Structure And Function Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,282,475.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
Structural And Functional Analysis Of A Cancer-linked Co-regulator Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,571.00
Summary
We seek to understand the mechanisms by which genes are switched on and off throughout our lifetime. A number of multi-component protein machines are involved in this process but their make-up and mechanism of action is not understood. We will investigate the structure and function of one of these machines that has been strongly linked to cancer.
The Structural Basis For Glutamate Transporter Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,144.00
Summary
Glutamate transporters are vacuum cleaners in the brain that suck the neurotransmitter glutamate into cells. When the glutamate vacuum breaks down or becomes blocked, glutamate levels outside cells increase, leading to cell death in the brain. This process underlies the damage in many brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. The aim of this project is to understand the mechanism of the glutamate vacuum cleaner so we can develop therapeutics to fix it when it breaks down.
How Do BET Bromodomain Proteins Regulate Gene Expression?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$586,791.00
Summary
This project is aimed at defining the biochemical mechanisms of action of a class of gene regulatory proteins (BET proteins) that are currently considered to be exciting drug targets for a range of diseases, predominantly cancer. A better understanding of the means by which BET proteins regulate gene expression will be important for the rational design and application of drugs that selectively target the proteins.
Targeting Lagging Strand DNA Replication In Model And Pathogenic Bacteria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$590,426.00
Summary
An increasing concern is the growing number of hospital acquired infections that cannot be treated effectively with antibiotics because the bacteria that cause them are resistant to drug treatments. This project will develop our basic understanding of how DNA is copied in bacteria that are about to reproduce themselves, and we will use this knowledge to discover ways to stop them from copying their DNA, thus killing them. This will provide the foundation for development of new antibiotics.
Discovery And Characterisation Of Novel Tick Evasins As Inhibitors Of Chemokine-mediated Inflammation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$654,847.00
Summary
An important aspect of inflammatory diseases is the migration of white blood cells into the affected tissues. This is controlled by a group of proteins called chemokines. Ticks, which live on mammalian hosts, produce proteins called evasins, which interact with host chemokines and thereby prevent inflammatory responses. This project will discover new tick evasins, study their chemokine interactions and investigate their ability to block inflammation in allergic asthma.
Imaging The Machinery Of Bacterial Locomotion At Atomic Resolution
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,732.00
Summary
Our aim is to a) understand and b) sabotage the machinery of locomotion in bacteria. The flagellar motor propels bacteria at 100s of revolutions per second through viscous media making this the most powerful motor known to man. Bacteria can sense their environment and make informed decisions to avoid hazards or find food. Understanding how this machinery works in atomic detail is expected to have implications for both the development of new antibacterials and in the area of nano-medicine.
Structure, Function And Dynamics Of ATP Synthases And Rotary Proton Pumps
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$923,020.00
Summary
ATP synthase is the molecular machinery that converts energy derived from nutrients or photosynthesis into the universal biological fuel source ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is one of the most fundamental processes of life and is conserved from bacteria to plants to humans. Understanding how ATP synthase and its relatives work in molecular detail is expected to have wide-ranging implications for both medicine (in understanding metabolic disorders) and the design of new antibacterial agents.
Many of the most serious diseases of Western societies including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cancer growth and metastasis and cardiovascular disease have metabolic dimensions. The enzyme AMPK regulates cellular and whole body energy homeostasis by coordinating metabolic pathways to balance energy demand with nutrient supply. We are studying the structure and function of AMPK with the aim of better treating metabolic diseases.
Molecular Basis For Stress-induced Gene Regulation—a Model System To Understand Transcriptional Deregulation In Cancer And Neurological Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,076.00
Summary
Deregulated gene transcription plays a critical role in cancer formation. It is therefore important to understand the molecular basis of gene transcription and how tumour cells hijack the process. In this Project, we will study the molecular basis of stress-inducible gene expression. This is particularly important for understanding the molecular basis of cancer as stress-inducible genes are activated by transcription factors implicated in breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers.