Regulation Of Neural Progenitor Cell Self-renewal By The RNA-binding Protein ZFP36L1 During Development And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,401.00
Summary
The timely differentiation of neural stem cells is critical during development, and the unrestrained proliferation of neural stem cells in the adult can lead to deadly brain cancers such as glioma. At present our understanding of the key molecules that regulate neural stem cell behaviour during these processes remains limited. In this proposal we will investigate the molecular determinants underpinning neural stem cell biology, both within the developing brain, and within glioma.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882913
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Mass spectrometry facility for the quantitation and analysis of post-translationally modified peptides. This proposal will address a gap in our mass spectrometry capabilities and aid in our understanding of the cellular immune response and investigate the chemical diversity of the targets of immunity. This proposal has broad implications in the basic immunology of antigen presentation, in biomarker discovery as well as in the design of new vaccines in infectious disease and cancer and the develo ....Mass spectrometry facility for the quantitation and analysis of post-translationally modified peptides. This proposal will address a gap in our mass spectrometry capabilities and aid in our understanding of the cellular immune response and investigate the chemical diversity of the targets of immunity. This proposal has broad implications in the basic immunology of antigen presentation, in biomarker discovery as well as in the design of new vaccines in infectious disease and cancer and the development of therapies for autoimmune diseases. 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 cross-disciplinary skills (immunology, biochemistry, proteomics).Read moreRead less
Circular Plant Proteins with Pharmaceutical Applications. The proposed research will develop methods for using plants as protein production factories. Initially I will use plants to create engineered cyclotides that incorporate peptides with proven therapeutic activity against cancer and multiple sclerosis. Successful production of therapeutic proteins in plants will benefit Australians by making treatments for these and other diseases more accessible. It also has the potential for a major econo ....Circular Plant Proteins with Pharmaceutical Applications. The proposed research will develop methods for using plants as protein production factories. Initially I will use plants to create engineered cyclotides that incorporate peptides with proven therapeutic activity against cancer and multiple sclerosis. Successful production of therapeutic proteins in plants will benefit Australians by making treatments for these and other diseases more accessible. It also has the potential for a major economic benefit from the sales of Australian-based drugs. This proposal will also provide outstanding research training for graduate students in multidisciplinary methods that constitute state-of the-art structural and plant molecular biology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100222
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Advanced stopped flow: electron paramagnetic resonance apparatus for measurement of short-lived free radicals in engineering, science and medicine. The facility will enable world class research into complex chemical processes relevant to industry, environmental science and biochemistry. This will result in development of new technologies in explosives, pollution reduction and energy storage, and enhance our understanding of chemical processes that lead to sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage ....Advanced stopped flow: electron paramagnetic resonance apparatus for measurement of short-lived free radicals in engineering, science and medicine. The facility will enable world class research into complex chemical processes relevant to industry, environmental science and biochemistry. This will result in development of new technologies in explosives, pollution reduction and energy storage, and enhance our understanding of chemical processes that lead to sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and infertility.Read moreRead less
Vortex fluidic mediated chemical transformations. This project aims to develop a continuous flow vortex fluidic device (VFD) for chemical and biochemical transformations. Vortex fluidic devices should lead to cleaner and faster ways of preparing complex molecules. Depending on the VFD’s operating parameters, including applying field effects such as Faraday waves, plasmas and light sources, reactions could have higher yields and selectivity than traditional batch processing. This will be translat ....Vortex fluidic mediated chemical transformations. This project aims to develop a continuous flow vortex fluidic device (VFD) for chemical and biochemical transformations. Vortex fluidic devices should lead to cleaner and faster ways of preparing complex molecules. Depending on the VFD’s operating parameters, including applying field effects such as Faraday waves, plasmas and light sources, reactions could have higher yields and selectivity than traditional batch processing. This will be translated into molecular assembly line syntheses in a single unit or a series. Such syntheses should provide a versatile toolbox for molecular transformations, under continuous flow conditions where scalability is addressed upfront. This will be attractive to industry and minimise effects on the environment.Read moreRead less
In vitro expression of macrocyclic peptides. This project aims to develop a novel strategy for the production of polypeptides with unnatural chemical groups using a sense codon reassignment approach. Novel peptides could be used in a range of pharmaceutical applications. Peptides made of 20 natural amino acids cover only a very small fraction of the available chemical and functional space. While a peptide’s functionality can be extended with unnatural amino acids, the methods for their site-sele ....In vitro expression of macrocyclic peptides. This project aims to develop a novel strategy for the production of polypeptides with unnatural chemical groups using a sense codon reassignment approach. Novel peptides could be used in a range of pharmaceutical applications. Peptides made of 20 natural amino acids cover only a very small fraction of the available chemical and functional space. While a peptide’s functionality can be extended with unnatural amino acids, the methods for their site-selective incorporation are inefficient. The project’s strategy relies on the depletion of selected tRNAs from an in vitro protein translation system and their replacement with synthetic tRNAs, charged with unnatural amino acids. It is expected that the developed technology could be used to rapidly generate and screen highly diversified macrocyclic peptide libraries.Read moreRead less
Investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying non-visual photoreception and their implications in the treatment of human neurological disease. The ability of organisms to detect light is fundamental for survival and has been a major driver in evolution. The project will investigate the genetic origins of the various visual and non-visual systems and will explore its implications for the bioengineering of therapeutics for the treatment of neurological disease in humans.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100092
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$240,000.00
Summary
A high-throughput protein production and structure facility. Making proteins and studying their structures and properties is a key activity in biotechnology, drug design, food security and bio-nanotechnology. The Protein Production and Structure Facility will provide Western Australian researchers and their international partners with world-class resources to pursue this research for the benefit of all Australians.
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.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100192
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Deep Protein Sequencing, Structure and Quantification Facility. This project aims to establish state-of-the-art complementary mass spectrometers to help research into molecular structure and interactions, post-translational modifications, compound stability and availability within complex biological samples. The facility’s complementary mass spectrometers combine high specificity with high sensitivity and ultrafast scanning, and are expected to rapidly discover, identify and characterise biomole ....Deep Protein Sequencing, Structure and Quantification Facility. This project aims to establish state-of-the-art complementary mass spectrometers to help research into molecular structure and interactions, post-translational modifications, compound stability and availability within complex biological samples. The facility’s complementary mass spectrometers combine high specificity with high sensitivity and ultrafast scanning, and are expected to rapidly discover, identify and characterise biomolecules including peptides, proteins and small molecules. The discovery of unknown compounds is expected to improve fundamental understanding of molecular structure and function, provide opportunities for new bio-industries in health and the environment, and generate commercial opportunities through spin-off companies, patents and licensing.Read moreRead less