Central Neural Circuits Subserving Nutrient–activated Thermogenesis - The Basis Of Post Prandial Energy Expenditure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$766,207.00
Summary
Studies of “energy burning” brown fat, including its importance in the determination of obesity in humans and the potential to increase its capacity by turning white fat into brown-like fat are currently foremost in obesity research. Here we study the detail of brain pathways that dictate brown fat activity after a meal resulting in the burning of ingested calories and reduction of body weight. The results will give us a better idea of how we can harness brown fat to combat obesity.
Central Neural Regulation Of Brown Fat Function – Glucose Sensing And CNS Pathways
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$761,942.00
Summary
Our research aims to identify how specific brain cells detect changes in glucose levels and how ageing and diet affect their function. We identified a subset of nerve cells that detect changes in glucose and the “hunger” hormone ghrelin, their ability to do so adapting with age and nutritional status. This project will investigate the potential of these nerve cells as targets for therapeutic and diet- intervention strategies to target obesity, diabetes and promote healthy ageing.
Assembly And Function Of Two Interacting Oncogenic Scaffolds
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$705,585.00
Summary
Aberrant signaling by the protein kinase superfamily is a known driving force for many cancers and inflammatory diseases. Recently, a subset of kinase-like proteins, termed pseudokinases, have emerged as crucial regulators of kinase signalling pathways. This proposal focuses on elucidating the scaffolding function and assembly of two pseudokinases, termed SgK223 and SgK269, which display oncogenic properties and aims to understand how their signalling abilities are subverted in a disease state.
Do Breast Cancer Risk Factors Differ According To Underlying Genetic Susceptibility? A Pooled Analysis Of Prospective Studies From The NCI Cancer Cohort Consortium
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,581.00
Summary
We propose to use data from 23 international prospective cohort studies in the Cancer Cohort Consortium organised by the US National Cancer Institute to evaluate gene environment interactions for women who are at increased genetic risk of breast cancer. Our ultimate goal is to enhance the performance of clinical prediction tools and to develop targeted evidence-based strategies to mitigate the high absolute risk of breast cancer for women at increased genetic risk of the disease.
Function And Inhibition Of Plasmepsin V In Targeting Malaria Virulence Proteins Into Human Erythrocytes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$407,845.00
Summary
Malaria parasites dramatically renovate infected erythrocytes to survive and evade the host immune system by delivering hundreds of exported parasite proteins into the cell. The parasite protease Plasmepsin V is essential for protein export. We aim to develop potent inhibitors of this protease in the hope of blocking its function and killing the parasite. We also aim to discover the components of the trafficking pathway after cleavage by Plasmepsin V that sorts virulence proteins to the host cel ....Malaria parasites dramatically renovate infected erythrocytes to survive and evade the host immune system by delivering hundreds of exported parasite proteins into the cell. The parasite protease Plasmepsin V is essential for protein export. We aim to develop potent inhibitors of this protease in the hope of blocking its function and killing the parasite. We also aim to discover the components of the trafficking pathway after cleavage by Plasmepsin V that sorts virulence proteins to the host cell.Read moreRead less