Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100311
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,982.00
Summary
Shining nanoparticles for single microRNA detection in microfluidics. This project aims to extensively study the interface between nanoparticles and nucleic acids. It sets out to produce a novel ultrasensitive high-performance biosensing platform that will combine luminescent nanoparticles with microfluidics in a digital assay. This portable platform will detect biological fingerprints, or microRNAs, at a single-molecule level, delivering unprecedented levels of sensitivity and specificity. The ....Shining nanoparticles for single microRNA detection in microfluidics. This project aims to extensively study the interface between nanoparticles and nucleic acids. It sets out to produce a novel ultrasensitive high-performance biosensing platform that will combine luminescent nanoparticles with microfluidics in a digital assay. This portable platform will detect biological fingerprints, or microRNAs, at a single-molecule level, delivering unprecedented levels of sensitivity and specificity. The multiplexed platform has the potential to benefit the biomedical research of microRNAs and opens up a genuine commercialisation potential for portable biosensing of nucleic acids.Read moreRead less
Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS), a peptide biomarker discovery tool using tissue. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in Australia. The newly developed technology of Imaging Mass Spectrometry for peptides in tissue has the potential to discover biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancer. This new technology could avoid a number of cancer deaths and reduce suffering of patients through earlier and better diagnosis.
The molecular basis of zinc toxicity to Gram-positive bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria are a major cause of infectious diseases in both developed and developing countries. This project will contribute to our understanding of how zinc causes toxicity to these bacteria and facilitate our exploitation of this Achilles heel, by providing new insights into fundamental aspects of microbial physiology.
Characterising post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins. This project represents the first global attempt to characterize post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins using the tools of proteomics. Modifications to proteins are key elements in altering their function. In bacteria, modifications are important in cell-cell adhesion, signalling and triggering of the immune response. Characterisation of modified proteins and their sites of modification represents an opportuni ....Characterising post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins. This project represents the first global attempt to characterize post-translational modifications in bacterial proteins using the tools of proteomics. Modifications to proteins are key elements in altering their function. In bacteria, modifications are important in cell-cell adhesion, signalling and triggering of the immune response. Characterisation of modified proteins and their sites of modification represents an opportunity to understand how bacterial cell populations communicate in the environment, as well as aid in understanding pathogenesis in medical, veterinary and food-borne pathogens. Therefore, improved vaccine targets and therapeutics, as well as method-based products, may be generated by this project.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100036
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$470,000.00
Summary
A protein molecular interaction and localization facility. This proposal will address a major gap in our mass spectrometry capabilities and aid in our understanding of protein interactions and tissue distribution in areas such as neuroscience, microbiology, immunology, and botany, as well as enhance our understanding of fundamental gas phase chemistry of protein molecules. It brings together a highly successful multidisciplinary team of high-profile researchers with a track record of collaborati ....A protein molecular interaction and localization facility. This proposal will address a major gap in our mass spectrometry capabilities and aid in our understanding of protein interactions and tissue distribution in areas such as neuroscience, microbiology, immunology, and botany, as well as enhance our understanding of fundamental gas phase chemistry of protein molecules. It brings together a highly successful multidisciplinary team of high-profile researchers with a track record of collaboration and delivering outcomes from shared facilities. In addition to these key scientific outcomes this project will also facilitate the training of several new personnel in a skill area for which there is a critical shortage (mass spectrometry) and promote true cross-disciplinary skills.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100078
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Establishment of a comprehensive regional biophysical analysis facility. Interactions between molecules are needed for cells to function correctly. This facility will permit comprehensive molecular characterisation as well as research into the fundamentals of how molecules interact.
Enhanced biocontrol options for the Australian sugar industry: a proteomic approach. Sugarcane is the second largest field crop grown in Australia and raw sugar is the third largest export product. Canegrubs are the major insect pest affecting production of sugarcane in Australia, currently costing the industry more than $12 million annually in insecticides and lost production. Biological control of insect pests provides an environmentally sound option of reducing these losses. Here we propos ....Enhanced biocontrol options for the Australian sugar industry: a proteomic approach. Sugarcane is the second largest field crop grown in Australia and raw sugar is the third largest export product. Canegrubs are the major insect pest affecting production of sugarcane in Australia, currently costing the industry more than $12 million annually in insecticides and lost production. Biological control of insect pests provides an environmentally sound option of reducing these losses. Here we propose to use proteomics to identify the key pathogenicity determinants in the biological control fungus Metarhizium during infection of canegrubs. The genes and proteins identified in this project will contribute to developing enhanced biocontrol options for Australian sugar industry.Read moreRead less
Development of ozone-induced dissociation for lipidomics workflows. An Australian invention (ozone induced dissociation) will be developed in collaboration with a major instrument manufacturer. This project will provide Australian researchers with unique capabilities to investigate the role of lipids (fats) in human disease and will place them at the forefront of lipid research internationally.
Developing next-generation mass spectrometry imaging with isomer resolution. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a rapidly emerging technology for mapping molecular distributions within biological samples. This project will bring together market-leading MSI instrumentation from the industry partner Waters Corporation with unique technologies developed at QUT and UOW to develop an integrated MSI-platform capable of achieving high mass- and spatial-resolution, as well as discrimination of lipid iso ....Developing next-generation mass spectrometry imaging with isomer resolution. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a rapidly emerging technology for mapping molecular distributions within biological samples. This project will bring together market-leading MSI instrumentation from the industry partner Waters Corporation with unique technologies developed at QUT and UOW to develop an integrated MSI-platform capable of achieving high mass- and spatial-resolution, as well as discrimination of lipid isomers. Resolution of lipid isomers using this instrumentation will afford researchers a first glimpse of isomer-resolved images that will be used to visualise tissue-specific changes resulting from underlying chemical, physical or metabolic processes; changes that are currently invisible to contemporary imaging technologies.Read moreRead less
Pluses and minuses of lipid mass spectrometry. This project aims to investigate the structural diversity of lipids. Lipids are among the most structurally diverse of all the biomolecules and thus deciphering their many functions requires bio-analytical technologies capable of uniquely identifying and quantifying individual molecules in a milieu of many thousands of analogues. Mass spectrometry is the pre-eminent technique for contemporary lipid analysis but is challenged by the preference of cer ....Pluses and minuses of lipid mass spectrometry. This project aims to investigate the structural diversity of lipids. Lipids are among the most structurally diverse of all the biomolecules and thus deciphering their many functions requires bio-analytical technologies capable of uniquely identifying and quantifying individual molecules in a milieu of many thousands of analogues. Mass spectrometry is the pre-eminent technique for contemporary lipid analysis but is challenged by the preference of certain lipids to ionise with a polarity that affords sensitive detection but does not permit detailed structure elucidation. This project will develop advanced instrumentation capable of on-demand polarity switching of ionised lipids such that the detection and interrogation of molecular structure can take place in the optimal charge state.Read moreRead less