Expression And Secretion Of Large Clostridial Toxins From The Pathogenic Clostridia.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$332,258.00
Summary
The large clostridial toxins are an important family of bacterial virulence factors that includes toxins from many disease-causing clostridial species. Despite their impact on public health, pathogenesis of disease caused by these bacteria is poorly understood. We will analyse how these bacteria regulate the production and secretion of the large toxins, which will give us a better understanding of the mechanisms of disease causation as well as identifying novel common therapeutic targets.
A New Mechanism For Transposition Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$501,839.00
Summary
Understanding how antibiotic resistance genes are acquired by bacteria is important if we are to understand how bacteria become resistant in so many antibiotics, limiting treatment options. This project will investigate the way a family of insertion sequences captures and then moves resistance genes. This mechanism contributes to resistance in many bacterial pathogens including ones that are resistant to many different antibiotics.
How Insertion Sequences Mobilize Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$675,086.00
Summary
Resistance to all antibiotics available for treatment of bacterial infections is a cause for global concern (Word Health Organization, US Centres for Disease Control) as it also compromises therapies relying on antibiotics such as transplantation and cancer chemotherapy. This project will seek to understand how resistance genes are recruited and disseminated into different types of bacteria that repeatedly spread around the world.
Dissecting The Molecular Basis For Emerging Alcohol Tolerance In VRE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$836,620.00
Summary
Infections caused by vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) are a major and growing problem in health care facilities around Australia. We have observed that VREfm is becoming significantly more resistant to killing by alcohol, probably due the increasing use of alcohol-based hand wash products. This project will identify how VREfm is becoming alcohol tolerant, knowledge that will be used to develop alternative disinfection methods or other intervention strategies to stop its spread.
Identifying Key Players In The Spread Of Antimicrobial Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$817,448.00
Summary
Antibiotic drugs are essential to treat bacterial infections. However some bacteria have genes that allow them to resist certain drugs, which can be transferred among bacteria to create 'superbugs' that can resist nearly all the drugs we have. This project investigates the transfer of drug resistance genes between Gram negative bacteria (common agents of food poisoning, hospital infection, UTI, etc) and aims to identify the bacteria and genes most important in the spread of superbugs in Australi ....Antibiotic drugs are essential to treat bacterial infections. However some bacteria have genes that allow them to resist certain drugs, which can be transferred among bacteria to create 'superbugs' that can resist nearly all the drugs we have. This project investigates the transfer of drug resistance genes between Gram negative bacteria (common agents of food poisoning, hospital infection, UTI, etc) and aims to identify the bacteria and genes most important in the spread of superbugs in Australia.Read moreRead less
Interrogation Of Streptococcal Genomic Epidemiology Within Disease Endemic Regions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,896.00
Summary
Group A streptococcal (GAS) bacterial infections within the Indigenous populations of Northern Australia are amongst the highest in the world. This project uses comparative bacterial genomics to examine current and historical outbreaks of GAS disease in Northern Australia relative to globally sourced GAS. This will be used to examine the spread of disease causing GAS between remote communities as well as investigating genetic markers of disease and informing therapeutic interventions.
Antibiotic Resistance And The Ecological Effects Of Selective Decontamination Of The Digestive Tract In Intensive Care Units
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$901,396.00
Summary
We will study patients within a large trial of gut decontamination, in which antibiotics are given in advance to reduce the risk of infection. Specifically, we will determine whether there is any increased antibiotic resistance and even biodiversity loss, as some fear. This is a one-off chance to provide essential data that can help us design better national policies for antibiotic resistance control and a true personalised medicine approach to resistance and infection in ICU.
Non-coding RNA Regulation Of Virulence In Enterohaemorrhagic E. Coli
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$389,313.00
Summary
Shiga toxins cause potentially fatal haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and are transferred between bacterial pathogens by bacteriophage (bacterial viruses). We have recently found that the Shiga toxin encoding bacteriophage encodes an unusually large number of non-coding RNAs (RNA regulators of gene expression). This Project aims to understand how these RNA regulators benefit the Shiga toxin bacteriophage and use this knowledge to develop interventions that will prevent expression of the toxin.
The Role Of Clostridium Difficile Spore Interactions With The Host In Gastrointestinal Infection And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$511,467.00
Summary
Hospital-acquired infections with the bacterium Clostridium difficile are a major global public health concern with highly virulent isolates emerging overseas in 2002 and in Australia in 2010. These have spread through our hospitals and are also found in the community. This project will increase our understanding of how these strains cause severe gut disease, which is critical for the development of improved strategies for preventing and treating these infections and reducing antibiotic use.
The Impact Of Clostridium Difficile Infection And The Host Immune Response On Colonic Homeostasis And Regeneration.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$932,212.00
Summary
Hospital-acquired infections with the bacterium Clostridium difficile are a major global public health concern with highly virulent isolates emerging overseas in 2002 and in Australia in 2010. These have spread through our hospitals and are also found in the community. This project will increase our understanding of how these strains cause severe gut disease, which is critical for the development of improved strategies for preventing and treating these infections and reducing antibiotic use.