Peripheral Membrane Proteins In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$640,210.00
Summary
Peripheral membrane proteins are critical for processes such as cell transport, signaling, neurosecretion and development. As such, their dysfunction can lead to many debilitating diseases including cancer, inflammation and neurodegeneration. This project will establish fundamental new knowledge about how peripheral membrane proteins regulate cell function, how their perturbation or mutation results in human disease, and will inform efforts to target them for future therapeutic outcomes.
Detailed images of protein molecules underpin our understanding of biological function and our attempts to find new medicines to counter biological malfunction. Proteins belonging to the so-called Bcl-2 family determine whether a cell lives or dies and, because failure to die on cue is a hallmark of many cancers, high resolution images of these molecules will reveal new targets for cancer therapies.
Professor Michael Parker from St Vincent’s Institute in Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading structural biologists. He will use his Fellowship to help establish a Cancer Structural Biology Centre to provide early stage drug discovery tools which will aid many of Australia’s leading cancer researchers to translate their basic discoveries into drugs. This work will utilise key major infrastructure investments including the Australian Synchrotron.