Enabling aerosol delivery of phages to defeat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This project aims to explore the use of bacteriophages towards producing a safe, natural, and highly effective alternative to traditional antibiotics. Respiratory infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are a major health problem worldwide, and cost Australia over $150 million annually. Some 5,000 Australians die each year from antibiotic resistant infections. The project aims to produce efficac ....Enabling aerosol delivery of phages to defeat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This project aims to explore the use of bacteriophages towards producing a safe, natural, and highly effective alternative to traditional antibiotics. Respiratory infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are a major health problem worldwide, and cost Australia over $150 million annually. Some 5,000 Australians die each year from antibiotic resistant infections. The project aims to produce efficacious and stable formulations of bacteriophages for easy delivery by inhalation as aerosols with a long shelf-life, making them a commercially viable product. The expected research outcome can lead to an economic and efficient technology to produce phage powders for novel treatment strategies of infections by inhalation.Read moreRead less
Probing Anaesthetic Effects with New Functional Imaging Paradigms. This project seeks new insights into the effects of anaesthetics on brain function and repair. Anaesthesia is used in small-animal imaging to immobilise the animal, but in many cases the anaesthesia itself affects the neurophysiological parameters under study. It has also been shown that many anaesthetics enhance recovery after brain injury in small animals. This project plans to exploit a novel functional brain-imaging technique ....Probing Anaesthetic Effects with New Functional Imaging Paradigms. This project seeks new insights into the effects of anaesthetics on brain function and repair. Anaesthesia is used in small-animal imaging to immobilise the animal, but in many cases the anaesthesia itself affects the neurophysiological parameters under study. It has also been shown that many anaesthetics enhance recovery after brain injury in small animals. This project plans to exploit a novel functional brain-imaging technique for conscious animals to gain new insights into the effects of anaesthetics on brain function and recovery from injury. The knowledge gained is expected to improve knowledge of anaesthetic action, guide future anaesthetic use in small animal imaging to improve the accuracy of image-derived research data, and help to clarify how anaesthetics confer neuroprotective effects in brain injury.Read moreRead less
Understanding bacteriophage deactivation and stabilisation in formulations. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that kill pathogenic bacteria without causing harms to the eco-balance. They can provide a safe and highly effective antimicrobial measure for biocontrol when formulated properly. This project aims to develop a mechanistic understanding of the physicochemical factors responsible for stabilising and deactivating phages in a wide range of formulations. It will create new knowledge on ke ....Understanding bacteriophage deactivation and stabilisation in formulations. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that kill pathogenic bacteria without causing harms to the eco-balance. They can provide a safe and highly effective antimicrobial measure for biocontrol when formulated properly. This project aims to develop a mechanistic understanding of the physicochemical factors responsible for stabilising and deactivating phages in a wide range of formulations. It will create new knowledge on key relationships between phage chemistry, phage-excipient interactions and phage stability. The research outcomes would significantly benefit Australia by enabling commercial development in the high value-adding area of environmentally friendly antimicrobial products.Read moreRead less
Production of nano-composite particles for inhalational delivery of combination drugs. The project seeks to create a new particle engineering process for pharmaceuticals. The successful outcome will i) enhance substantially the competitiveness of Australia’s research in functional nanomaterials and advanced biomaterials, and ii) benefit the Australian pharmaceutical industry in developing proprietary pharmaceutical formulations.
Novel nano-composite particles for controlled-release drugs via inhalation. This project will explore a novel nano-medicine technology using nanocrystals in liposomes to design new composite particles to enable optimal release of antibiotics delivered by inhalation. Respiratory infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria is a major health problem worldwide. Controlled-release products using liposomes simplify dose regimen and enhance bacterial killing. Currently, aerosolised liposomes are l ....Novel nano-composite particles for controlled-release drugs via inhalation. This project will explore a novel nano-medicine technology using nanocrystals in liposomes to design new composite particles to enable optimal release of antibiotics delivered by inhalation. Respiratory infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria is a major health problem worldwide. Controlled-release products using liposomes simplify dose regimen and enhance bacterial killing. Currently, aerosolised liposomes are limited to liquid forms with limited control over release and stability. The project will provide new technology on manufacturing composite powders of antibiotics that may ultimately lead to the development of effective new treatments against drug-resistant bacteria.Read moreRead less
Molecular probe development for high specificity and spatiotemporal control. This project aims at developing next-generation molecular probes with enhanced specificity and spatiotemporal control for the study of proteins and neuropeptide signalling. It addresses recognised knowledge gaps and technical bottlenecks in neuropeptide and memory research. Expected outcomes include a deeper molecular understanding of long-term memory formation and the role of neuropeptides in this process, as well as i ....Molecular probe development for high specificity and spatiotemporal control. This project aims at developing next-generation molecular probes with enhanced specificity and spatiotemporal control for the study of proteins and neuropeptide signalling. It addresses recognised knowledge gaps and technical bottlenecks in neuropeptide and memory research. Expected outcomes include a deeper molecular understanding of long-term memory formation and the role of neuropeptides in this process, as well as innovative chemistry strategies and novel molecular probes to advance fundamental research across the chemical and biological sciences. Anticipated benefits include technological innovations of relevance to Australia’s biotechnology sector and enhanced capacity for cross-disciplinary collaboration.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH190100021
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,999,540.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance. The ARC ITRP Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance takes on the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for Australia through a world-first partnership between industry, researchers, and end users. The AMR Hub fosters a pre-commercialisation environment to address both social and laboratory-based preclinical challenges to provide a highly integrated diagnostic, pharmaceutical and end user solution to the problem of AMR. A ....ARC Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance. The ARC ITRP Research Hub to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance takes on the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for Australia through a world-first partnership between industry, researchers, and end users. The AMR Hub fosters a pre-commercialisation environment to address both social and laboratory-based preclinical challenges to provide a highly integrated diagnostic, pharmaceutical and end user solution to the problem of AMR. A goal of the Hub is to support the development of new molecular diagnostic technology, improve the processes for identifying potential antibiotic compounds and assess and advise on antimicrobial stewardship with a vision to transform social and health outcomes globally.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC200100052
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,789,838.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins for Drug Discovery. This Centre aims to train industry-ready, world class graduates in cryo-electron microscopy of membrane proteins. The Centre’s graduates and research results would enable tomorrow’s industrial expansion in structure-enhanced drug design. Expected outcomes are world-first structural biology knowledge and techniques, and the entrepreneurial and technical skills desired by industry. This should provide signifi ....ARC Training Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins for Drug Discovery. This Centre aims to train industry-ready, world class graduates in cryo-electron microscopy of membrane proteins. The Centre’s graduates and research results would enable tomorrow’s industrial expansion in structure-enhanced drug design. Expected outcomes are world-first structural biology knowledge and techniques, and the entrepreneurial and technical skills desired by industry. This should provide significant benefits including advancing Australian biotechnological capacity and improved linkages with major pharmaceutical partners. It should also provide a substantive competitive advantage to nascent Australian biotechnology companies that also links into new National investment into drug discovery and development infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Smartdrops - Shaping the future of particle technology. The aim of this project is to develop a particle engineering technology, based on microfluidics, that results in micro-droplets with controlled geometry and morphology. These Smartdrops will be used to target respiratory macrophages for the delivery of inflammatory suppressants, since their dimensions can be controlled to optimise lung deposition and macrophage recognition. The project aims to develop an aerosol inhaler and a series of phys ....Smartdrops - Shaping the future of particle technology. The aim of this project is to develop a particle engineering technology, based on microfluidics, that results in micro-droplets with controlled geometry and morphology. These Smartdrops will be used to target respiratory macrophages for the delivery of inflammatory suppressants, since their dimensions can be controlled to optimise lung deposition and macrophage recognition. The project aims to develop an aerosol inhaler and a series of physico-chemical and in vitro characterisation tools that will be used to study Smartdrop formation, aerosol properties and their interactions with cells. The outcome of this project is intended to be the development of a technology for treating chronic lung inflammation which could also be utilised for a number of other commercial applications.Read moreRead less
The combined use of proteomics and small molecules for target identification and pathway analysis. This project intends to investigate how a series of new small molecules identified from our research to improve the metabolic effects of insulin. This project will integrate medicinal chemistry with proteomics and metabolic biology to identify the cellular targets and their mechanism of action.