Suppressor Of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS4) Is A Critical Regulator Of The Anti-viral Immune Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$616,912.00
Summary
The SOCS proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signalling and immune cell development and function. SOCS4 is the last remaining SOCS protein for which there is no described function or intracellular target. We intend to use well-defined acute and chronic viral disease models, and investigate the role of SOCS4 in infection in order to unravel its function. We will also search for its binding partners and intracellular targets, and determine the signalling pathways regulated by SOCS4.
Molecular Characterisation Of A New Survival Pathway In Haematopoietic Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$571,631.00
Summary
It is critical for normal health that cells regulate their responses to changes in the the extracellular environment. Receptors on the cell surface are triggered by specific proteins called cytokines, and relay information to the cell interior. These messages include signaling whether cells should survive and proliferate. Inappropriate activation of signals for survival and proliferation is a hallmark of cancer. We are investigating a new survival signal and how this contributes to the survival ....It is critical for normal health that cells regulate their responses to changes in the the extracellular environment. Receptors on the cell surface are triggered by specific proteins called cytokines, and relay information to the cell interior. These messages include signaling whether cells should survive and proliferate. Inappropriate activation of signals for survival and proliferation is a hallmark of cancer. We are investigating a new survival signal and how this contributes to the survival of normal cells and to diseases such as leukaemia.Read moreRead less
Role Of Sphingolipid Signalling In Hepatic Insulin Resistance And Its Application In Prediction Of Risk For Type 2 Diabetes And Prediabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$563,305.00
Summary
Type 2 diabetes is expected to reach epidemic proportions in the coming decades. Prediabetes is usually unrecognized and constitutes a major public health concern that needs earlier interventions, because the majority of prediabetic subjects proceed to T2D. We have identified an enzyme that plays an important role in insulin signalling. The possibility is that the level or activity of this enzyme is a potential biomarker of the prediabetes state and could be also used as a target
Phospholipase Cbeta 1b, A Target To Limit Atrial Dilatation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$544,847.00
Summary
We have identified a heart specific protein that is involved in perpetuating dilatation of the upper chambers of the heart and thereby contributing to cardiac disease. Inhibitors of this protein provide a suitable target for therapy to limit heart disease. The current studies aim to test such inhibitors in vivo as proof-of-concept that such treatment effectively limits cardiac dysfunction.
I am a cell biologist determining how the organization of the plasma membrane influences signal transduction processes; my long-term goal is to understand the spatial–temporal organization of cell signalling.
Pre-clinical Assessment Of The Therapeutic Potential Of Targeting The Hippo Pathway In Muscle Wasting & Muscle-derived Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$621,979.00
Summary
Recent findings have identified the Hippo signalling pathway as an important regulator of processes in muscle fibres and muscle progenitor cells. This project will look at the significance of the Hippo pathway in the development of muscle wasting caused by statin administration, and in the genesis of muscle derived tumors (rhabdomyosarcoma). The studies will determine if interventions that regulate the Hippo pathway could provide new therapies for these important muscle-related diseases.
The Role Of Store-operated Calcium Entry In Neuronal Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,140.00
Summary
Defects in brain development can manifest in a range of disorders including autism and mental retardation. The highly complex, precise network that is our nervous system forms during development. Our work will determine the role of key proteins in guiding developing neurons. Understanding the function of such proteins will improve our ability to predict the outcome caused by mutations in these proteins, in the developing foetus.