Complement Inhibitors For Treatment Of Chronic Inflammatory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,606.00
Summary
We aim to provide new therapeutic approaches to gum disease, which not only causes tooth loss, but also contributes to other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We will find new methods to inhibit a system in our own bodies that contributes to inflammation and gum disease and test the effects of these methods of inhibition in disease models. In this way, we hope to lessen the burden of gum disease on the Australian population.
Flaviviral Proteases As Viable Targets For Antiinfective Drugs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,716.00
Summary
Viruses hijack the machinery and nutrients of cells they infect in order to reproduce. We will study viral enzymes (proteases) essential for virus replication, use fluorescent probes to learn where the viral enzymes hide and act in infected cells, track the passage of drugs aimed at these enzymes, design drugs to block their actions and stop virus replication, and test antiviral activity against Dengue, West Nile, Japanese Encephalitis and Yellow Fever viruses which infect millions of people.
Disarming Deadly Viruses: High Throughput Protease Screening Using Massive Peptide Libraries
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,625.00
Summary
Viral diseases affect millions of people worldwide with mortality rates as high as 50%. Viral enzymes help liberate proteins essential for viral replication. The rapid identification of the activity and specificity of these viral enzymes is important to combat outbreaks of viral disease and has become possible through biomedical device technology developed by the industry partner. With just 17 new drugs approved by the FDA in 2002, the proposed program has the potential to deliver new drugs quic ....Viral diseases affect millions of people worldwide with mortality rates as high as 50%. Viral enzymes help liberate proteins essential for viral replication. The rapid identification of the activity and specificity of these viral enzymes is important to combat outbreaks of viral disease and has become possible through biomedical device technology developed by the industry partner. With just 17 new drugs approved by the FDA in 2002, the proposed program has the potential to deliver new drugs quickly and efficiently, and this will be of benefit to viral disease sufferers worldwide.Read moreRead less
Disruption Of Proteolytic Cascades In The Skin:towards Halting The Atopic March
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$388,601.00
Summary
There are over 3000 named skin disorders which range in severity from the trivial including acne, to life threatening such as skin cancer. Many skin diseases result from a lack of control over the way the skin maintains itself. Cutting the connections that hold cells together is key to balancing loss of skin cells with their continuous replacement. This project focuses on making compounds to block skin cell shedding with the longer term aim of producing novel drugs to treat skin disease.
Control Of Proteases In Infectious, Degenerative And Cardiovascular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$11,668,789.00
Summary
Proteases are enzymes that control key processes in humans. The research in this program will result in major discoveries in the field of proteases and their inhibitors, with a focus on inflammatory, cardiovascular and degenerative disease. The knowledge gained from this strong foundation of fundamental research will underpin the translational outcomes necessary to combat the debilitating effects of immunological dysfunction, conformational and cardiovascular disease.
Development Of Reversible Inhibitors Of Factor XIa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$444,318.00
Summary
Blood usually clots in response to injury, but unwanted clots can cause thrombosis, as well as leading to stroke and heart disease. Existing drugs to treat thrombosis suffer from drawbacks such as invasive monitoring, interaction with diet and other medicines, and bleeding complications. New drugs are clearly needed. Our expert group of researchers will discover new anti-thrombotic compounds based upon our previous identification of natural products with anticoagulant properties.
Downsizing A Human Protein To Modulate Inflammatory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$516,793.00
Summary
We have discovered how to downsize a human protein to very small molecules with the same activities and potencies. Small changes enable the compounds to powerfully block the actions of the protein. These small molecules are very stable in blood, whereas the protein deactivates in minutes. This project will develop the small molecules into experimental drugs and test them in human cells and proteins, and in rats to evaluate their potential for treating human inflammatory diseases.
Scabies Mite Intestinal Proteases As Targets For Novel Therapeutics.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$672,533.00
Summary
Scabies causes bacterial disease affecting poor people worldwide. Available therapies are limited and drug resistance is emerging. We investigate molecules that the mite needs to infest the skin, to guide the formulation and the testing of novel drugs. This will provide improved treatment of affected individuals and their families, thereby reducing the spread of scabies and bacterial infections and their devastating sequelae, particularly in Australian Indigenous communities.