Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100170
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,000.00
Summary
Bioaffinity mass spectrometry infrastructure to identify small molecules binding to therapeutic targets. The development of anti-infective therapies is challenging because the underlying biology and biochemistry of pathogen virulence is not yet completely understood. This mass spectrometer facility will be used to identify small molecules suited for development into new therapies for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.
Development of small molecule primary sulfonamides as new drugs for malaria. Malaria is a major global health threat, causing approximately 800,000 deaths annually. Lives can be saved if patients are treated. The use of current antimalarial drugs is limited by drug resistance, low activity and poor safety. This project investigates the effectiveness of a new class of molecule as a safe drug treatment option to kill malaria parasites.
Movement of mitochondria between cells. This project aims to characterise how mitochondria move between cells into grafted cells with dysfunctional mitochondrial function. How mitochondria reach the acceptor cell and how they move from the donor cell is not known. The project will use a 'bottom-up' approach, starting from a reconstituted system, via in vitro, co-culture stage to a relevant biological model, increasing complexity and biological relevance. It will document that the process of mito ....Movement of mitochondria between cells. This project aims to characterise how mitochondria move between cells into grafted cells with dysfunctional mitochondrial function. How mitochondria reach the acceptor cell and how they move from the donor cell is not known. The project will use a 'bottom-up' approach, starting from a reconstituted system, via in vitro, co-culture stage to a relevant biological model, increasing complexity and biological relevance. It will document that the process of mitochondrial intercellular movement is dependent on intercellular bridges and a specific mobility system. The project is of high relevance for cell biology.Read moreRead less
Innovations in peptide-based drug design. This project will aim to develop new types of drugs that fill a gap between existing small molecule drugs, which are relatively inexpensive and stable, but often have side-effects, and biologics which are very expensive and require injection. Our new generation of peptide-based drugs promise to be applicable to diseases that are not treatable by current drugs.
Mixing the jigsaw pieces of natural products: new molecules-new properties. This project aims to examine the capacity of exploiting the bacterial biosynthetic machinery to fast-track access to analogues of natural products. Due to increased drug resistance, new reservoirs of natural products are needed for evaluation as future drugs. Desferrioxamine B will be used as a model natural product to establish the biosynthesis of new analogues in bacterial culture supplemented with unsaturated, fluorin ....Mixing the jigsaw pieces of natural products: new molecules-new properties. This project aims to examine the capacity of exploiting the bacterial biosynthetic machinery to fast-track access to analogues of natural products. Due to increased drug resistance, new reservoirs of natural products are needed for evaluation as future drugs. Desferrioxamine B will be used as a model natural product to establish the biosynthesis of new analogues in bacterial culture supplemented with unsaturated, fluorinated or deuterated building blocks. The intended outcomes are to deliver advances in methods for generating structurally diverse pools of natural products, new label-free probes, knowledge of natural product biosynthesis, and excellence in training research students in frontier methods in chemical biology and drug discovery.Read moreRead less
Fragment based screening to deliver drugs targeting tuberculosis and the gametocyte and liver stages of Plasmodium. This project will identify natural products that bind to critical proteins in malaria and tuberculosis to discover new ways to treat these diseases.
New antibiotics: engaging microbial chemical diversity. This project will explore Australian microbial biodiversity, to detect, isolate and identify new natural chemicals with potent and selective antibacterial properties. Knowledge of these molecules will inspire and inform the development of new classes of antibiotic, effective against multi-drug resistant infections.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100218
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$840,000.00
Summary
A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility for Modern Molecular Analysis. A nuclear magnetic resonance facility for modern molecular analysis:
This project aims to network a new 500 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and new consoles for existing instruments with an automated sample changer for a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer. This designed to increase the capacity of Queensland-based researchers to undertake state-of-the-art studies in chemistry, drug design, and materials science. The ne ....A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility for Modern Molecular Analysis. A nuclear magnetic resonance facility for modern molecular analysis:
This project aims to network a new 500 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and new consoles for existing instruments with an automated sample changer for a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer. This designed to increase the capacity of Queensland-based researchers to undertake state-of-the-art studies in chemistry, drug design, and materials science. The new knowledge from these studies may lead to the development of new drugs, new crop protection agents and new photovoltaic materials. Read moreRead less