Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347746
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$199,000.00
Summary
Circular-dichroism stopped-flow spectrometer for rapid molecular interactions and membrane transport. A stopped-flow spectroscope is requested that can capture the rapid kinetics of changes in conformation of biopolymers, macromolecules and chiral catalysts as they interact with other molecules. This includes measurement of rapid transport of solutes through membrane proteins in lipid membranes. The versatile instrument can also determine circular dichroism spectra of peptides, proteins, tannins ....Circular-dichroism stopped-flow spectrometer for rapid molecular interactions and membrane transport. A stopped-flow spectroscope is requested that can capture the rapid kinetics of changes in conformation of biopolymers, macromolecules and chiral catalysts as they interact with other molecules. This includes measurement of rapid transport of solutes through membrane proteins in lipid membranes. The versatile instrument can also determine circular dichroism spectra of peptides, proteins, tannins, pigment complexes and chiral catalysts that is required within several existing collaborations to understand the tertiary structures, stability and interactions between the complex molecules. The instrument will significantly strengthen research on macromolecules and polymers that have applications in the wine industry, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
Purchase of an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph - triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The diverse research supported by the proposed instrument group addresses several national research priorities. It will lead to a better fundamental understanding of the hormonal control of plant growth, improved catalysts for organic synthesis including pharmaceuticals and improved food safety. In forestry it will help to increase forest productivity through mitigating losses from insect and mamm ....Purchase of an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph - triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The diverse research supported by the proposed instrument group addresses several national research priorities. It will lead to a better fundamental understanding of the hormonal control of plant growth, improved catalysts for organic synthesis including pharmaceuticals and improved food safety. In forestry it will help to increase forest productivity through mitigating losses from insect and mammalian pests and enhancing wood quality. In pharmaceutics, improved treatments for asthma are expected. This facility will provide the infrastructure essential for many researchers to maintain internationally competitive profiles in their areas and continue to offer postgraduate training and postdoctoral opportunities.Read moreRead less
Design and evaluation of new environmentally-benign herbicides that inhibit branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. Herbicides interfere with processes that occur in plants, such as photosynthesis or the biosynthesis of certain amino acids. In this project we will focus on branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, designing and evaluating inhibitors of the first two enzymes in this process. Based on their three dimensional structures we will develop an understanding of the molecular features that ....Design and evaluation of new environmentally-benign herbicides that inhibit branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. Herbicides interfere with processes that occur in plants, such as photosynthesis or the biosynthesis of certain amino acids. In this project we will focus on branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, designing and evaluating inhibitors of the first two enzymes in this process. Based on their three dimensional structures we will develop an understanding of the molecular features that contribute to a potent inhibitor and those that are required for it to be effective upon plants. Using this information we will design and synthesis new compounds as potential environmentally-benign herbicides.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0237784
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$707,000.00
Summary
Hyphenated Separations/Mass Spectrometry Technology for Protein and Natural Product Characterisation. This proposal consolidates the 3 institutions' collaboration on the ACROSS (Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science) initiative, providing fundamental technology for chemical structural analysis of complex samples involving high resolution protein and natural product characterisation. Requested equipment supports complete characterisation of important novel target molecules. GCxGC-T ....Hyphenated Separations/Mass Spectrometry Technology for Protein and Natural Product Characterisation. This proposal consolidates the 3 institutions' collaboration on the ACROSS (Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science) initiative, providing fundamental technology for chemical structural analysis of complex samples involving high resolution protein and natural product characterisation. Requested equipment supports complete characterisation of important novel target molecules. GCxGC-TOFMS technology will validate our newly patented multidimensional separation techniques. Q-TOF-TOFMS technology, novel patented protein prefractionation approaches, and sample handling with high resolution characterisation / identification of new target proteins allows advanced proteomics developments. Proteomics depends critically upon sophisticated MS techniques. These technologies will: ·enhance the capabilities and expertise in these sciences in the SE Australian area; ·ensure the ACROSS initiative achieves internationally competitive research capabilities; ·provide commercial endpoints in fields associated with analysis of proteins, essential oils and other natural (bio)substances.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775708
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$289,680.00
Summary
X-ray Diffraction Microscope. The results of the research will substantially expand Australia's knowledge base in the area of diffraction, imaging and structural biology. It will build up our expertise in x-ray optics and synchrotron technology, and will open up a new approach to x-ray imaging and structure determination.
This will revolutionize our understanding of cellular and sub-cellular organisation with implications for the treatment of disease while the ability to determine structures ....X-ray Diffraction Microscope. The results of the research will substantially expand Australia's knowledge base in the area of diffraction, imaging and structural biology. It will build up our expertise in x-ray optics and synchrotron technology, and will open up a new approach to x-ray imaging and structure determination.
This will revolutionize our understanding of cellular and sub-cellular organisation with implications for the treatment of disease while the ability to determine structures of membrane proteins will open the door to fresh opportunities in rational drug design and biotechnology that will promote innovation in this industry, and the likely foundation of new start-up companies.Read moreRead less
Preparation of Photo-Affinity Molecular Probes for the Identification of Gibberellin Receptors. Bioactive gibberellins affect numerous processes during plant growth and development, including seed germination, leaf expansion, stem elongation, flowering and fruit development. However, only very limited information is available regarding their mode of action at the molecular level. The central aim of the project is to prepare a family of photo-affinity molecular probes based on the gibberellin m ....Preparation of Photo-Affinity Molecular Probes for the Identification of Gibberellin Receptors. Bioactive gibberellins affect numerous processes during plant growth and development, including seed germination, leaf expansion, stem elongation, flowering and fruit development. However, only very limited information is available regarding their mode of action at the molecular level. The central aim of the project is to prepare a family of photo-affinity molecular probes based on the gibberellin molecule that will be designed to provide critical information on the location and structure of gibberellin receptors. Screening of the probes for potential effectiveness will be determined initially by the measurement of alpha-amylase produced in a standard barley aleurone assay.Read moreRead less
New Enantiomeric Separation Technologies for Natural Product, Pharmaceuticals and Environmental Pollutant Characterisation. Enantiomeric characterisation allows evaluation of drug purity for potentially harmful constituents, consumer protection against adulteration of essential oils and natural materials, and study of chemical interactions in biochemical/environmental systems. Chromatograph technologies (GC, HPLC and CE)for enantioseparation are available, however limitations prevent multicompon ....New Enantiomeric Separation Technologies for Natural Product, Pharmaceuticals and Environmental Pollutant Characterisation. Enantiomeric characterisation allows evaluation of drug purity for potentially harmful constituents, consumer protection against adulteration of essential oils and natural materials, and study of chemical interactions in biochemical/environmental systems. Chromatograph technologies (GC, HPLC and CE)for enantioseparation are available, however limitations prevent multicomponent characterisation of complete sample mixtures. Critical choices involve: choosing a chiral selector that interacts differentially upon all enantiomers; incorporation of selector into high-efficiency chromatographic systems; application to all target compounds in the sample. We will synthesise novel chiral selectors, incorporate these into new separation columns, apply ultra-high resolution 2-dimensional GCxGC to broad-spectrum chiral analysis of volatile chemical samples.Read moreRead less
Streamlining the dynamin epilepsy drug pipeline. Epilepsy affects up to one percent of Australia's population, yet one in three fail to respond to current medications. Our results will greatly impact on development of future epilepsy therapy. Identification of a new target for epileptic will allow better drug design to improve the potency of our lead drugs. This holds hope that new generation drugs will be more effective. The drugs are predicted to have fewer complications and side-effects. Th ....Streamlining the dynamin epilepsy drug pipeline. Epilepsy affects up to one percent of Australia's population, yet one in three fail to respond to current medications. Our results will greatly impact on development of future epilepsy therapy. Identification of a new target for epileptic will allow better drug design to improve the potency of our lead drugs. This holds hope that new generation drugs will be more effective. The drugs are predicted to have fewer complications and side-effects. The outcome has the potential to vastly improve prospects for up to 200,000 Australians. Intellectual property (IP) retained in Australia will generate future biotechnology industry. The novel chemical biological approaches will facilitate training of future generations of Australian scientists.Read moreRead less
Targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in disease. Defects in mitochondria, the energy producing compartments within cells, lead to severe neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to the development of cancer. Treatment for such diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA remains unsatisfactory and mostly confined to supportive measures. The identification of proteins that regulate gene expression within mitochondria provides an unexplored resource of potential disease modulators and drug ta ....Targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in disease. Defects in mitochondria, the energy producing compartments within cells, lead to severe neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to the development of cancer. Treatment for such diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA remains unsatisfactory and mostly confined to supportive measures. The identification of proteins that regulate gene expression within mitochondria provides an unexplored resource of potential disease modulators and drug targets. This research will lead to new strategies in the design of improved anticancer drugs, which is an important Australian research priority that will promote and maintain good health, and provide potential commercial outcomes.Read moreRead less
Protein-mRNA interactions and their role in post-transcriptional regulation. The research outcomes will be of fundamental importance in the field of gene regulation, and as such will result in publications in high-profile international journals and continue to contribute to Australia's outstanding international reputation in biological research. Students and research associates that have the opportunity to work on this project will be trained in the use of state-of-the art technologies in bioche ....Protein-mRNA interactions and their role in post-transcriptional regulation. The research outcomes will be of fundamental importance in the field of gene regulation, and as such will result in publications in high-profile international journals and continue to contribute to Australia's outstanding international reputation in biological research. Students and research associates that have the opportunity to work on this project will be trained in the use of state-of-the art technologies in biochemistry, scientific rigour and presentation skills and thus contribute to the quality of our national workforce. Furthermore, applications that arise from this work will contribute to Australia's intellectual property and future development of biotechnological industry.Read moreRead less