Increasing the utility of tetanus toxins by protein engineering. There are a variety of common diseases that are the result of muscular defects. Some of these may be able to be treated with an agent that increases muscle tone, thereby giving benefit to the patient in the alleviation of symptoms. This project aims to use some of the most potent substances known, bacterial toxins, and engineer them to be valuable agents for treatment of certain muscular disorders.
Detection and viability of waterborne pathogens using a gut-on-chip. This project aims to resolve a significant problem for water utilities. Microbial pathogens Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus are the main public health concern for drinking water in developed nations. Water monitoring is limited by the lack of fast, reliable detection methods and viability assays for these pathogens. This project will use a novel gut-on-a-chip to develop for the first time rapid infectivity assays for ....Detection and viability of waterborne pathogens using a gut-on-chip. This project aims to resolve a significant problem for water utilities. Microbial pathogens Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus are the main public health concern for drinking water in developed nations. Water monitoring is limited by the lack of fast, reliable detection methods and viability assays for these pathogens. This project will use a novel gut-on-a-chip to develop for the first time rapid infectivity assays for Cryptosporidium, norovirus and adenovirus. Significant benefits include improved diagnostics and water disinfection assays, improved water treatment and reduced costs with global impact.Read moreRead less
Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. Howeve ....Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. However, DNA vaccines often provide poor protection against infections. This project will explore a unique technology developed in Australia and that will greatly improve the effectiveness of DNA vaccines against a broad range of diseases. Read moreRead less
Can an anti-HIV gene in blood stem cells protect from immune depletion by HIV? Approximately 15,000 individuals in Australia are currently HIV infected. Gene therapy has the capacity to remove antiretroviral treatment related issues, dramatically decrease treatment costs and simplify treatment of HIV.
In this study we will model a new approach to treat HIV in which the patient's own cells are used as the therapy by incorporating an anti-HIV gene. These cells are then re-introduced into the p ....Can an anti-HIV gene in blood stem cells protect from immune depletion by HIV? Approximately 15,000 individuals in Australia are currently HIV infected. Gene therapy has the capacity to remove antiretroviral treatment related issues, dramatically decrease treatment costs and simplify treatment of HIV.
In this study we will model a new approach to treat HIV in which the patient's own cells are used as the therapy by incorporating an anti-HIV gene. These cells are then re-introduced into the patient.
The strong mathematical focus of this project, and its application to a promising approach against HIV, will place Australia at the forefront of the mathematics of gene research and contribute to the National Priority Area of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and the Priority Goal of Preventative Healthcare.
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Cellular genomic approach to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. This project compares the levels of gene usage in two important immune cell types between patients with multiple sclerosis and people who do not have the disease. It aims to identify the molecular basis for the disease, in order to identify new diagnostic, preventative and treatment options.
Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early ....Discovery of Novel Respiratory Viruses Causing Influenza-Like Illness in Healthy Australian Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years. This work will inform our understanding of the causes of acute respiratory illnesses in Australia at the present time by looking for both known and previously undiscovered respiratory viruses. Increasing the knowledge base regarding causes of disease will have downstream relevance for health policy planners seeking to assess the burden of disease due to different causes. Early identification and description of new diseases will allow pre-emptive evaluation of new public health threats. This information will help to ensure availability and marketability of vaccines to prevent infection.Read moreRead less
Optimising bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for preterm infants. Synchrotron imaging will be used to see how the lungs of newborns are aerated and move when they are supported by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) breathing support. This project will provide fundamental biological information that will contribute to refinement of devices to support breathing in babies.
The role of SGK-1 and SGK-2 in hypertension and nephropathy in diabetes mellitus. The key objective is to define the suitability of the serum glucocorticoid regulated kinases -1 and -2 (SGK-1, -2) as novel drug discovery targets. A specific inhibitor targeting SGK-1 and -2 will be tested to determine if it reverses the enhanced sodium reabsorption and extracellular matrix production characteristic of progressive renal failure in in vitro models models of renal disease. These inhibitors present a ....The role of SGK-1 and SGK-2 in hypertension and nephropathy in diabetes mellitus. The key objective is to define the suitability of the serum glucocorticoid regulated kinases -1 and -2 (SGK-1, -2) as novel drug discovery targets. A specific inhibitor targeting SGK-1 and -2 will be tested to determine if it reverses the enhanced sodium reabsorption and extracellular matrix production characteristic of progressive renal failure in in vitro models models of renal disease. These inhibitors present an opportunity to control hypertension whilst simultaneously limiting fibrosis in the kidney. Renal failure is steadily increasing and is now the single largest health care cost to the community. These studies will provide the proof of concept required to ultimately bring this novel preventative therapy to the community.Read moreRead less
Making Green Guard® greener: enhancing the efficacy of a biopesticide. The project aims to identify naturally occurring micro-organisms to increase the effectiveness of Green Guard ®, which is a biopesticide used against the Australian plague locust. The project will use next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques to potentially identify candidate microbes or combinations of microbes that can be added to Green Guard to enhance locust susceptibility. The project also aims to quantif ....Making Green Guard® greener: enhancing the efficacy of a biopesticide. The project aims to identify naturally occurring micro-organisms to increase the effectiveness of Green Guard ®, which is a biopesticide used against the Australian plague locust. The project will use next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques to potentially identify candidate microbes or combinations of microbes that can be added to Green Guard to enhance locust susceptibility. The project also aims to quantify the interactive impact of temperature and nutrition on immune function, disease resistance and host-plant quality of plague locusts; and to explore the combined effects of temperature, habitat and Green Guard, in combination with candidate microbes or pathogens, on the behaviour and collective movement of locusts. It is anticipated that this will have implications for management and control strategies.Read moreRead less
Modulation of protein folding pathways: a new platform technology for molecular medicine. Misfolding of proteins is becoming recognised as a major cause of inherited disease. We propose to develop a chemical agent that will optimise the folding of alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT), misfolding of which gives rise to inheritable liver and lung disease. This agent will have potential application as a therapy for sufferers of AAT-misfolding disease and for improving the yield of AAT purified from human plasm ....Modulation of protein folding pathways: a new platform technology for molecular medicine. Misfolding of proteins is becoming recognised as a major cause of inherited disease. We propose to develop a chemical agent that will optimise the folding of alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT), misfolding of which gives rise to inheritable liver and lung disease. This agent will have potential application as a therapy for sufferers of AAT-misfolding disease and for improving the yield of AAT purified from human plasma, which is the current agent used to treat patients with AAT-misfolding disease.Read moreRead less