Transdermal penetration of corticosteroids in the dog. Topical application of corticosteroids enhances drug concentration and effectiveness in the treatment of skin diseases. Most topical corticosteroid preparations have been developed for human use and are poorly efficacious or promote a high incidence of adverse effects in dogs. This project will characterize corticosteroid penetration through canine skin to permit the development of suitable topical formulations to more effectively control ....Transdermal penetration of corticosteroids in the dog. Topical application of corticosteroids enhances drug concentration and effectiveness in the treatment of skin diseases. Most topical corticosteroid preparations have been developed for human use and are poorly efficacious or promote a high incidence of adverse effects in dogs. This project will characterize corticosteroid penetration through canine skin to permit the development of suitable topical formulations to more effectively control skin diseases in the dog. Skin diseases are a significant problem in veterinary science and this project will not only provide an effective therapeutic option, but also reduce animal (and client) distress when suffering skin disease and/or adverse effects from traditional therapy.Read moreRead less
Determinants of Expression, Assembly and Function of the Noradrenaline Transporter. The noradrenaline transporter protein that is the focus of this project is important for mental health because it belongs to the family of proteins where psychostimulants, such as cocaine, and drugs used in the treatment of depression act. The project will lead to exciting advances in our understanding of how the structure of this protein controls its functions, and potentially to the design of better antidepress ....Determinants of Expression, Assembly and Function of the Noradrenaline Transporter. The noradrenaline transporter protein that is the focus of this project is important for mental health because it belongs to the family of proteins where psychostimulants, such as cocaine, and drugs used in the treatment of depression act. The project will lead to exciting advances in our understanding of how the structure of this protein controls its functions, and potentially to the design of better antidepressant drugs and to the design of drugs to prevent the effects of cocaine.Read moreRead less
Pharmacological modification of retinal and visual function and relation to control of refractive error. Myopia (short-sightedness) affects many hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can lead to blindness. Drug treatments that prevent myopia are being developed, however there is no efficient way of determining who is at risk of myopia or who will benefit from these treatments. This fundamental research project will determine the retinal and visual effects of pharmacologic agents that inhi ....Pharmacological modification of retinal and visual function and relation to control of refractive error. Myopia (short-sightedness) affects many hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can lead to blindness. Drug treatments that prevent myopia are being developed, however there is no efficient way of determining who is at risk of myopia or who will benefit from these treatments. This fundamental research project will determine the retinal and visual effects of pharmacologic agents that inhibit myopia, with the aim of determining an ocular measure that is related to myopia, which is altered by drugs that are known to slow myopia progression, and that could be used as an indication of an agent's likely effectiveness.Read moreRead less
The molecular basis for efficacy at G protein coupled receptors. This project aims to investigate the molecular steps underlying the relationship between sensing by signal-transmitting proteins on the cell surface called G protein-coupled receptors and cellular response. The project aims to build on studies that have sought to understand the primary, molecular basis for this cellular volume control. This project seeks to use these novel approaches to fill this knowledge gap, providing a deeper u ....The molecular basis for efficacy at G protein coupled receptors. This project aims to investigate the molecular steps underlying the relationship between sensing by signal-transmitting proteins on the cell surface called G protein-coupled receptors and cellular response. The project aims to build on studies that have sought to understand the primary, molecular basis for this cellular volume control. This project seeks to use these novel approaches to fill this knowledge gap, providing a deeper understanding of how physiology and medicines work. The project expects to expand fundamental understanding of signal transmission at this receptor class. This project will deliver benefits including expanded basic knowledge and a contribution to future improvements in drug development.Read moreRead less
Probing norepinephrine transporter (NET) structure-function. More selective drugs are needed to improve the treatment of a range of diseases including pain, depression and anxiety. This project will apply advanced molecular pharmacology approaches to better understand how the norepinephrine transporter functions and where small molecules and conotoxins bind to inhibit its activity.
Systematic evaluation of whether in vitro methods can predict in vivo opioid analgesic efficacy, safety and tolerability. It is estimated that chronic pain affects one in five individuals in the general community in Australia and worldwide, with prevalence rates correlated directly with advancing age. Chronic pain not only adversely affects the quality of life of individuals but it also places a large economic burden on our healthcare system. Development and validation of an in vitro method to ....Systematic evaluation of whether in vitro methods can predict in vivo opioid analgesic efficacy, safety and tolerability. It is estimated that chronic pain affects one in five individuals in the general community in Australia and worldwide, with prevalence rates correlated directly with advancing age. Chronic pain not only adversely affects the quality of life of individuals but it also places a large economic burden on our healthcare system. Development and validation of an in vitro method to successfully identify novel morphine-like strong analgesics with a reduced propensity for producing respiratory depression or constipation, has the potential to not only improve pain management for individuals and to reduce the economic burden of chronic pain on the Australian healthcare system, but it is also likely to produce direct economic benefits to our nation. Read moreRead less
Novel pharmacological agents to target stroke-induced brain injury. There is a looming stroke epidemic in Australia. 72% of Australian stroke sufferers are over the age of 65 and whereas in 1997 only 12% of Australians were in that age group, by 2030 that number will have increased to 23%. There is an urgent need for novel therapies. This project will aid the development of a novel anti-stroke therapy.
Oxytocin receptor PET ligands: imaging the love receptor’s engagement. This project aims to develop a positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for the oxytocin receptor. This novel platform is significant as it will allow the scientific community to answer questions about the role of the oxytocin receptor in the important process of social behaviour which underlies quality of life. This knowledge gap has remained unanswered for decades due to the lack of specific techniques to measure oxytocin ....Oxytocin receptor PET ligands: imaging the love receptor’s engagement. This project aims to develop a positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for the oxytocin receptor. This novel platform is significant as it will allow the scientific community to answer questions about the role of the oxytocin receptor in the important process of social behaviour which underlies quality of life. This knowledge gap has remained unanswered for decades due to the lack of specific techniques to measure oxytocin receptor engagement. It is also significant as it will equip Australian startup Kinoxis Therapeutics to progress their molecules to market, a process enabled by measuring oxytocin receptor engagement. Our dual expertise on the oxytocin receptor and PET ligand development uniquely situate us to generate this technology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100422
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,346.00
Summary
Using toxins to manipulate the gating of voltage-gated sodium channels. The project aims to investigate how sodium channel subtypes contribute to the excitability of sensory neurons by utilising venom-derived peptides that specifically target and alter the function of these channels. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of neuroscience using an interdisciplinary approach including synthetic peptide chemistry, pharmacology and electrophysiology. Expected outcomes of this pro ....Using toxins to manipulate the gating of voltage-gated sodium channels. The project aims to investigate how sodium channel subtypes contribute to the excitability of sensory neurons by utilising venom-derived peptides that specifically target and alter the function of these channels. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of neuroscience using an interdisciplinary approach including synthetic peptide chemistry, pharmacology and electrophysiology. Expected outcomes of this project include the development of new venom-based research tools and improved techniques for studying sodium channel function. This will provide significant benefits, including advancement of fundamental knowledge in physiology and the development of novel analgesics. Read moreRead less
Treating Equine Laminitis. This project aims to explore the causes of equine laminitis, and to work with a newly-established Australian biopharma company to develop the world's first anti-laminitis medication. Equine laminitis is a painful, crippling disease of the foot, often necessitating euthanasia, and is the second-most common cause of death in domestic horses. In 2007, a landmark study identified insulin toxicity as a primary cause of laminitis, and subsequent research has identified over- ....Treating Equine Laminitis. This project aims to explore the causes of equine laminitis, and to work with a newly-established Australian biopharma company to develop the world's first anti-laminitis medication. Equine laminitis is a painful, crippling disease of the foot, often necessitating euthanasia, and is the second-most common cause of death in domestic horses. In 2007, a landmark study identified insulin toxicity as a primary cause of laminitis, and subsequent research has identified over-stimulation of the IGF-1 receptor as the most likely mechanism. This project aims to prove that mechanism and to develop an effective treatment.Read moreRead less