the site at which cholesterol is transferred to acceptors such as HDL and apoAI. By understanding how these pumps work, and how their activities are controlled, we will be better able to devise ways to increase their efficiency in atherosclerosis, and so to prevent the tissue cholesterol accumulation that drives this disease.Read moreRead less
Phage display derived antibody fragments for membrane protein research. Membrane proteins are key components of all living organisms and represent more than 50 per cent of all drug targets. This project will redefine the way membrane proteins are studied and will be highly beneficial to basic research, human disease and the biotechnology industry.
Multiscale Analysis Of Plasma Membrane Microdomains In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$863,413.00
Summary
The cell surface encloses the cell in a protective barrier but it must also respond to signals coming from outside the cell. To accomplish this, the cell surface is made up of numerous regions each with a specialised role. This proposal aims to examine how lipids and proteins work together to make these specialised regions and aims to understand what goes wrong in diseases such as muscular dystrophy.
The mechanism of pore formation by Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin-like proteins. Members of the Membrane Attack Complex / Perforin (MACPF) family of proteins are essential for life, playing fundamental roles in immunity, tissue development and neuron formation. This project seeks to understand the basic mechanism of how MACPF proteins can form pores in target cells, a process central for killing in mammalian immunity.
A structural investigation into T cell signalling machines. The project aims to understand how receptor recognition events cause intracellular signalling.Membrane-bound receptors, their cognate ligands and the ensuing intracellular activation signal determine cellular fate. The project will explore events central to cellular immunity by examining the T cell signalling machinery. This project will use labelling, crystallographic and cryo-electron microscopy studies, to determine the molecular arc ....A structural investigation into T cell signalling machines. The project aims to understand how receptor recognition events cause intracellular signalling.Membrane-bound receptors, their cognate ligands and the ensuing intracellular activation signal determine cellular fate. The project will explore events central to cellular immunity by examining the T cell signalling machinery. This project will use labelling, crystallographic and cryo-electron microscopy studies, to determine the molecular architecture of the T cell receptor (TCR) CD3 complex, a molecular machine central to T cell signalling. This project should reveal how antigen recognition leads to T cell signal transduction which will create jobs, bring substantial health benefits and improve quality of life for Australians.Read moreRead less
A structural and molecular investigation into the basic mechanism of T cell receptor complex function. Cellular fate is determined by interactions between membrane-bound receptors and their cognate ligands. The basic mechanism of how such receptor-mediated recognition events cause intracellular signalling is poorly understood in most biological systems, including the cellular immune recognition axis. This project will explore events central to cellular immunity by examining the interactions cent ....A structural and molecular investigation into the basic mechanism of T cell receptor complex function. Cellular fate is determined by interactions between membrane-bound receptors and their cognate ligands. The basic mechanism of how such receptor-mediated recognition events cause intracellular signalling is poorly understood in most biological systems, including the cellular immune recognition axis. This project will explore events central to cellular immunity by examining the interactions centred on T-cell receptor complexes. This project will explore the molecular mechanisms underpinning these key receptor-recognition events and relate these observations to T-cell activation. The proposal will shed fundamental insight into Major Histocompatibility Complex restriction, T-cell development and how antigen recognition leads to T-cell signal transduction. Read moreRead less
Understanding how a family of chloride pumps and channels are regulated. This project examines how a major family of chloride channels and pumps, found in nearly all organisms, works at the molecular level and how it is modulated by chemical signals from within cells. The expected outcomes are to demonstrate novel mechanisms general to these essential proteins and to provide fundamental insights in understanding vital physiological processes across all kingdoms of life. Ultimately, this work aim ....Understanding how a family of chloride pumps and channels are regulated. This project examines how a major family of chloride channels and pumps, found in nearly all organisms, works at the molecular level and how it is modulated by chemical signals from within cells. The expected outcomes are to demonstrate novel mechanisms general to these essential proteins and to provide fundamental insights in understanding vital physiological processes across all kingdoms of life. Ultimately, this work aims to lead to the development of novel engineered proteins that can act as sub-microscopic electrical 'switches' and highly specific sensors for a variety of molecules for nanotechnology and biotechnology applications.Read moreRead less
Lipid droplet membrane tethers at atomic resolution. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will be a fundamental und ....Lipid droplet membrane tethers at atomic resolution. Eukaryotic cells are distinguished by the presence of membrane-bound compartments called organelles. This project will use structural biology to determine how essential proteins called sorting nexins (SNXs) regulate membrane interactions required for lipid droplet formation. These interactions are essential for life, controlling protein and lipid homeostasis needed for cell survival. The major outcome of this proposal will be a fundamental understanding of how SNXs control this process, and the work will significantly strengthen our international collaboration in this emerging area. The knowledge has potential future translation in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders where dysregulation of these proteins is known to cause disease.Read moreRead less
Control of selective microRNA release via exosomes and microvesicles. This project aims to improve our understanding of cell-to-cell communication. Cells release genetic material including microRNAs in lipid membrane-enclosed vesicles (called exosomes and microvesicles) to alter neighbouring and distant cells. Recent research shows that the contents of these vesicles are regulated by cell state, however, the molecular mechanisms are not yet known. This project will investigate the hypothesis tha ....Control of selective microRNA release via exosomes and microvesicles. This project aims to improve our understanding of cell-to-cell communication. Cells release genetic material including microRNAs in lipid membrane-enclosed vesicles (called exosomes and microvesicles) to alter neighbouring and distant cells. Recent research shows that the contents of these vesicles are regulated by cell state, however, the molecular mechanisms are not yet known. This project will investigate the hypothesis that changes in the RNA-binding protein composition of cholesterol-rich membranes mediate the selection of miRNA loaded in the vesicles. This knowledge may increase our understanding of mechanisms of disease because this mode of cell-to-cell communication is disrupted or hijacked in pathologies. Future translation in diverse applications may improve human, animal and plant health.Read moreRead less