Nanoprobe and Microprobe Structural and Spectroscopic Studies in Biomedical Research. Breakthrough microprobe and nanoprobe technologies, involving X-ray, visible and infrared light can focus into different components of mammalian cells in order to interrogate the biochemistry that is occurring therein. Each of the different wavelengths of light provides complementary biochemical information that enables multi-layered information on changes in cells that occur as a function of drug treatments a ....Nanoprobe and Microprobe Structural and Spectroscopic Studies in Biomedical Research. Breakthrough microprobe and nanoprobe technologies, involving X-ray, visible and infrared light can focus into different components of mammalian cells in order to interrogate the biochemistry that is occurring therein. Each of the different wavelengths of light provides complementary biochemical information that enables multi-layered information on changes in cells that occur as a function of drug treatments and disease processes. This will provide unprecedented information as to where drugs go and how they are transformed inside cells that, in turn, may revolutionalise the way in which new drugs are designed that have higher specificity and lower side effects.Read moreRead less
Understanding aerobic respiration: Models for the catalytic centre in proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases. This project tackles ?head on? a key challenge in contemporary biological inorganic chemistry, understanding how at the atomic level aerobic life uses oxygen. All life we see is aerobic, and thus the conceptual advances from this research will progress understanding of our world and ourselves? an important cultural goal. Advancing knowledge of such fundamental processes sits firmly in the a ....Understanding aerobic respiration: Models for the catalytic centre in proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases. This project tackles ?head on? a key challenge in contemporary biological inorganic chemistry, understanding how at the atomic level aerobic life uses oxygen. All life we see is aerobic, and thus the conceptual advances from this research will progress understanding of our world and ourselves? an important cultural goal. Advancing knowledge of such fundamental processes sits firmly in the area of the Research Priority Goal: Breakthrough Science. Postgraduate research students will be trained in sophisticated state-of-the-art theoretical and synthetic chemical methodologies. The project will enhance Australia's research capability in biological (inorganic) chemistry and promote Australia's standing in the International research community.Read moreRead less
Mechanistic Studies of Dimethylsulfide Dehydrogenase: A Novel Bacterial Molybdoenzyme. The aim of this proposal is to use electrochemical, spectroscopic and molecular biological techniques to understand the mechanism of action of the enzyme dimethylsulfide dehydrogenase. This enzyme is representative of an major group of molybdenum-containing enzymes that have importance in microbial biotransformations. The project will provide fundamental information about a multi-redox centre protein that has ....Mechanistic Studies of Dimethylsulfide Dehydrogenase: A Novel Bacterial Molybdoenzyme. The aim of this proposal is to use electrochemical, spectroscopic and molecular biological techniques to understand the mechanism of action of the enzyme dimethylsulfide dehydrogenase. This enzyme is representative of an major group of molybdenum-containing enzymes that have importance in microbial biotransformations. The project will provide fundamental information about a multi-redox centre protein that has potential application in biosensors and biocatalysis.Read moreRead less
Structural studies of catalysis and electron transfer by copper proteins. We propose to determine the crystal structures of five copper-containing proteins. Three are amine oxidases, enzymes that protect a wide range of organisms against toxic cell products (amines). Novel chemical modifications and crystallographic techniques will be used to test hypotheses for the enzyme mechanism. The results will provide a basis for the future manipulation of the enzymes' activities. Our other targets, s ....Structural studies of catalysis and electron transfer by copper proteins. We propose to determine the crystal structures of five copper-containing proteins. Three are amine oxidases, enzymes that protect a wide range of organisms against toxic cell products (amines). Novel chemical modifications and crystallographic techniques will be used to test hypotheses for the enzyme mechanism. The results will provide a basis for the future manipulation of the enzymes' activities. Our other targets, sulfocyanin and auracyanin-A, perform essential electron-transfer functions in an archaeon and a photosynthetic bacterium, respectively. The determination of their molecular structures will answer exciting questions about electron transfer in primitive organisms, and about the evolution of copper proteins as biological electron-transfer agents.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0344441
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
New Generation Metalloenzyme Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectrometer Systems. Funding is sought to enhance the existing collaborations between UQ, ANU, Sydney and other universities in the study of metal-centred molecules of biological interest through the construction of advanced magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrometers. These facilities will be the best instruments of their kind, and will enable researchers at Australian institutions to enhance the quality of their research and remain ....New Generation Metalloenzyme Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectrometer Systems. Funding is sought to enhance the existing collaborations between UQ, ANU, Sydney and other universities in the study of metal-centred molecules of biological interest through the construction of advanced magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrometers. These facilities will be the best instruments of their kind, and will enable researchers at Australian institutions to enhance the quality of their research and remain internationally competitive through the application of modern MCD spectroscopic techniques to the study of metal-centred biomolecules. These facilities will drive a number of programs in the area of metalloenzyme and photosystem II research.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0237664
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,000.00
Summary
High Resolution Mass Spectrometer for (MS)n Chemical Characterisation. A Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance ("FT-ICR") mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionisation (ESI) plus a "benchtop" matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer are required to support the research of ca 28 research groups, including 44 postdoctoral fellows, and 138 honours and postgraduate students. By means of its high resolution and (MS)n capabilities, the FT- ....High Resolution Mass Spectrometer for (MS)n Chemical Characterisation. A Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance ("FT-ICR") mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionisation (ESI) plus a "benchtop" matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer are required to support the research of ca 28 research groups, including 44 postdoctoral fellows, and 138 honours and postgraduate students. By means of its high resolution and (MS)n capabilities, the FT-ICR-MS will provide key structural information on a wide range of synthetic and natural chemical substances, including sequence (e.g. peptides) and fragmentation patterns, while the MALDI-TOF instrument will be used primarily for high through-put proteomic analyses.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354636
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$30,000.00
Summary
Australian Computational Molecular Science Network. Computational Molecular Science (CMS) involves the use of theory and computational methods to simulate and visualise molecular systems ranging from small atmospheric species to proteins, nucleic acids, chemical polymers and materials. It represents our most incisive expression of what we understand about the molecular basis of nature. The CMS network will integrate and cross-fertilize both fundamental and application-based expertize in molecula ....Australian Computational Molecular Science Network. Computational Molecular Science (CMS) involves the use of theory and computational methods to simulate and visualise molecular systems ranging from small atmospheric species to proteins, nucleic acids, chemical polymers and materials. It represents our most incisive expression of what we understand about the molecular basis of nature. The CMS network will integrate and cross-fertilize both fundamental and application-based expertize in molecular scale computations in the fields of nanoscience, biomaterials, biotechnology, biomedical science and environmental science. It will uncover and explore critical new interdisciplinary science and create new molecular-based paradigms that will drive advances in these fields over the next decade.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346903
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
LC-MS system for Faculty of Sciences, U.N.E. LC-MS is a technique for investigating the composition of complex mixtures and identifying its components. This instrumentation will be utilised at UNE in a diverse range of analytical investigations to further the research aims of scientists in chemistry, biological sciences, archaeology, physics, environmental sciences, marine science as well as biological researchers in specialised units based at UNE. The extraordinarily versatile capacity of this ....LC-MS system for Faculty of Sciences, U.N.E. LC-MS is a technique for investigating the composition of complex mixtures and identifying its components. This instrumentation will be utilised at UNE in a diverse range of analytical investigations to further the research aims of scientists in chemistry, biological sciences, archaeology, physics, environmental sciences, marine science as well as biological researchers in specialised units based at UNE. The extraordinarily versatile capacity of this technique for analysis and identification of organic substances, from small molecules through to large proteins and complex plant and animal metabolites, will provide impetus for existing research and stimulus for new research directions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668439
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$730,000.00
Summary
Elemental and Structural Analysis Facility Comprising a FTICR Mass Spectrometer and a CHNS Analyser. The determination of molecular structure is important in many fields of chemistry, biochemistry and material science. Without such determinations much chemical research would be viewed as incomplete and rendered unpatentable as well as unpublishable. The two state-of-the-art instruments to be purchased will improve the ability of a wide cross-section of researchers to rapidly characterize compoun ....Elemental and Structural Analysis Facility Comprising a FTICR Mass Spectrometer and a CHNS Analyser. The determination of molecular structure is important in many fields of chemistry, biochemistry and material science. Without such determinations much chemical research would be viewed as incomplete and rendered unpatentable as well as unpublishable. The two state-of-the-art instruments to be purchased will improve the ability of a wide cross-section of researchers to rapidly characterize compounds important in fields as varied as medicinal chemistry, material science and geosciences. All types of chemical research, from fundamental to applied, will benefit from these instruments with clear and positive implications regarding societal impact.Read moreRead less