Nitroxide-containing scaffolds for controlling biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in healthcare systems around the world as they cause persistent and chronic infections, including those associated with medical implants and cystic fibrosis. This project aims to develop new chemical approaches to deliver nitroxides at surface interfaces and in microparticles to facilitate long term control over biofilm growth. It is expected that these functionalised scaffolds will ....Nitroxide-containing scaffolds for controlling biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in healthcare systems around the world as they cause persistent and chronic infections, including those associated with medical implants and cystic fibrosis. This project aims to develop new chemical approaches to deliver nitroxides at surface interfaces and in microparticles to facilitate long term control over biofilm growth. It is expected that these functionalised scaffolds will represent a breakthrough in the field and will have a profound impact by reducing infection rates associated with medical devices and improving airway clearance in cystic fibrosis patients.Read moreRead less
Chemical building block size principles for discovery chemists. This project aims to deliver an innovative platform of new fundamental molecules, and associated design principles that will assist discovery chemists (DCs) to sidestep outdated, caged hydrocarbon chemical building blocks (CHCBBs). The expanding global population places significant challenges on discovery chemistry, driven by an appetite for innovative chemical technologies for societal longevity such as pharmaceuticals, agrichemica ....Chemical building block size principles for discovery chemists. This project aims to deliver an innovative platform of new fundamental molecules, and associated design principles that will assist discovery chemists (DCs) to sidestep outdated, caged hydrocarbon chemical building blocks (CHCBBs). The expanding global population places significant challenges on discovery chemistry, driven by an appetite for innovative chemical technologies for societal longevity such as pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, and microelectronics. In translating this new CHCBB technology into accessible commodity supply streams, the project hopes to provide DCs with tools to sustain chemical technology evolution in a multitude of key industries that underpin the longevity of society.Read moreRead less
Pro-Fluorescent Aryl Nitroxides: New Probes for Polymer Lifetime and Kinetics Research. Internal aryl rings present in novel probes developed for this project impart fluorescence which is efficiently and internally quenched by the presence of a paramagnetic nitroxide group. Scavenging of radicals by the nitroxide however "switches on" the fluorescence and this enables powerful new fluorescence-based detection levels for the technique of nitroxide free radical scavenging. Such sensitivity is a ....Pro-Fluorescent Aryl Nitroxides: New Probes for Polymer Lifetime and Kinetics Research. Internal aryl rings present in novel probes developed for this project impart fluorescence which is efficiently and internally quenched by the presence of a paramagnetic nitroxide group. Scavenging of radicals by the nitroxide however "switches on" the fluorescence and this enables powerful new fluorescence-based detection levels for the technique of nitroxide free radical scavenging. Such sensitivity is applicable to polymerization kinetics studies, as well as providing new means for the determination of materials lifetimes. The development of pro-fluorescent markers as indicators for polymer degradation would be a significant outcome for materials where component failure has a major negative impact.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revol ....ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology. The CoE in Convergent Bio-Nano Science &Technology comprises a multi-disciplinary team focused on research aiming to understand and control the interface of materials with biological systems. The Centre will exploit knowledge of the bio-nano interface to design materials that transport and deliver vaccines, drugs and gene therapy agents, and to design new diagnostic agents and devices. Nanomedicines are on the cusp of revolutionizing diagnosis and therapy in many diseases. The CoE will be the focus of bio-nano research activity in Australia, uniting universities, research agencies, institutes and companies. The expected outcomes are better diagnostic and therapeutic tools designed via an enhanced understanding of the bio-nano-interface.Read moreRead less
Eradicating bacterial biofilms with nitroxide-antimicrobial hybrids. This project aims to develop new antimicrobials to address the rise of drug-resistant infections and resilient bacterial communities called biofilms. We aim to break new ground in our fundamental knowledge of antimicrobial mechanisms and exploit this understanding by fusing cellular/molecular microbiology and synthetic chemistry approaches. We seek to gain an in-depth understanding of how nitroxides induce bacterial biofilm dis ....Eradicating bacterial biofilms with nitroxide-antimicrobial hybrids. This project aims to develop new antimicrobials to address the rise of drug-resistant infections and resilient bacterial communities called biofilms. We aim to break new ground in our fundamental knowledge of antimicrobial mechanisms and exploit this understanding by fusing cellular/molecular microbiology and synthetic chemistry approaches. We seek to gain an in-depth understanding of how nitroxides induce bacterial biofilm dispersal, which is critical for the discovery of anti-biofilm molecules that do not fail due to resistance development. These breakthroughs should induce a step-change in our ability to reduce the occurrence of biofilm-related infection in fields ranging from medical and veterinary to biotechnology and agriculture.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0883096
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Analytical and Preparative Enantioselective Chromatography. Enantiomers are forms of the same molecule that are non-superimposable mirror images of one another, like a left hand and a right hand. Because they are so similar they are very difficult to separate. However, they have very different biological properties, such as when used as drugs. One enantiomer may be beneficial while the other has no effect or sometimes is even toxic. Therefore it is important to be able to tell how much of ea ....Analytical and Preparative Enantioselective Chromatography. Enantiomers are forms of the same molecule that are non-superimposable mirror images of one another, like a left hand and a right hand. Because they are so similar they are very difficult to separate. However, they have very different biological properties, such as when used as drugs. One enantiomer may be beneficial while the other has no effect or sometimes is even toxic. Therefore it is important to be able to tell how much of each enantiomer is present in a sample and to be able to separate them. This facility will allow us to do both of these things.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence - Centre for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology. Free radical chemistry is of increasing importance in the manufacture of improved plastics, paints and related materials, in helping restrict oxidative processes that can lead to adverse human health and also to the degradation of important industrial materials. The research will contribute to promoting & maintaining good health by developing new methods for reducing the impacts of ageing as well as in the treatment ....ARC Centre of Excellence - Centre for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology. Free radical chemistry is of increasing importance in the manufacture of improved plastics, paints and related materials, in helping restrict oxidative processes that can lead to adverse human health and also to the degradation of important industrial materials. The research will contribute to promoting & maintaining good health by developing new methods for reducing the impacts of ageing as well as in the treatment of several life-threatening conditions such as stroke. Industrial applications include better surface coatings for preserving metals, and additives to improve the quality and shelf life of beer and wines.Read moreRead less
Harnessing molecular strain for drug discovery and bioconjugation. Peptides and proteins are increasingly important therapies for the treatment of disease. Nevertheless, the synthesis and optimisation of these high-value compounds still relies primarily on technologies developed decades ago. There is a desperate need for modern strategies to unlock the full potential of peptides and proteins for diverse applications in drug discovery. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop new tools for ....Harnessing molecular strain for drug discovery and bioconjugation. Peptides and proteins are increasingly important therapies for the treatment of disease. Nevertheless, the synthesis and optimisation of these high-value compounds still relies primarily on technologies developed decades ago. There is a desperate need for modern strategies to unlock the full potential of peptides and proteins for diverse applications in drug discovery. This interdisciplinary research aims to develop new tools for the construction and modification of peptides and proteins by harnessing the energy in a unique class of strained molecules. A focus on peptide-based inhibitors of the proteasome, a critical target for modern cancer treatments, should provide future health and economic benefits for the Australian community.Read moreRead less
Advances in Peptide Synthesis: Exploiting Underutilised Functional Groups. The translation of therapeutically-relevant classes of peptides to the clinic is often limited by chemists' ability to synthesise these complex biomolecules efficiently and sustainably. This project aims to develop new tools for the preparation of designer peptides that are broadly inspired by an underutilised reactive group found in naturally-occurring peptide sequences. Expected outcomes encompass health and economic be ....Advances in Peptide Synthesis: Exploiting Underutilised Functional Groups. The translation of therapeutically-relevant classes of peptides to the clinic is often limited by chemists' ability to synthesise these complex biomolecules efficiently and sustainably. This project aims to develop new tools for the preparation of designer peptides that are broadly inspired by an underutilised reactive group found in naturally-occurring peptide sequences. Expected outcomes encompass health and economic benefits for the Australian community, including: the first approach to a class of promising antibiotic peptide natural product analogues, the development of a mild electrochemical approach to peptide modification, and the production of a library of novel amino acids for incorporation into potential antibiotic leads.Read moreRead less