Analysing the protective role of platelets during malaria infection. Platelets protect the host during malarial infection. This project aims to study how platelets kill the malaria parasite by investigating the role of host molecules and their potential as novel antimalarial agents. The role of platelets in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria syndrome will also be investigated.
Sampling and processing for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to develop optimal, efficient and robust signal processing methods for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) with reduced scan times. A child, possibly distressed, can only be motionless long enough to undergo a basic dMRI scan of the brain, but enhanced forms of dMRI need at least 60 minutes. The project’s processing methods will use spherical geometries, which encode information about white matter fibres ....Sampling and processing for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. This project aims to develop optimal, efficient and robust signal processing methods for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) with reduced scan times. A child, possibly distressed, can only be motionless long enough to undergo a basic dMRI scan of the brain, but enhanced forms of dMRI need at least 60 minutes. The project’s processing methods will use spherical geometries, which encode information about white matter fibres in the brain, to collect and reconstruct images. The project is expected to reduce dMRI scan times and ultimately make non-invasive and inexpensive early detection of neurological disorders such as dementia feasible.Read moreRead less
The role of neutral amino acid transport in normal physiology. Future benefits of these studies include the Promotion and Maintenance of Good Health achieved by providing: (1) a better understanding of brain and balance disorders; (2) insights into the damaging effects of the sun and; (3) existing neonatal screening programmes for Hartnup disorder with greater scientific foundation regarding the implications of inheriting this condition, including dietary advce. We will be able to provide Austr ....The role of neutral amino acid transport in normal physiology. Future benefits of these studies include the Promotion and Maintenance of Good Health achieved by providing: (1) a better understanding of brain and balance disorders; (2) insights into the damaging effects of the sun and; (3) existing neonatal screening programmes for Hartnup disorder with greater scientific foundation regarding the implications of inheriting this condition, including dietary advce. We will be able to provide Australians who inherit Hartnup disorder with a better understanding of this disease by enabling individuals and families to make choices that lead to healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.Read moreRead less
Targeting the host lipid environment to disrupt malaria transmission. This project aims to characterise host molecules (in particular lipids) that are crucial for the transition of malaria parasites from one host to another. Malaria parasites encounter different environments upon their transition from human to the mosquito host. This project expects to generate new knowledge on physiological changes that are triggered by particular differences in micronutrient abundance that allow the parasites ....Targeting the host lipid environment to disrupt malaria transmission. This project aims to characterise host molecules (in particular lipids) that are crucial for the transition of malaria parasites from one host to another. Malaria parasites encounter different environments upon their transition from human to the mosquito host. This project expects to generate new knowledge on physiological changes that are triggered by particular differences in micronutrient abundance that allow the parasites to survive in the new host. Anticipated outcomes include the identification of new intervention strategies and improved transmission model systems for vector-borne diseases. This gained knowledge could provide benefits to future biomedical applications by informing diagnostics or treatment of lipid associated diseases.Read moreRead less
Auger-electron yields of medical radioisotopes. Large numbers of Auger electrons are emitted during the decay of many medical isotopes. Auger electrons have a short range and a strong ability to break chemical bonds. However no measurements of the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay exist in the critical low energy regime. Calculated Auger yields are incomplete and inconsistent. Building on unique Australian expertise and instrumentation, and performing both calculations and measurements ....Auger-electron yields of medical radioisotopes. Large numbers of Auger electrons are emitted during the decay of many medical isotopes. Auger electrons have a short range and a strong ability to break chemical bonds. However no measurements of the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay exist in the critical low energy regime. Calculated Auger yields are incomplete and inconsistent. Building on unique Australian expertise and instrumentation, and performing both calculations and measurements, his project aims to determine the number of Auger electrons per nuclear decay accurately for medical isotopes. The outcome will be accurate dose data for radioisotopes, plus essential knowledge to develop new cancer treatments based on Auger electrons, which target a fraction of a cell.Read moreRead less
The biosynthesis of structural proteins in parasites. The socio-economic impact of parasitic diseases, in Australia and throughout the world, is enormous- they kill 2-3 million people per year and cost livestock industries billions of dollars per annum. Some are serious food and waterborne threats, such as the coccidia, because they are transmitted from person-to-person via the faecal-oral route, or via ingestion of contaminated water or food, or through the ingestion of cysts in raw or underco ....The biosynthesis of structural proteins in parasites. The socio-economic impact of parasitic diseases, in Australia and throughout the world, is enormous- they kill 2-3 million people per year and cost livestock industries billions of dollars per annum. Some are serious food and waterborne threats, such as the coccidia, because they are transmitted from person-to-person via the faecal-oral route, or via ingestion of contaminated water or food, or through the ingestion of cysts in raw or undercooked meat. They cause diarrhoea, which in some cases, can be life-threatening. We will understand how the coccidia protect themselves as they move from host to host and, through that understanding, develop new ways to control them and eliminate the suffering caused by parasitic diseases.Read moreRead less
Elucidating the Mode of Action of Nicotinic Receptor Ligands. Changes in brain function can cause human diseases such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. To develop new medicines to treat these conditions we need to study how drugs act in the brain. This project will use new methods of chemistry to make drugs, which will then be tested for biological activity at important brain receptors. This will tell us which compounds are most effective as potential drugs and also exactly whe ....Elucidating the Mode of Action of Nicotinic Receptor Ligands. Changes in brain function can cause human diseases such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. To develop new medicines to treat these conditions we need to study how drugs act in the brain. This project will use new methods of chemistry to make drugs, which will then be tested for biological activity at important brain receptors. This will tell us which compounds are most effective as potential drugs and also exactly where they act in the brain. Read moreRead less
Lightweight security solutions for wearable healthcare sensor devices. The aim of this project is to develop new methods to secure the data and context associated with body-wearable health monitoring devices. The novelty of the scheme is in making the methods work on resource-poor devices, by combining new security capabilities derived from the operating environment with conventional cryptographic techniques. This project aims to increase the trust that medical practitioners and insurance provid ....Lightweight security solutions for wearable healthcare sensor devices. The aim of this project is to develop new methods to secure the data and context associated with body-wearable health monitoring devices. The novelty of the scheme is in making the methods work on resource-poor devices, by combining new security capabilities derived from the operating environment with conventional cryptographic techniques. This project aims to increase the trust that medical practitioners and insurance providers can place on health data from wearable devices, and showcase Australian innovation in developing world-class security solutions. The outcome of this project is expected to be the development and demonstration of ultra-lightweight algorithms and mechanisms that execute in wearable devices to safeguard the integrity of the data.Read moreRead less
Beyond the genome: unravelling the intricacies of epigenetic regulation using the honey bee model. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, provide the interface between genome and environment. Abnormalities in epigenetic regulation lead to cancer and other diseases. The project will be using the alternative phenotypes in honeybees, fertile queens and sterile workers, to understand how dietary factors control conditional gene expression by methylation
Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several labora ....Molecular Interactions in the Eubacterial Replisome: A Paradigm for Study of Dynamic Macromolecular Machines. Many pathogenic bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics in common use, and new drugs are urgently required to kill them. Copying of their chromosomes before they divide into two new cells is essential for bacteria to live, so DNA synthesis is a good process to target for development of new antibiotics. This project will use state-of-the-art equipment available in several laboratories in Australia and overseas to develop new understanding of how the molecular machine that copies DNA works. This k nowledge could lead to new drugs, and will give us new information about how cellular machines function.Read moreRead less